aurora shoe co

On the other side of my beautiful lake (Cayuga Lake of the Fingerlakes) is a pretty little village built directly on the shore called Aurora. Right before you arrive, a sign for The Aurora Shoe Company can be seen from the road.

I'm so excited to finally be wearing a pair of Aurora Shoes. How lucky we are to have THIS handmade shoe company in our area. I've been in Ithaca for 15 years, and it seems like everyone has a pair. And if you look on instagram at the #aurorashoes you'll see they're popular all over the globe! They are so well constructed that they last for years and, as I'm experiencing first-hand, get sweeter with every step. They're so comfortable it's all some folks will wear! 

Aurora Shoe Company was one of maya*made's first sponsors back in the day when this blog used to have sponsorship... but I'm embarrassed to say it's taken me years to finally go check out their brick and mortar workshop. What a treat for someone who appreciates the creative process. David, the owner, gave me a tour of each step that goes into building a shoe. From stretching the leather to cutting the straps, He and his sister, Alyssa (who is does all the marketing and photography), grew up down the road from the shoe company. David bought his first pair when he was 13. Years later, when he was working as an industrial engineer, and wishing to relocate his family back to his childhood town, there was word that the Aurora Shoe Co was for sale. It was an exciting opportunity, and he took it. I love stories of small business bravery! Under this new ownership, the shoes are still lovingly crafted by hand by most of the very same folks that have been making these tried and true shoes for 30 years. David brought in a few new modes of efficiency(engineers are so good at that!) and Alyssa has worked to create an internet presence with lovely photos... but so much of the what has made these artisan shoes such a staple remains the same. 

In today's fast-paced world of consumerism, it's always inspiring to see a business model based on slow, intentional and quality craftsmanship. Here are some pics from the tour and several courtesy of Alyssa.

After observing the fascinating process of leather stretching and examining the vintage shoe making tools, I was invited to try on a few different pairs and go on a photo shoot with Alyssa. Dreamy!

It was windy with flurries, so we only lasted a few minutes out by the lake before we ran into the Aurora Inn to warm up by the fire.  Here is a link to more pics of the photo shoot  and you must see their new boots!  And if you love to enjoy farm to table food when you wear your handmade shoes do check out the link to the menu at the inn. It's a favorite special occasion spot for me, for sure.

Thank you David and Alyssa for keeping alive such a lovely handmade business. Thank you Aurora Shoe Company for such a fun morning!

fresh dirt!

Photo by Allison Usavage

The long awaited second issue of Fresh Dirt Ithaca has just landed in all the hot spots around town, and I'm running out to get a copy today. From what I know already, it's filled to the brim with all of the people, places and reasons I love our gorgeous alternative town of Ithaca, NY. It's actually edited a few miles down the road in my little village by a dynamic duo. They, not only know how to create a beautiful magazine, but recognize the need for meaty/soulful content that speaks to our thoughtful and active community. I'm so honored to be a part of this issue, and you can catch a glimpse of my interview here. Allison stopped by to snap some pics right before guests arrived for this dinner at the barn... just to give you some context for that above shot...  oh, and remember that bucket that graces the cover of my first pattern? It's actually my mom's, and so we pulled it out for a little prop.

Fresh Dirt is a quarterly publication that celebrates all that I believe in: local, community, social justice, sustainability... you get the idea- the good stuff! You can subscribe right here. And if you're an Ithacan come on out tonight to celebrate the launch at Gallery Night in Ithacamade's pop-up Holiday Store at Center Ithaca from 5-8pm.

wooden rainbows

I'm so glad you enjoyed the rainbow pictures earlier this week. Who doesn't stop in their tracks at the glimpse of nature's masterpiece? We're lucky to live in a valley that's blessed with lots of rainbows, and my children know the exact weather conditions, and kind of light that shouts "rainbow alert". During our hunts for those arcs of color, we've inevitably talked about the spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet (Roy G. Biv).

This has led to creating our own with crayons, markers, paint... etc. One of the simplest and most satisfying art projects we've done recently was stumbled upon by chance: painting watercolor rainbows onto wooden craft sticks. The water colors bleed into one another creating a seamless spectrum. Our countless rainbow sticks have been used for book marks, magic wands, and building materials for fairy houses. They're also considered "lucky sticks", good for tucking in pockets when going on adventures.

Such success with simple materials led us to paint watercolors on any scrap wood we could find:  the gorgeous outcome was so enticing. At the peak of this wooden passion, we rediscovered the the "Curiosity Bags" sold at our favorite local shop: Mama Goose.  Curiosity Bags are a wooden treasure trove of odds and ends, seconds, and leftovers put together by my artisan neighbor, Wild Apple.

I've shared my love for Wild Apple toymaker, Gunther Kiel, before here and here. If you live anywhere near Mama Goose, don't pass by these humble looking bags. They are not sold as toys because they might need to be sanded or could be missing a part, but we found many pieces that were gorgeous... and for water coloring:  they're pure bliss. Parent supervision is necessary for young children because some of those bunnies and sheep are so tiny (and cute).

My daughter created this play set (I love that pink goose):

So grab your watercolors and craft sticks, maybe peek into your garage for any scraps you have lying around, and count on hours of fun. You can also find inexpensive wooden shapes, animals and letters at all craft supply stores. But if you happen to be local,  run down to Mama Goose!

may weekend

Howdy! Monday. May. A fresh new week in a beautiful month! The world is bursting with color wherever I turn!  I'm feeling especially good, because I had such a rejuvenating weekend. It was slow, full, hot, and sprinkled with some of my favorite May things:

• Annual church sale, where I seem to find $1 vintage suitcases. Here's the one I got two year's ago.
• Filling the house with bouquets from the garden and blossoming trees.
• A drive (through two sweet country villages) to my favorite Amish farm stand for annuals and pickled beets!
• My favorite peacock showing off (at the farm stand).Isn't he stupendous! And pattern inspiration did jump into my head...
• The smell of lilacs everywhere.
• Dandelions turning everything to gold.

What are some of your May faves? Hope you managed to squeeze some in this weekend, but if not- the entire month is still ahead of us!

call out to Ithacans!

I just got wind of wonderful weekend event. Come celebrate (our lovely sponsor) Silk Oak's  33 1/3 Birthday  with a celebration at their sweet brick and mortar shop on Sunday, April 18th from 11-5pm. There will be refreshments and prizes with a portion of the day's sales going to the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Snack Program at BJM. (For more info on this amazing program check out this video. )

It's a family event beginning at 11am, with 2 free children's yoga classes taught by Casey Benson of Mariposa Yoga. The 11:00 class is for toddlers and the 12:00pm class is for 4-6 year olds. Space is limited so register by emailing them at silkoak@silkoak.com. If you live in the Ithaca area come play, celebrate community and support healthy food for our school kids!
p.s. Casey is totally amazing and one of my favorite women in the world... how great to get a free class with her! 
p.p.s. I love Silk Oaks brand new tomato design on their organic onesies!