Black Rabbit Jewelry Blog

Behind the photos: beautiful props… and love

Monday, September 14th, 2009 | Family, Just blogging | No Comments

We do all of our own photography… or maybe I should say, I do all of our own photography… I studied photography in school, and for a while pursued it passionately and for a short while, considered pursuing it professionally. Of course, with digital photography it is not difficult to get great shots quickly, and with image editing software it is easy to improve upon those shots that once would have never gone farther than a contact sheet.

But, there is more to our photos than, well, good photography. Within the photos are settings and props that are close to our hearts – when you peruse our jewelry, you get a glimpse of who we are at home, as well as a bit of family history…

Many of our pieces are photographed on the top of one of my mother’s jewelry boxes. I have always loved her jewelry boxes, which were given to me when I was a teenager, and which I have treasured ever since. One is a black lacquer box from Japan that has a hand-painted landscape on the lid. Beneath the lid are two compartments whose doors have red silk tassels. The box is lined with red ribbed cloth. It is quite charming! The box that serves well as a backdrop for photos is a tall, wardrobe shaped little cabinet with doors that open out to the front, decorated with oval framed paintings by Degas. The three drawers within are lined with turquoise fabric.

Gifts from abroad that I love to use as props are a mother of pearl tray from Thailand, pottery shards my mother-in-law unearthed on a dig in Israel, and a beautifully stitched wristlet from Japan. From closer to home, I enjoy using stones and seashells I gathered in Rhode Island or Cape Cod, driftwood my father brought back from the southwest, and my own antique dresser bought at a barn sale in northern Vermont. Givenchy perfume bottles and a black lacquer Chanel No. 5 flacon make great little lean-tos. Family china rimmed in gold or platinum is terrific for display as well.

We do appreciate the beauty of these things, but what makes these items truly special to us is their connection with our lives. They contain a bit of personal history. When I set up photo shoots of new collections or new designs, I do so with love – not only is every piece of jewelry designed and created with love, but every step of the way, there is love.

Tags: family history, photos, props

A wonderful review of our necklace

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 | Just blogging, Press | No Comments

Our Little Black Rabbit Necklace is kind of our signature design, for obvious reasons! My daughter Anna discovered the pendant with the little black rabbit, and fell in love. It is also a popular item in the Black Rabbit shop.

We are thrilled that Feminist Review recently published a wonderful review of the Little Black Rabbit Necklace on their site. Feminist Review represents a diverse group of women from myriad backgrounds, who “write reviews from feminist perspectives.” They fulfill an important mission – their venue gives voice to “communities that remain on the margins,” and in particular, they feature many products made by small, women-owned businesses. I have been following their blog for months now, and am impressed by their dedicated and honest approach to the many products they share with their audience. We are certainly in good company there, and appreciate their lovely words about our work!

Tags: necklace, rabbit, review

Baking as therapy

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009 | Just blogging | No Comments

I wonder if baking is a well-known form of grief therapy… For the past week, almost every day since our dog Arrow passed away, I have done some kind of baking. It has so far been quite humble – the Best Blueberry Muffins from Muffins: Sixty Sweet and Savory Recipes, or Sayra’s Cornbread (with the optional brown sugar and a substitution of melted butter for cooking oil) from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant, or Banana-Berry Muffins from Hay Day Country Market Cookbook. For me, there is an intuitive and familiar rhythm to baking – it is almost ritualistic in its simple potency, for its ability to ground me, bringing my spirit back to a sound and solid place. The entire process is a practice in focus, love, quiet, stillness, and creation. From choosing a recipe, to removing bowls from cabinets, cracking eggs, pouring milk, stirring, beating, pouring, smoothing, tapping, and sliding into the hot oven with good wishes for everyone’s ultimate enjoyment, I find it wholly rewarding.

