Monthly Archives: May 2018

Father’s Day Memories

31 Thursday May 2018

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We hope you will enjoy these memories from our team in celebration of Father’s Day!

Terri

Dad, thank you for believing in me.

Thank you for supporting me.

Thank you for being there for my husband and children, always.

Thank you for being a sounding board, and for biting your tongue when I know you really want to say “I told you so”.

Thank you for giving me life and never letting me take it for granted.

And thank you for teaching me the importance of family and keeping my family together!

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-Terri, Founder & CEO

Lorraine

Growing up as a little girl, there was never anyone bigger or stronger than my dad. I remember feeling so small in his presence, I always felt such a strong sense of protection from him, like nothing could ever hurt me as long as he was there, surely I loved being ‘daddy’s little girl’.

As I grew older, he supported me in different ways. He always encouraged me to try new things, instilled a strong work ethic through his own example, encouraged me to be independent, always told me I could achieve anything I set my mind to, and even as a young child, he never shielded me from the (sometimes cold) realities of the real world, something to this day I am so very grateful for.

It was his loving but realistic approach to being a father that so prepared me for the times he wasn’t there, like when I moved to NYC for college at the age of 18 (being in my 30’s, I now understand his concern), or traveled internationally for my first study abroad experience, I always carried with me the life lessons he had shared with me all of those years ago.

As much as I have always loved, cared for and appreciated my father, it is amazing how much this continues to grow with my age. I have had the luxury of seeing him be a grandfather to my nephew and two nieces, and it makes me so excited to know there are still so many things we will share. His example has allowed me to know the type of man I want in a husband and father to my future children, and I couldn’t be more grateful to be his daughter.

Wishing my dad Raymond, and all of the wonderful father’s out there a very Happy Father’s Day!

-Lorraine, Digital Marketing Manager

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Anna

At seventeen years old, I made the announcement that all hardworking, suburban parents dread hearing: I was going to move to New York to go to art school. While this may have seemed like a flighty pipe dream at face value, I was too young and starry-eyed to choose a sturdier, straighter path for myself. I was told throughout the years by everyone from strangers to family members that there was no money in the arts, and especially no money in my passion of memoir writing.

As it turned out, my college experience was the most enchanted period of my life. While my friends were stuck in classes like “Accounting 101” and “Nineteenth Century British Literature” at other schools, I was soaking up courses like “Riot Grrrls And Radical Women” and “The Art Of The Novella.” In such a small school, I had professors who took the time to know and mentor me personally, no doubt ensuring I would grow to be the writer I am today.

Although post-graduate life was an unsure and turbulent time filled with temp jobs and retail work, I finally found a career in writing at Uno two years after graduation. In this job, I have been given opportunities to travel the country and the world, writing about my experiences, the kindhearted artisans I’ve met, and all of our products, many of which I have watched come to life through every step of their creation. Through many missteps and happy accidents, I found a career doing what I love in a steady job.

This Father’s Day, I want to thank my dad for supporting all my dreams mentally, emotionally, and financially. It was the greatest kindness I have ever been extended.

-Anna, Associate Marketing Manager- Content

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Minetta

Growing up as the only daughter in a family with three brothers, I have always been Daddy’s Little Girl, even to this day! As a Vietnam veteran, my dad has always been a hero to me, and undoubtedly my favorite person. I have a newborn son, Kyler, and the fact that my parents are retired and can care for him every day while I’m at work means everything to me.

-Minetta, Merchandising Manager & Accessories Buyer

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Summer Packing List

27 Sunday May 2018

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Are you packing up for a day trip or a weekend getaway? Uno Alla Volta has everything you need to make a striking statement while on vacation. These colorful new arrivals are sure to become instant favorites in your summer wardrobe. If you’re looking for a quality handbag, this colorblock crossbody and our white leather and bamboo handbag are both handmade in Florence. To carry inside your new leather purse, we have Florentine leather lipstick cases in both navy blue and light blue. To complete your ensemble, don’t forget to add the gorgeous Dupioni silk-trimmed sun hat!

Uno Around The World

23 Wednesday May 2018

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The team here at Uno Alla Volta created these custom assortments just for you! Featuring designs from 17 artisans across the globe, these collections exemplify quality workmanship and an unmistakable flair for fashion. Click on the collection name to shop all the featured items.

