We’re having our first party in our new studio! Woo-hoo! Come help celebrate our new digs and shop some one of a kind goodies all day long. We may even throw in a few quick jewelry demos too for anyone who is interested 🔨💎✨

Our lovely studio neighbors Ft. Lonesome will have their shop open as well, stitching heaps of magic into all sorts of rad things. You won’t want to miss out!

Light libations will be provided because, duh, what’s a party without that?!

I was recently lucky enough to meet a fellow jeweler I admire, whose work I’ve been following for some time now. Christine Fail is a local Austinite always on the forefront of style and business sense. She also happens to be the owner and designer of wildly popular Fail Jewelry and new Fail Collective.

After receiving her BFA in painting, printmaking and metalsmithing, Christine began working for a few 18k gold, internationally renowned jewelry designers. It was during this time that she realized making jewelry was a great opportunity for her to be creative while still making a living. During the 2008 economic downturn, with 5 years of experience selling to the country’s top retailers, Christine was let go. She always says that it was a blessing in disguise. At that point, she began paving the way for her company, Fail Jewelry. She wanted to create the same high quality, handmade jewelry that she had been making, but for the everyday woman - not just the elite.

Christine in Fail Collective on E. Cesar Chavez

Fast forward through countless open air markets, a small retail space on South 1st Street and countless wholesale shows, Christine Fail has created a movement: Simple, elegant, well-crafted jewelry at a very approachable price point. She recently opened up her new Fail flagship boutique and studio collective on Cesar Chavez, right in the heart of east Austin. It is a beautiful culmination of quality handmade jewelry and home goods.

I stopped in to Fail Collective, and after literally drooling over all the products and getting weak in the knees, went on to have a great conversation with Christine. I later walked out with some Crave body scrub from The Good Hippie, and boy, that stuff is divine!

Fail Collective, E. Cesar Chavez

I’m sharing a snippet of our discussion below, as I found her insight to be so honest, humble and authentic - much like how I feel Austin is, as a place to call home.

Claire Sommers Buck: What is your most unexpected source of inspiration?

Christine Fail: Process. Letting the unexpected outcome of a situation influence the design. The materials I am working with most often tell me what to do.

CSB: How do you want others to feel when interacting with your work?

CF: Confident

CSB: List 3 things you can’t live without in your studio.

CF: Hammer, anvil and pliers. I can pretty much make every piece in my collections with those three things!

CSB: Who is your style icon, your muse?

CF: This may sound weird, but I consider myself my own muse especially when it comes to my work. I am always designing pieces that I personally want to wear and in that sense I am creating my own style. If I had to choose a muse for my future self, I would pick Georgia Okeefe. I want to be that old funky artist woman with a high gray haired bun wearing flowy tent shirts with a stack of bangles up my arm.

CSB: What are the biggest obstacles you’ve faced in doing what you do?

CF: Hiring and managing people. My training process is quite rigorous and therefore having someone I’ve trained leave after 6 months is really tough. I’ve learned to be very clear about the job positions I am hiring for and seek out those who fully understand what their role will be in my business. This has led me to hire more non-artist types, in fact. Those that I can train to do the creative work, but that aren’t expecting to be challenged creatively day in and day out.

CSB: What are the most valuable lesson(s) you’ve learned working for yourself?

CF: Do one thing and do it well. Don’t try and do five things and do them OK because your business will most definitely reflect that.

Extending a big Thank You to Christine Fail for her time and insight. We hope you can stop by her flagship store Fail Collective soon to check out her lovely offering of jewelry and home goods!

The featured makers in Fail Collective are:

Fail Jewelry

The Good Hippie, beauty care products

Noah Marion Quality Goods, leather goods

Leah Duncan, stationery & textiles

Zoe Cummings, ceramic jewelry

Era Ceramics, simple, everyday functional ceramics

Happy handmade shopping! xo

Inspiration comes in many forms. For my creative work, inspiration takes the form of experience spend abroad, exploring the textures, energy and landscapes of far away places. The new Rift Collection is inspired by my recent travels through Ethiopia; a beautiful, authentic and spiritually inspiring country. 

