July 22, 2013

Old Things

Ink Bottles









Over the weekend I got together with my beautiful friend Tara, the creative mind behind Pearl. Love. We went to one of my favorite antique shops in town. You wouldn't know from outside appearances, but it's a huge, two story gold mine! The lower level has a maze of jewelry cases, tall stacks of crochet doilies, jars full of buttons, and gorgeous furniture. The upstairs is full of little nick-knacks;  faded wood clothes pins, worn out flags, Tupperware from my grandma's kitchen, turn style phones, tin containers and my favorite - old glass bottles. We spent almost two hours pouring through the place and it still felt like we hadn't seen everything. 

I've always held a strange fascination with antiques. I like things that are old and the history they bring with them. I love the mystery behind their wisdom too. I like to wonder what the story behind the antique is, it really gets my imagination going. I especially love the opportunity to turn something old into something new, to incorporate elements of today into it and add a piece of my story,  like the thunder birds above. We each got one and I upcycled them into braided leather chokers, classic SoulMakes style. I like that they hang upside down, it adds a sort of unique element to the necklaces and I'm a huge fan of anything out of the ordinary. 

Hope you all had a great weekend too!
Love,
MacK Mars

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July 19, 2013

Beautiful Union







Trev and I have only just started planning for our big day. Naturally, we will be making most of our decorations ourselves. I imagine that over the next year I will probably create a lot of different kinds of "wedding decorations," mostly just as experiments. Who knows what will actually end up adorning our wedding. Right now, I'm just having fun with all the overflow of inspiration that comes with this wonderful process! I'm totally in love with the idea of tons of white crochet details, flowy lace, flower crowns, sea shells, feathers and lots of hanging dream catchers! The beauty above is my latest creation, I adore the little cowrie shells. 

Lately, I'm finding myself so drawn to duck feathers. I love the almost stippling style color patterns at the base of of each one. I also love the way they feel. From a very young age I have been fascinated by feathers. They are such seemingly delicate designs, but if you look closer you can see how all the barbs and hooks stem out and tie into each, like a million tiny little zippers. It amazes me how feathers feel so light and soft to the touch, yet this simple arrangement of nature forms such a strong structure. Not the mention the celestial symbolism. It's easy to associate a feather with freedom, the idea of flying being at the fore front of your mind. Feathered creatures have the power to ascend and descend gracefully without any limitation of gravity. For thousands of years feathers have also been a awarded by many as a symbol of bravery, wisdom, respect, strength and trust. I couldn't think of a more perfect way to represent Trev and I forming this beautiful union!

Hope you're all having a gorgeous week!
Love,
MacK Mars


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July 16, 2013

Piece of my Heart











The endless beauty of the Grand Canyon is almost overwhelming. I imagine you could spend days or weeks, months even, exploring the canyon and still not see all of it. This magnificent place definitely stole a little piece of my heart. I love the warm color pallet surrounding the area, the patterned lines in the rock, desert roses, and the quiet, still air. Our latest collection, infinite summer, was so inspired by our time spent here. Not only with the idea of a seemingly eternal beauty, and an endless summer in mind, but the native art we found all across Arizona had me longing to create some beauties made with vibrant turquoise gems, all kinds of feathers and leather. I'm especially fond of these pieces, they mean so much, from the colors I incorporated to the stones I used. Each little detail is representative of a some part of our wonderful adventure, a lot of love went into their making. This collection is our way of sharing an element of our journey with you!

Stop by the shop and check out our latest designs inspired by the southwest!

Hope you're having a gorgeous day!
Love,
MacK Mars

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July 15, 2013

Infinite Summer






We have some new beauties in the shop today! These lovely creations were inspired by our recent travels, with the thought of an infinite summer in mind and an endless ethereal love. White, a naturally positive color, is associated with purity, light, goodness, heaven and clarity. It embodies all the colors in the light spectrum, representing wholeness and completeness, yet it's seemingly unencumbered, offering up countless possibilities. It is the essence of new beginnings. Turquoise is a purification stone, dispelling negative energy and instilling serenity. It can help it's wearer gain wisdom, it is also a symbol of friendship & love. The white leather is such a beautiful compliment for these vibrant turquoise gemstones and a perfect combination for the journey that Trev and I have just begun. Stop by the shop and check them out! 

I hope you're all having an amazing Monday!

Love,
MacK Mars


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July 12, 2013

Dream On Dreamers



Today I am grateful to be exactly where I am in this moment! I never imagined I'd get to go on such an amazing cross country road trip and I certainly couldn't have dreamt up all the beauty we saw on our travels. Mother Nature is truly a magnificent artist! I am so incredibly grateful that we had this opportunity to go on such a magical adventure. I am also happy to back home, overflowing with inspiration from our trip and ready to let it flow. 

Happy Friday! Dream on Dreamers!

Love,
MacK Mars


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