Carissa and Carleigh in Support of Treehouse for Kids Seattle

This month the Otra Vez team is featuring two wonderful designers (and sisters!). 5% of everything bought through the Otra Vez Website during January and February will benefit Tree House, a wonderful Seattle non-profit that benefits foster youth.

Carleigh and Carissa Donsker grew up in Los Angeles together with their parents, brother and plethora of pets. The materials they use in their creations are salvaged, and have been re-purposed to create one of a kind intricate and unique wearable objects. “We spent many summer days on the beach of West Seattle sketching ideas, creating designs and watching the sun set over the Olympic mountains for our inspiration. In our daily efforts we always hope to encourage and inspire those around us to find those unique and beautiful things that are already in the world”, says Carissa.

Carleigh, the younger sister and also an amazing painter, selects beautiful naturally shed feathers for her pieces from the open fields of Chatsworth, CA. She combines these findings with sterling silver or gold plated wire and colorful Swarovski crystals. Her other accessories, like her jelly fish series, are also inspired by nature and reflect the delicate life of these creatures – these are made from remnants of vintage silk scarves and clothing.

Carissa, an interior designer, uses remnants of wood both local and exotic as the base for her jewelry, and sees her designs as a natural extension of only the best aspects of her day job. She begins by hand carving wooden blocks into delicate shapes, then sanding the wood down so it as soft as silk to the touch. She uses natural oil stains to seal in the natural wood color, which helps them resist body oils, water and other elements. The final process involves selecting the natural gemstone to set into the wood which is secured with a cement like epoxy. The finished pieces are delicate and simple.

We hope you enjoy their work as much as we do. We find these edgy, earthy looks the perfect way for an stylish Seattle woman to shine!

Please note that Carleigh’s pieces are each sold separately – they can be worn as one earring or paired together for a unique non matching look. Both sisters would love to create custom orders for you upon request!

Ramissa Fennell in custom Otra Vez

So, you already know that Otra Vez makes stunning jewelry for sale in boutiques all over Seattle (and beyond!). What you may not know is that we do amazing custom design work as well! As word of our custom work grows, more and more of our fans are requesting special pairs of earrings made just for them (or as a gift for a friend or loved one).

At Otra Vez we’ll work with you to create custom jewelry that is as unique and individual as you are. You can choose from our selection of salvaged goods, or bring in your own broken, heirloom, or outdated jewelry to have us work with.

Send us a picture of a piece you love, look through our gallery of current and sold pieces on Facebook, or just send us your thoughts and ideas to start. We’ll get right to work! Contact us at orders@otravez-ecotique.com for more info.

Jessica Salazar in D-List Magazine

Check it out…, D-List Magazine coverage from Seattle. Go to www.dlistmagazine.com, click on the November issue, and “thumb” to page 53. Hard copies of D-List Magazine can be found all over Seattle, just go to their website and click on “find a copy” to locate a vendor near you!

Special thanks to Jenascia Chakos of D-List Magazine, Photographer Katrin Dartnell, Julia Westphal, and Duque Salon/Spa/Boutique for hair and make-up!

* Please note the following correction: Otra Vez products are also carried at Duque Salon/Spa/Boutique in Ballard.

Thanks Tarah!

Otra Vez will be in the Indie Market at…

September 5-7, 2009 at Seattle Center

“Since 1971, Bumbershoot has drawn artists representing the best in music, film, comedy, spoken word, dance, theatre, performance, and visual arts to the Seattle Center over Labor Day weekend.  North America’s largest urban arts festival, Bumbershoot takes place in the heart of the city at the 74-acre Seattle Center.  Over 150,000 visitors from near and far spend the weekend reveling in the world of Bumbershoot, experiencing everything from regional favorites to international superstars across all arts disciplines.

For nearly four decades Bumbershoot has strived to be a socially responsible and environmentally friendly Festival. As a uniquely urban event nestled in the Pacific Northwest, one of the nation’s greenest locales, Bumbershoot maintains a reputation as a trendsetter within the festival industry.”

Some of the hottest music artists will represent:

Black Eyed Peas, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Modest Mouse, Franz Ferdinand, De La Soul, Jason Mraz, Raphael Saadiq, Sera Cahoone, Michael Franti and Spearhead…to name a few!

For more the full line up and more information visit: www.bumbershoot.org

Laura “Piece” Kelley in earrings by Otra Vez

in the Boutique Culture Warehouse 2009!

Score some MAJOR SAVINGS!

The Boutique Culture Warehouse Sale is an all-inclusive, one-stop-shop that connects Seattle’s style-savvy bargain hunters with their favorite boutiques and designers. Boutique Culture saves shoppers time (and money) by organizing all the “must do” boutiques and brands into one easy-to-navigate event. Participating boutiques include Deli, Blackbird, Clutch, Jesica Milton, Plane Jane, Una, Suzabelle, Otra Vez Ecotique—to name a few.

Locally sponsored by Verizon Wireless, the Boutique Culture Warehouse Sale is more than fashion finds; this one-of-a-kind warehouse sale also features:

• Logan Neitzel, Seattle resident and star of Lifetime’s Season 6 “Project Runway,” will be on-site signing autographs Aug. 29th from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Shoppers will also get a sneak peek of Logan’s much anticipated collection!
• Verizon Wireless will be offering hourly giveaways to attendees via its text message technology
• Daily fashion and accessory giveaways, as well as the chance to win prizes from Hotel Max, Butter of London, El Gaucho, Steven Cole Salon, SassyFit and more 
• A delish selection of Wink Cupcake’s famed sugary confections
• Modern refreshments from Dry Soda’s line of all-natural sodas
• Restful, relaxing martini-style lounges featuring Seattle’s hottest DJ’s

Insider Tip: Shoppers are encouraged to visit the sale on Saturday for the best selection.      
Street parking available on site and in nearby lots.
Vendors will be accepting cash and all major credit cards. 
There will be no fitting rooms on-site, so please dress accordingly.

For more info visit www.bcwarehousesale.com