Laurel Burch arrives in San Francisco
“Soon after I arrived, I began collecting magic elements from faraway places … beads from Egypt, coins from China, bone discs from Africa. Combined with beaten metal wire from the junkyard, I wove them, like stories into complex ornaments to wear under my clothes secretly, as personal amulets connecting my tribeless self to other worlds.”
“The beginning of my style emerged … found objects transformed into works of art hammered out on the back of a cast iron skillet. Secretive night trips to Chinatown were my favorite adventure and usually my biggest score. On the unpeopled streets after midnight, cats prowled and howled around the stacks of refuse from the day’s delivery of ducks, fish, fruits and vegetables, and numerous other exotic things imported from China.”
“I raised my daughter Aarin on earrings I sold for $4.00 a pair in the Haight Ashbury. Each pair of my earrings sold at a street fair was a bridge to a kindred spirit. After my son Jay was born, I was entrenched in trying to take care of my children when I had no skills, trying to sell my jewelry on the streets, and trying to pay for my hospital bills when I wasn't able to walk. I never felt connected to this colorful wave of San Francisco wayfarers and locals, and as though invisible, I wandered among them. Those days were both heavy and innocent at once, and I remember other lost souls beginning to gather around in their tie-dyes and weird digs for Janis Joplin concerts in Golden Gate Park.”
“My clothes were made from the Mexican shawls and Indian bedspreads I bought and sometimes stole from an import store on Fisherman’s Wharf. My children’s attire was made from the same, embellished with Chinese embroidery or Indian Molas. When rent was due –$180 for a 2-bedroom apartment at the top of 130 outdoor stairs – my welfare check of $171 each month was supplemented by earrings and necklace sales. We lived from hand to mouth, sleeping on second- or third-hand mattresses on the floor and I pretended they were temple futons."
"The reality was that it was a very bittersweet time yet I began to realize that any hardships caused by my disease or otherwise in my life were a very distant second to the joy I could choose to experience in the world. In particular, my disease serves only as a contrast to my ‘real world,’ a world that's colorful and positive and inspirational and beautiful and uplifting."
Apple Cider & Clove
Sweet and spicy blend of warm apple cider, sweet orange slices, cinnamon, and cloves.
Bayberry
Berries and leaves of fragrant bay blend beautifully with grated cinnamon filled with warm notes of balsam fir and sandalwood.
Butterfly Kisses
Soft, sweet florals combined with a light fruity essence of apples and pears.
Cedar
Earthy cedar with light notes of vanilla for a truly warming fragrance reminescent of walking through a wooded forest on a warm spring afternoon.
Cinnamon Stick
A beautiful, warm blend of spiced cinnamon with an underlying woody tone.
Cinnamon Vanilla
Mouthwatering combination of spicy cinnamon and the sweet and creamy essence of vanilla evokes the excitement of the fall and holiday seasons.
Citrus & Sage
A rich citrus blend of bergamot, tangerine, and lemon over a velvety green sage heart.
Crème Brulée
The buttery scent of warm sugar and sweet vanilla will have your mouth watering for the creamy dessert.
Daffodil
Refreshing blend of green floral along with a lively mixture of tulip, jasmine, field grass, daffodil and white musk.
English Lavender
Lavender, freesia, and chamomile come together with a hint of musk to create a calming fragrance.
Eucalyptus
A stimulating scent of true eucalyptus that’s aromatic and fresh, with a spa-like smell to soothe and invigorate.
Gardenia
A beautiful, clean, invigorating scent that captures the essence of gardenias in bloom with fresh linen and musk.
Hyacinth
A lush, green top-note of blooming hyacinth followed by a burst of primrose, jasmine, carnation, lotus blossom and star anise, finished with a subtle earthen nuance.
Inner Peace
Imagine yourself in an endless field of wildflowers where the air evokes the scent of white peonies, orange blossoms and geraniums dancing under a calm blue sky.
Jasmine
Sweet floral fragrance with musky honey undertones creates a calming and relaxed feeling.
Lavender Vanilla
Soothing blend calms the senses with spicy lavender warmed with rich vanilla and floral top-notes.
Lemon & Lavender
Citrusy lavender and sparkling top-notes of orange, tangerine, and lemon, with florals of plumeria, jasmine and cyclamen, and subtle notes of clove and vanilla.
Mahogany Teakwood
Notes of Mahogany and teakwood blend with sweet citron, bergamot, ylang ylang, and cinnamon bark.
Peony
Peony in bloom blended with jasmine and white lily, with bright green foliage for added depth of fragrance.
Sea Salt & Peony
A beautiful balance of sea salt, peony, geranium, rose, and tea leaves amid fresh aquatic scents of rosewood, white cedar, and white patchouli.
Sweet Orange & ChiliPepper
Bright and juicy! Bursting with orange, mandarin, and a touch of apple surrounding a soft neroli and rose, with the warmth of a peppery slightly musky base.
Warm Vanilla Sugar
Warm, sweet vanilla and sandalwood with hints of musk
surrounded with whispers of soft floral nuances.
Wildflowers
Spicy floral bouquet of red rose, muguet, and carnation balanced with fresh notes of cinnamon and pine nuances.