Hardcore Love
Woven black leather. Simple. Powerful. A statement piece of Mer’s design that makes me feel kick-ass every time I wear it.
In stock in many sizes for men and women; custom sizes available at no additional charge. Please specify your preferred size in the checkout notes.
Market Love
I am dining on wheat bread from Sandi’s Breads, raw milk cheese from Birchrun Hills Farm, grass-fed, all-natural beef sticks from Wright’s Natural Meats, riper-than-heck strawberries (the first batch I’ve had this season) from a farmer whose name I didn’t catch, and a glass of Claret from Tomasello Winery (although that came from our liquor cabinet, not the market). I am mildly sunburned and more than mildly exhausted and sore. I would spend every day like this if I could.
Folks, next Wednesday, get yourself to the Anselma Farmer’s and Artisan’s Market if you can. It’s a magical place.
Our Day Trip to New Hope
Back in March, Mer and I and my mother-out-law Lois (of A Beaded Affair) spent an early spring afternoon in New Hope. The reason for our trip was the grand opening of Simply SOTA, but we spent the majority of the day checking out all the awesome little shops along Main Street and the side streets.It had been several years since my last visit to New Hope (preliminary meetings at Simply SOTA notwithstanding), and I was amazed to see what was gone (my favorite used books and dingy kitchen supply places) and what remained (the kitchen kitsch store with the awesome teapot collections, and Mystickal Tymes, one of my favorite old haunts. I still have Beltane incense that I bought from them in high school…)
It’s far too long in coming (better late than never, I suppose), but here are some of the amazing and new to me places we visited that day…
I love ice wine, so when I saw the ice wine loose teaf tea at Cupteavity, I had to bring some home for myself. It’s delightfully sweet-tasting, even with no added honey or sugar, and really does taste like ice wine! Just as ice wine’s not an every day beverage, this tea is definitely something for special occasions. It was definitely a good purchase. They have a bevy of amazing flavors in stock, and I’d recommend checking out their online store or their B&M store if you’re in town — they’re at 88 South Main.
This is a perfect example of why I should write these posts the day of the experience and not six week later – I don’t remember the name or exact location of this next shop. So…on the far end of Main Street (on the same side as Cupteavity) next to the hookah dealer is a small shop that sells beads and Native American items. Lois and I picked up quite a few strands of beads that day, including the green stone in my new “Chosen Path” menswear piece pictured here. She had an interesting selection and plenty of stories to tell…do stop in if you get the chance.
I was far too enthralled by the food and the people to take pictures while we were there, but Italian Cucina at 95 South Main is possibly the best off-the-beaten-path restaurant I’ve been to in my life. A side note: I used to be a caterer; my dad’s a chef. I’m super-critical about restaurant food, and usually don’t care a heck of a lot for it. This? Was incredible. Joe Lombardi, the owner, and his sidekick/restuarant manager, whose name I have sadly forgotten, catered to our every whim, telling us outrageous stories and making sure we left well-fed. And oh, gods, the food. I had butternut squash raviloi in a cinnamon-sugar butter sauce that was lunch, dessert, and paradise all in one bowl. I don’t remember what Mer and Lois ate…I was too busy trying to inhale my food. And, of course, now I’m getting hungry. The food was drop-dead amazing, the people are fabulous, and it’s totally off the main path. We’re told it’s a favorite of the locals and I can totally see why…it’s enough to make me want to move to New Hope. They don’t have a presence online, so click the map above for directions on how to get there.
So, fearless readers, what are your favorite New Hope haunts?
Weekend at the Gallery
We just finished up a lovely weekend event at Gallery 141 in Lancaster city – the Open Air Etsy Fair. The event, which coincided with Lancaster’s Spring Art Walk and the Launch Music Conference, was chock full of music and fabulous art. We really couldn’t have asked for better weather, but we could have used a bit more foot traffic, to be honest. That’s partially why I’m taking the time to post about it now, when I should be working and/or soaking my sunburn…the Gallery is quite lovely, there were a great mix of artists on site and on display, and they’re hoping to have more events in the future, so please check them out!
We shared a tent with an awesome artist whose name is completely escaping me. I will dig her business card our of my stuff tomorrow and post it here. She’ll be showing her work at Gallery 141 starting May 1.
One of our neighbors on-site turned out to also be our (almost) neighbor in real-life – Kristen Von Hohen with her gorgeous ceramics. She’s based a few miles up the road from us, and there’s some potential collaboration there…watch this space for details.
On-site music included Innocence Rush (their lead singer bailed but their guitarist did a bang-up job filling in – he really brought in the crowds) and Becca and Jake, a young duo whose version of Etta James’ “At Last” blew my mind. Keep an ear out for some of their original music on an upcoming Braindouche!.
There were many other artists and musicians, but my brain is officially post-craft-show mush. One final moment of note: I smelled a durian milkshake.
Take a moment to check out Gallery 141 on Water Street in Lancaster if you’re in the area, or stop by their site, blog, or Facebook profile and give Alana, the owner, some love. (She gave me a caramel cupcake, after all.)
(And yes, I realize it would have been more effective to blog about this before the event…oh, well.)
