“Sogni D’oro kind of describes what life has felt like lately. I guess you could say I’ve been living what they call 'La Dolce Vita'."

"I went to Italy for vacation with friends in July and found a kitten and named her Girasoli, “Gigi”. She was too small to fly home to America so I decided to stay in Europe. Every morning we drank shakeratos, snacked on prosciutto, formaggio, drank wine at night and ate pasta, pescare and gelato before bed."

"This is my first time working with chainmail. I love the way it drapes like silk and reflects so much light. We chose a heavy weight brass, it has a luxurious feel to it, almost like armor and a brilliant shine. Most chainmail dresses you see are made of plastic or aluminum and are completely shapeless. I wanted to create a truly snatched dress that sparkled like water on the body. Chainmail is difficult to work with, it has to be pieced together link by link completely by hand. I’m so proud of this dress and excited to create more chainmail pieces in the future."

"During Carnival, a festival which dates back to the Middle Ages, the Venetians celebrated by wearing masks which concealed their identities and class. These disguises allowed them to release their inhibitions and engage in behaviors which were normally looked down upon by the church."

"There is something that draws me to the city of Venice. I have been here now three times and each visit I fall more in love. Perhaps the way you can get lost in its tiny streets, which causes my mind to wander. I imagine secret kisses in its passageways. Forbidden romance, disguised by masquerades and gondola rides by moonlight."

"To my team, I love you, thank you for the sacrifices and hard work you put into this. I’m in awe of the beautiful art we create together."