Read below for the story behind the collection and be sure to hop over to my website to shop these beautiful handmade jewels and read their respective inspirational stories.       xo Claire

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The Great Rift Valley is a geological trench that runs north to south from Northern Syria through East Africa. In Africa, the terrain along the trench varies from salt flats below sea-level to snow capped mountains towering into the clouds. It is said to be one of the most significant formations on the planet that is visible from space.

As the Great Rift Valley cuts through the heart of Ethiopia, the namesake of the collection, Rift, seems incredibly fitting. Rift also means a fissure, fracture or crack in something. As this collection came together, many memories from our travels in Ethiopia were characterized by ‘rifts’; the difficulty of travel, the poverty, the environmental degradation. However difficult those cracks were to digest, they happened to be the very source of the beauty, authenticity, and magic of the country.

“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”

-Leonard Cohen

From the daily coffee ceremonies and the call to prayer echoing from impressive monolithic rock-hewn churches to the otherworldly geological formations and monkeys huddled together on mountainsides, Ethiopia was one of the most authentic and spiritually inspiring places I have visited. This collection serves to honor and express Ethiopia’s beauty.

As you navigate these designs, I hope you can find something that radiates with you, whether it be a texture, a shape, or a story. Enjoy.

www.clairesommersbuck.com

Claire Sommers Buck: Tell us a bit about your background & how you got started doing what you’re doing.
Lizelle Villapando: Hmmm... As for my "background," I studied photography and my business partner, Talena, was a small business major at St. Edward's University in south Austin. We became friends at school, loved crafting, and vintage shopping, and goofing off. One of my college jobs was working at the vintage store, New Bohemia. After showing the owner a collection of our handmade skirts, dresses,  handbags and other accessories, she offered to let Talena and I rent 100 square feet in the shop to sell whatever we wanted, mainly vintage. We incorporated our handmade items in the space, and over time they steadily sold, and our other crafting friends asked if they could sell their wares in our tiny space. The owner noticed how popular the handmade items were and offered a retail space solely for selling locally made goods. We jumped at the chance, and from there Parts & Labour was born. Opening day was February 5, 2004. In 2006 we purchased New Bohemia from the founder, and Talena and I continued to sell our vintage items at New Bohemia, and managed Parts & Labour, AND sewed merchandise for sale at P&L. The rest is history?
 
CSB: How do you decide what to carry in your store?
LV: The mission statement of the shop helps eliminate a lot of applicants. Parts & Labour exists to promote local small business artists, and crafters. Sellers must live in Texas and be the designer of their product. Beyond complying with those conditions, we take into account the quality of the workmanship, the professionalism of the artist, and his/her ability to meet the demand of the customer as far as production needs. Over time, I believe Parts & Labour has become known for very kitschy, colorful, and artisan quality goods and reasonable prices.
 
CSB: How do you want guests to feel?
LV: I want guests to feel comfortable, like they're guests in my home - because in many ways P&L is my home. I know just about every inch of it, and I'm definitely at the shop more than at my real home. I never want to make people feel like they are obligated to buy anything. All I want is that they take away a fun and enjoyable experience. The sales should follow. 

(Watercolor print by @humstudiosatx)

CSB: Besides your own, what is your favorite store and why?
LV: I love Take Heart on E. 11th because every single item is so cute and darling. The space is beautiful and full of light, and the owner Nina and her pup, Willa are the sweetest shop gals ever! I also love Uptown Modern on Burnet Rd. I love how all of the furniture and wares are curated and merchandised in a way that is easy to visualize in your home. I love that so much of the vintage furniture is reupholstered or restored, giving the pieces new life. The jewelry is also incredible! Lastly, I have a special place in my heart for Turquoise Trading Post, also on Burnet Rd. Everything they sell is Navajo or Zuni Native American-made. Beautiful traditional style Native jewelry and home decor, well organized and densely merchandised. New and vintage pieces there as well. The older I get, the more I try to really spend my money at places that are doing something great for the community and those are my tops in Austin.
 
