Mystic Leads
A stunning ceramic laceware focal piece by renowned artist Kristen Von Hohen is securely wrapped in sterling silver wire and accented with a square of apatite, a cluster of tiny sterling rounds, and an antique silver round. The assembly hangs from 22″ of apatite, mystic feldspath, and copper-colored freshwater pearls with antique silver accents and an antiqued pewter toggle clasp. A true statement piece.
We’re all tied to the earth, each other and everything by the threads of existence. She holds all the ends in her hand, and tugs gently on them, guiding us where She would like us to go. Be still, and discover where you are lead.
Ocean Floor
Originally designed for a custom piece, we’ve recreated these gorgeous ocean jasper, green opal, black agate, and sterling silver earrings so that we can offer them here. Earrings hang approximately 2″ from sterling earwire.
May Newsletter
Welcome to the May edition of the Sweet Tarragon newsletter!
Pre-Postage Hike Sale!
It’s May, so that means USPS rates are about to increase…so we’re having a 10% off Store-Wide sale to celebrate these last few days of shipping on the cheap. Place your order before midnight on May 9th to receive the discount.
Featured Item
White Dreams is our pick for this newsletter’s featured item. A howlite and sterling treasure inspired by my grandmother’s jewelry collection, regularly priced at $52.00, on clearance for $26, and on special sale for our newsletter readers for $19! Please mention the newsletter in the notes to seller at checkout and wait for a revised invoice.
Gift Certificates
So maybe you’ve forgotten that Mother’s Day is just around the corner (or maybe your mom’s just picky). Luckily for you, gift certificates are available in $10, $20, or any other denomination you’d like – send us an Etsy convo, email, or call for a custom listing. Now through the end of May, mention this newsletter and get a 25% bonus on your gift certificate purchase! You can even plan a gift for yourself…spend $40 and get $50 to use in our store on whatever you’d like.
And the Winner Is…
Amy Sharp has both won a$10 gift certificate good toward any item in our Etsy store. Congratulations, Amy – check your email for details! Want to be in the running for next month’s drawing? Contact us to get on our mailing list and be entered to win.
Event Schedule
It is that time of year again, and we’re excitedly ramping up for our spring and summer shows. Stop by and see our new wares!
~May 9-10: Skippack Spring Fest, Downtown Skippack, PA
~May 16: Arts Alive!, Quakertown, PA
~July 25: Crafts in the Grove, Neffs, PA
~September 12-13, Skippack Sidewalk Sale, Downtown Skippack, PA
~November 13-14, St. Sophia Greek Food Festival and Craft Fair, Jeffersonville, PA
Be sure to check out the locations page on our blog for up-to-the-minute event info and maps for each location.
Home Shows
If you’d like to handle our inventory, get exclusive first looks at our newest pieces, and earn free jewelry, contact us about booking a home show. Invite your friends and family over for a night of fun and jewelry, and get an early jump on your holiday shopping. You’ll earn a percentage in jewelry of all sales made and custom orders taken during your party! Contact us for details and to schedule your show.
That’s all until next month; don’t forget to take advantage of our great sale.
~Mer and Dani~
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.
Channeling Cinderella Winners and Losers
A few months ago, I designed a Cinderella-inspired necklace for the Channeling Cinderella challenge at Stringing Magazine. While we didn’t win, I’m very glad that I entered – designing for Cinderella took me into an area of beading where I don’t normally venture. The resulting piece, Eyes Up Here, is a three-strand Swarovski pearl and crystal necklace with a sterling heart toggle clasp. I love the necklace and am working on its sequel, Autumn at the Castle.
There were a lot of amazing entries – and even a tie for first place! They don’t have the winners posted yet on their site, but if you view the challenge entries here, keep an eye out for the winning pieces: #25, Jennifer Judd, and #60, Serena Polheber, tied for first place; #14, Cynthia Powers, in second place; and editors’ choice winner Tiffany Dodgen, #68. I do like Tiffany’s entry, and would love to see the focal piece up close.
Congratulations to the winners! Now…what to make for the Black and White Challenge? Hmm…
New Item: Guardian of the Soul
I originally designed this piece for Mer to wear at craft fairs and large outings, a bit of a shield against the large crowds. It’s a combination of aesthetics and my belief in the powers of certain gemstones.
The center bead is a gorgeous hunk of black tourmaline, and it is balanced top and bottom with sterling and garnet. The chain is plenty strong to bear the weight of the pendant, but fine enough to provide a balance to the chunky center piece.
Available in our Etsy shop and at this weekend’s craft fair!
Event Recap: Hatboro Strawberry Festival
We were lucky enough to vend at the Hatboro Strawberry Festival on June 21. I was a bit worried about being outdoors on the summer solstice, but a heavy dose of SPF 80 sunblock and our pop-up tent kept me safe (I burn like nobody’s business.)
Everything about the event was quite lovely. We were set up on the church lawn right at the sidewalk, so we got great foot traffic exposure. The event organizer, Kristen, was super-friendly and helpful, and all of the people we met – vendors and event-goers alike – were just plain wonderful. Among the ranks that day were Viola of Heavenly Scented Rocks, Del’s Delights bath & body products, K&L Original Kettle Korn (which was delish), Brenda Jones, who takes gorgeous pictures, a sweet gentleman (whose name I unfortunately forget) next to us selling hand-made country primitive wooden decorations, and Mike of Phat Head Caricatures, who drew the fabulous portrait of us you see above.
I read a comment that most/all of the jewelry at the show was resale, and as far as I can recall, that’s not true. There was a woman on the corner with beautiful sterling pieces (whose name I have unfortunately forgotten), and a booth in the back with some great wire-wrapping.
Overall, this was a wonderful event, and one we’ll almost certainly do again next year. I’d recommend this event for seasoned crafters and newcomers alike – everyone there was so helpful, this would be a cinch for a first-time event. The vendors even got free strawberry shortcake!
New Item: Betty in Blue
I’ll admit…all I can think of when I see this bracelet is Betty Rubble with her cute little wooly mammoth vacuum cleaner. I’d like to think that if she had some spending cash hidden away from Barney, this is the sort of thing she’d buy.
Sterling silver, black agate, and amazonite come together to make a gloriously stone-age statement. It’s practically a page right out of modern stone-age history.
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