Treasure Chest: a peek inside a jewelry designer's jewelry box

I dig jewelry. Big surprise, right? I design it, I make it, and I wear a ton of it too. I wear my own work often, but I’m also a huge fan of other jewelry designers and my personal collection is always growing. My dresser is in a constant state of organized clutter. I keep my favorites out on display in little dishes, because I simply can’t wear them all at once, but darn it, I want to look at them on a daily basis at least.

Here’s a look at my favorite designers, in no particular order, and the pieces I fell in love with and wear all the time. It’s easy to brag on these folks. They’re all extremely talented!

1. Cuyler Hovey King: I’ve run into this designer several times at ICE Atlanta, and each time, I can’t help but splurge on something new. Her eye for shape and finish is exquisite, and I’ve found her pendants layer extremely well with other pieces. Wearing as much jewelry as I can at one time without looking ridiculous is my goal in life, and her work is simple and clean enough that it makes that possible.

2. Lily Pottery: Out of Greenville, SC, Lily Wikoff creates funky statement jewelry using stamped clay. Her whole line is gypsy-tastic, but somehow I always end up buying rings. Rings, rings, and more rings! That’s all I have, not much in the way of variety considering she makes just about everything, but hey, I’ll eventually run out of fingers and will have to branch out and get one of her “charmer” necklaces.

3. Bold B: From across the planet, Australian artist Britta Boeckmann’s work literally made my jaw drop the first time I saw photos online. I only have two of her pieces so far, but I absolutely adore them. The wood she uses is native to Australia (and therefore very exotic to me), and looks stunning mixed with the tinted or gold leaf-flecked resin. Whenever I wear these pendants, I find myself constantly inspecting them, utterly distracted while I try to figure out how in the world she makes them. They’re flawless!

4. Audrey Laine Collection: Out of Asheville, NC, Audrey’s line features intricate metal cutouts and castings inspired by nature and geometry. Although I have a lot of her work already, probably more than any other artist on this list, I’ve got several more specific pieces on my wishlist right now. I suppose I have an Audrey Laine addiction!

5. Spectrum: Julie Riffel is behind this fabulous brand, and her work ranges from geometric wooden beads, to glass bubbles, to simple brass shapes. What I love most is the variety. There’s always something new to lust after.

6. January Jewelry: From Columbia, SC, Melissa Giglio is the artist behind January Jewelry, and she crafts modern metal pieces that are perfect for everyday-wear. My husband discovered her work at Indie Craft Parade a few years ago and got me a pair of simple triangle stud earrings, and that’s how I first became a fan. He gets credit on this one!

7. Illyria Pottery: Formerly out of Greenville, SC, currently out of the UK, Katie Coston is a brilliant pottery artist who’s work I enjoy both by wearing (jewelry) and in my home (decorative pieces). The necklaces I have are definitely some of the largest pieces I own, but they’re surprisingly neutral and go with everything.

Below are some newly found favorites - designers I've only recently discovered, but will definitely be buying more from in the future.

8. Among the Ruins: I first found Kim Curtis on an Etsy Team, of all places, and just recently treated myself to a delicate little bracelet from her shop. The reason it took me so long to finally buy one? I literally couldn’t decide. I kept going back and forth. I had 6 in my shopping cart at one point, and finally just had to pick one because I realized couldn’t go wrong.

9. Pink Dogwoods: Nan Faulker is another local designer I occasionally run into at craft shows. A few weeks ago I caved in and took home this elegant but fun whistle necklace. I’m all about the leather tassel and long brass chain, but that whistle is just too clever. Plus, if anyone ever tries to steal my purse on the street, I have a secret (and oh-so-fashionable) defensive tactic!

10. Happy Arsenal: Made in Taylors, SC, by Chris Jones, these etched copper and brass pendants are graphic and versatile. Very lightweight, great for layering. Tons of options available from someone who knows a thing or two about graphic design (he’s responsible for my new logo!)

So what pieces from my own handmade jewelry collection do I personally wear? I have a few favorites, of course! Let’s call it a “job perk”. Believe it or not, it took me a long time to get comfortable wearing my own work in public. I used to dread someone saying “Love your necklace, where did you get it” because I’d always turn bright red in embarrassment, break a sweat, and say something stupid like “I got it on Etsy”. I had such a terrible time taking credit for the pieces I worked so hard to design and create! I’ve gotten over it by now. Sort of. Kind of. Almost. Anyway, these pieces are the ones I made and just couldn’t part with. You might think being in a house where my entire inventory is available would mean I’d wear something different every single day, but that’s just not the case. These are the few treasured items I kept for myself.

