Unique, Handmade, Designer Jewelry | Leslie Lawton Jewelry Design |

12 Going On 24

Leslie — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:20:32 +0000

I’ve seen this a lot in my beautiful, natural, wealthy county. At many a middle school graduation, some 11-year-old girls look… 11. They get to be little girls. And others stroll languidly across the stage, in sophisticated dresses, perfect hair, and the best accessory of all, that all-knowing, bored attitude. At dinner the other night, in one of our local upscale restaurants, I couldn’t take my eyes off a little girl, 12, tops. Probably 5′8″, three-inch pumps, the perfect flowered spring dress, sleek pony tail, upright posture, not an ounce of fat on her. She’d stop pointedly, on her trips to and from the ladies room, to thumb her iPhone, with complete self-awareness. I fear for her and her friends. If you’re not fully aware of what girls are up to and up against, take a look at this series: http://www.pbs.org/parents/raisinggirls/girlslife/ You’ve been there, and you know you can have an impact on the girls in your life before they start turning into perfect little zombies. When you were growing up, it was much easier to be a girl. It’s scary out there now. On every socioeconomic level. Really scary.

You’re A Snowflake

Leslie — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:09:15 +0000

We are all snowflakes. Each of us is different from the other. A beautiful thought, really. The snowflake women I know make a real point of their differences. Each day, when they get up and get dressed, they look for an outfit that reflects their spirit for that day, even if it’s a gray day. And they finish themselves off with that perfect piece of jewelry that simply lights them up. It’s not always the same outfit and the same jewelry, either. They take their time and recreate themselves. Let’s just call it snowflake style.

Shunzi Trunk Show

Leslie — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:59:23 +0000

I tell all my friends about this store. It’s the kind of boutique I love best. Eclectic clothing you won’t see coming and going. Great sales people who would never lie to you. And Sympli, one of the best clothing lines you’ll find, anywhere. Sympli clothing flows, flatters and travels. I wash my Sympli pieces – gently – in the machine. Great fabrics, wonderful colors, and clean lines that go beautifully with – you guessed it – my jewelry.

Shunzi invited me to put on a trunk show, with Sympli, and, of course I said, “Sure.” Don’t miss this rare opportunity to pull an outfit – or two – together. And then take a stroll around San Rafael’s charming downtown. Great restaurants all around, the Rafael Theater, art, furniture. Make an afternoon of it.

Shunzi
Trunk Show With Sympli/and Me
Friday, April 23 through Sunday April 25
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
1233 Fourth Street, San Rafael 94901

I’ll be on hand, during the afternoon, to pull out the perfect piece of jewelry for you.

If you can’t make it to Shunzi, the Web site is only a click away. We’re putting up new work for spring. You’ll find me on Facebook, too, so go there and sign up, pretty please. And don’t forget to read my blog once in a while. It’s my own personal slant on the art of style, and it’s fun. Sometimes it’s really fun. I’m planning to do one more studio show, just before Mother’s Day. News as it happens on that. And then I’ll be taking the summer off. Next stop, September.

Fine Arts and Crafts. Really Fun Show.

Leslie — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:09:15 +0000

Contemporary Crafts Market.
March 13 and 14th.

We’ll have a booth (# F810) at one of San Francisco’s finest (and fun-est) art shows, the 19th annual Contemporary Crafts Market. This show welcomes the spring equinox every year, hosting over 230 fine photographers, ceramicists, printmakers, leather workers, glass artists, furniture makers, fiber and clothing artists, and of course, jewelers.

So if you’d like to take a break from gnashing your teeth over the economy and feast your eyes on the beautiful work of artists and artisans from all over the country, this is the place to be. We’ll have deals and steals, and if you show up with a friend, we’ll give you an extra 10% off everything on display.

Booth F 810.

The Contemporary Crafts Market
Saturday March 13th and Sunday March 14th
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason
Buchanan at Marina Boulevard
San Francisco, CA 94123

For information, directions, and free admission, call 415/456-0930 or email: ll@leslielawton.com.