CSB: What is your most unexpected source of inspiration?
LV: Friendship.
 
CSB: Who is your style icon, your muse?
LV: I have no style icon - I don't think. I actually believe I am void of style. I have a fantasy of being able to dress in a white t-shirt and jeans everyday, keep things easy. I like dressing so plain most of the time because I don't want to give people too much information about myself through my clothes.  I realize that is unavoidable, and dressing "plain" also tells people something about me, too. In general what I choose to wear or carry is often a gift from someone, made by someone I know, has a nostalgic element to it, sourced from a maker whose cause I support, or is strictly for practical and comfort reasons.
 
CSB: What have been the biggest obstacles you’ve faced in doing what you do?
LV: I think the biggest obstacles in running a business that involves dozens of creative people is learning how to juggle the hats of the job and adapting to so many personalities/ tempers/ energies. We have artists of all kinds; novices, pros, hobbyists, insecure, overconfident, serious, shy, joyful, grouchy, chatty, too busy, productive, jaded, bored, concerned, indifferent, greedy, silly, experimental, oblivious, and appreciative. ALL KINDS. It takes a lot of energy some days to engage, stay positive, strive for professionalism, keep my cool, manage the team, and smile at customers when I don't always want to. I may have tossed out the attempts at professionalism all together in year 7.  ;)
 
CSB: What are the most valuable lesson(s) you’ve learned working for yourself?
LV: I love what I do, running a shop that exists to support local small businesses and artists, and I love that we have managed to stay in business for so long. Over the years the most valuable lesson I learned has been the whole, "life goes on" lesson. People come and go, and the show really does go on. As much as I have loved the crafts that people create, sometimes there isn't enough demand for the product and they close their business, or there's too much demand, and the product ends up in box stores and corporate retailers, or the [maker’s] life paths change and they move away. This business is very personal to me. I cannot help but become attached to who I work with and the artists that I work for, and it's sad and painful every time someone leaves my life. It always feels like a breakup or a death in the family. And no one should get used to those feelings.

I guess my lesson is, "This is life. Sometimes you'll feel sad when you're trying to do something good. Fair warning."  

 A big Thank You to Lizelle and all the lovely girls at Parts & Labour who have been so supportive of CSB Jewelry over the years. We hope you can join in the festivities during their fundraiser this coming Friday, December 2 from 6-9pm. They deserve the best as they transition into a new chapter.

AND thank you for reading our first post in our Spotlight Series! Stay tuned for more features on some of our favorites.

With the end of summer comes reflection on the idea of "getting back to real life" and out of a vacation mindset. Since each of my collections is inspired by a place I've traveled, sometimes I am lucky enough to go on a vacation and call it work. But when I come home, I design jewelry for the everyday. 

I went to Thailand to visit friends who were teaching there. We took scooters to the beach and stayed at a national park that happens to be an island. We rode a long-tail boat, snorkeled and camped in hammocks - didn't even have a tent, and woke up to the ocean. The next stop was a cave lodge and hostel in Chiang Mai. That triangle piece shown above came from a little shop nearby full of talismans and horns, pouches from indigenous tribes, silver with hammered floral patterns... 

When we get dressed in the morning, we should find ways to make it fun - dressing for such an adventure, even if it's just a regular day. 

That's the idea behind Lanna, my new collection. Lan Na Kingdom covered much of Northern Thailand in the 13th-18th centuries. It surrounds what is now Chiang Mai, a diverse and hip metropolis similar in some ways to our hometown of Austin. It feels international and full of European backpackers, yet small-town enough to be cozy and walkable. Think open-air night bazaars, awesome cheap trailer food and artsy boutiques. 

It's not the point to borrow exactly what I'd see there, but I took a viewpoint opened up by the experience. Thailand is known as the "Land of Smiles," and maybe you noticed the gold-plated "U"-like shapes present in several of the Lanna pieces. :) The happy lines, colors and charms represent the love radiating from this foreign yet homey place. 

