From the designer | why concrete is the perfect choice for a wedding band

[Shared, with permission, from Karen Konzuk’s blog]
Copy & image credit: Karen Konzuk

I have recently received compelling stories from customers as to why they have chosen our concrete bands to symbolically represent their marriage. It has me thinking that it might be beneficial if I share some information about concrete.

Perhaps the earliest known occurrence of cement was twelve million years ago (according to Wikipedia). It is amazing to think that a material that was discovered millions of years ago is still being used today, and not to mention innovatively! ie. jewelry!

Concrete is a sustainable and affordable resource which is made up of an aggregate, cement and water. When you think of the definition of aggregate it is described as, “a whole formed by combining several typically disparate elements.” Sounds a lot like marriage, doesn’t it?

Concrete only gets stronger and better over time. It takes many years for concrete to reach its true strength. It also will change over time with daily wear to reflect your tendencies. Concrete is strong enough to survive many disasters, such as fires, earthquakes and storms. Also sounds a little like marriage. We all have our ups and downs and know that we can make it through.

So what have customers said about why they bought concrete rings?
One customer told us, “Our 17th Anniversary wedding bands made of concrete and steel. Strong and unique, like the love we have for each other. A friend of mine told me the other day that we were the only couple he could ever imagine trading in their gold and diamond wedding bands for concrete and steel.”

And another, “It’s just because we thought they looked cool, they were affordable and something more snazzy than a simple gold band. I’ll proudly wear it knowing just how well it represents the fabric of what we have.”

There you have it! If you are looking for something to represent the growing strength in your relationship, the combining of many elements to make one, that ever lasting union, and something that will weather the hard times, then concrete is a perfect choice!

– Karen Konzuk

If you’re interested in seeing more of Karen’s work, join us at her trunk show Saturday, April 16th, from 10-5p. She will be launching her STELLAR line of concrete & diamond dust jewelry, as well as bringing a full collection of her concrete rings and jewelry.

FluffyCo Tunic Pop Up

 

So, all of us here at Click! love well-designed goods – that’s absolutely apparent by our obsession (and ownership) of the majority of items found at the store. And while we are mostly a lifestyle store, that doesn’t stop us from admiring clothing and other items that don’t fit neatly within the typical Click! umbrella of home accessories. A great example of this are FluffyCo’s tunics. We carry FluffyCo’s bottle openers, belt buckles, and glasses cases, BUT they also make these amazing dresses that a few of our associates keep wearing to the store on a very (very) frequent basis, which is making the rest of us extremely jealous.

So, those of us who don’t have the fabled FluffyCo tunics cried out for a change, and the powers that be decided to have a one-day-only FluffyCo tunic pop up. OMG. Our FluffyCo friends are shipping up a bunch of these magical dresses from San Francisco for all of us to try on and take home, and you’re totally invited to the party.

Save the date for Saturday, April 23rd. Prepare to fall in love with what is arguably the perfect tunic (IT HAS POCKETS, Y’ALL!) and be proud that it’s made in America, screen printed with love from FluffyCo. SEE YOU THERE!

April Art Walk | Brainstorm Prints

April showers bring May flowers, and April Art Walk brings… fresh artwork from our new friends at New Hampshire-based Brainstorm Prints! We are so excited to welcome Brainstorm into the Click! family. We love their perfect blend of art & science, handmade & production. Do yourself a favor and read their “About Us” to get an idea of the people behind the prints. We love them!

Join us for the next Art Walk on Thursday, April 14th from 6-9p. We’ll be showcasing Brainstorm’s screen prints that feature diagrams and charts about the sun, ocean, pine trees, mountain layers, clouds, and more. Perfect for kids or the curious science-lover in your life!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collection Launch with Karen Konzuk

We. Love. Karen. Konzuk.

Karen is a PNW-based jeweler working out of Vancouver, BC. She’s known for her modern, minimal designs featuring industrial materials like stainless steel and concrete, often juxtaposed with precious metals and diamonds. We’ve carried her signature lines of commitment rings for years, and many of you have celebrated your engagements & weddings with her rock-solid designs.