Just Shoot Me

Leslie — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:01:02 +0000

We have a terrific idea for a video - about layering necklaces and bracelets - that’s full of info and lots of fun. You’ll really be able to see what to wear for a trip to the hardware store and how to suit up for a posh event. The idea is to use the jewelry you have (and a couple of my pieces, of course).

The trouble is… it’s video; and at my age… lighting is everything.

Anybody out there who really understands “cosmetic” lighting for video?

I need all the help I can get!

Breaching and Sounding

Leslie — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 23:14:40 +0000

Just back from the Hawaii, after staying both south and north of Kona on the big island. You know, the one with the huge extinct volcanoes. Well, it was beautiful. I got just the teeniest bit of tan, because that equatorial sun is strong. The Big Event? Seeing whales on our last evening, about three hundred yards out; and watching a kayaker “play” with them. I’m not kidding. The whales were all around him, sounding (You know, just the water spout.) and breaching (the full monte). Worth the trip.

Etching. My Next Big Thing.

Leslie — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:25:41 +0000

The first time I realized how much I love design complexity was when I bought my first patchwork Citron shirt. Do you remember the early Citron days? I wore those shirts with everything. In fact, I think I just sent the last one to Goodwill.

Naturally, my gem- and pearl-based jewelry designs have incorporated complexity. But I’ve been looking for a new way to express the idea in metal. This new creative “voice” is coming together in etchings. Yup, you guessed it, etchings that mix patterns. I’m putting ancient and vintage patterns together, mixing them up with vintage elements like buttons. It’s all on my work table and will be on the site soon. Keep an eye out.

Where’s Your Sparkle?

Leslie — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:08:18 +0000

At a family birthday celebration, I was talking with my stepdaughter about her daughter, Gracie, age five. Gracie had been down with a very bad cold, and Monica said to her, as the cold dragged on and Gracie drooped around, “Honey, you’ve lost your sparkle.” Gracie replied, “I think it’s behind the couch.”

Gracie. In Full "Sparkle."

Aside from being beyond touching, this mother/daughter moment made me think about how I lose my”sparkle.” When there’s too much to do. When emotions come up as circumstances bring up My Issues. When I take it all soooo seriously. The question is, how do we maintain that “sparkle?” (No, I’m not leading up to buying more jewelry.) It’s really about how we brave the world. How we keep shining in the face of stuff that makes us all droop and fade from time to time. I’m not offering advice or spiritual consolation or words about inner work, etc. We all have our ways to stay in tune and keep the lights on.

So. How do you keep your “sparkle?”

Value Shift

Leslie — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 23:03:58 +0000

One Of My Very Own Top Tens

Ahhh. That age-old subject: time and money. It’s high on my list of concerns. I’ve been realizing that I’m so busy, I don’t have time to spend money. (Probably a good thing.) I’m five feet tall on a good day, and almost any clothing I buy requires alterations. So it’s not only the shopping trip, it’s two trips to the dressmaker.

I was talking with my friend Maria-Tina about this last night. She really nailed it. “Anything I buy now has to be a 10.” I think that’s true for all of us. Purchases, especially those impulse buys that involve clothing and accessories, have to be spot on. They should have lasting value.

So, here’s an idea that will save you time and money. Every time you shop for anything, buy only what’s authentically you. Make 100% sure it fits your body, personality and lifestyle. A perfect 10 completely lights you up when you put it on. You’ll see that in the mirror.

Now in French Nest, San Anselmo, CA

Leslie — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:02:56 +0000

This lovely vintage and antique store has been open for about a year. It caught my eye, and sure enough my jewelry is a perfect fit. The store is right on the corner of San Anselmo Avenue, near Tunstead. It’s a large, beautifully-arranged store, run by Silke Solomon and Holly Harper, two women who eally know their antiques. Since my jewelry incorporates Victorian and Edwardian buttons and metal beads, it’s a natural for the store. See you there, so to speak.