News

We are excited that some of our vendors are nominees for the Martha Stewart American Made award!

As you know, Marion and Rose's Workshop is committed to the American Made movement and shares in the thought that change happens on the street level with small businesses supporting one other and sharing their message to customers.  We feel that planting the seed and helping it grow is our job and it is our commitment.  

As proponents of the movement it makes us happy to see a large company embracing these small makers. It's these steps that will help rebuild the Main Streets of small towns and Cities, restoring pride in these communities.  When you can say "I helped make that" or "this is my neighbors company", it gives you a renewed desire to support your neighbor and your community. Quality, craftsmanship and knowing the maker are all important aspects of how we curate the shop, and we are so happy to be able to relay their stories to our customers. 

Our friends at Modestics put together a great reference list to make it super easy to vote. Included on the list are a few of our vendors Blue Chair Fruit, Cuppow, Native State, Peg and Awl. and Peterboro Baskets (these guys have been around since the 1800's!) We've also added a few links below to more of our friends and neighbors.

Outlaw Soaps (soon to be a vendor at the shop!)

Poppy Von Frohlich - amazing jackets made in SF. Want them all.

Kate Ellen Metals- our awesome neighbor and amazing jewelry designer

Please vote for your favorites, you can vote up to 6 times within a 24 hours period.  

Thank you for your support of the American Made movement and of our little shop!! We are cannot express how happy we are to be here.

Remember "We are all in this together".

-M & R

With all of the amazing press and accolades that Blue Chair has gotten recently, it's sometimes hard to believe that their kitchen is right here in Oakland. Rachel Saunders, their head jammer, is a visionary with a penchant for creating seasonally inspired artisan marmalades and jams in tiny batches in traditional French copper jam kettles.

She loves to share her know-how with the local community, and you'll often spot her or another one the of Blue Chair staff out at farmers markets peddling preserves, as well as The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook. With figs, tomatoes, apples, grapes, stone fruits coming into season in September and October, you can bet she's going to have a busy Fall. Here's a Q&A with Rachel:

We hear you studied jam-making for 10 years before you launched Blue Chair. What was the research process like?
It was an extremely arduous process of trial and error. I spent all my free time pursuing jam and fruit, and had many days of despair and torment. Mastering the art of jam making is not for the faint of heart!! When people taste my jams today, they cannot imagine what it took to get where I am; I make it look easy now. I am a true believer in the 10,000-hours theory of mastery. And 10,000 hours is just the beginning!!

Do you really still make all of the jams by hand? What are some of your most exciting creations? Yes; all of our jams are completely handmade. Every flavor is exciting! We just cooked a nectoplum jam – a rare hybrid fruit of white nectarine and plum. We also just did a tomato and Adriatic fig jam.

It's pretty cool that you host jam-making classes. What's coming up in the schedule? I absolutely love to teach, because I love people and I love the chance to share some of what I know. My next classes are a Jam 101 class at Ramekins in Sonoma on September 6 and a Flavor Construction class at our kitchen in Oakland on September 8. Information about both is on our website. In mid-September, I go to Seattle to teach for several days at the Pantry at Delancey.

It seems like you guys are always out at the local farmer's markets. Where can we catch you here in the East Bay? Grand Lake on Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. and Temescal on Sundays from 9 a.m. -1 p.m.

How can locals support you and stay in touch? The best way to follow us is on Facebook or Twitter; our name is bluechairfruit. You can also join our mailing list on our website for news about classes and new flavors!  

Of course, you can always find a selection of Rachel's latest creations for Blue Chair at Marion and Rose's Worksop! 

Mark Poulin's new line of jewelry is arriving in the shop this week, and we can't wait to get the goods! Mark is an Oakland jewelry designer and one of our all-time favorite people on the planet. In addition to being really talented, he's an inspirational character with an amazing attitude and a super giving personality.

We love that his jewelry appeals to us as grown women, as well has our inner child. He has a beautifully designed, modern line that is perfect for when you want to feel like a sophisticated adult, and fun cartoonish jewelry for when you want to be a kid. And of course, everything he makes is well designed.

Here's a Q&A with Mark so you can get to know him better.

Your pieces are so fun and playful. Where do you get your inspiration?
I am inspired by offbeat design, cartoon trends, and pop culture. I interpret each of them in my own twisted way. I have modern taste with a touch of rustic and a dash of fun. I love fashion, and I'm always on the lookout for a unique outfit accessorized with items that don't have a department store look to give me inspiration for my jewelry designs. 

How and where are they made?
My workshop in West Oakland is my maker center. It's a cozy little place with lots of tools and materials. We are set up with kilns for glass and a furnace for enameling. It's a great place to work and I love being here. Most pieces start with a sketch, get carved into a wax, then cast into metal that is cleaned up for mold making. Once I have the parts cast in sterling I can start the enameling process. Each piece has many trips into the furnace fusing the enamel onto the metal. For the final firing I use custom screen prints made from my drawings.

What are you currently selling at Marion and Rose? You have a new line, too?
I sell lots of my Oakland and San Francisco pins from my kids line. I guess you are never too old to feel the local love. I also have some fun sloth and animal charm necklaces. There is a nice selection of my modern color blocking enamel line too. Later this week, I'm dropping off my newest line of reversible enamel geometric necklaces. This new work has lots of subtle color and is very wearable and actually inspired by Kerri's (M and R owner) love for "mountains and triangles." The line is getting a great response. I'm excited for Marion and Rose to carry it.