After comfortably conferencing about style at The Gilt Studio, Morgan, my glass blower, and I stepped outside into the heat of the kilns and rolled out some prototypes. I helped hands on, as Morgan rolled out the glass. Using cork paddles that briefly blazed with flames from the heat , I squished the molten solid into a shape that I think will not only complement the Gilt Glass Holiday Ornament Collection as a whole, but also essence of our mission: Luxury of Balance for the Quality in your life!

We have to let our prototypes cool overnight, and tomorrow will reveal to us the future of the Gilt Glass Holiday Ornament Collection!..

I’m looking forward to it!

-Palmer

Asked to Gold Leaf architectural detail in the entrance lobby to the new Four Seasons Residences that is under construction here in downtown Austin, next door to the The Four Season’s Hotel,  my fabulous crew and I accumulated six full weeks worth of stories, accomplishment, and new friends.

The Project:

Hand gild on-site Aluminum Reveals tucked 1/2 inch deep in between the apx. 4 foot square, Hand Rubbed, Venetian Plaster panels composing the walls of this elegantly understated, yet warmly decorated room, Designed by Abode, that will soon stage as home to at least 100 of Austin’s Elite.

The Story:

Designed, Built and Run by a stellar group of it’s own, The Four Season’s Residences building soon became my temporary home, putting in over 200 hours (of  my own) within the first four weeks. Meanwhile Builders, Technicians, Sales Crew, Concierge, Investors, and even Doormen became my friends. From a Top Secret roof top pick-nick, to undercover behind-the-scenes tours, from midday chit chats of B.S. and Jokes to after hours cocktails,  everyone went out of their way to accommodate not only me, but also my gilding team, to make sure we felt welcome, comfortable… and more importantly, at home.

I could not have been more thankful, as this project certainly put me to the test. Relying on eyebrow tweezers to apply the 1″ cut leafs (due to the inaccessible positioning our surface to be gilded), it took serious amounts of patience, and more importantly, confidence in my stamina to achieve our goal of gilding in its entirety the apx. 860 feet of surface by our deadline: “Yesterday”

I will admit looking up after spending the whole of an hour deep in focus, only to realize a mere 3 feet worth of progress has been made, does certainly provide for a very fertile ground in which the feeling of impossibility and defeat would thrive… However, thankfully, the silly little childhood song “Inch by Inch, Row by Row” wormed its way thoroughly and deeply into my thoughts, and thus whistled my way into Making This Garden, that is The Gilt Studio, Grow at The Four Seasons.

I could not have done it alone. Thank you every one for all of your help and support on this particular project, as well as for your help and support throughout each of the four seasons: Past,Present, and Future!

XoXo

-Palmer

And and extra special thanks to my crew: Mom, Marci, Ruth, and Lynda

We were asked to Re-Gild and Revive this antique French settee purchased at this years Round Top Antique Market  to better suit its intended new life. Traveling to Houston to work on location at Key’s Upholstery, we soon discovered that there was more value to this piece than what met the eye.

Under neath the surface of this existing dreary gray finish laid a beaming and healthy layer of what was originally water gilded with Karat Gold Leaf craftsmanship. Armed and ready to gild for hours, we quickly changed course and reassigned our project from Antique Repair to Gilding Preservation.

Delicately and diligently we scrubbed and rubbed away at each inch of the existing finish with Q-tips to unveil the original gilding work, unscathed.

It was a real treasure to not only work on such a jewel, but to also enjoy the excitement of the new owners surprise in learning the true value in their purchases!

What other buried treasures may we uncover?!?!

It’s no sensitive subject, but a special occasion, indeed. The Easter Bunny came back  with a delivery of our traditional Golden Cascarones Confetti Eggs, with which we encourage you to use in cracking open a little “Eggstra Special” flare in your Spring Celebrations. Offered in bundles of three Confetti Eggs for $5.00

As well, we are delighted to present this year’s Limited Edition Hand Blown Gilt Egg Collection Design:

Inspired by my Gran and her rustic taste in fine jewelry, this year’s 2010 Hand Blown Gilt Egg  is hand gilded with 22Karat Genuine Gold Leaf and preciously adorned with a playful band of Freshwater Pearls. Each is numbered with its chronology within the collection out of 50 eggs and signed by the artist. $12.50 each

Great for a unique gift, or simply add to your own collection… In any form, as with all our resident designs, we hope the 2010 Spring Gilt Egg Collections not only brings you delight in it’s sight, but also reassures the significance of our theme, “Quality of Life”, that this art is meant to represent:

To enjoy a Balanced life, to indulge in it’s Luxuries!

