29 Wednesday Oct 2014
Posted in Uno Alla Volta
Uno Alla Volta LOVES cats, in fact we might be obsessed.
Our little creatures inspire us in many ways. They teach us to enjoy the simple things in life, help us master the art of patience, show us how to love unconditionally and most importantly demonstrate the virtue of curiosity. Cats remind us to pursue challenges while seeking answers to everything questioned – nourishing personal growth and knowledge.
In honor of National Cat Day we introduce you our inspiring companions.
28 Tuesday Oct 2014
Posted in Our Favorites
Tags
art, artisan, artisan moments, cat, cats, from the hearts and hands of artisans, hand painted, handcrafted, polish pottery, polish pottery cat
This week we are celebrating our feline companions in honor of National Cat Day, which is held on October 29th. To our many customers who have requested more cat-themed collectibles, keep a look out this week for more posts featuring our favorites!
In the small village of Boleslawiec, Poland, skilled artisans continue the tradition of Polish folk art with our hand-painted Polish Pottery cat sculptures that we couldn’t help but name. Each piece is handcrafted of stoneware, meticulously hand-painted using hand-carved sponges and fine brushwork, then glazed and fired at high temperatures for everlasting beauty.
Click here to view:
Celina & Delfina: http://bit.ly/1wyxwNx, Lusia: http://bit.ly/1FSv2i7
27 Monday Oct 2014
Posted in Uno Alla Volta
Tags
art, artisan, artisan moments, cats, christmas, dogs, hand painted, handcrafted, italian, italy, uno alla volta
Since 1966, Ermengildo and his wife Renata have been crafting and decorating exquisite blown-glass ornaments in the picturesque village of Bellagio, overlooking Italy’s Lake Como. Together with their daughter Annalisa, they create highly collectible glass ornaments. With remarkable craftsmanship, each ornament is carefully hand-blown using traditional techniques as they gather a dab of molten glass at the end of a tube, and then heat it over a flame as they gently blow to inflate the shape. To finish, the ornaments are then hand-painted with charming motifs honoring our animal friends.
Click here to view our pet ornements: http://bit.ly/ReigningCats http://bit.ly/ReigningDogs
23 Thursday Oct 2014
Posted in Meet The Artisan, Uno Alla Volta
Tags
artisan, artisan moments, creativity, from the hearts and hands of artisans, hand painted, handcrafted, holiday, ornament, seamstress, sew, stitch
Sisters, Judy and Lynn, of Philadelphia grew up in a creative household where they were inspired by a mother whose creativity and sense of fun left an indelible mark. As children, they delighted in “re-purposing” household discards long before the trend became popular. And, now in “post-retirement,” they have formed a venture to bring fun and whimsy to others.
Their newest work of art is this cheery seamstress, Stitch. She starts as a hand-blown Polish glass ball upon which our artisans bestow a unique personality. Each ornament is given just the right head full of fanciful trims, including ribbons, buttons, pins, even a mini pin cushion.
To see all of Judy and Lynn’s whimsical creations, visit: unoallavolta.com/judyandlynn.
17 Friday Oct 2014
Posted in Meet The Artisan
Tags
crystals, from the hearts and hands of artisans, glass beads, handcrafted, murano, murano glass, murano jewelry, uno alla volta
A creator of extraordinary beaded jewelry and accessories, Mariagrazia of Venice, Italy brings true artistry to her craft. Each piece is a masterpiece of composition, color, and construction – a work of art guided by the heart, and rewarded by the joy of sharing its beauty with the wearer.
Just in time for the holidays, Mariagrazia meticulously hand-strings hundreds of tiny glass seed beads onto fine gauge wire, then hand-shapes each delicate strand into these lavishly sculpted floral accessories. These limited edition pieces are masterfully handcrafted exclusively for Uno Alla Volta.
Learn more about this collection here: bit.ly/1vE91k2
11 Saturday Oct 2014
Posted in Our Favorites
Tags
artisan, christmas, Christmas tree, glass beads, handcrafted, holiday, india, iron, nana bell, uno alla volta, wind chime
Artisans in one of India’s largest port cities continue their centuries-old tradition of metal craft, hand-cutting and forging iron into this decorative iron Christmas tree chime. Our dimensional chime is accented with a garland of glass beads, iron ornaments and a “nana” bell, a sweetly soothing bell made of their own metal alloys from closely guarded family formulas.
To check out all of our indoor & outdoor chimes visit: www.unoallavolta.com/chimes
09 Thursday Oct 2014
Posted in Meet The Artisan
Tags
art, artisan, artisan moments, crystals, hummingbirds, kaleidoscope, onyx, swarovski crystals, uno alla volta
Renowned among collectors, Massimo Strino, originally from Naples, now of Australia, crafts some of the world’s most breathtaking kaleidoscopes. Handcrafted in meticulous detail, they transport the beholder to a bygone era and create a sense of wonder – even before peering into the glass to gaze upon the magnificent display of color. Since 2008, Massimo has been dazzling Uno Alla Volta customers with works available nowhere else in all the world.
Our 2014 edition, the “Enchanted Garden” is his finest yet. A feast for the senses, each mesmerizing scope is constructed, in Massimo’s New York City studio, of brass lamp parts and bedecked with hand-carved and polished onyx, richly colored enamels and thousands of meticulously handset Swarovski crystals. Each comes with a crystal encrusted LED flashlight to shine upon the hummingbirds and sunflowers while they revolve to the tune of “Over the Rainbow.”
Click here to indulge in this breathtaking work of art
07 Tuesday Oct 2014
Posted in Letters from Terri, Stonycreek Brands
Each handcrafted treasure pictured in the following pages is a unique expression of the artisan’s individuality, brought to life as much by his or her heart as hands.
Attesting to our artisans’ boundless creativity, nearly half of these pieces are being seen here for the first time ever…anywhere. You will see rich new textures, beautiful on-trend colorways, and handcrafted quality that never goes out of style
When a particular piece grabs your attention, I hope you’ll sense a connection with its artisan – the connection that forms between a work’s creator and caretaker. Although you will likely never meet, each of you is making a difference in the life of the other.
Terri S. Alpert
Founder & CEO
T.alpert@unoallavolta.com
06 Monday Oct 2014
Posted in Letters from Terri, Stonycreek Brands
We have listened to you!
We have taken all of the feedback from all of our customers into account to create your all new experience of UNO ALLA VOLTA online.
My team has been hard at work for over a year. Tomorrow, we will be “flipping the switch!”
What does this mean for you?
Well…after what I hope will be a VERY brief inconvenience, while our website is down between approximately 5:00 am and 12:00 noon Eastern tomorrow, here is just some of what you will find:
–An awesome gift giving experience: You will be able to personalize the certificates of authenticity which accompany each handcrafted treasure. And, you may save your address book so that you may more easily “WOW!” your loved ones next time you need something special.
–Really see those handcrafted details: Our mouse over zoom and our alternate views are all going to bring the little things to life.
–Better navigation and organization!
We are testing, testing, and testing to ensure your experience is glitch free. But… as is the nature of these things, there may be a glitch or two. If there is, please let us know! Contact us at custserv@unoallavolta.com. We want one thing and one thing only – that your online UNO ALLA VOLTA experience be as good (or better) than your offline experience.
And what else? Well.. this will be our platform to bring you so much more of what you desire – a real chance to meet our artisans, hear their stories, and watch them work. Much of that will come over the next few months.
Please know that we are ever evolving. YOU are my partner in this endeavor as are my dedicated employees and artisans throughout the U.S. and around the world.
In gratitude,
Terri S. Alpert, Founder & CEO
t.alpert@unoallavolta.com
