Timbro e tatuaggio.

My tattoo is about to become famous.

Above is my newest acquisition, un timbro (stamp), a branding iron for my logo that I will use on the leather for my bags. I had it custom made from a shop in Firenze that dates back to 1890. This man has some of the most amazing tools and gadgets and it is heaven for anyone with a fascination for typography.

Here you see the results of my first branding trial. I can also use the stamp to apply gold-leaving to the motif on the leather.

Coincidentally, my wrist made it into a book that was just published on typographic tattoos. The design is an 'A' that I found in an 1800's manuscript and altered slightly.

I am writing to you from Paris, where I am visiting a friend and getting inspired to start on new designs for my bags. I am writing from her balcony overlooking Avenue de la Bourdonnais. It is a bright sunny day in Paris and it is just what I needed to get the creative juices flowing. I will be back in Firenze shortly and will fill you in on my new and exciting projects then.

A bientot!

Leather Lab Inc.

I do have a very good reason for why you have not heard from me since November. In December I started my own company, Leather Lab Inc. Leather Lab is a bespoke leather research and development laboratorio specializing in trends in leathers and components. I source and develop leathers to clients' specifications, and construct patterns and prototypes for handbags and accessories from scratch.

I have been very busy in the past few months, working diligently on leather research and making patterns and samples for my U.S. clients. I just shipped all of my samples for NY fashion week. I know, my life just got even more exciting! Unfortunately I will not be able to share images of the samples of the handbags that have been keeping me busy lately as the designs belong to my clients, so I guess we will just have to wait until they get some press and then you will hear all about them.

I am also excited to announce that some of my hand-stitched bags are now on sale at Ceri Vintage in Firenze. I made an extra simple tote with the canvas handles (black and white) that you saw in an earlier post, and I am proud to say that the bag sold the day he put it in the store. The first two canvas bags (including the one pictured above) sold in 48 hours so I will be very busy producing more as the response was overwhelmingly positive. I need to give my hands a rest, as hand stitching is quite tiring and hard on the hands, and one of my samples required over 10 hours of hand whip-stitching.

My leather research is about to reach new heights. I am collaborating with a Florentine shoe artisan who makes custom men's shoes to create a women's collection. Next week I am visiting the last manufacturer to choose the styles which will be the base of our designs. He is going to work on all of the technical details, and I am going to concentrate on the materials and design. I will keep you all posted as this exciting chapter unfolds. Never a dull moment.

I will take this opportunity to fill you in on what you missed in Firenze during my three month hiatus. In December while I was enjoying the snow in New York, there was a beautiful snowfall here. I woke up to many text messages from friends here with images of the city under a white blanket of fresh snow, and it was the first time that many Florentines had seen anything like it.

Due to excessive rainfall in the end of December and the beginning of January, the Arno reached new heights. The white caps resembled the Atlantic Ocean, and it was quite a spectacle.

Other than that, life is back to normal here in Firenze. The Arno has returned to its normal height. It is still very cold and humid and is actually snowing here today. I hope to get out to the mountains this weekend to take advantage of the recent snowfall but am also anxiously awaiting the springtime. I moved into a new apartment in a new area near Santo Spirito and the Palazzo Pitti and much prefer it to my old area, Santa Croce, but miss the market terribly.

So there you have it... Am I forgiven?

Feste a Firenze.

I love moments like this. I was literally running from one appointment to the next, and I could not resist stopping in my tracks to capture the beautiful tramonto (sunset) as it began to fall upon the early evening sky.

I also enjoy walking on streets I have never taken before because I find surprises around every corner. Most of the restaurants and workshops have metal gates over them, so you never know what is hiding behind it until you happen to be walking past during their opening hours. I kind of lost my way and then the Duomo appeared through the archway with another great backdrop of the evening sky.

This is the view from my window at school. I was leaning down to plug in my phone charger, and looked up - surprise! I had never seen it from this angle before.

The view from the courtyard of my school.

Firenze during the holidays. This is the approach to Piazza Repubblica from Via Corso. The busier pedestrian streets are strung with lights. It's not quite the same as the lights on Fifth Avenue and the surrounding areas in NYC, but it is charming in its own Florentine way. It is actually reminiscent of Little Italy. I will post more photos as I take them.. but the lights, like everything else Italian, seem to have a mind of their own. They are not illuminated daily. I have a feeling it might have something to do with the obscene electricity rates.

I spent Thanksgiving with American and Italian friends. Many of you were curious as to how they do it here so I took a photo to share with you. First course was a yellow squash soup, second course (pictured) was stuffed turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables, stuffing and cranberry preserves, and dessert was pumpkin pie with a scoop of cinnamon gelato. It was delicious but... not quite the same. I will have the real thing when I come home as our version is waiting for me in the freezer (grazie mille, mom!)

Ben and Jerry's just appeared last week in the Piazza Duomo. I have mixed feelings about it being situated in the very center of Firenze, but I did not think twice before venturing out in the torrential rain to get a little scoop of home last night with my girlfriends. I love my Vivoli gelato but I also love Chunky Monkey (and the new Chocolate Macademia). I am not sure if it was my imagination or if the Italian version does taste a lot more like gelato. It could also just be because I was eating it inches away from the Duomo which by association will make just about anything taste more Italian.

In just a few weeks I will head back to NY for a visit. I will return to Firenze for New Years, and am moving into a new apartment and neighborhood in January. As you can tell, I have not had enough of this place yet... in fact I think I have just barely scratched the surface.