Collaboration is Key

When it comes to my writing, design, and generally most things in life, I tend to work alone. But my desire for independence can sometimes leave me in a rut, which is the worst possible thing for anyone trying to use their creativity. Thankfully, I've found a few key people I work well with, and those people both inspire me and challenge me to try new things.

One of the people I love to collaborate with is Teresa Roche, an artist and gallery owner in Greenville, SC. A few years ago, she started carrying some of my fiber art pieces and handmade jewelry in her gallery, Art & Light. It was a good partnership from the start, but things really started to go places when we began collaborating. If two heads are better than one, two artists working together are unstoppable! 

Teresa had the idea to incorporate some of my needle felted animal heads and birds into her assemblage pieces, and I was so pleased with how our combined efforts turned out. My fiber art had always been a stand-a-lone type of thing, but it really shined when paired with Teresa's eye for texture, form, and balance.

I felted the bunny head, Teresa did the rest!

This video explains a bit more about our process, and how our different backgrounds mesh well together. 

Recently, we started collaborating on something completely different. I had been wanting to add some painted pendants to my Curious Cameo line for awhile, and had done some trial pieces that just weren't looking very good (but I kept trying, and was good and stuck in that rut for a few weeks). I'm not a painter. I've never been a painter. So why did I think I'd be able to paint these glorious pendants I was envisioning? It dawned on me Teresa Roche would be the perfect person to collaborate with - she's an amazing painter, her color sense and brushwork is so unique - and by incorporating her original work into this new jewelry line, it became something truly special that showcases her art in a way anyone can enjoy, even if they don't have much wall space or the budget for a larger original painting. Each pendant is one-of-a-kind, capturing a tiny work of art in a 1"x1" or 2"x1" frame. The pendants in the image below are the latest edition to this blossoming collection, (my favorite ones yet, I might add!). They're available exclusively at Art & Light Gallery in Greenville, and are launching this weekend in conjunction with Open Studios. 

Hands off! I already claimed the one on the far left ;-)

Recap: Indie Craft Parade

Last weekend was the 5th annual Indie Craft Parade here in Greenville, SC. This is a top notch festival of all things handmade, and is always my best show year after year. With a record number of attendees this year, nearly 7,000 people, it’s no wonder it was a huge success for all involved.

A lot goes into preparing for a major show like this. I worked all summer making inventory and still felt like I didn’t have enough by the time September rolled in. The week of the show, I mainly focused on tweaking my table setup, and finalized some new additions to my display to ensure my booth would look it’s best and function well for the crowd of shoppers. I always do a mock up prior to this show (that’s what the dining room is for!) and that, plus carefully packing up what is essentially a miniature store, is a several day-long endeavor. The checklist is never ending!

The day before the show, I got an unexpected opportunity to appear on Studio 62 with Jamarcus Gaston to talk about the festival and my handmade business. This was my first time on TV and I was shaking like a leaf, but I’m thankful for the chance to plug this amazing event as well as share my work. Here’s the video clip. 

Friday September 12th was the day of set up. All the vendors showed up at assigned times to unload, and the anticipation was there from the get go, long before the VIP Gala kicked off that evening. I did a series of live posts throughout the day Friday to give a behind the scenes look at what all goes on before the doors are open. Click here for photos.

To say the show was a success would be a huge understatement. I’m not just talking record sales or attendance. Everything about the event was extremely well organized, widely publicized, and I felt energized even though I was utterly exhausted by the end of it. Below are some of my stats from the weekend, but I’ll just point out, this show is a complete anomaly - I DO NOT sell almost 800 items at every craft show I do!

Not only did I sell a lot, but I bought a lot too. That’s half the fun, right?  

Here’s a peek at my Indie Craft Parade loot from some of the most talented regional artists. I could have bought something from just about every vendor. I had a hard time narrowing it down to these awesome items!

