Laguna Village offers variety of arts and crafts shops

BEST BUYS

SPECTACULAR BAGS AVAILABLE

Laguna Leather, est. 1981, sells leather creations by Linda and

James Rushing. Linda says that she’s made purses since she was 14

years old and that their business is a real success story.

They started small, selling tiny leather bags on a carpet, and

wanted to see how the American dream works. Today, they live in the

Marjorie Darling cottage built in 1887, one of Laguna’s oldest

cottage’s, only a few steps from their shop, and have one of Laguna’s

most popular shops. They sell quality leather comfort shoes, hats,

jackets, coats, purses, wallets and well-priced jewelry boxes.

Paintings are by their son John.

Their hottest seller and signature piece is the eight-way traveler

purse they invented and patented. One bag converts to eight styles.

With removable straps and adjustable clasps it can be a shopping bag,

evening bag, backpack and more. It’s only available in Laguna, and so

far they’ve sold more than 57,000. It costs $119 to $139 and comes in brown, black, tan, taupe, bone, navy red and purple.

The Voyager is their other bag design. It’s a self-closing travel

organizer with three compartments, a billfold pocket with zipper, pen

holder and a zippered personal section. For security, the flap and

pockets closet tightly when you lift the handle. It costs $279.

Leather jackets for men and women are affordable at $209.

Open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. 577 S. Coast Highway. (949)

494-6266.

OCEAN EVERYTHING

Rudi’s Shells specializes in all ocean-related items. There’s a

big selection of shell jewelry, corals, stones, nautical items.

Tourists and locals buy the hematite healing stone jewelry, shark’s

tooth coconut shell necklaces, fishing floats, abalone anklets and

shell wind chimes. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. (949) 497-2316.

JEWELS FOR EVERY PART

Shelby’s Hand Crafted Jewelry carries hard-to-find jewelry. It’s

the place to buy toe rings, thumb rings, anklets, belly chains and

Shoewels -- foot jewelry that’s anchored by a loop at the toe and

secured at the heels. Pieces are made of fresh water pearls, beads,

14k gold or sterling silver, and there are even some diamonds. Open

from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and call for extended

weekend hours. (949) 494-7992 or toll free (888) 494-3382.

www.shelbysfootjewels.com.

NATIVE AMERICAN THEME

Primitives Limited Native American Showcase features artifacts and

jewelry handcrafted by Native Americans. Arrows, watches, jewelry,

dream catchers, peace pipes and art. Unusual pieces include medicine

bags, white turquoise, dream catcher earrings and hair ties. Open

from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. (949) 376-7632. www.Nativetribe.com.

WHIMSICAL CERAMICS

Nancy Toler Ceramics offers hand-painted ceramic pieces in

colorful and whimsical designs. The selection includes bowls, soap

dispensers, glasses, trays, vases, pitchers, cups and saucers. Also

decorative fish, flowers and butterflies. (949) 497-1732.

tolerceramics@aol.com.

Outside Toler’s display are ceramic garden art pieces from Li-Nan

Ziegler. Ziegler specializes in colorful garden mushrooms in jumbo

($9.50), large ($6), medium ($4.75), and small ($3.75). Lady bugs and

bees,too. (949) 497-5429.

Gems for the experts

Gem Mountain Studio is a showcase of gems, minerals, crystals,

geodes and fossils, as well as jewelry. Gemologists shop here for

rare fossils and gems, and locals choose wire wrap jewelry,

sculptures and fountains. Unusual pieces include the globes made of

white jade or mother of pearl with 120 semi-precious stones and

laser-cut stone jewelry: champagne topaz, blue topaz and emeralds

found on Mount Saint Helen’s in Washington. (949) 494-0921.

* BEST BUYS is a weekly feature of the Coastline Pilot. Send

information to Greer Wylder at greerwylder@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 248

Laguna Beach, CA 92652, or via fax at 494-8979.