Local silversmith shines on First Friday

Kristan wears her pod collection

Local silversmith Kristan T. Winand debuts her collections in our store at a First Friday reception 5-9 p.m November 5.  Her pieces sometimes incorporate movable parts (all the beads move in the cuff pictured here).   Kristan can also be found working for us Tuesdays!

See more of Kristan's work on facebook and her website. 

bead it up cuff

Maruca on sale!

We've decided to join the rest of retail humanity and have a sale.  We have to make room for the new fall line of Maruca bags (handmade in Boulder, Co), so all of the Maruca bags we now have in stock are 25% off.  If you haven't tried these bags - well, they're wonderful!  Even Jude bought one, so you know they have to be extra special - sturdy jacquard fabric designed by Maruca and woven in New York.

Stamp out loud

Jude's having fun with a new set of alphabet stamps.  For $95, you can have a sterling silver ring with words of your choice stamped on it.  The center ring above, for instance, is stamped with PEACE  LOVE  UNDERSTANDING.  We call it the What's So Funny ring (thank you, Elvis - no, not that one, the more recent one).  She'll also stamp on titanium for $165 (the right ring above).

A local business we love

Lancaster Surgical Supply doesn't look like much, with its windows crowded with walkers, canes, and other medical equipment.  Treasures await inside, however.  When you enter, you'll hear, "May I help you?", and  you'd better take him up on it.

You'll need help locating, for instance, the world's best band-aids (Coverlets - we swear by them, and nasty things do happen to jewelers' fingers).  Or tidy little packets of alcohol-saturated pads, ideal for wiping down earrings before clients try them on.

The other day, Jude wanted to make sure the exhausted pickle* was neutralized before she sent it down the drain.  Off I went to LSS, on the off chance he'd have litmus paper.  He did - two kinds, one for alkaline substances and one for acidic substances.  I told him (I'd like to give the owner a name, but I don't know it - he did tell me he's a pharmacist) how we marveled at his inventory.  He gets calls daily, he said, from pharmacies looking for items they'd never heard of.  Chances are, he knows what it is and Lancaster Surgical Supply has it.

Lancaster Surgical Supply, 214 N. Duke, Lancaster, PA 17602 (717) 397-2763

*a dilute acidic solution use to remove oxide (formed when heating/soldering metal)

The village smithy takes to the street

It's a windy, not-raining day for the block party, and here Jude is, plying her trade 'twixt shop and soft pretzel truck.

The next best thing to the beach...

Mona Steinhauer brings the beach to us with her photography exhibit Beach Glass and More.  We will host an opening reception 6 - 9 p.m . Friday June 4.  Her photos will be on display through June.

Under the spreading chestnut tree...

Jeremy Hess Photographers/JH

Jude, our village smith (gold and silver) will be forging bracelets on her anvil in front of our shop for the 300  Block Festival here on the 300 block of North Queen St. 11-5 p.m Sunday June 6.  She's a lot of fun to watch!

Executive assistant wanna-be

Roxie has taken to climbing up on the chair by herself. We're waiting for her to tell us about her career goals.

Why is this still here (vol. 3)?

Jude does very interesting things with a piece of silver wire.  In this case, she formed it into a cuff, cut out recessed areas and inlaid 18k yellow gold.  The polished gold shines out from the matte finish on the silver.  A flush-set diamond completes the piece.  It's elegant, but looks great with jeans, too.

Why are these still here (vol. 2)?

These 18k gold rings by Suzy Landa just make us happy.  They can be worn singly or stacked with other rings.  The center semi-precious stone (the blue stone is blue zircon, the red rubellite, and the green peridot) is surrounded by small diamonds.

Gail Vollrath featured artist for April First Friday

We're hosting an opening reception 6-9 p.m. Friday April 2 for Gail Vollrath, a Washington, D.C. based artist.  Her abstract paintings and mixed media work represent the day, current affairs, conversations and events.  Vollgrath uses media such as china marker, oil bar and oil-based paint pens along with oil paint on canvas, paper and board, to create complex, two-dimensional surfaces.  To see more of her work and background, go to www.gvollrath.com.

Andrea models Maruca's green bags

Andrea made us laugh when she decked herself out in green Maruca bags in honor of St. Patrick's Day.  These fun and practical bags are made in Boulder, CO.  The fabric is designed by Maruca and woven in New York

Why is this still here (vol. 1)?

When you're taking jewelry out of the safe every morning and putting it back every night, you get to know each piece intimately.  With some pieces, you wonder, "What was I thinking when I ordered this?"  Other pieces just grow on you - you admire the finish, the weight, and the design.  Sometimes the latter sell quickly, but sometimes they don't - hence the title of this post.

One such piece is a sterling silver necklace made by Cynthia Lammers.  The donut-like discs with their matte finish are pleasingly chubby and the overall proportions are just right. 

March First Friday features Susanne Mundok

After seeing Susanne Mundok's acrylic-on-canvas interpretations of old family photos, Jude and I wanted to host a show of her work.  We hope you can join us for an opening reception with Susanne 6 - 9 p.m. Friday March 5.  Her paintings will be on exhibit through March 31.

Good-bye, dear Buddy

We said good-bye to our dear friend Buddy, our Brittany, December 21.  Buddy was 14 years old.  Jude got him when he was a little puppy.  "He was the best dog I ever had," she says.  We miss him very much.