There are a passage of words on a
trace of grey designs site- about us- section that exemplifies the connection I made between their
creations and my own daughter, Shayla.
“surrounded
by beauty and inspiration…claudia and monique continue to spread their
appreciation of “something different” in the form of “one of a kind” pieces
made from leather.”
These words popped out at me, reflecting on the uniqueness of
something that is out of the ordinary.
Last weekend’s 125th celebration of Stanley Park,
saw me breath in the ocean air as I walked along the seawall. At second beach
were display’s infused with the artistry of each creative individual. The table
which caught my attention was a
trace of grey designs.
 |
| monique and claudia |
After introducing myself and speaking with Claudia and
Monique, I was able to gaze upon their leather bound
creations. My senses were entertained by the fusion of colour, arrangements of shapes,
and material- all put out to view.
The structure that encompassed the purses, belts, wrappy
cuffs, journal coverings and much more, was equally appealing to the eye.
Inviting people into the shelter of the marquee was a burst of personalized
items; imprinted with quotes that spoke to those whose discovery, lay in wait.
 |
| "Faith is the substance
of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen." ~ St.Paul |
I simply had to pick up these extraordinary items…as I
allowed my fingers to sense the craftsmanship that went into each piece, it
tugged at my heart. This was a place where Shayla would have gravitated too.
Speaking with Claudia and Monique, I shared The Heart Pebble Movement and how my
daughter’s passion fueled her rock hound collecting. As always, I was grateful
for people to be kind enough to let me share about the loss of Shayla and the
legacy that continues on in her name.
After I
spoke, Claudia reached to a precious heart necklace, with one word that leapt
off of the intricate design ~ MINE …
As she
handed it over, Claudia conveyed her wish to gift it to me. The handmade
necklace expressed a word that was already tattooed on my heart. Claudia shared
with me how, over time, the colour of the leather heart would turn to a distinctive
tone, which would make it one of a kind. I was deeply touched at her compassion
and immediately place the necklace around me. I wore it through the entire
weekend of celebrations and received numerous compliments.
 |
| Always MINE...My sweet Babygirl |
On Sunday, I
returned and spoke with Claudia and Monique again. When I shared the quote for
my novel, “Under the Sitka Tree” – We Are Bound by Our Roots, Not by Our Feet,
Claudia shared how my words could be imprinted into a personal journal covering
of my own. I treasure the idea of having my own words on a journal that is as unique as I am.
What I found interesting as I snapped pictures is the swirl of people coming from all walks of life; who were keen on the unstructured patterns. I saw an elderly woman place a wrapped cuff on her arm, as another lady looked at an exceptional belt fixed with a tree design- an explosion of tree roots, weaved through the image. A young man’s hands rubbed back and forth on the smoothness of a wallet/card holder, while an older gentleman eyed up a waist belt. It was as if each striking item held something magical for those that were drawn into its beauty.
As I
prepared to leave, I explained to Monique how I sometimes feel a bit ‘lost’ at
these events. Yet, during my interaction and speaking with both ladies, they
made me feel welcome. Claudia kindly invited me to their studio.
a trace of grey designs can be
found on facebook:
I am sharing the following information from
the tumbler site: www.atraceofgrey.tumblr.com
in hopes that others will find something
that will alter their lives, in a distinctive way.
By T.L.
Alton
we look forward to hearing from you
and perhaps working with you in the future.
or better yet, come by and see us in
our new space. we are sharing a beautiful studio and shop with corrine
hunt and sandra bars of betty rae designs at 165 whonoak road, west vancouver.it is a quick drive just across the lions gate bridge. come visit and watch us work while you browse our collection.
shop hours:
monday to friday 10am to 7pm
saturdays by appointment
we accept cash or credit.
claudia 778-558-6063 claudia@atraceofgrey.com
monique 778-862-1422 monique@atraceofgrey.com
thank you for such kind and generous words about trace of grey designs.
ReplyDeleteall that you wrote means so much to us. you really captured the essence of why we do what we do.
thank you for taking the time to connect with us.
we look forward to seeing you again...
nothing in life is ever coincidence...especially meeting certain people at certain times and places.
...keep up the great writing!
take care :)
xo
monique and claudia
Hi Tanya!
ReplyDeleteThe blog entry is great, and we thank you so much for walking into our lives, and making our weekend special. People like you continue to inspire us to do what we love. We thank you for your kind words and your support. May your days continue to be filled with all the beauty surrounding all of us, and may you always hear and see your beloved Shayla wherever your footsteps take you.
In friendship, claudia and monique