Category Archives: Stonycreek Brands

Located on the beautiful Connecticut shoreline, Stony Creek Brands was founded by Terri Alpert and Jay Alpert. In 1993, Terri introduced to the American market an array of high-end cutlery through a small black and white catalog titled Professional Cutlery Direct®. Terri was joined by her partner and brother-in-law in 1996, who helped expand the product assortment and build a business model poised for rapid expansion. Today they are joined by a talented pool of seasoned professionals, each dedicated to offering consumers unique products and exceptional brand experiences.

Individuality & Connection – Our Core Principles

07 Tuesday Oct 2014

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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.

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Terri S. Alpert
Founder & CEO

T.alpert@unoallavolta.com

Upgrading YOUR Online UNO ALLA VOLTA Experience!

06 Monday Oct 2014

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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,

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Terri S. Alpert, Founder & CEO
t.alpert@unoallavolta.com

Discover Russia’s St. Basil’s Cathedral

29 Monday Sep 2014

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Built in the 16th century at the behest of Ivan the Terrible, St. Basil’s Cathedral sits at the geometric center of Moscow on Red Square. Its iconic form features multiple domes and spires decorated in extraordinary patterns and details that attest to the building’s – and the city’s – colorful past. Our Russian artisans carry on the traditions of their ancestors as they painstakingly hand-paint layer upon layer of  color and lacquer in exquisite detail for each hand-crafted piece inspired by St. Basil’s Cathedral & their national heritage.Russian Father Christmas Sculpture 

For this limited edition sculpture, our artisan, Olga of Moscow begins each piece by meticulously hand-carving the shape of Father Christmas from hand-selected basswood. She then brings each cheery figure alive with an exquisitely painted face and robe adorned with golden details and a wintery scene featuring St. Basil’s Cathedral in times of old. Act fast as only 50 will ever be made!

To see our entire collection of Russian artistry visit: http://bit.ly/russian-artistry

Informing And Empowering The Individual

12 Friday Sep 2014

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Fight With Grace
One of our artisans, Judy, credits her recovery from breast cancer to Dr. Weiss who has built the world’s most utilized resource for helping women and their loved ones make sense of the complex medical and personal information to make the best decisions for their lives.

Breastcancer.org touches the lives of 9 million people each year.

Each year Judy has created special ornament editions to support the cause. This year’s powerful woman is Grace and she is available only through Uno Alla Volta.

I am delighted to join Judy and Marisa in the fight against breast cancer. Uno Alla Volta is a proud sponsor of the upcoming “Rock the Ribbon” event in Philadelphia.

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Terri S. Alpert
Founder & CEO

T.alpert@unoallavolta.com

The Joy of Discovery

11 Monday Aug 2014

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Traveling for me brings the joy of discovery – the joy that comes from experiencing new cultures, and of meeting new people and learning of their stories. Right now, while you are reading this letter, I am on a trip of an entirely different kind.

Every August since 2004, my husband, my two kids and I travel to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where we join my sister, her husband, and her three children. There is a rhythm to our days and we follow the script set many years before.

The ritualistic sameness provides a high contrast background, making visible that none of us is quite the same person who was here ten summers ago – or even last summer! And, so it is that I delight in discovering each of my loved ones anew.

During long quiet walks in the sand, I reflect on the person that I’ve become over the last year. And, I make commitments to myself – necessary ones – so that when I return in one year’s time, I will be able to experience the joy of discovery when I encounter myself on the beach.

 

Terri

Individuality & Connectedness

14 Monday Jul 2014

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I’m so proud of my two daughters!

It is graduation time! In my home, we are celebrating two major milestones. Sarah, my older daughter, is completing college and, not without trepidation, entering the “real world.” Rachel, my baby, is graduating from high school and is off to college. “How do I feel?” is the question everyone keeps asking me. Of course, my first thoughts are like those of most every other parent. “Wow, that went quickly,” followed by “I am old.” But most of all, I am proud – immensely proud. Here are two pretty amazing human beings. I know each will leave her own indelible mark on this world. I marvel at how different each is from the other.  And, I marvel at how tight the two sisters are, forever bonded to one another and to my husband and me. Individuality and connection are common themes you’ve heard me speak about many times when describing our work here at Uno Alla Volta. In my own life, I am delighted to have instilled in each daughter the importance of connectedness, but always in a way that recognizes and perhaps enhances her own individuality.   Terri

In Celebration Of Liberty

04 Friday Jul 2014

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What is liberty if not the freedom to reach for the best within each of us? And, what greater blessing can there be in life than appreciating the privilege to assist in some small way in creating the opportunities for others to become the best they can be? We have such deep respect for each of the artisans with whom we collaborate. It is such an honor to facilitate their work.

What joy we had developing our new “Stars and Stripes” collection with Weronika, Jacek, and their son, Jacek Jr., in their buzzing workshop in Boleslawiec, Poland. To think, just a few decades ago, this family and their colleagues lived in a political regime that lacked even the most basic personal liberties, and now they are thriving as entrepreneurs, as artists, and as human beings. Here in America, Uno Alla Volta celebrates the “little guy” (or more often “little gal”) every day. So many of our artisans are Americans, in their second careers. Following exits from the corporate world, they are finding fulfillment and sustenance with the work of their hands.

Know that you, my friends, are bringing about these blessings, one purchase at a time.

 

Terri

Inspirations From Nature

12 Monday May 2014

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AVPageView 8132014 54833 PM.bmpWhat does it mean to create? The dictionary definition is “to evolve from one’s own thought or imagination.” Yet, where does that first thought come from?

Every artist, every entrepreneur needs inspiration. I love to learn people’s stories. When I talk with our artisans my first question is most often “How did you think of this?” Each answer, like each artisan is unique – but the common thread is that we are all inspired by the world around us.

All around the U.S. and around the world, the sand and sea provide an inspirational spark for so many of our artisans’ designs. At times the inspiration is obvious, other times it is far more subtle and perhaps may be seen only in the choice of palette or texture.

But at all times, the fruits of creativity are a reminder that none of us is alone and we are all connected to something larger than ourselves.

 

Terri

Celebrating Mothers & Daughters

12 Monday May 2014

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Marge, my mother, preparing your orders for shipment.

It was about this time, four years ago, that I first started revealing personal elements of my life to all of you.

I have to tell you, I felt more than a little naked, more than a little vulnerable sharing something as intimate as my relationship with my Mom, her support of me in this business, and my support of her battle with breast cancer at that time.

Yet, from this sharing have come some incredible connections. I thank all of you for asking how Mom is doing. She is a winner, and has been cancer-free for more than three years now.

You know that I believe our artisans infuse a bit of their spirit in each work of their hands. Well, know that when you receive a package from Uno Alla Volta, there just may be a bit of Mom’s soul in there, too. For 21 years, she has been a member of our team. A great many of our products are handpicked from our warehouse shelves by Mom, before being wrapped by equally dedicated women and sent on their way to you.

 

Terri

The Celebration Of Spring

17 Monday Mar 2014

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Everywhere I look, trees are starting to bud. As nature’s cycle starts anew, I cannot help but feel my own personal sense of renewal. The spring
returns to my step, I find myself smiling more often than not, and there’s almost a euphoric quality to my optimism. After the long New England winter, I feel young again (despite my fifty-one years).

Is it any wonder that most of the world’s religions, ancient and modern, celebrate rebirth, fertility, and liberation at this time? Please join our artisans and all of us here at Uno Alla Volta in this handcrafted celebration of Spring.

As always, we also celebrate our connection to something larger than ourselves, and our connection to one another.

 

Terri