Blushing and Gushing
I am rather belatedly posting these links to wonderful words that made me blush. Fabulous author and dear, dear friend Katrina Stonoff gushed about her Sweet Tarragon purchase a few days ago…with pictures! (Twice!) Do poke around her blog for a bit – her posts are always a great read, and she also runs a book giveaway every Monday, so be sure to get in on the action.
Thank you Trina! Much cross-country love to you. 
Custom Melange
Our loyal customer Kate picked up our Melange necklace at a show over the holidays. A hefty, striking necklace in deep amethyst and earthy moukaite, she loved it so much that she asked for its cousin in shades of blue and grey. I used the corrugated same spacer beads as the original to give the same overall effect and combined them with cool grey marble and tons and tons of sodalite to create Melange’s cousin, The Blue Spice. The orignal and custom pieces are below. (Click to embiggen)
Just like the custom ocean jasper set I did a few months ago for Sally, this was a ton of fun to work on. If you’re looking for your own custom piece — for a special event, gift, wedding, or just because — we’d love to create something for you. Contact us today to get started.
And don’t forget to stop by Simply SOTA in New Hope tomorrow to support your local artisans!
Custom Ocean Jasper Set
We met Sally at one of our many holiday craft shows. She was looking for an earthtoned bracelet, in the style of Bright Bangle of Baubles. I didn’t have anything in stock, but offered to get in touch after the show with some options for a custom piece. A customized bead catalog, a few email conversations, and a few weeks later (read: today), I shipped her a necklace, bracelet, and earrings set that I’m pretty damn proud of.
This is a closeup view of the necklace. Earthtone glass beads were used as a focal point to anchor hefty 15mm ocean jasper rondelles that I ordered especially for this set. Black agate rounds and silver-plates spacers add depth and sparkle to the lower, heavier section of the necklace.
The other half of the necklace tapers down to an 8mm size. This was done mostly for comfort, but also to keep costs down. I added some 10mm green opal rondelles for a nice transition to the thinner section, which continues the ocean jasper, black agate, and silver trend with smaller ocean jasper rondelles, rounded black agate rectangles, and thin silver-plated discs. The necklace comes to a close with thin black agate ovals and a silver-plated toggle clasp.
While the bracelet was the starting point for the custom order, it was the second piece in the set to come together for me – I actually designed the necklace first. A chunky stretch bracelet like its inspiration piece, the bracelet again contains ocean jasper, black agate, and coordinating earthtone glass. I really fell in love with this particular piece and had a hard time letting it go.
The earrings were the final thing to come together in this set. Ocean jasper, green opal, and black agate on sterling headpins dangle 2″ from the sterling earwire. I loved these so much, I’ve made them available in our shop: click here for your very own ocean jasper and green opal earrings.
I really do love doing custom work, and I hope that Sally enjoys her set as much as I enjoyed creating it. If you’re looking for your own custom piece — for a special event, gift, wedding, or just because — we’d love to create something for you. Contact us today to get started.
And we have a winner!
As you can see, by using highly scientific methods, we have chosen our winner: congratulations to Joel! You have won a ten dollar gift certificate, redeemable almost immediately at the Sweet Tarragon online store.
But wait, there’s more!
The following eight-dollar certificates are also awarded to:
Scott, who earned himself the Persistence Trophy for being the only person to enter in all three venues AND to place an order before the drawing deadline (because it is in fact totally possible to buy my love), and
Paulette, who wins the Aggressive Enthusiasm Award for responding so fast and so loud it deserves recognition.
And finally, coupons for 15% off go to Maeryk and Will, because it’s blindingly obvious that you guys have ladies who deeply deserve pretty things.
Winners, watch your email for all the juicy details.
That’s it. Thanks so much to everyone who talked about this to their friends and spread the word. This was so much fun, I think we’ll do this again on a Friday in January, too. I don’t know which one yet, but you’ll have more than a few hours notice next time, I promise, so stay tuned.
Buy Indie for the Holidays
I’d like to propose a change to the buy handmade movement so popular this time of year. I’d like to take a page from the event we did on Sunday and call it “Buy Indie”.
As I sat at one of the shows we did this weekend, there was a Silpada rep behind me who loudly and proudly told every person that walked by her table that her jewelry was handmade. Yeah, okay. Silpada jewelry is handmade the same way Olive Garden’s food is authentic Italian cuisine, which is to say it’s not…really. Olive Garden dishes (which I thoroughly enjoy, BTW) are volume-based derivatives of recipes with their roots in Italian-style cooking. You could say it’s authentic, especially if you’re in the Marketing Department.
While Silpada’s marketing says that it’s handmade by artisans all over the world, my best guess (since there’s nothing to be found to back up that statement) is that it’s made by the hands of underpaid workers following a pattern in a book. So yes, it’s handmade. And since artisan can be defined as “A skilled manual worker who uses tools and machinery in a particular craft” (thanks, Wiktionary), it can be considered handmade by artisans, who I’m sure are in exotic impoverished countries all over the world.
Believe it or not, I don’t actually have a bone to pick with Silpada. I don’t view them as a competitor, and while it’s not my cup of tea, I know some people who love their designs. Yay for them. That’s not my point. Caveat emptor is my point.
