Fullerton needs your help!

I did not start blogging to get up on my soapbox, but there are times when you need to speak, and times when you need to ask for others to raise their voices as well. Some of you may live in Fullerton, many of you have visited us there. Part of what I love about my store is where it is, and the fact that our little downtown has survived when many have not. I say without exaggeration, that we are in grave danger of losing the charm of our downtown. Look below:


This is the proposed development for the "Fox Village," which would stretch from behind the old Fox Theatre to the next block, at Pomona Street. It would also encompass the area north to Ellis Street, where my friends Jeanne and Dorothy Gail live. Jeanne's little cottage (where many of you have attended their wonderful antique sales) will be cheek and jowel with a parking structure. This monstrosity will be one block away from our location in The Villa del Sol...

I, as well as many others, are horrified at the prospect of this project. It in no way relates to the history or architecture of the old downtown, and would tower two stories above the Fox Theatre. Our dream of seeing the original Fox sign on the top of the theatre lit and silhouetted against the sky when it reopens, will never materialize if this project comes to fruition.



The project also includes a seven screen theatre. Why, I can't imagine. Isn't the whole point for the Fox to be the crown jewel downtown? Is this making sense to anyone out there in bloglandia? If you really want this type of experience, you have only to drive 10 minutes north to Brea's promenade. There, you can see and experience essentially the same thing: formulaic threatre signage, meandering "paseo" walkways, and lots of retail.

I'll be the first person to say we need to achieve more balance between what has become a bloated restaurant and bar scene in this town, and the retail business that we so badly need. Am I willing to have it served up on this plate? Hardly.


This is the view from Pomona and Chapman, directly across from our beautiful old high school, also a mere two stories tall, which will also be dwarfed by this project. However, they will have that nifty looking new McDonalds just a few steps away, separated by only a lovely retail parking lot. That makes it so worth it, right?

Sadly, these drawings were presented at last week's meeting by Rob Zur Schmiede, Fullerton's own director of Redevelopment and Economic Development. He feels this is a viable step for us to take. I understand that he is looking at the economic development side of this equation, but I truly feel he's missing out on the heart of what we are about.

If you love Fullerton, and want the character of our little downtown to be preserved, this is an opportunity to speak out loud and clear. I am including Rob Zur Schmiede's email address at the bottom of this post for those who would like to voice their opinion and be heard. Thanks for listening...

Rob Zur Schmiede
Director, Redevelopment
RobertZ@ci.fullerton.ca.us

Crowning glories...

Saturday we hosted Cindy Gonzales for her second crown class at Gilding. This amazingly talented and humble artist is such a wonderful person, and every student leaves her class with a beautiful crown, and feeling they have made a new and lasting art friendship.


Pictured above from left: Mary, Pearl, Karen (at bottom), Andrea, Dede, Cindy, and Margie, all perched on the old fountain in the courtyard. The weather was fabulous, so we held class outdoors on the courtyard, and much fun was had by all.

Cindy will join us for two more classes before the year is out...one more crown for Christmas (and it's phenomenal...look for it on the blog soon), and some darling Victorian candle clip ornaments. Can't wait!

Beribboned...

I had the marvelous good fortune to acquire some extraordinary ribbons for the store this weekend, picking and choosing from bolts and bolts of luscious jacquards and ruched and ruffled beauties...

I purchased ribbons that I remember selling years ago, and had not seen the like since. My dear friend Mary brought delightful things and we spent two happy afternoons marveling at the work in them. I can never resist making a "ribbon cake" whenever I have the right ingredients, and the one above has a bottom layer of an extraordinary pale peach jacquard, silky and lithe, with trapunto motifs along its length...

The colors seemed to find each other, and pairing up the impossibly beautiful combinations of pattern, hue and finish was such fun...

Above are shown two incredible bolts of ribbon with two different colors of moire in each! Two beautiful jacquards are at right, silky and soft, with a bolt of mossy taffeta with a picot edge from the Laraways tucked in between...

