Music + Jewelry = LOVE

I love a good love story and I also appreciate good music, so when the two come together and I get to participate it's beautiful thing. I recently had the pleasure of creating some one-of-a-kind gifts for a lovely couple who happen to have very good taste in music (and jewelry).

First, there was the ring. This couple loves Ray LaMontagne, has seen him perform live several times, and wanted to incorporate some of his lyrics into the custom ring design.

They selected the lyrics "forever my friend, forever my love" from the song "Forever My Friend" on his 2004 release Trouble.

Later, the husband reached out to me once again to order a custom sterling silver bracelet for his wife – this time with lyrics from another of their favorite musical artists, Brandi Carlile. Her song "Fall Apart Again" from her self-titled album contains this beautiful line: "As long as the day is full of time, there will always be room for your hand in mine."

The lyrics fit absolutely perfectly on this sterling silver cuff bracelet.
 

Valentine's Day is just two weeks away! But there's still time to order a custom gift for your special someone. I'll be working overtime this coming week to get all your orders shipped on time. What lyrics do you think would be perfect on jewelry for your sweetie? 

Contact me to talk about your gift idea today. 

This Needs No Explanation

BDN Maine Food and Gift Fair - A Recap

The BDN Maine Holiday Food and Gift Fair was held in Portland, Maine, yesterday – Saturday, November 30th – and I was very excited to take part. I do love food, and was sandwiched between Dean's Sweets and the Super Stick Food Flipper booth for the day.

Here's a look at my very official looking booth – it's the first show I've ever done where they put up pipe and drape! And my very own sign! This made it feel much more legit than the fairs I typically do.

The foot traffic was a bit light, and I'm not exactly sure why. Most people I talked to thought the event was well-advertised in local papers and online, but for whatever reason – possibly location – there just weren't too many people making their way out the Portland Company Complex. It does take a little extra effort to get there and parking can be an issue in Portland.

But no matter. I can ALWAYS find the silver lining. I had a great day getting to know my neighbors and admiring their work. I also made some excellent trades...

I traded with Eliza of Morris & Essex for a gorgeous box of letterpress holiday cards.

I satisfied my sweet tooth by bartering with Kristen and Dean of Dean's Sweets

Lucy from Lucy's Granola proposed a very tasty trade.

This one wasn't a trade, but was totally worth it! Peanut butter chocolate chip from Stone Fox Farm Creamery. The creamiest ice cream I have ever tasted.

The biggest highlight of the day for me was when a couple of gentlemen purchased a pair of my rubber chicken earrings for none other than Sally Struthers! They are friends of hers and when they saw these earrings they instantly thought of her. Hope she loves them!

Holiday Food and Gift Fair - Portland, Maine 11/30

When and Where:

November 30th, 2013

11am - 6pm

FREE admission!

58 Fore Street, Portland, ME

I'll be bringing along a new assortment of Lofted Designs necklaces and earrings (seaglass, beach stones, sterling silver, vintage buttons and more!), plus new bracelet designs, new ring designs, and a great assortment of pet tags. If you haven't seen me in person in awhile, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I actually plan to get most of my holiday shopping done at this show...it shouldn't be difficult. I'll be in great company with these incredible Maine-based food and gift vendors (this is just a small sampling of the booths I'm looking forward to checking out – there will be many more):

Casco Bay Butter Co. – All-natural artisan butters made from local dairy farm cream.

'Cue Culture – Small batched barbecue sauces

Dean's Sweets – Amazing hand-dipped truffles. Enough said.

Flowfold – Durable wallets & bags handmade from sailcloth

Jared DiSimio Maker – Bags & accessories made from vintage, antique and salvaged materials, each with a story to tell. 

Vena's Fizz House - Mixology Shop and Natural Soda Bar

Morris & Essex – The most stunningly designed & silkscreened, letterpressed and block-printed goods I have ever laid eyes on. Shirts, cards, scarves, bags and more. I want everything Eliza makes. All of the things.