Likewise, I hope you'll agree the jewelry is special, with enough ease to fit in your day-to-day and bring a bit of those vacation vibes with you everywhere this Fall. 

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the new clairesommersbuck.com. I launched this handmade jewelry company in 2010, and we have grown a ton - enough to bring you this new website and blog, which I believe gives you a better experience as our customer. But a lot more has stayed the same.

Authenticity has become a buzzword recently, but it’s always been in our DNA around here. It means that I reply to customer emails personally. It means that I actually touch every facet of the business, from packing wholesale orders to the redesign of this very website. Above all, it means every piece of jewelry you buy here was made with human hands here in Austin, using traditional metalworking tools and techniques.

We honor the cultures, histories and crafts that inspire us by keeping it real and paying homage in our product and content. Look for new blog posts about my travels that directly led me to design and create your favorite CSB collections. Get it delivered to you soon by signing up here. 

We continue to admire fellow makers of handmade products and the boutique owners who introduce them to you. That’s why our new blog has a focus on profiles of these fascinating players, where we dig to find the real story and share their inspiring worlds with you. It also drives visibility to great local businesses worth supporting.

One of the most important things that’s stayed consistent is the lifestyle we encourage: It’s about hard work, but taking the time you want and need to recharge. We want our customers to feel empowered moving through life, and one way to do that is to know yourself and your style. It’s what I want for myself, too! Our definition of style goes beyond the jewelry you rock, it’s also how you like to own your time and relax or play.

At CSB, we are a lot more interested in enjoying life than in working around the clock to accelerate this business with a big focus on revenue. As you know, that is not common or best practice for a young company.

But we truly aren’t interested in trying to grow to a point where I can no longer retain that authenticity and that quality of life that I believe is why anyone would want to buy our jewelry in the first place. 

As my customer and friend, that means you can count on consistency in the quality of materials and craftsmanship that keeps our product lasting longer than most. You can also feel OK about leaving a little earlier on Friday afternoon to hit up Barton Springs with a book. You will look great doing it, and I’ll probably see you there. :)

Love,

Claire Sommers Buck

However, every once in awhile, that dull finish needs a facelift and the jewelry needs a good cleaning. Besides, who wants their jewelry just sitting around, looking drab? Let’s make those beautiful handmade pieces shine so we can wear them with confidence!

At the CSB Jewelry studio, we have tested some great DIY, all-natural jewelry polishing techniques and are happy to share them with you here. Please note that these tips are geared towards cleaning CSB Jewelry pieces. If you have questions about cleaning a piece of jewelry from another independent artist, I highly recommend emailing them to ask. They will know best practices for cleaning their handmade pieces.

I do NOT recommend using chemical jewelry cleaner with the exception of Brasso {read below}. The harshness of these products can destroy the finish of the piece and potentially damage any stones.

Polishing & Cleaning Mixed Metal Jewelry (combination of Brass, Bronze & Sterling Silver)

1.) Easiest No-Fuss Option

We love using the Sunshine Polishing Cloth. This is a portable, no-fuss option that we highly recommend. The jewelry cloth will turn black as you use it. Once the entire cloth is blackened, you will need to replace it. 

2.) All-Natural Jewelry Cleaning Option

What you will need:

- White vinegar

- 1 tsp lemon juice

- Baking soda

- Old toothbrush

- Soft cloth

- Fine steel wool #0 or #000 (the more 0s, the finer)

Step 1:

• In a small bowl, add approximately ¼ cup vinegar

• In a second small bowl, make a baking soda paste: Use approximately 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tsp vinegar, then add just enough baking soda to make a thick paste (be prepared for fizzing!)