Baking was an early love of mine, and it could be that even at ages seven, twelve, fourteen, seventeen… it was at times an act of therapy, or at the very least, a way to let go the stresses of the day. My stepmother taught me how to bake bread, and every year at Christmas we baked a variety of beautiful loaves to bring to our friends and family. Braided onion bread was a favorite. We also made marzipan cookies in the shapes of fruit, all wonderfully packaged. I was fortunate to have spent some time working as a baker at Hay Day (for which the above-mentioned cookbook is named), which was a gourmet market in Connecticut, where I daily baked half a dozen varieties of hearty breads, numerous pies and quiches, and countless muffins. There was a sure exhilaration to filling baskets with baguettes before the sun rose, and it was exciting to see scones fly out of the store with the early morning shoppers. My husband and I even baked and decorated our own wedding cake (an ambitious and delicious endeavor).

This passion for baking has been a thread running through much of my life, and this simple love helps renew my joy, from day to day. In the week since the loss of a sweet pet, it has been a gentle therapy.

Tags: baking, dog, pet

Close to Nature

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009 | Inspiration, Just blogging | No Comments

It’s nearly June! Temps have warmed up, the sun is shining brightly, the birds are swooping and diving over fields, and the flowers are in bloom. It’s a lovely time of year in Vermont, where green bursts suddenly and with great energy. Many people are out mowing, but I prefer to let the dandelions dot the lawn for a little while – besides, we have a pet bunny who loves to eat fresh dandelions! We are enjoying walks in the fields and through the woods, and soon enough, we’ll be hiking our local mountains as well.

Anna and I both create jewelry designs that are inspired by nature or by our connection to it. We love working with natural materials such as horn, bone, wood, shell, seed, and nut. These materials are beautiful to look at and to wear. Their colors and textures vary, and they are often wonderfully lightweight. We also love celebrating specific elements of nature, such as flowers or animals, the shore, the rainforest, or the sun itself. It is also important to us that the natural materials we use are from sustainable sources.

We hope you find something in our shop that helps you celebrate your own connection to nature.

* About the photo: This is our pet dwarf bunny, Frodo Dorje. He’s nine years old, and is very sweet!

Tags: bunny, dandelions, nature

Shopping at KZM Facial Care Boutique

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 | Just blogging | No Comments

I have something to confess. I don’t come across as that girly, but I am a skincare product junkie. I have been a sucker for good skincare and lovely packaging since visiting the Caswell-Massey shop at the South Street Seaport in NYC, in high school. I received the Body Shop’s catalog when all it was was a Xerox brochure sent straight from the UK, and Garden Botanika’s when it was just a tri-fold flyer. Seriously, I’ve had a long love affair with this stuff.

What has made it a little difficult and frustrating over the years, is that my skin happens to be picky. It could be from the various cultures that make up my background: Slavic and Russian, Italian, Celtic, a whole lot of western and northern European (Dutch, French, German… see, it just goes on and on). It seems to me each of these nationalities contributes to different traits. My Italian genes crave the sun, but the Celtic can’t take the heat. I know it isn’t that, but it is a fun way of explaining, or accepting, my troubled, reactive skin, especially when I want to play with and dip into all kinds of products.

Point is, I have tried just about everything, from recipes I have whipped up at home, to drugstore brands, department store favorites, to natural foods store finds, and high end luxuries – everything. Whether it’s Avalon, Aveda, Dr. Hauschka, Dr. Brandt, Lancome, or La Prairie, no matter how much I want them to work for me, they rarely do.

Additionally, it would be ideal for me to find a brand that is also environmentally friendly (to the earth and to animals), and socially responsible as well. In many cases, the brands I have tried from natural foods stores, the ones that are most likely to be cruelty-free and socially responsible, contain ingredients that although natural, are in some way irritating to my skin.