Maine Blanket – 100% grass-fed sheep's wool blankets, solar hand-dyed in seawater and woven on antique looms. How cool is that? 

Baobab Organics – Sustainable, organic cotton clothing for kids

Fiber and Water – Natural burlap wall art featuring hand-pressed designs.

You can find more info and RSVP on their Facebook event page. Hope to see you there!

Freeport Fall Festival - This Weekend, September 28-29

This coming weekend, Saturday (10am-4pm) and Sunday (11am-4pm), head on up to Freeport, Maine for some glorious weather, fantastic shopping, and fabulous handmade goods at the 15th Annual Freeport Fall Festival!

More than 60 local artists will be exhibiting and selling their work, including photographers, painters, mixed media artists, jewelers, book artists, woodworkers, potters and other super crafty people. Lofted Designs will have a booth (#72 on the map) along the edge of L.L.Bean's Discovery Park – directly between the giant Bean Boot and the main stage. Catch live music throughout the weekend, plus they've added a new Maine food lineup this year! The two-day event is free, parking is easy and the forecast looks PERFECT.

Seriously, people, it does not get any better than this:

If the Fall Festival isn't incentive enough to visit Freeport, there are also hundreds of great stores, outlets, and boutiques located within a couple of blocks. C'mon guys, even I can't resist a North Face sample sale. And if shopping all weekend sounds like a total bummer and you'd rather just be outside, come check out the festival and then participate in Great Maine Outdoor Weekend or bring a lawn chair and take in some short adventure films at the Maine Outdoor Film Fest right on the L.L.Bean Campus at 7pm on Saturday. 

For detailed event information, check out the Freeport Fall Festival online brochure, visit their website or their Facebook event page.

Nearly Everyone I Know is Pregnant (a.k.a. I'm Shopping for New Mom Gifts)

It's true. It seems as though 80% of the women I know are pregnant right now. Which means I'm surrounded by happy, glowing friends and have several festive baby showers to attend. This means gifts. Lots and lots of baby shower gifts, newborn baby gifts and gifts for new moms and dads.

I always assume newborns will be gifted with tons of clothes they will outgrow in their first month of life, so I usually don't succumb to purchasing those adorable miniature outfits. Except for the occasional irresistible onesies and t-shirts for very special babies. Like these. And sometimes these.

Gift registries are great, but sometimes you want to give something a little more personal. That's why I think these necklaces are the best possible gift a new mom could receive.

I'll admit it, I'm biased. They are, of course, my own creation. But this idea for birthstone eternity necklaces was born (pun intended) from necessity. I was looking for a personal gift for a new mother and had a lot of trouble finding something special, yet affordable.

Not only are they custom and reasonably priced, they are handmade, sterling silver, and expandable for when baby #2, #3 and possibly even baby #4 arrive. Just order new circle pendants and you're good to go!

Two (and sometimes even three) names can even be combined onto one circle if they aren't too long – this is a popular option for twins and triplets.

Picnic Music + Arts Festival - August 24th, 2013

So much time, so little to do. No wait. Scratch that. Reverse it. 

The 6th Annual Picnic Music + Arts Festival (in my opinion, the very best arts event in Portland) is right around the corner, and I'm busy making TONS of new handcrafted jewelry and pet accessories for this event. Get a sneak peek of what you'll find at the Lofted Designs booth by visiting my Etsy shop!

The Details:

Saturday, August 24th – 11am - 6pm 

Lincoln Park, Portland, Maine (corner of Congress and Franklin)

Rain or shine (but let's all hope for shine)

There will be live music! (view schedule)

Preview all the amazing vendors! Hope to see you there.

Craft Fix - Sunday, 11/25 - Kittery, Maine

Greetings, holiday shoppers near southern Maine & Portsmouth! If you are sick of maddening big box doorbusters, crazy check-out lines, and crowded parking lots, I've got the perfect event for you. Come hang out at Craft Fix on Sunday! 

