Scenes from our June 8th ArtWalk

June 14, 2013

Ballard was buzzing that night with hundreds of cyclists and spectators, and a few shoppers too! We unwittingly scheduled trunk shows with two different designers named "Angela" with the similarly alliterative brand names, Frankie Four and Flora&Fawn. True Story!

The 20th annual Ballard Criterium whizzed around Ballard Ave and Shilshole.

Meanwhile, shoppers and friends filled the shop and the dressing rooms!

Angela Muhlnickel of Flora & Fawn dressed from head to toe in Velouria! Angela Holstrom of Frankie Four glowed in the company of friends and swimwear enthusiasts.

ok just one more pic of the race!

Inside the Studio: Flora & Fawn

June 4, 2013

This coming Saturday we will be hosting Angela Muhlnickel of Flora & Fawn jewelry at the shop. When she dropped by Velouria last week with a fresh selection of enamel goodies, we asked her to give us a little insight into her process via photos.

Copper and Enamel in various stages of application

Angela hand-enamels every piece of her line of brightly-colored geometric and animal-inspired jewelry. The process starts with enamel, which is powdered glass that is then applied to copper.

Getting fired up!

Once the enamel is applied to the copper, it is heated up in a potter's kiln until the powder melts into a glossy surface. After removing it from the kiln and letting it cool a bit, Angela uses a masonry bit to smooth out any roughness.

Enamel circles post-firing

At the end of the process the enamel pieces can be assembled, attaching jump rings, chains, and earwires. Soldering those jump rings requires a lot of precision since the high heat of the torch can discolor or mar the surface of the carefully-finished enamel!

...and the finished product! The lovely Orbital necklace.

Finally the jewelry is assembled and because Angela lives right here in Seattle, we are lucky enough to get hand deliveries of every new item! Be sure to stop by the shop this Saturday for Artwalk and find out more about Flora & Fawn.

Make It Good Summer Arrivals

May 22, 2013

Our Make It Good shipment arrived last week and it's giving us those warm, summer feelings! We're ready for tanks and everyday summer dresses, breezy, oh-so-soft jersey, and....lightweight pullovers--for those cooler evenings and days like this in Seattle when the temperature won't get past 55 and we must make-do. If you're not familiar with the Portland, OR-based Make It Good, they're a talented crew, designing, printing, and sewing all their goods in their Portland workshop. We've also started carrying their "Underwear of the Month" in the shop if you're in the market for fresh unmentionables! Here's a look at some of our favorite new arrivals.