What first caught my eye about KZM Facial Boutique were the highly informative descriptions offered in the shop, along with a detailed understanding of what irritates skin, and what helps skin. In these descriptions, Karley – KZM’s owner, demonstrates genuine knowledge and expertise, as well as a sincerely caring attitude. KZM is also eco-conscious. I sent Karley an email, asking if she’d be open to questions, and she replied quickly, saying by all means, ask away! I shared some information about my skin, and asked about a specific ingredient I had previously had some issues with. Her response went above and beyond what I could have expected, or would have received from sales associates at department stores or salons. I placed my first order…

Now, to the goods. I couldn’t decide on a cleanser, so Karley suggested two to try: Aloe Vera Facial Cleanser, and Goat’s Milk Liquid Facial Cleanser. The former is completely fragrance free and does not contain essential oils, for people who want the absolutely gentlest cleanser they can get. The Goat’s Milk contains most of the same ingredients, with some wonderful essential oils that have been shown to provide numerous benefits. It is also an incredibly gentle, soothing cleanser, with only the subtlest hint of scent. I also chose the Ultra Light Facial Fluid, and Karley snuck in a free Lip Lovelies in Pink Lilacs, which was a nice treat, because I go through lip balm like crazy.

All were packaged beautifully (see photo!), as well as smartly (caps securely taped to avoid leaking). The bottles Karley uses greatly appeal to my tastes – especially when considering my early love of the Caswell-Massey style; apothecary-style bottles with metal caps (these bottles are plastic – safer for bathroom use), and cobalt as well, another favorite.

How do they work? Great! The cleansers are liquid, and my skin reacts with redness to the hard well water in my home, so I generally use a piece of cotton or a soft wash cloth to apply the cleanser to skin, then rinse with lukewarm water. The cleansers are free of harsh detergents so they do not create many suds. They cleanse thoroughly, and rinse easily. My skin feels clean and refreshed after, without having been stripped or dried. The Ultra Light Facial Fluid is perfect for my skin – it is moisturizing and nourishing, without being thick or heavy. I use it under a high SPF moisturizer during the day and by itself at night. My skin is feeling and looking soft, velvety, and nicely hydrated, with no irritation or negative reaction to the products.

After a week’s use I can tell these products will last a while, and they are all incredibly well priced, especially when considered in comparison to all of the products I have spent a fortune on over the years. I think I have truly found a new favorite cleanser in the Aloe Vera, and the Goat’s Milk will become a favorite of my daughter’s. Next on my list, a facial mist, perfume oil, and some eye shadow! How’s that for girly?

Please take a moment to visit KZM Facial Care Boutique.

Tags: beauty, facial, kzm, skincare

Celebrate May with Flowers!

Monday, May 4th, 2009 | Just blogging | No Comments

What better way to celebrate the month of May, than to adorn yourself with flowers! In bright blue, soft ivory, cheerful red, and pretty pink, we have earrings, bracelets, and necklaces that feature flowers! Please take a look through the shop, and as always, don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.

Tags: flowers, May

Vermont Artisans at 1000 Markets

Monday, April 27th, 2009 | Just blogging, Vermont | No Comments

I was born and raised in Connecticut, but grew up visiting Vermont regularly. It was my home away from home, no question about it. Certain things became associated with Vermont for me - the mountains of course, the woods I loved to roam through, swimming holes!, honestly friendly people, good food, wildlife, clean air, general stores with creaky wooden floors, barns and covered bridges, living more simply… I moved here with my husband in 1990, when we found out we were having a child. We couldn’t imagine a better place to raise her. Since then, I have come to associate some other things with Vermont, a little bit more abstract - a dedicated involvement with politics, progressiveness, reasonable outspokenness. And one thing that has not changed at all, from the time I was little to now - an association with fine craft.

Vermont is alive with art. I mean this seriously and sincerely. Galleries and open home studios are found in many small towns, music festivals fill every weekend in summer, local theatres entertain residents and visitors, farmers’ markets showcase home-grown produce and flowers, and artisans sell their products in numerous venues across the state.

It is because of this that I am so pleased Black Rabbit is a part of the Vermont… A Way of Life Market at 1000 Markets. Our products are featured alongside those of fine jewelry designers, as well as fine hand-turned wooden bowls, wonderful hand-sewn stuffed animals, fine artists, textile artists, painters, and graphic designers, ornate stationery, hand-spun yarn, a doll designer, maple foods producer, fine skin care and soaps, photography, found object and recycled art, and Steampunk art! It is a diverse, friendly, and extremely talented community that reflects the essential spirit of Vermont.