Lofted Designs will be there with a table full of sterling silver necklaces, rings, tie bars for men, sterling & vintage button earrings, NEW Jamaican beach stone earrings, pet tags, leather dog collars from P.D. Barkington, and more! 

The Details:

Buoy Gallery (next to the Black Birch)

2 Government St., Kittery, ME

10am - 5pm*

*Come early to avoid the crowds and get the best selection!

I'll be part of a truly great (and diverse) group of vendors this year. From jewelry, greeting cards and handbags to fresh caramels, knits, yoga mat bags and paper cut creations, you'll be able to shop for handcrafted and vintage items for everyone on your holiday list! Artists include (click the links for a sneak peek):

• Megan Stelzer (organizer extraordinaire)
• Annika Wisswaesser
• Danica Carlson
• Byrdy Dilando
• Jennifer Richmond
• Amy Jane Larkin
• Amanda Telford
• Amelia Davis
• Liz Battle
• Dylan Metrano
• Elizabeth Doherty
• Glenn Dilando
• Dan Blakeslee
• Margaret Dilando
• Erin Molloy
• Virginia Davis
• Lauren and Josh of Green Foundry
• Sophia Selden
• Tracy Mastro
• Frostline

BONUS: While you're in town, check out the incredibly beautiful exhibit at Drift Gallery around the corner and also the open artists studios down the road at Art on the Hill!

Close Buy Catalog 2012 – My Largest Order EVER

Lofted Designs was lucky enough to be selected once again to participate in Close Buy Catalog, a fundraising initiative to benefit schools and non-profits in Maine and beyond. The list of benefiting non-profits and schools grows each year, and I'm so honored to play a role in supporting these organizations. 

This year's fall fundraiser catalog was chock full of incredible products handcrafted in New England, and Lofted Designs pet tags were available in two styles:

I sold almost 100 tags (my largest and most production-intensive order to date), and tackled the project in small batches. Each tag was cut by hand from a large sheet of aluminum. I then filed the corners to round them, stamped the lettering and cut out the tiny hearts by hand with a small saw.

Once the hearts were cut out, I soldered silver rings to the top of each tag. 

After soldering, the lettering was darkened and each tag was carefully polished. And here they are: 

Each tag was placed into its own special pouch and they are finally ready for mailing! 

The final step – shipping to the fulfillment house in Lewiston, Maine, from which they (and many other great Close Buy Catalog products) will be distributed to schools and non-profits in early December. What a tremendous sense of accomplishment! A whole lot of pets in New England are about to get way more stylish. 

If you'd like to outfit your pets with some snazzy new tags in time for the holidays (they make perfect stocking stuffers), visit the pet accessories section of my Etsy shop to place an order today!

Etsy Maine Team Online Cash Mob In One Week

The Maine Team Cash Mob on Etsy is just one week away! Show your support for the truly talented members of the Etsy Maine Team.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Nearly 700 shops represented!

Now with over 13,000 unique handcrafted and vintage items!

Here's how it works:
1. Visit Etsy.com (or use the Etsy app on your tablet or smartphone)
2. Type "maineteam" into the search bar (one word)
3. GO SHOPPING!

For more specific results, you can also search for "maineteam jewelry" or "maineteam pet tags" (for example) to narrow your search.

You do not need to live in Maine to participate in our cash mob. This event is open to the world. Many shops will also be offering coupon codes and discounts valid on this day only (check individual shop announcements on Etsy for details).

Come join the fun, get a jump on your holiday shopping and show your support for Maine's online small businesses. Here's an easy link to take you directly to "Maineteam" items on Etsy: click here and start marking your favorite items now!

Wedding Inspiration – Alicia & William

On June 23rd, I was privileged to witness the marriage of two of my closest friends – Alicia and William. It was a truly magical day filled with laughter, sunshine, dancing, singing, happy tears and the most genuine and joyous revelry imaginable.