~Welcome to The Gilt Studio, where our Gilt is your Pleasure!

My Sister is getting married!!!!!! Engaged on Valentines and to-be Wed April 10, 2010

Of course The Gilt Studio jumped at the chance to custom design and hand craft a very special wedding invitation, just for this couple at honor.

The concept was simple…elegant yet relaxed.

We embossed 80 deckle edged Italian cotton stock cards with an welcoming cross, and hand gilded over the raised image to give each invitation that organic feeling of a personal touch. Mounted on a loosely gilded strait edged card, these invitations gave this bride the opportunity to cordially invite her guests to join her in a celebration formal in tradition and festive with style… just like that of the Champagne Jazz Brunch planned for her reception.

Best wishes, my Sister… and to all you Brides

May you all indulge in a “Quality of Life” of Balance and the Luxuries it has to offer!

-Palmer

Our Baby Gilt Prints are making quite an impression on many of you, so I thought I would go ahead and formally introduce this little treasure.

“Baby Gilt Prints” is an interactive service that The Gilt Studio offers. Together, with the help of you: parent, family, or friend, we make impressions of your Baby’s hands and/or feet on Handmade Mulberry paper. The Gilt Studio will gold leaf these impressions with 22Karat Genuine Gold Leaf using a historical techniques that will last for generations!

Not only is our goal with Baby Gilt Prints to preserve the natural and unique character of your Baby Days, but we are also truly creating One-of-a-Kind, High-End Art that expresses our theme:

To live a “Quality of Life” in Balance and Luxury.

Our Baby Gilt Prints have become quite popular as Baby Shower and Early Year Birthday Gift in the form of a “Gilt Certificate”. No Baby too Young, and Child too old…Please contact us for further information.

(512)732-0662 or Palmer@GiltStudio.com

*frame not included

The Gilt Studio custom designed and handcrafted 14 of these Gilt Hands and Gazing Ball centerpieces as party decoration for the Junior League of Houston’s annual Charity Ball Fundraiser event. This year’s theme was “Abracadabra”, a nod to Old World Witch Craft and Wizardry.

As though invited to gaze into your fortune teller’s Crystal Ball, these sculptures are of Gilt Plaster Hands gilded with Dutch Metal Gold Leaf and plaster molds, cast from my very own hands! In turn, with the help of my AMAZING crew, we leveled and mounted each hand onto recycled slabs of Marble and Granite positioned to pedestal the illusive gazing ball high for all to ponder… Who?! What?! When?! Where?! Why?!…

It was a very elegant and, from what I hear, successful event to which we are delighted to have been able to contribute!

Congratulations Junior League of Houston and many thanks to my crew: Mom, Aunt Kathy, Mosettee, and Ross!

-Palmer

Purple Handmade Mulberry Paper

This past January The Gilt Studio was asked to design and create 300 custom invitations inviting all of Mosettee’s Family, Friends and Guests to celebrate in the festivities surrounding her “Coming of Age” season.

Inspired by the decadence of 19h Century France, these invitations are designed to feel as if you, too, were once personally invited to indulge along side the festive and ever entertaining company of Ms. Antionette, herself…

Happy Celebrating, Mosettee, and may you all choose to “eat cake”!

-Palmer

After

This unique piece was purchased from a Houston based artists and after a few wears, the once bright and shiny finish faded fast.

It was brought to The Gilt Studio to turn it back into gold.

Before

We gilded over this brass pea pod, cast from a real pod, with 22Karat Genuine Gold Leaf  via the same methods used in gilding outdoor sculpture and architectural elements… as in, this finish is meant to last!

-Enjoy!

-Palmer