I love sharing the work or goods of others, and I am particularly happy to share this market with Black Rabbit visitors. Please take a few minutes and stop by the Vermont… A Way of Life Market. I am sure you will find something that will catch your eye. And remember, it is the season of Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and weddings!:-)

Tags: 1000 markets, art, craft, Vermont

New earring designs to welcome Spring!

Friday, March 20th, 2009 | Just blogging, New Designs | No Comments

The temperatures have not yet caught up with the date, but the birds are singing, and the sky is sunny. In celebration of the new season, we have posted a few new designs… Our new earrings feature fresh colors of blue, lavender, pink, ivory, and green - sparkling Swarovski crystals - petals and leaves - all reflecting the beauty of Spring.

Visit the shop to view them all. Thanks so much for your interest : )

Happy Spring!

Tags: designs, earrings, season, Spring, Swarovski

Allure of blue

Monday, February 23rd, 2009 | Just blogging, Vermont | No Comments

The overnight storm left us with another good foot of snow, and a slightly intimidating darker sky. I admit to being somewhat of a wimp this winter, even though the heat in the house has been kept down low to save money, so I have tolerated the colder temps. It is the length of the season that is starting to get to me, and I find myself imagining warm sunny days, even the humid ones that I usually don’t enjoy.

I think it is this allure of bright blue waters and soft blue skies that inspired me when I placed our last orders for beads - which should be arriving soon. In running over design ideas in my head, I realized just how much blue I will be working with! My soul seems to be fleeing winter just a bit, even though Vermont really can be stunning in white (just not today!).

Tags: beads, blue, season, snow, Vermont, winter

Black Rabbit at 1000 Markets!

Thursday, February 12th, 2009 | Just blogging | 1 Comment

A couple of weeks ago I dreamt that Black Rabbit’s jewelry was being sold in a wonderful gallery, amongst a lot of beautiful pieces by many artists and artisans. When I reflected on the dream, I simply thought, “wouldn’t that be nice!” I found the positive energy of the dream encouraging, and I believe it made me a bit more receptive, so when I came across a description of 1000 Markets on a blog, I not only checked it out - browsing through shop after shop, I also saw it as a terrific possibility for Black Rabbit.

1000 Markets is a juried marketplace. The application process is straightforward and simple, but the requirements are somewhat exacting. I joined on a Friday, and spent two afternoons creating and fine-tuning our shop - which would serve as the application, and remain private until approved. By Sunday evening I was ready to submit my application. I expected to wait at least a day to receive a response, if not a few. Within an hour - on Sunday night, Black Rabbit had been approved and our shop was live! Excitement!

What is exciting about this isn’t merely having an additional online venue - there are a number of venues where we could be selling. What is exciting, is to be part of a real community of so many talented people, sharing space in a marketplace that is very much like a fine local crafts gallery, similar to the one in my dream. 1000 Markets has already been written up on the Real Simple blog, Simply Stated, and is gaining a reputation of being high quality and upscale. Oh, and we have already had our first sale at 1000 Markets, which is also pretty exciting =)

Our Black Rabbit site will always be our home online. We will continue to offer our main collection here, and this will be where we offer most of our special sales, and keep customers up to date on what is happening with us. But, I’d love for you to check out our shop on 1000 Markets, and check out some other wonderful shops there as well. I have already fallen in love with many of them… Here are just a few of my favorites:

Dillon Designs - frosty shrinky-dinks for your fingers
Adorable, quirky rings.

Dreamwoven - art for your head
These hats amaze me. I want to look at them, I want to touch them, I want to wear them…

Dye Diana Dye - hand-dyed shibori clothing
Gorgeous shirts, stunning designs, incredible colors!

The Naked Mushroom
Magical, irresistible shoes for children, made from soft wool felt. If I had a little one, these shoes would be on my list of must-haves!

Painted Bull - Primal Expressions in Fiber Art
Fabulous fiber arts designs and woven jewelry. The work is beautiful, creative, and expressive.

There are many items in many styles, exhibited by category, and in addition to clothing and jewelry, all sorts of great things are for sale - cookies, candles, soaps, stationery, housewares, garden art, fine art prints, photography… it is endless, and endlessly imaginative. Hope you enjoy!