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4 Saturday, August 17, 2013 JEWELRY BY VIKI— INSPIRED BY NATURE Viki Ciesiul has been a nature lover and artist her entire life. When she was small, daily walks on the beaches of Southern California with her mother instilled a deep and early love of the ocean and its many moods and colors. Always busy creating, and producing artistically when young, her fascination with the beauty found in form and structure later led to degrees in architecture and art. Jewelry by Viki was born of those life passions. Today, Ciesiul's unique, nature-inspired jewelry line is found in boutiques and galleries across the United States and Canada. The earth-friendly custom jewelry pieces reflect shapes and colors found in nature and combine recycled metals and semi-precious stones. "I find design ideas for Jewelry by Viki everywhere in my natural surroundings," said Ciesiul. "I take great pleas- ure in creating pieces that reflect the unique color combinations found in nature, with lines influenced by my background in architecture." Her striking hand-crafted earrings, bracelets and necklaces evoke cascading leaf patterns, delicate branches and ripples of water—the clean, angled designs a clear product of Ciesiul's trained architect's eye. Pieces in antiqued bronze, oxidized and bright silver and gold fill are thoughtfully set off with a variety of individually selected stones including sapphire, garnet, chrysophrase, carnelian, pyrite and sunstone. Ciesiul is committed to creating jewelry that is not only beautiful but of the highest caliber, and she takes pride in the relationships developed with clients and customers since she began producing the line in 2005. "My attention to fine detail and quality craftsmanship make UNIQUE AND EXOTIC SAMPLING SETS FROM THE SPICE LAB An interview with Brett Cramer, founder, The Spice Lab OSD: Tell our readers about your company. What is your main line of business? BC: The Spice Lab offers the largest selection of gourmet sea salts from a single source. We carry over 180 different salts from around the globe. We have expanded our product line to include many spices in addition to our jarred sea salts, our award winning Gourmet Sea Salt Collections, peppercorns and spice mixes. Other offerings include grinders, salt plates, glasses, stones and lamps, salt cellars, spoons, jars and bath salts. OSD: What particular products will you be showcasing at NY NOW? BC: Our array of gift items keeps expanding. At the show, we will feature the latest addition to our Sea Salt Collections – The Chef's Collection: 12 tube premium sampling sets attractively displayed in a wooden base crafted from sustainable bamboo. We are offering two versions, one featuring salts from around the world, and one that is all spices. Our retail-packaged Himalayan Salt Cooking Plate and Serving Tray, which we refer to as a "brick in a box," is sure to garner lots of attention as a unique kitchenware gift. OSD: To what do you attribute the popularity of your Salt Collections? BC: When we launched our company in the midst of the recession (Nov 2009), artisan sea salts had already started to gain popularity in the specialty food arena. With a wooden base crafted from reclaimed beetle pine or sustainable bamboo, our Gourmet Sea Salt Collections are truly one-of-kind gifts. And they solve the desire to sample a wide selection of exotic salts without investing in a life-time supply. OSD: What were some of the year's highlights for The Spice Lab? BC: Our Himalayan Salt Tequila Shot Glasses were a big hit for the holidays, a best seller for Cinco de Mayo celebrations, and keep getting rave reviews and featured in magazines such as InStyle and Food Network Magazine. With the look of finely veined rose quartz, these shot glasses are actually carved from the finest quality, food grade Himalayan pink salt and naturally add the perfect nuanced, salty note to your favorite tequila. Our salt and pepper grinders are another popular new addition this year. Our large, hefty, one-pound jar of Himalayan Coarse Pink Salt has a builtin ceramic salt grinder – ideal for use in industrial kitchens, restaurants, and by home chefs seeking value and convenience. The small grinders hold 100ml of Himalayan Dark Pink Salt or Black Malabar Peppercorns – each with a premium ceramic grinder mechanism. OSD: What is the secret to your company's success? BC: We continually seek new products and innovative packaging and look for more ways to engage the consumer to explore our ever growing world of salt and spices. We also have a great team that works really hard and enjoys working together. It's hectic, but fun to come to work every day. For more information, visit booth 11034, log on to www.thespicelab.com, call 954-275-4478, or email sales@thespicelab.com. OCG Show Daily my jewelry pieces of natural art to be worn and loved," said Ciesiul. Jewelry by Viki strives to be eco-conscious. Ciesiul purchases materials from U.S. companies, and supports local vendors and eco-friendly organizations. Recycled metals and responsibly-mined stones are used in production of the jewelry line. Portland, Ore. provides the ideal setting for Ciesiul's light-filled studio where the Jewelry by Viki line is produced. An avid hiker, biker, climber and camper, Ciesiul takes full advantage of the city known for its outdoor lifestyle and easy access to ocean, mountain and river activities. It's a location that offers a constant source of inspiration for the jewelry designer. Visit Jewelry by Viki in booth 8203 and at www.jewelrybyviki.com for more information and to view the complete Jewelry by Viki line. AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH NY NOW Lee M. Oser CEO and Editor-in-Chief Lyle Sapp Senior Associate Publisher Director of Sales Kim Forrester Jeff Rosano Associate Publishers Lorrie Baumann Editorial Director Kristina Harris Associate Editor Hayden Neeley Senior Associate Editor Hannah Hollins Assistant Editor Yasmine Brown Graphic Designer Ruth Haltiwanger Traffic Manager Ryan Harter David Lopez Kevin Pattison Account Managers Enrico Cecchi European Sales OCG Show Daily is published by Oser Communications Group ©2013. All rights reserved. Executive and editorial offices at: 1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715 520.721.1300/Fax: 520.721.6300 www.oser.com European offices located at Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy.