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Welcome to Stone and Strap! I’m Annaliese (pronounced “Anna-Lisa”) a native to Charlotte, married to my best friend for 25 years, and blessed to be the mother of five wonderful teenagers who help keep life exciting!
Looking back over the years, I can see a common thread in my life - a passion for art and a desire to express this by designing creative pieces.
As young child, I recall spending hours creating structures of my imagination with Legos. In middle school, I discovered the sewing machine and created handmade crafts to sell at local events. During the busy stages of parenthood and homeschooling my children, I often found myself working on a good project during my “free time.” Designing flower gardens, sewing home furnishings, painting art pieces, and refinishing pieces from the local thrift store, were just a few of the hobbies I enjoyed. I guess I’ve always loved creative problem solving, the deep sense of fulfillment experienced in the process of design, and the joy that follows with the completion of each project.
While searching for direction during a season of transition to new chapter in my life, a dear friend encouraged me to risk my creativity by launching my own small business and sharing my art with others. Several weeks later, The Stone and Strap Collection was launched!
The first offering featured uniquely handcrafted jewelry and accessories created from repurposed leather and reclaimed equestrian pieces. However, one day, about four months after the jewelry collection was launched, I found myself putting leather scrapes together to create a small piece of art. After some passionate problem solving and perseverance, I soon discovered I had uncovered a unique form of art that must be added to the collection... abstract leather art! The demand for this new art form grew quickly, forcing me to step out and create pieces larger than I would have ever imagined!
In January 2020, I decided it was time to shift my focus from jewelry making to creating more abstract leather art pieces. Today, the jewelry and accessory collection is still available; however offered mostly in local boutiques in the Charlotte and Matthews, NC area.
It is our hope while designing for you in the studio that "...the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us…” Psalm 90:17
The meaning behind the name Stone and Strap, comes from the Old Testament story of David and Goliath found in 1 Samuel 17. Faced with a decision to either stay quiet or move out in faith and face his fears, David chose to be courageous. Trusting the Lord with his giftings, he stepped out in faith with his sling and five stones and performed the unthinkable. In the name “The Stone and Strap Collection,” the word “Stone” represents the five stones David picked from the brook and symbolizes the five children that the Lord has brought into my life to fight for each day. The word “Strap” refers to the sling David used against Goliath and represents the leather I seek to repurpose in this collection. May we all have faith like David and fight our giants!