And because it is fall, there were darker colors that came to me. The wide chocolate ribbon at left is woven in jacquard with a meandering floral motif that is so lovely. Atop the mossy silk jacquard sits another trapunto ribbon, with a striking pattern of pale, creamy chrysanthemums on jet black...

I could not resist these two bolts of trapunto jacquard in a garnet red and deep green, perfect for the holidays. The red plaid taffeta with a double eyelash fringe leaned into this shot, and some beautiful antique beaded fringe seemed just the thing...

There are more to be included on the shelves at Lily; two beautiful taffeta ribbons with ruffled edges, one in a beautiful green, the other with a band of scarlet and the ruffles in a lavender ombre. A beautiful bolt of white and cream rococo came along, too, and three more of the trapunto jacquards in narrower widths. All welcome additions...

Sickly and puny...

Well, it finally got me. After a whole week of sleeping on the sofa with the dogs so Mr. wouldn't breathe on me at night, dodging sneezes and coughs with the agility of a slalom skier, and assiduously wiping the phone receiver or using the speaker...it still got me. I guess after Nathalie contracting it, and then Alain, the house was so saturated with microbes I didn't stand a chance.

It's a nasty cold, if you haven't had it, and even though I don't think I had it to the extent of the rest of my family, it still knocked me for a loop. Even without the benefit of mind-altering over-the-counter cold medications, it still left me feeling a bit odd. It really gets you off balance not to feel your usual self.

In spite of that, I managed to take a couple of days for some creative time, and make a batch of jewelry going out to a shop in Reno, and will be anxious to hear how it does. You always feel a bit mother-hennish about it, pushing the little ones out of the nest, and waiting to see if they fly or fall.

This is one of the pieces I sent out, made up with this beautiful silver repousse cameo I've had tucked for a while. It's loaded up with haskell pearls, green amethyst, aged rondelles, and emerald, plus a sterling Georgian hook...take a peek below:

Also received some wonderful items in from the folks who make our molds and pour for us. In spite of also having the same awful flu/cold, they managed to knock out some samples and send them over to me. This is a really substantial medaille de merite...

Shown below is a grouping of three Lourdes medals that I am really pleased with. They made up quickly into a little rosary styled necklace with rhinestone accents, connectors and the addition of some of our other smaller medals...

Love this piece! Beautiful medallion depicting Joan of Arc, facing the traditional emblems of her sword, the crown and lilies, and inscribed , "1412 Jeanne d'Arc 1431..."


And look what flew in! I love this adorable little bird brooch depicting a swallow in flight. One of my favorite motifs, and I am happy to have a few of these in the store...

Looking back...

...on a busy but lovely weekend, that started with these lovely flowers from Theresa. I cropped a lot out of this shot, but loved the way they looked against the big oil painting...

There was much to be thankful for....good friends gathering together, many hands helping me (thank you, Dede, Nathalie, and Linda), and much 'truth and beauty' to be enjoyed, including these stunning holy cards...


Some treasures from France and outings here, including a trio of sweet little wood and mother of pearl rosaries like none I have seen before...


A beautiful reliquary from Lourdes with old foliage and bits of fern composed inside, along with images and scrap...


A crowded Lily, filled with excitement, joyful voices and many hugs...


And all on a night that was miraculously not too hot. The doors were open to welcome in the breeze, and cooling nibbles were outside along with chilled wine and waters. Very yummy was the jicama salad which was everyone's favorite. I shall post the recipe soon...


Some favorite faces from the Trunk Show...Mary having recovered from a sprint from the parking lot to get some items she had her eye on....


And from later in the weekend, beautiful art shared by our two visiting artists, Iva Wilcox and Colleen Moody....


...some of it serving to put us in a very fall and festive mood! Look at these tiny canvases...surely no more than three inches across!


This backlit shadowbox was a wonder, too...just a few of the wonderful things that these two brought to share with us, in addition to their considerable talents. For those of you who were not able to attend their classes, Iva and Colleen will return in the spring with new projects!