ABOUT
I used to spend a lot of time with my Grandma D’Ambrosia during the summer. She didn’t have any daughters and I was her only granddaughter. During those summers I learned many things, but I specifically recall her finally giving in to teaching me how to use her Singer sewing machine. It was a simple machine. No zigzag. Only a forward and reverse straightstitch. She also taught me to do handsewing. As soon as I had the hang of it, I was making clothes for my stuffed animals. I was around 5 or 6 years of age at the time.
I have a lifetime of stories that led up to my decision to become a designer. But I think the project that made me realize that I was more fulfilled as a person when working as a designer, was when I renovated a large row house in Washington, DC. Previously, I had renovated a very large house in Seattle and built a home with my ex-husband in New Mexico. But these were projects that I did with someone else. In this instance, I was on my own. Throughout the renovation project, I acted as the general contractor which included making all the design decisions, purchasing all of the materials and hiring any contractors that were needed. The project began in March 2005 and was completed in July 2005. The renovation was an interesting balance of restoring the vintage architectural elements of the house while bringing in more light and updating the kitchen and bathrooms.
I moved to the DC area from New Mexico. Much of my eye and my work were influenced by my time there. Lots of turquoise, coral, black onyx and other semi-precious stones dominated my one of a kind and limited edition collections. That being said, traditional Native American pieces are challenging to wear in DC, so my goal was to find a way for elegant and understated professional women to wear bold pieces but in classic, elegant and wearable designs.
Lately, my work has taken to incorporating vintage elements into classic designs. I have a new design that I have been working with for the past several years. I incorporate a collected vintage brooch as a clasp into a one-of-a-kind piece. What I love about these pieces are that they are one-of-a-kind yet versatile. Because of the design, the piece can be worn without the brooch by replacing the brooch with an "S" clasp. Women are wearing a lot of sentimental jewelry these days and this gives them the opportunity to wear something sentimental but add a contemporary twist. The beauty of this design is that there are endless possibilities.
I have a lifetime of stories that led up to my decision to become a designer. But I think the project that made me realize that I was more fulfilled as a person when working as a designer, was when I renovated a large row house in Washington, DC. Previously, I had renovated a very large house in Seattle and built a home with my ex-husband in New Mexico. But these were projects that I did with someone else. In this instance, I was on my own. Throughout the renovation project, I acted as the general contractor which included making all the design decisions, purchasing all of the materials and hiring any contractors that were needed. The project began in March 2005 and was completed in July 2005. The renovation was an interesting balance of restoring the vintage architectural elements of the house while bringing in more light and updating the kitchen and bathrooms.
I moved to the DC area from New Mexico. Much of my eye and my work were influenced by my time there. Lots of turquoise, coral, black onyx and other semi-precious stones dominated my one of a kind and limited edition collections. That being said, traditional Native American pieces are challenging to wear in DC, so my goal was to find a way for elegant and understated professional women to wear bold pieces but in classic, elegant and wearable designs.
Lately, my work has taken to incorporating vintage elements into classic designs. I have a new design that I have been working with for the past several years. I incorporate a collected vintage brooch as a clasp into a one-of-a-kind piece. What I love about these pieces are that they are one-of-a-kind yet versatile. Because of the design, the piece can be worn without the brooch by replacing the brooch with an "S" clasp. Women are wearing a lot of sentimental jewelry these days and this gives them the opportunity to wear something sentimental but add a contemporary twist. The beauty of this design is that there are endless possibilities.