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Tranquil Blues: Our artisans around the world designed these serene pieces, which celebrate the deep, rich blue that is Terri’s favorite color. Paired with gleaming silver or gold, the bright colors in these pieces will pop against any skin tone and bring a sense of calmness and peace to the wearer.

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Healing Touches: Featuring precious metals and gemstones, these pieces were designed by our artisans across the globe, all with themes of healing in mind. Copper is believed to help the body repair itself, silver is believed to protect the wearer, and gold is believed to connect the wearer to a higher consciousness. Each of the precious gemstones featured here have unique healing properties as well!

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Odes To Joy: Designed by artisans in Israel, Italy, and right here in the USA, these bold, fun designs all celebrate joy and playfulness. From the bright colors to the unique shapes and designs, the handmade pieces in this collection will bring a smile to your face each time they are worn.

Kim’s “Pretty And Patriotic” Jewelry Collection

20 Sunday May 2018

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Memorial Day is just around the corner on May 28th! This handmade polymer clay jewelry, which is edged in rich gold leaf, will add the perfect pop of red, white, and blue to your outfit. There’s even a tie tack if you’d like to make it a “his and hers” look with the special man in your life. Want even better news? This pretty and patriotic jewelry is made one at a time in the USA by our artisan, Kim.

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As a child, Kim could often be found watching her mother paint. Surrounded by art supplies and found objects, her creative passion was fueled. Today in her California studio, the joy she finds in working the vibrantly colored clay in her hands brings her delightful creations to life.

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Kim’s Millefiori Freedom Hearts Tie Tack Brooch

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Kim’s Millefiori Freedom Hearts Necklace

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Kim’s Millefiori Freedom Hearts Earrings

All About Gemini

16 Wednesday May 2018

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Ruled by Mercury, moody yet outgoing Gemini is considered to be the most fun sign in the zodiac. These outgoing individuals, who are born between May 21 and June 21, have enigmatic personalities and easily attract others into their lives. Geminis are very affectionate and sociable, as well as open-minded and fun loving. People born under this sign make great friends, and are always a joy to have around, because they are so full of surprises. For those who are born in May, their birthstone is emerald, and their flower is the lily of the valley. Geminis born in June have three birthstones: moonstone, alexandrite, and pearl, and their flower is the classic, elegant rose. We’ve compiled a selection of perfect gifts for Geminis below!

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This paperweight showcases Mercury: Gemini’s ruling planet.

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This classically elegant necklace celebrates May’s birth flower for all our May Geminis!

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These colorful earrings feature moonstone, one of June’s birthstones, and also bear the same fun, vibrant energy Geminis often exude.

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This shimmering Swarovski crystal rose brooch celebrates June’s birth flower.

Meet Mark of Hawaii

13 Sunday May 2018

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Inspired by his uncle, who was a painter, Mark began creating his own art around the age of 13. This passion stayed with him during his adult life, as he moved from New York to California and Hawaii, falling further in love with painting landscapes. To create each unique treasure, Mark reverse-paints a serene beach scene onto the back of clear glass pendant, using only his fingertips as tools. Transport yourself to sunnier days instantly with any of his (literally!) hand-painted works of art.

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Happy Mother’s Day

06 Sunday May 2018

Posted by in Letters from Terri, Mother's Day 2018, Uno Alla Volta

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To celebrate Mother’s Day is to celebrate unconditional love. Our mothers are there for us from the moment we come into existence, bear the great pain of bringing us into the world, and then are present for all the trials and tribulations of our years of becoming. As we grow, so does their pride, even on our worst days. Every success we celebrate is theirs as well, and every bit of pain we experience also reverberates through their boundless empathy.

With our grandmothers, we celebrate the unbridled joy of being spoiled, and bask in their rich histories, which are our origin stories as well. With our stepmothers, we celebrate selflessness and the great blessings that often come from change. With our godmothers, we celebrate the human connection, and how blood is often so much thicker than water. With the women who bear our children, we celebrate the ultimate expression of human love: one so large it manifests itself into another human being.

I hope the Mother’s Day Memories my team has shared warm your heart as much as they do mine!

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PS: Visit Uno Alla Volta’s Mother’s Day Shop to find the perfect gift for the mothers in your life!