We’re thrilled to share that on Saturday, April 16th from 10-5p, we’re holding a launch of Konzuk’s Stellar collection, featuring inlaid concrete & diamond dust (translation: sparkling, shimmering concrete). Along with her other jewelry collections (which feature coal black concrete and ombre concrete spheres), she will be bringing her line of modern commitment rings. We’re excited to share that we’ll have times available for people to sign up & meet with her for a ring consultation – email hello@clickdesignthatfits.com to sign up for available times.

Expect a gorgeous spread of her full jewelry lines, and time to meet this one of a kind designer / maker.

 

February Artwalk | George Perrou

We are thrilled to welcome back George Perrou for his second solo show at Click!. Perrou’s mid-century modern paintings are a perfect pairing with many of Click!’s products (and many of the homes in West Seattle!), and his bright, cheerful aesthetic is perfect for welcoming spring.

For the uninitiated, Perrou is a self-taught artist from Portland, OR. His unique mid-century style is heavily influenced by the animation and imagery he devoured as a child.

He’ll be bringing all-new work for our February Artwalk, which opens February 11th, from 6-9p. Perrou will be here for the opening reception, so be sure to stop by to meet the man behind the paintings!

Shop Late Thursdays | Jacobsen Salt Co. Tasting

 

We are totally in the spirit of the holidays here at the store! We hope you have begun to enjoy some tree-trimming, hot cocoa-sipping, gift wrapping, Christmas parties, and all of the fun festivities that this season brings! Speaking of those parties, we have the PERFECT gift for your amazing host, and we’re even giving you a chance to try it out yourself.

The Pacific Northwest is a playground for innovators, and Jacobsen Salt Co. takes full advantage of what our coastal region has to offer. Not only does Jacobsen Salt Co. pride themselves in their products being used by chefs and homecooks around the world, but they are also the first company to harvest salt in the PNW since Lewis & Clark. Infusing salts with flavors of lemon, vanilla bean, and even Stumptown Coffee, these little crystals are the perfect addition to any pantry.

So here’s the really fun part: On Thursday, December 17, we’re inviting you to an exclusive in-store tasting of these amazing products during the Junction’s Shop Late Thursday from 6-9pm – perfect for a post-happy hour treat! We’ll be sampling a variety of Jacobsen Salt Co.’s infused salts, salted caramels, and delectable chocolates (which just so happen to also be infused with Pinot Noir from Oregon’s wine country – oh yeah…), just in time for those last minute hostess gifts and stocking stuffers! So mark your calendars, and get your palate ready – you do not want to miss this!

THIS Sunday: Acoustic Music Benefit for Team Smersh

First and foremost, we want to express our immense gratitude for all of you. You have blown us away with the sincerity of your warm, loving hugs and your incredible generosity. We honestly could not ask for a better community, and we are forever grateful for each and every one of you.

We are still well on our way to meeting our goal for the Smershes, and we want to thank you for sharing their story. We haven’t even been fundraising for a whole month, but we’ve managed to reach almost half of our goal of $100k. Wow, you guys. Just…wow. Your selflessness is inspiring, to say the least.

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After hearing the news, longtime musician friends of John and Frances decided to join forces for a night of music, laughter, love, and community to help raise money for the Smershes. Each musician has played in some of Seattle’s most notable acoustic bands, and they’ll be showing off their incredible talents in some pretty unique ways. Combining the sounds of folk, swing, Americana, blues, old-time, and bluegrass, this night of celebration is sure to bring all the feels. We’d sure love it if you’d join us.

Here are the deets:
The concert will be kicking off at 6pm THIS Sunday (that means free street parking – right on!) at Karass Creative in Seattle’s Pioneer Square. Tickets are $25/person, and as with our YouCaring fundraiser, proceeds will be going to Team Smersh to assist John and Frances with current and future medical expenses. Click here to purchase tickets and view location information.

This exciting night of music will feature the sounds of the following artists:
Grant Dermody: Harmonica, Vocals
Forrest Gibson: Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
Michael Gray: Violin, Vocals
Orville Johnson: Dobro, Guitar, Banjo, Vocals
Greg Maass: Dobro, Banjo, Vocals
Mary Maass: Fiddle, Vocals
Joe Wilmhoff: Bass, Vocals

We just can’t say it enough – thank you ALL.