If you take the handmade pledge and commit to buying handmade, for the holidays or year-round, do your research and be confident that what you’re buying is handmade by an independent artisan or crafter. Talk to them about their works, what inspires them, how they got started. You’re not just buying a toy or a gift — you’re buying a small piece of that person’s life. One of the great benefits of buying indie is getting to know the person behind the product — take advantage of that and ensure that your handmade purchase is created in the spirit that the movement intends. Buy directly from the artist or their website; seek out your local craftspeople or browse the world marketplace on sites like Etsy and Dawanda.*
I know it’s a bit late for a holiday gift guide (only 16 days to go!), but in case you’re not sure where to start on your indie-buying spree, I’ve gathered a list of some excellent indie craftspeople I’ve come across in my travels or have direct experience with — please check them out!
- Hello my Name is Monster – the cutest damn sock monsters I’ve ever seen, and I love the name tag-style branding.
- Dog Bone Art – marvelously faboo screen printed tees and bags n’stuff, including my personal favorites (which I will buy someday, damnit), “Cheese Please” and “Vanilla Chocolate Pirate”. Laura had some really cute peppermint stuffies too (all wrapped in cello and everything), but they appear to have sold out.
- Game Girl Designs – game pieces (Scrabble tiles, dominoes, etc.) made into necklaces, hair clips, etc. Amanda even does custom pieces from your photos.
- Woodnyou – I have an ebony business card holder made by this gentleman and it’s both gorgeous and well-made. I can only imagine that all of his woodwork follows suit.
- Simply Wired – If you truly must buy jewelry from someone other than Sweet Tarragon (*grin*), buy it from Chelsea at Simply Wired. I bought a pair of carnelian and copper earrings from her last year and still get compliments on them every time I wear them.
- Glass Beach – I bought a wristlet from Maia in February to use for a special event, and have used it every day since. I honestly don’t know what I ever did without it. Fun purses and cardholders in a variety of prints.
- Archipelago Arts – glass pendants with a kick, like the “I love you more than zombies love brains” piece I bought for Mer.
- A Beaded Affair – gorgeous wire-wrapped jewelry and beading supplies. I can personally vouch for Lois as a lovely person to do business with (of course, she’s my mother-out-law, so I may be biased.)
- Om Shanti Handcrafts – you know I love Kate (and her magical tangerine lip balm), but it’s worth mentioning – her stuff is awesome. All of it – the yummy, all-natural bath and body supplies, the jewelry…buy it.
- This and That gets an honourable mention, too. She’s not currently taking new orders, so it won’t help much for the holidays, but Leslie is my source for the custom sales slips that add a little extra pizazz to every order. She’s a dream to work with, and the end product is superb – I urge you all to check back with her in the new year.
Are you an indie crafter or artist? Please leave your shop link and a bit about yourself in the comments.
*Seriously…you never know what you’ll find. Thirty seconds on Dawanda tonight and I found a bacon cellphone case. I think I’m in love.
Event Recap: Crafts in the Grove
It’s a bit after-the-fact, but one of our first shows this summer was Crafts in the Grove, an event held by the Upper Lehigh Lions Club in Neffs, PA. It was a wonderful event in a fabulous location.
Check-In
When we arrived on site, we joined a queue of vehicles waiting to be checked in and directed to their individual sites. We were given our site number and directed by a series of lovely men with walkie-talkies. It was clear from the smoothness of the process that they’ve been doing this for some time – in fact, this was the 13th annual show.
Location, Location, Location
As evidenced by its name, the entire event is held in a beautiful grove outside Neffs United Church of Christ. There was plenty of shade and just enough sunshine filtering through the trees to make for a gorgeous atmosphere. Our neighbors to the right, whose names I have unfortunately forgotten, were lovely women who had been selling painted wooden holiday items for as long as the show had been running. There were a great variety of crafts and other items for sale, including local honey and produce, felted wool dolls, and of course plenty of jewelry. The jewelers were well-spaced, which was nice to see.
And Oh! the Facilities!
It never would have occurred to me to comment on the bathrooms at an event. In hindsight, however, in comparison to some other events we’ve done, the Upper Lehigh Lions Club wins the Best Potty of the Season award from me. There were more than enough port-o-johns for the crowds; their location was central to traffic but at the same time hidden away in their own mini-grove; and they had a line of pump-and-rinse portable sinks set up outside. Clean and adequate facilities (with real soap and water to boot) – it’s a shame that this is worth mentioning, but it really, really is.
Recommendations
I recommend this event to all crafters, both seasoned and just starting out. It’s an affordable, nicely-trafficked event (1,200 people this year) that is impeccably organized and smoothly run. The only caution I have for new crafters is that this event will spoil you! Not all events are this well-run. We signed up for next year’s show before we left this year’s – I hope to see you there.
More Info
Next year’s show will be held on July 25, 2009. The cost is $35 for a 12×12 space. It is a juried show, so you will need to submit 3 photos of your craft. (Handmade only!) For more information, contact Larry Snyder at 610.767.2410, or email craftsinthegrove at entermail dot net.
