Musings From the Bench, November 2025

This month's studio notes include a pre-holiday sale, a curated jewelry gift guide featuring sculptural pieces perfect for gifting (or keeping), and my latest NYC recommendations. Let's dive in.

Pre-Holiday Sale!

Through 11/30

To the last-minute holiday shoppers: let this sale be an invitation to do things differently this year. Make your list, check it twice, and then enjoy your spiked eggnog without another thought about what to get who.

I make each piece by hand, so earlier orders mean fewer late nights at my bench — a win-win for both of us.

Shop the sale.

What’s New with Kefi

Introducing Demi-fine Materials

I’ve shifted into working with sterling silver and vermeil (14k gold over sterling silver) — precious metals that age beautifully, feel elevated, and with care, will last a lifetime. As someone usually wears gold, the way these pieces have turned out in silver has forever changed me. I absolutely love them.

Welcome Ella

Meet Ella (as in Fitzgerald). Rescuing a puppy has been both humbling and joyful. She quickly became Kefi’s #1 employee, reminding me to take breaks for park walks and stepping on my keyboard when she feels the workday should be done.

Holiday Jewelry Gift Guide

I’ve pulled together a mini gift guide. Just remember: even people who “have everything” never have too much jewelry. Giving Kefi is a celebration of craft, art, and story.

My favorite holiday shoppers are the ones who come looking for gifts and end up treating themselves. You always know exactly what you love — and it means so much to me to see you want to have a piece of something I’ve created.

Here are a few favorites:

Urchin Hug Earring

Small, textured, and subtle while striking. Perfect for minimalists and maximalists. Diamonds add a beautiful brightness — especially in gold vermeil and oxidized silver.

Urchin Hoop Earrings

For someone used to bigger earrings, these will feel like nothing. I wear them constantly and often forget I have them on until I get a compliment or catch myself in the mirror.

Twist Cuff Bracelet

Cuff bracelets make great gifts because they can be adjusted to fit most wrists. The twist cuff in particular is a standout — elegant, comfortable, and holding a weight that feels meaningful in a piece of jewelry.

Upcoming NYC trunk shows

• Satuday, December 6 | 12:00-6:00pm | Hellenic Aesthetic

• Friday, December 12 - Sunday, December 14 | Not-a-Normal Holiday Show (tickets to shop here)

• Sunday, December 21 | Brooklyn Artery

…more to come!

The Best of NYC

I moved to NYC in 2013 and still experience it like a tourist. I love the convergence of cultures, the access to art, and the stumble-upon moments you only get in a walking city. I keep a running list of things to do, and people often ask me for recommendations — so here are a few of my recent favorites:

• Go see Ragtime at Lincoln Center Theater
  I can’t recommend this enough. Ragtime is a classic that feels deeply relevant — a moving celebration of New York and our collective immigrant histories. The music soars, and a visit to Lincoln Center always fills my cup. There are no bad seats in the house, so you don’t even need to splurge. 
  

• Lunch at the Morgan Library & Museum
  I felt like I was in a When Harry Met Sally moment having a weekday lunch with girlfriends at the Morgan. The cafe at the Morgan is in a bright sun room attached to one of the city’s most magical historic libraries. Eat, then wander.
  

• Fall Leaves
  The Japanese maples and ginkgo trees are in full golden glow, and my camera roll is full of leaves. I’ll surely have the same photos again next year, as though it’s all new again.

Where you’ll find me next…

• Ruth Asawa at MoMA — her large crocheted wire sculptures are so dynamic, and to think about the time that goes into each piece, woven by hand...
  

• Calder’s Puppets at the Whitney — I’ve seen clips of Calder’s puppet shows before, and was so struck by his playfulness and imagination. Looking for more!
  

• A walk to the Rockefeller Tree — Yes, it’s a zoo — but I’ll take a deep breath and make my annual walk through crowds to glimpse the tree. It makes me think of my grandmother, who loved the Christmas sparkle of NYC. “It’s just beautiful,” she’d say in her Long Island accent. Some touristy things earn their reputation.

• Book Club Bar on East 3rd St. — my neighborhood bookstore is owned by a woman named Erin who’s book recommendations are unfailingly good. When I am looking for what to read next, I walk in and search the shelves for little index cards that say “Erin’s recommendation.”

Don’t forget: the Pre-Holiday Sale ends 11/30.
Happy shopping!

- Stephanie