West Seattle Art Walk | Frances Smersh

Thursday, November 12th, Click! co-owner and creative director Frances Smersh will be unveiling her latest collection of paintings at the West Seattle Art Walk. We are elated to have Frances’ new work grace our walls for the next two months!

Frances has a long-standing love of painting and drawing. Throughout her career as a jewelry designer, sketching was always at the forefront of the design process. Everything started on paper, and eventually made it’s way into the materials she loved: sterling silver, stained concrete and cork, steel and powder coat. But around four years ago, Frances put down the jewelry tools completely and fully embraced the adventure of mark making.

Painting has always been more of an exploration than a formally studied art for Frances – she would be the first to admit it. As an active member in the Pratt Fine Arts Center community, she would often find herself in various studios – painting, encaustics, drawing, jewelry, and blacksmithing. Inevitably she would would return to the two-dimensional, delving into varying materials and seeing how they intertwined on paper and wood.

That exploration is beautifully composed in Frances’ new collection. Acrylic, pencil, charcoal, and watercolor pencils blend together in delicately balanced work. Paint is applied to birch boards with brushes, paper towel, cloth, or bare hands – whatever feels right. An eraser is a vital tool, exposing previous layers and partially removing others, to build up a complex landscape of texture and line. The process is the image, and the image is the process. Each painting is a map of layers, of starts and stops and changed directions. They each tell the story of how they came to be.

Come join Frances and the rest of the Click! crew on Thursday, November 12, from 6-9p. Come raise a glass to celebrate a beautiful collection and a wonderful lady!

Five Ply Design | Lighting Event + Giveaway

Can we just take a quick second to recognize how INCREDIBLY talented our local artists are? Seriously, guys… PNWers are on another level when it comes to creativity. You may remember these unique laser-cut coasters and the urban BirdHomes hanging in our window. Both of these products are handmade by our neighbor and designer, Peter Benarcik, the creative powerhouse behind Five Ply Design.

We have an affinity for functional art at Click!, so it’s no surprise how flippin’ excited we are to announce that Peter is launching a debut of his lighting line in our store on Saturday, November  7th, and we think it’s some of his greatest work yet! We are suckers for pendant lights, as you know, and his new contemporary designs certainly don’t fall short.

All of Five Ply’s home goods are handcrafted in their micro-studio in Seattle’s International District with materials responsibly sourced in the USA. With Peter’s background in architecture, you can trust that all of his pieces are carefully structured and built to last. Also, this is perfect timing for the rainy season – who couldn’t use a little more light in their home or office this time of year?

Peter will be hanging out with us all day on November 7, so stop by to meet him, learn more about his work, and pick up a new one-of-a-kind pendant light from his newest collection to cozy up your space just in time for winter. Also(!), we’ll be doing a drawing for one of Five Ply’s coaster sets, so you definitely don’t want to miss out on this exclusive all-day event!

Trunk Show | Caravan Pacific (…plus a giveaway!)

If you’ve been by Click! in the last year or so, there’s a pretty solid chance you’ve had a discussion with one of us about those super fun mid-centuryesque lamps we’ve got placed around our store. We are unashamedly guilty of our obsession with Caravan Pacific and their bold, modern designs. With that being said, we are SO excited to announce that we are hosting our first Caravan Pacific Trunk Show, Saturday, October 24th, from 10-5! We are STOKED.

Owner and designer, Shannon Guirl, and her talented team work together to carefully handcraft her classic modern-era designs. Caravan Pacific lamps are made from ceramic earthenware that is cast, glazed, and fired in her Portland, OR studio. The wood portions of the lamps are a collaboration with expert turners who understand the intricacies of different species of the hardwoods they work with – Walnut, Maple, Cherry, Red Oak and Mahogany. The lampshades are made in the USA with finely textured linen to give them a natural feel.

Not only will Shannon be hauling more of her gorgeous lamps up to Seattle, but she’ll also be showcasing her cutting boards, deca vases, and lucky horseshoes!

And oh(!), guess what else? We’re super excited to announce that Caravan Pacific will be offering a GIVEAWAY at the Trunk Show for one of the white matte deca vases (see below). Be sure to stop by and put your name in the drawing! Seriously…how can you not?

So pop on over to Click! to meet Shannon and snag one of her designs on the 24th. We’ll be hanging out all Saturday, and trust us – you do NOT want to miss out on this event! See you there!