Celebrating Cinco De Mayo

02 Wednesday May 2018

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Cinco De Mayo is a commemoration of Mexico’s victory at the Battle At Puebla on May 5th, 1862 during the Franco-Mexican war. Observing this victory in the USA became a popular tradition after Teddy Roosevelt’s “Good Neighbor Policy” in 1933, which encouraged Americans to form better relationships with Mexico and other Latin American countries. Today, Americans enjoy delicious Mexican food to celebrate this day, as well as indulge in delicious margaritas.

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To help you celebrate, we found these amazing recipes for margaritas, which we think would pair perfectly with this glass, which was hand-blown by our artisan Mark of New Orleans.

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Are margaritas not your signature drink? No problem, Mark also designed a wine glass and a martini glass, just for you!

 

Celebrating Mother’s Day

01 Tuesday May 2018

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Terri

Since I started my first entrepreneurial venture, just after becoming a mother myself, my mom has always been by my side helping with the business and childcare. Today, my babies are 25 and 21, and the business has turned 24. Mom can often be found in Uno Alla Volta’s distribution center, picking your orders and preparing your products for shipment.  But that just describes the activities of her hands. She is really here with her heart and soul, letting her presence be felt in the lives of all the wonderful employees that make up a part of Uno Alla Volta’s extended family.

-Terri, Founder & CEO

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Robin

I never realized how being a mother would change my life so much for the better. My mother made it seem so natural and when I had my daughter, I couldn’t imagine my life without her today. The friendship and bond that I have, and which continues to evolve, with my now adult daughter, is one of my most valued and important relationships. Watching her grow from a small child, to a teenager, graduate from college, and be off in the workforce was an amazing evolution. Today, she is off on her own, buying her first home and owning her future.  As a mother, I cannot be more proud and feel more blessed.

-Robin, President

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Marissa & Lynda

I am lucky to get to spend time with my mom every day, because we both work at Uno Alla Volta. I love that she is just a few desks away from me if I need her. I never fully appreciated all of her time and care until I became a mom myself. Now that I’m pregnant with my second child, and my first girl, I hope that my daughter and I will be equally as close!

-Marissa, Merchandising Assistant

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Anna

For as long as I can remember, my mother has taught me to fight for everything I’ve ever wanted, and to never take “no” for an answer. While a juvenile understanding of this philosophy created a rather mouthy, indignant teenager, I find myself growing comfortably into a confident, tenacious, resolute woman as I tiptoe through my twenties.

I often sigh that it’s my sister whose face mirrors my mother’s and my grandmother’s, and that I will never feel the way they do when I glance at my reflection. Recently, this problem has begun to solve itself. Every time I open my mouth, my mother’s iron will and quick wit spill right out!

Growing up in a big, Italian family, food has always been central to our lives. Today, my mother and I can often be found right back in her kitchen, elbowing each other as we fight to use the stove. This is my favorite comfort food, and one thing she and I will always agree on.

Macaroni Pie

¾ of a pound of spaghetti

12 large eggs

1 cup diced ham

1 cup diced pepperoni

¼ cup grated parmesan or Romano cheese

1 8 ounce bag of shredded mozzarella cheese

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. While it’s boiling, beat the dozen eggs in a very large mixing bowl. Next, add in the meats, cheeses, and black pepper. When the spaghetti is cooked, rinse it quickly under cold water before adding it to the egg mixture and stirring to fully combine. Add the mixture to a buttered 9.5 x 11 baking pan, and bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes, until egg is fully set all the way through.

-Anna, Associate Marketing Manager- Content

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Nick

Mom is a strong woman, always a good soul with a forthright attitude. It’s in her nature to speak frankly and honestly without crassness or ill temper. As the child of German immigrants, she carries some of that forwardness and integrity indicative of their culture. One always knows where Mom is coming from. They can also be certain hers is a fair, objective, carefully thought out opinion. Unless it’s about tattoos. (She is not a fan!)

However, it seems also she is the one who passed much of the creative gene on to me, leading to my life as a working artist. Family vacations were documented by her adept eye. Her hand made the paintings and frames in the house. The book cabinets and other woodworks are also her creation.

She set quiet examples instead of telling me what to do. As a teen, I watched as she struggled with working a full-time job while going to college, often falling asleep on her study books. All-in-all, she is one of my inspirations of how to seek a good life.

Now, I am a blessed, lucky man. I’m surrounded by a wife is also a truly awe-inspiring supermom, a sister who makes me extremely proud with her little one, and my mother. One who I look to as a sage in much the same way same I did as the boy who looked up at her as his loving Mom. Happy Mother’s Day.

-Nick, Photographer

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