Step 2:

• Drop jewelry in the plain vinegar (first bowl) and let sit for a few minutes - be sure the piece is completely submerged

• Remove jewelry and use an old toothbrush to gently scrub the baking soda paste (second bowl) all over the piece for another couple of minutes - this will release any dirt and oils on the piece

• Rinse and dry jewelry with a soft cloth

Step 3:

• Bracing the piece on a clean, non-metal surface, gently rub in tiny circles using the fine steel wool - be delicate with ear posts, ear wires and chain. Also, be aware that the steel wool will leave tiny scratches on the surface. We use this method to finish our jewelry designs, but if you are cleaning a piece that has a high polish finish, skip this step and simply use a polishing cloth.

3.) Using Brasso - Brass cleaner & polish

In case of heavier tarnish and where the above steps do not help, Brasso is your next best bet!

**This is not a natural jewelry polish. Please use in a well ventilated area & wear gloves. 

To use, squeeze a small amount of polish onto a paper towel or old rag. Rub polish over the brass sections of the piece in small circles. You will notice the color of the brass change immediately. With another clean paper towel or section of the rag, remove any lingering polish. Rinse the piece under water & dry thoroughly.

If your piece has sterling silver elements, no stress, the polish won't damage these parts, but they also won't shine them up. You can use a Sunshine Polishing Cloth on those parts. 

Polishing & Cleaning Sterling Silver Jewelry

If the tarnish is not too severe, using the Sunshine Polishing Cloth mentioned above is your best bet. If the polishing cloth is not enough to remove a heavy build-up of tarnish, you can make a simple solution at home to remove the excess oil & dirt that is preventing you from polishing the silver. Mix a paste of 2 tsp white vinegar & 1tsp baking soda. Using an old toothbrush, gently scrub the paste over the piece focusing on those hard to reach areas. Rinse and dry well. Follow with the Sunshine Polishing Cloth.

Polishing & Cleaning Gold Jewelry

Mix 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid to 1 cup warm water. Submerge the piece in the soapy solution and use an old toothbrush to gently scrub the piece. This will help remove any dirt buildup in those hard to reach places. Rinse & dry well.

Keeping Your Jewelry Looking New (the Do’s and Dont’s)

• Never shower or swim in your jewelry

• Apply lotions and perfume before you put on your jewelry for the day

• Avoid storing jewelry in bathroom - the humidity expedites the tarnishing process

• When you aren’t wearing the jewelry, keep it stored in a pouch or air-tight plastic bag

• Treat your jewelry with LOVE - a lot of care and attention was involved in making the jewelry, and it should be treated in the same fashion

Handcrafted jewelry is a great investment, and we hope these tips are helpful to keep your pieces looking new. Here at CSB Jewelry, we are dedicated to the belief that soulfully produced items can truly enrich our lives. When treated with love, we hope our jewelry will empower & engage you for many years to come!

Thank you for reading! If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at clairesommersbuck.com/contact/.

Thank you again RCF team! Can't wait to see you again in November! xo

I recently found a fantastic article addressing just that- what the 'evil eye' means. In the article, the author describes the core idea behind the evil eye which is that:

When we look at one another we are not so much seeing one another as we are exchanging energies. It is true: eyes are the windows to the soul. Glances are not neutral, but always an exchange of desires, positive energy and negative energy.

So, in fact, the amulet is not really an 'evil eye', rather an evil eye repellent. The circle in the middle of the eye serves as a false eye, so if a person casts a negative glance at another, the evil eye charm will absorb that negative energy so that it cannot enter the soul of the person wearing the charm.

The author goes on to talk about Islamic religion and the exchanging of glances or energies in a more positive sense and I love how he ends this article...

Are we willing to cast upon each other glances that are filled with mercy?
Are we willing to look at each other with love glances that are welcomed?
Are we willing to receive such loving and kind glances?

The Turkish grandmothers, and the wisdom of the ancients, are all right. There is a magic that dwells in our exchange of glances.

May we purify our hearts so that the glances we cast upon one another are healing glances, loving glances. May we create communities and relationships worthy of these love glances.

I will never look at my evil eye amulets the same again. 

