A New Way of Looking at Lace
Hi, Thanks for visiting.
www.monicaj.etsy.com
All of the work you see in my shop has been designed and created by me, Monica. It was my mother who had the patience to teach me and my sisters at a young age everything she could about art. We learned how to draw, paint, knit, and crochet around the fireplace. And there was usually a project going on around the dining room table.
As a huge nature lover I love bringing nature indoors to decorate. And as a lace maker for many years, I was looking for a new way of reinventing lace. I was inspired by nature to use my lace making skills and imagination to come up with something unique.
A lot of my designs come to me in dreams. It seems funny, but a lot of times I wake up and immediately write down the patterns from my dreams. I'd like to say my dreams are filled with memories of loved ones, sounds of nature, animals and beautiful scenery, but my dreams are mostly filled with crochet patterns, designs, shapes, and colors.
I design my own patterns, sometimes in the moment, that are very complex and hard to recreate. I think my art reflects my personality, which is a quirky, humorous (or so I think), happy-go-lucky, and energetic (some extra wild stones are made after a few cups of coffee). Quality is super important to me, I have very high standards for what goes in my shop, and a funny pile of "rejects" or good ideas gone wrong.
It has now become a happy obsession of mine to create these!
My process:
It is the stones themselves that inspire the pattern and color of thread I want to use. I love searching for stones and sometimes this means going to great lengths (trying to reach that *perfect* stone at the bottom of a rock pile or bin, climbing, or finding them under water) to find a highly sought after stone. I find myself secretly looking around wherever I am for stones that have "Lace Stone" potential.
Sometimes my daughter will bring some back from her cross-country travels and hikes. I usually have a picture in my mind as to what I want the lace stone to look like and then work on the piece until it matches my vision. The unique shapes of each stone always present a new challenge, making them quite difficult to recreate. When the lace is pulled around the stone it stretches a bit making the pattern move slightly, making for lots of adjustments and change-of-plan moments. I adjust the stitches so that the lace fits the stone. The same goes for the back of the lace stone. My goal is to make the backside of the stone just as interesting as the front of the stone. Then, if it makes the cut, I will take pictures and post it in my shop!
A very special thank you to my dear customers, thank you very much for your support and inspiration. One of my favorite things about my job is getting to meet you. xoxo
Check out my Instagram : @lacestonesbymonicaj
Features:
Architectural Digest, Sept Issue 2022
Altuzarra Pop-Up shop, East Hampton, NY 2022
Altuzarra, NYC 2022
The Altuzarra x Etsy Limited Edition Home Collection, Apr - June 2020
What Women Create, Autumn 2018
Where Women Create, Autumn 2016
Making Magazine, No. 4/Lines, 2017
Making Magazine, No. 3/Dots, 2017
Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine, Autumn 2015 issue
Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine, Summer 2015 issue
Jewelry Affaire magazine, Summer 2015 issue.
Interweave Crochet, Summer 2015 issue.
Hellohart Blog: http://hellohart.com/
TractorGirl Blog: tractorgirl.com.au/?p=12785
Etsy Blog: https://blog.etsy.com/en/2014/sticks-and-stones-making-something-out-of-nothing/?ref=fp_blog_title
Better Homes and Garden, "Storage" Magazine, Summer 2014 Issue.
Crochet Rising: http://crochetrising.com/beautiful-dreamer-inside-the-world-of-lace-crochet-rock-star-monicaj/
Better Homes and Gardens, "Storage" Magazine, Spring 2013 Issue.
Better Homes and Gardens, "Do It Yourself" Magazine, Fall 2012 Issue.
GreenCraft Magazine Spring Issue, pages 66-67
sweetvioletbride.com/2012/10/magnolia-plantation-wedding-jose-villa-phot...
http://www.oncewed.com/real-weddings-blog/lowcountry-charleston-winter-wedding/attachment/claire-pettibone-dress-crocheted-stones-ring-shot/
http://greenwithrenvy.com/2013/03/natural-lace-stones-from-monica-j.html
http://en.paperblog.com/12-ring-bearer-alternatives-with-a-dash-of-eco-chic-761373/
