Sharon H. – The Goods

Maker Stories

Inside the Artist’s Studio with Holly Daniels Christensen

November 3, 2017

Holly Daniels Christensen lounges in her studio outside of Boston, Massachussetts; photos by Christa Smith

There is something very nostalgic about Holly Daniels Christensen’s jewelry. Holly has collected sands from around the world, and her super talented team of artists sets them into jewelry, bottle stoppers, and snowflake ornaments, creating personalized keepsakes.

I was beyond excited to see Holly’s studio, meet her team, and see her sandbank in person. In the time we’ve been working together, her bank has grown from about 1,200 sands to over 3,000—and it’s still growing! I wanted take a peek at granules that hold a special place in my heart—Stone Harbor, New Jersey and Santorini, Greece were two that I especially was excited to see—and the sandbank definitely did not disappoint. A collection of samples from around the world, each with a distinct texture and color, her collection encompasses beach sand, sports sands (think golf courses and baseball infields), and crushed power stones.

Sharon & Mekah

Holly and her team work in a converted manufacturing building outside of Boston. The space is a designer’s dream—hardwood floors, sky high ceilings, and lots of light. Her team was warm and welcoming, and the studio buzzes with creative energy. Besides her sandbank, a highlight of the tour was seeing the very table Holly launched her business from—formerly her dining room table, now in use in her conference room.

After a tour of her space, I wanted to take a crack at creating my very own piece of jewelry. It was a tough choice deciding which sand to use, but I finally settled on Santorini, a gorgeously grainy volcanic sand with bits of white and terracotta. One of Holly’s sand artists, Mekah, led the way, showing me how to carefully place the sand within the pendant. It’s an exacting process which requires a fair bit of precision. Mekah was a super patient instructor, and within about an hour, I had made a piece of jewelry!

It was a magical day, and I’m so grateful to Holly and her entire team. Read on for a Q&A with Holly and a sneak peek into her sandbank and studio, complete with mentions of lunchtime excitement and dance parties.

Gift Guides

Elegant to Edgy: A Guide to Jewelry You’ll Love

July 30, 2015

As UncommonGoods’ Jewelry Buyer, I see a ton of the beautiful pieces that I bring into the assortment end up making fabulous gifts for stylish women. I love seeing my selections making people happy on birthdays and during the holidays, but I also enjoy thinking outside the gift box to find necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings that jewelry lovers will want to buy for themselves.

I hand-picked these pieces not only because they make me smile, but also because they span a variety of styles–classic, contemporary, elegant, edgy, and even eclectic. Each design is special, unique, and totally unexpected, and I personally want them all for my own collection. (And I think you will too!)

What is more nostalgic than sea glass? Courtney Gillen uses gorgeous real sea glass to make this necklace. It can be a wearable reminder of childhood days spent collecting rocks and shells at the beach or a tribute to a bygone seaside vacation. No matter why you wear it, it’s an easy way to keep the ocean close without going overboard with the nautical theme. | 3 Stone Sea Glass Necklace

This statement ring truly does make a statement. Artist Emilie Shapiro is known for her use of gorgeous raw stones, and in this case, she goes all out. The eye-catching gem is actually a stalactite, formed over millions of years. One word: WOW. | Stalactite Slice Ring

It can be hard to take a chance when you don’t know what the outcome will be. The artist behind this beautiful bangle, Christine Street, uses the messaging “she took the leap and built her wings on the way down” to say it’s OK to take a chance and pursue a dream. | Sterling Silver Wings Bangle

Inspired by meditative Tibetan bells, this handcrafted necklace makes a soft, soothing sound. As if the gentle tone wasn’t enough to bring on a serene smile, artist Jen Pleasants finishes each bell clapper with a personal touch, a hanging heart. | Tibetan Bell Necklace

Fernanda Sibilia creates a rustic feel by hand-hammering these mixed metal circles and letting oxidation add its own special touch, a unique patina. No two earrings are the same, but those intentional imperfections make each set a perfect pair. | Trio Mixed Metal Earrings

Nancy Nelson gets her inspiration, and materials, from nature. The bark that created the cast for this brass cuff is the perfect backdrop for Nancy to carve your initials. The little heart cutout is an extra drop of sweetness. | Personalized Love Birch Cuff

The artist behind this piece, Eileen Baumeister McIntyre, captures the feel of the sky as dawn breaks by adding glossy glass enamel to fine silver. The finished “petal” has a subtle, shimmery ombre effect that’s simple and sophisticated. | Sky Glimmer Necklace

Inspired by pre-Columbian jewelry, Tulianna Garces, takes lovely pieces of vintage-inspired lace and transforms them into gilded necklaces. The lace is dipped in 24kt gold and then meticulously cleaned by hand so the detail comes through, creating a special piece that isn’t easily replicated. | Hydrangea Gold Dipped Lace Necklace

The floral motif isn’t the only style that shines in dipped lace. The delicate fabric is the perfect starting point for Tulianna’s heart-shaped creations as well. | Precious Dipped Lace Heart Necklace & Mini Gold Dipped Lace Heart Earrings.