When the bride requested my earrings as gifts for the women in her wedding party, I was tremendously honored. She clearly had a vision for the day and knew she wanted the ladies to wear my brushed sterling silver teardrop earrings. Modern and simple, they would go with anything, which worked out great since the four fabulous ladies in the "wedding posse" (as they were called) were told they could wear anything they wanted.

Images by Jess Sheldon, Hazel Brown Photography

In these photos, the lovely Lizzie can be seen wearing Lofted Designs sterling silver teardrop earrings. Thanks to Alicia and William for including my jewelry in your special day! And special thanks to Jess and Lizzie for allowing me to share these photos. 

If you have a vision for your wedding that calls for something uniquely handmade, I hope you'll consider Lofted Designs accessories. Sterling silver tie bars also make terrific gifts for groomsmen. 

Picnic Music + Arts Festival - Saturday, August 25th

Guess what? It's time to get excited if you live within a reasonable driving distance of Portland, Maine! That's right...this coming Saturday is the 5^th Annual Picnic Music + Arts Summer Festival! Check it out on Facebook and tell all your friends. I am so honored to be a part of this festival again, surrounded by all of my favorite Portland artists!

This will be the first Lofted Designs public appearance of 2012, which means I will be debuting tons of new stuff at this weekend's event. I've just made some gorgeous picture jasper necklaces, lots of new sterling silver earring styles, fun new pet tags, and if we are all very lucky (and my husband can finish them on time), some gorgeous handcrafted dog collars.

All the details:
Saturday, August 25th – 11am - 6pm 
Lincoln Park, Portland (corner of Congress & Franklin Streets)

Rain or shine (but let's all hope for shine)

There will be live music! (view schedule)

Preview all the amazing vendors here

My booth this year is near the corner of Federal & Pearl Streets. 
I sure do hope you can make it!

Custom Rings - The Boo of Your Dreams

I make a lot of custom rings – in fact, these are one of my best-selling items. Many people choose to customize the inside of their rings with personal messages, initials or dates. Recently, I received an adorable custom ring order I can't resist sharing. 

A couple wanted matching sterling silver rings and they are huge fans of the TV show Parks & Rec. They were inspired by Tom Haverford's recent serenade to his "boo" Ann Perkins, and wanted their custom rings to pay tribute. Here's an audio clip for those of you not familiar with the show:

His ring would be stamped "I can be..." and hers would be stamped "the boo of your dreams" on the inside.

I took this "in-progress" photo as I made the rings.

As if their idea weren't awesome enough, I also received this amazing thank you email from them:

"We'd like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your creativity and time that you put into our purity rings. We have worn them every day since they arrived. We were also able to show them off while were in Nashville to our fellow Parks and Rec fan friends and they adored them. We are loving them, and are very pleased. You're awesome."

Hooray for happy customers!!! :D


Order your very own personalized ring here or contact me to discuss your creative ideas.

Craft Fix - Kittery, Maine - This Sunday!

Buoy Gallery — 2 Government St., Kittery, Maine

Sunday, November 27th, 2011

11 AM - 6 PM

Craft Fix is back for another year! So happy to be participating in this creative event. 

After you support Buy Nothing Day on Friday and Small Business Saturday, come over to Buoy in Kittery for CRAFT FIX, where you'll find locally handcrafted gifts for everyone on your list! Some of the seacoast's most talented artists and craftspeople will be there, so skip the outlets and malls and head downtown.

Sneak Peek at some Lofted Designs goodies for Sunday!

All types of handmade crafts will be represented including handcrafted jewelry, tote bags and purses, greeting cards, sculptures, pottery, photography and more. RSVP here or just show up! I'd love to see your face supporting handmade businesses this season!

***Note: If we are very, very lucky, the brand new Black Birch restaurant may be open in time for this event. It is right next door and looks very promising. Like them on Facebook to learn when they open.