Thank you for reading! xo Claire

Thank you girls for EVERYTHING! xo

My obsession with Mali mudcloth began in the Souks of Marrakesh, Morocco last summer. While wandering the narrow streets and purposefully getting lost with my good friend Ceceilia, we discovered a sweet Malinese vendor selling loads of cool African artifacts. I was immediately drawn to the textiles and jewelry (of course) and we spent about an hour there, with gaping mouths and overstimulated senses. 

Mudcloth is traditional to Mali & is dyed using fermented mud. I am of course in love with the patterns and natural colors, but also the dyeing process itself. It's incredibly labor intensive. I found a super interesting Youtube video that gives insight into how the dyeing process works. (Be sure and click on 'settings' to turn on the English subtitles. ;)

Enjoy!

I cannot wait to hopefully see this dyeing process in person one day and collect more of this incredible fabric! 

Thank you for reading! xo

We hope to see you again in November for the next Renegade Craft Fair! xo

It's that time of the year again for one of the BEST handmade markets around, the Renegade Craft Fair! I have had the pleasure of participating in several of these fairs and just love the energy & creativity that each participant brings. A good friend of mine, Gopi Shah puts together a list of her favorite Renegade makers each time she does these shows (they have them all over the country) and I just love her shout outs so much that I have decided to give some love to the great people I met last fall at Renegade. Stay tuned for a list of folks I am destined to meet this weekend too and if you can, come out and see for yourself! It's going to be a rockin' time! 

1. Meredith Piper Art. I traded for one of these lovely textile 'paintings' last fall when I met Meredith and couldn't be more happy with how it fits in my studio! Be sure and check out more of her awesome textiles & original paintings. They have a pastel quality that is soothing to the soul...
Instagram: @meredithpiperart

2. Forest Things: Kelly, the owner, and I met at the Spring Renegade in Austin last year and I went home with some wonderful aromatic solid perfumes that fit my non-perfume wearing needs to the T. It can be so challenging to find beauty care products that are well made and aren't chock full of chemicals. Let me allow Forest Things to tell you about their little humble company: 
"We make from wild plants. Simple. Scouting woods, creeks, mountains, and fields to find beloved wild herbs that are good for our skin. We take the freshly picked wild plants and infuse them into organic oils before pouring into balms and skin salves. We are not just a "beauty products" company. We are for artists, carpenters, entrepreneurs, designers, gardeners, nurses, potters, chefs, parents; we are for you. We make skin care from untamable plants for your untamable need to make, do, invent, and create."

Instagram: @forestthings

3. Gopi Shah Ceramics: Gopi and I used to be neighbors at Pump Project until she left for the land of SF and is killing it with her gorgeous ceramics. Check out a tour of her studio HERE and her super rad collaboration with P.F. Candle Co. The match strikers she creates make the perfect gift! Give Gopi some love folks! 
Instagram: @gopishahceramics

4. Nade Studio: Maggie and I immediately bonded over our love for Imogene + Willie handcrafted jeans (more on my love for denim another time) and it didn't take long for me to fall head over heels for her clothing. She just rolled out her new Spring Collection and the colors have me daydreaming about frolicking in desert galaxies. Her unique one-of-a-kind silk prints are so stunning. I've got my eye on this gal, she has created a very special brand. I look forward to what she lovingly creates next! 
Instagram: @nadestudio

5. Flag Mountain Jewelry: My dear sweet Penland friend and the creative babe behind Flag Mountain Jewelry, Angela Eastman will be joining me this weekend selling her lovely woven jewelry. I am so excited to sling jewels together with this awesome gal. Check out her inspiring work on her jewelry website and her incredible sculptural work as well. Come by and see us if you can! 
instagram: @angelaeastman

Well, we hope to see some of you out and about at Renegade this coming weekend! Don't forget that if you mention any of my posts, be it on the blog, instagram or email, you will receive 15% off your purchase with CSB Jewelry!

Much love & thank you for reading!

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As I begin writing and sharing here, my hope is to provide meaningful, thoughtful and honest content that reflects my varied interests, promotes my small independent jewelry business and helps spread the excitement for other makers on a similar path.

I hope you can follow along!