1. Ring from January Jewelry

2. Print from Chris Koelle

3. Felted Flowers from Muncle Fred Art 

4. Brass Earrings from Olivia de Soria Jewelry

5. Bone Pendant from Exterra88

6. Turned Walnut Bowl from Turning South

7. Trivet and Feather Ornament from Crave Studio

8. Owl Print from Joe Engel

9. Turned Muddlers from Slab

10. & 11. Paintings from Candy Pegram

12. Bowl from Bean & Bailey

13. Tiny Vases from April Swhingle

14. Porcupine Pendant from Spectrum Handcrafted

15. 2015 Calendar from Paperform

Thanks to everyone who made this event so special!

Indie Craft Parade: The Milestone That Changed Everything

Indie Craft Parade is a festival of handmade goods held every September in Greenville, SC, that features top makers from all over the southeast. So ... it's just a craft show, right? Well, no. Not really. It's a whole lot more than that. This show changed everything for me.

Once upon a time, in the summer of 2011, I applied to a craft show for the very first time. My Etsy shop Once Again Sam was still fairly new, and trying an event seemed like a reasonable goal for growth. With zero experience, I submitted my application for the “To Wear” category, and hoped my handmade leather jewelry would make the cut. As an after thought, I decided to also apply for the “Fiber Art” category. I had just learned needle felting a few months earlier and thought showing the judges a range of work might help me stand out.

My expectations of being accepted were low. A few hundred people applying for 75 spots = not great odds. The day the jury notifications went out I was bummed my jewelry had been declined, but not shocked. Then, I read the email again and realized my fiber art had been accepted. I believe my exact words were, “What the crap?” I had just learned how to felt, and the photos I used for my fiber art application were some of the only pieces I had ever made. 

That summer, all I did was felt felt felt. Looking back, I can see that having to improve my skills quickly and develop a substantial amount of inventory in only a matter of weeks was a pivotal point for me, a crash course in this obscure craft that helped elevate my techniques in a very short time period. I felted every day for as many hours as I could manage, till it hurt. 

The show went very well, much better than I expected (because I didn’t really know what to expect). I later realized just how well organized the whole thing was, and what a great group of people are behind it all. After that first show, everything changed for Once Again Sam. Countless doors were opened. I began selling in local shops and saw a dramatic increase in my repeat customers. I started taking my handmade work more seriously, as a real business, not just a hobby.  As terrified as I was to stand behind my table and talk to total strangers that first time back in 2011 (hardcore introverts can relate, I'm sure), I got through it somehow, and it paid off in every possible way. The positive response was incredible, I felt overwhelmingly encouraged, and realized I could actually make a good living this way.

Since then, I've been lucky enough to participate in Indie Craft Parade each year, and not just with my Felted Curiosities, but also with my new & improved handmade jewelry (starting in 2012). This show has become one of the major highlights of my year. I use it as a launching pad for new collections, a deadline for improving my booth set up, and a chance to meet other creatives and connect with local customers. I love preparing for this show, I love being there, and I actually feel sad when it's over. There's a sort of a magical, inspirational atmosphere to it all, as funny as that may sound. 

Here's a look back at my last 4 years of Indie Craft Parade application photos. I can definitely see improvement, my earlier work isn't my best now, but it was my best at the time. I still have a lot to learn, a thousand new things I want to try, and I’m sure I’ll cringe years from now at the work I’m most proud of today. It’s the curse of every artist, right? 

This year, my husband’s shop Tree & Laser, will be right next to Once Again Sam at the 5th annual Indie Craft Parade in downtown Greenville, SC. There will be an amazing range of hip hand-crafted goods from regional makers, and you won’t want to miss out. Everything from screen printed t-shirts, to pottery and fine art, and of course, handmade jewelry & felted curiosities brought to you by yours truly. If you’re in the Upstate of SC, come on by!

GreenCraft Article Published

Writing and crafting: two of my favorite things. I'm excited to announce my second DIY article was recently published in GreenCraft Magazine! I so enjoy reading this magazine, it appeals to my love of up-cycling and repurposing, and I always find inspiration for new eco-friendly projects with every issue. It's a complete honor to be able to contribute my DIY guide to making suede fringe earrings to the Autumn issue of GreenCraft. 

I would say 99% of my writing is fiction, but once in awhile I get the itch to share facts and real life experiences, and I'm lucky enough that GreenCraft has allowed me the opportunity to share this DIY article with them and their readers. I hope you enjoy the magazine, there are so many great projects in the Autumn issue! http://stampington.com/GreenCraft-Magazine-Autumn-2014