This whimsical necklace features an adorable mini penny! Trudy James creates a teeny-tiny replica of a penny with perfect detail and places it in each pendant, so you won’t have to offer your spare change to get folks to tell you they think of this charming piece. They’ll pay you compliments unprompted. | A Penny for Your Thoughts Necklace

The raw look of this shimmering stone is earthy, yet glamorous. The designer, Lucy Dalton, hand selects each agate and then accents the chain with little gold nuggets to create a perfectly pretty piece with just the right amount of edge. | Golden Slice Agate Necklace

Whether you love edgy jewelry, want to show off your interested in biology or anatomy, or just want a necklace that stands out, this piece by Justine Brooks is a great way to show that you march to the beat of your own heart. | Anatomical Heart Pendant

Maker Stories

Inside the Artist’s Studio with Margaret Dorfman

September 9, 2014

As the UncommonGoods Jewelry Buyer, I see amazing artistry from artists and designers using all sorts of materials. We are always delighted when we find an artist who uses uncommon materials in an unexpected way. Margaret Dorfman is one such artist. She transforms fruits and vegetables into parchments that she then uses to make gorgeous bowls, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.

Margaret’s relationship with UncommonGoods has been a long one, dating all the way back to 1999. Fifteen years later, she continues to delight us and our customers with her lovely organic creations. As a huge fan of Margaret’s work myself, I was super excited to meet her and learn about her process.

Margaret’s studio is tucked away on a lovely tree lined street in Oakland, California. I knew I had arrived at the right place as I walked down the path to her studio entrance. That morning, before my arrival, she had received a delivery of fresh fruits and vegetables and the walkway was lined with boxes and bags containing all imaginable varieties of fruits and veggies. I saw pears, oranges, papayas, cabbages, and bell peppers just to name a few!

Stepping into Margaret’s space was truly like stepping into a secret garden. Shelves were lined with finished pieces and the vivid jewel toned colors of her work popped against the crisp white walls. On the center table of her work space, she had oranges piled high and had pulled finished pieces made from oranges so I could see the “before and after.”

Margaret was lovely–so warm and welcoming–and she let me pepper her with questions about herself and her technique. I love hearing about the path our artists take to doing what they do. Margaret’s path was an uncommon one; she spent many years as a professional sign language interpreter, before leaving in 2001 to concentrate on her art. In seeing her work with such dexterity as she cut into fruits and vegetables, I could see the connection between her years as an interpreter and her current work as an artist.

Holding up her pressed vegetable parchment sheets to the light was magical – the pieces are translucent, and you notice every detail of the intricate structure of the vegetables and fruits. The colors in her pieces are vivid. I was struck by how the original colors were retained, even after being pressed.

As our visit came to a close, Margaret introduced me to her frequent studio-mate, her cockatoo Bindel, a sweet boy with a spirited personality! It was a such a delightful end to a great visit. Meet Margaret and learn more about her colorful world!

Maker Stories

Inside the Artist’s Studio with Ana Talukder

April 7, 2014

Here at UncommonGoods, we work with amazing vendors who constantly wow us with their creativity, artistry, and love of their craft. We don’t always get to meet the artists with whom we work; often relationships are forged through email and over the phone. Recently I was lucky enough to travel from our Brooklyn headquarters to Seattle to visit the studio of Ana Talukder , the super talented designer behind our beloved Latitude/Longitude jewelry collection and several other gorgeous designs.

Arriving at the studio, I was greeted with a big hug by Ana, and was immediately charmed by her bubbly and vivacious presence. I could not wait to see her studio and it was just as I imagined from hearing her description of it over the phone–a spacious and bright room with walls awash in her favorite color: purple. Her studio is a happy place, with touches of her personality everywhere–a purple peg board with small metal buckets to keep her organized, a board of inspirational quotes, and my personal favorite: an indoor window box of pansies (in purple of course!).

Ana and I looked at her new designs and talked about her process. I was wowed by how prolific she is, and how many new ideas she is constantly hatching. It was a great afternoon together and time flew by! Meet Ana and welcome to her colorful and inspirational world!

The Uncommon Life

Uncommon Personalities: Meet Sharon Hitchcock

April 30, 2013

Sharon Hitchcock, UncommonGoods Buyer – Jewelry & Accessories
My hometown is…
Hmmm….well, let’s see, I was born in Manhattan so I guess I am a New Yorker, but I lived in Austin, Texas for 9 years (Hook ‘em Horns!), and have also resided in Seattle, Washington, DC, and London. Now I call Brooklyn home.

I’m on the lookout for…

Jewelry and accessories that are beautifully made with thought and care. Pieces and collections that use materials in a distinctly different way, and have a strong point of view.

I’m inspired by…
People-watching in NYC.

My guilty pleasure is…
Can I have two guilty pleasures? ’80s music is a definite. And, flea markets! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a good flea market.

An uncommon fact about me…
Although I have never considered myself to be very musically inclined, I have taught myself to play the ukulele, which I think is the happiest of all instruments.

My favorite place to eat in New York City is…
For fancy-pants food I love Balthazar. I always feel French glam when I go there. To get my Mexican food fix, I head to La Esquina.

My style is…
Hard to define! After a phase of wearing all black every day, I now embrace colors and patterns. Anything with stripes has been a recent favorite. I also collect vintage jewelry and try to wear something from my collection each day.

Since working at UncommonGoods I’ve learned…
So much! I truly do learn something new each day. I love the collaborative environment here, and how supportive the team is of different ideas and points of view.

With a pile of stuff in front of me I would make…
(You’re given paperclips, yarn, cheesecloth, markers, and plastic beads.)

I would make a mini, colorful, and fabulous Eiffel Tower sculpture.

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