Holiday Trunk Show

I know that Halloween was just a few days ago but as a small business owner I am looking toward the holiday season.  I'm preparing for my Holiday Trunk Show (Yes, Marlene will be here with her baked goods) and thinking of pieces that would make lovely, versatile gifts for that deserving girl on your list. Or maybe you need something for the holiday cocktail party? Evening out with friends? Nutcracker ballet? Rest assured I will have plenty of standards: sparkling quartz, classic pearls, and stocking stuffers. A peek at what I'm working on today....

Metals! Gold and silver....Always appropriate and wearable with everything.

So put the election behind you and stop in Saturday, November 12, 2016 from 11-3.  Marlene and I will be here with coffee and cookies and a nice selection of Zippity Doodads.

Regards,

Mark your calendar....

Fall Artful Affair

There has been a lot of behind the scenes preparation for the Artful Affair on October, 1st and I am so pleased to welcome 11 artists to share the day and my home!  This year we have the following:

• Springwater Hills Pottery
• Helen C Stetina, Helen's Treasures (incredible punch needle work)
• Marlene's Baked Goods (my talented mother and her decadent desserts)
• Denise Maughan, oil painter
• Curious Cat and Painted Dog (everything you need to decorate for the season)
• Pamelajean Werner, woven wear (I am a fan of her wraps)
• Log House Candle Co.
• Rustic Frames by Cherise (excited to have her in my house so I can have my latest orders delivered personally ;)
• Hooktastic Designs (hats? wreaths? new baby means new surprises from Lauren)
• Nisey's Wine Drops

The house will be bustling, coffee will be poured, and it doesn't matter what the weather because we are all under roof!

Stop by: 1104 Middletown Rd, Greensburg  11-3.

Looking forward to welcoming you to my favorite event!





You can follow me on Facebook or instagram @zippitydoodads

Falling Leaves

The studio is in full swing preparing for Zippity Doodads' last Ligonier Country Market appearance Saturday September 10th, and the Fall Artful Affair on October 1st.  The focus this week is on creating sterling leaves that will become earrings or embellish necklaces.  They take some time as they begin as a sheet of sterling silver. A little patience, sore thumbs, and several hours are required for these to turn out just right and here is a glimpse at what was accomplished today.....

Not sure how these will be used yet, stop by the market on Saturday and see what takes shape!

Wishing you all the best,

Transitioning

While we are truly aware that this is still August many of us are preparing for the new school year. Whether it is preparing a child for kindergarten or graduate school we feel the end of summer approaching.  It is in these last hot days of summer that I begin to think of designing pieces that will take us easily from summer to fall.  Still warm, still light, but allowing the wearer to pass effortlessly from summer to fall.  Those were my thoughts when I studied my workbench.  I found some Czech glass with such a sparkle that it caught my eye.  Perhaps because it was from a country I had just visited or maybe it was the way it reflected the sunlight, regardless, it was the focal point of my newest pieces....

But I'm still using plenty of pearls and restocked my inventory of pearl-leather pieces.  I'll be at the Ligonier Country Market this Saturday, August 13th, 2016 if you want to stop by and check them out.

Also....The Artful Affair is taking shape and on my calendar for October 1st, so please mark yours!

All the best to you,

The peak of summer

We are smack dab in the middle of summer and the temperatures are proof.  This is that sweet smelling, sultry, slow moving time of year and when it comes to designing jewelry I am torn between light and simple pieces and icy-cool chunky pieces.  Do I want to make something that sits lightly on the skin and catches the light or do I want a bolder piece that is clear and cool? As is typical, I chose both directions and decided to leave it to the customer to decide!

Here is a peek at the designs from this week....

I'll be bringing these and many more to the Ligonier Country Market this Saturday, July 16, 2016 8AM - noon.  Stop by and share your opinion!

Wishing you a wonderful summer day,

The Turquoise Coast....

We've just returned from an incredible trip that found us in Istanbul, Turkey.  The city is large and bustling and so colorful. One of the tidbits that I learned was that the word turquoise has its origins in French and means Turkish Stone. I can attest to that color being the most accurate description of the Bosphorus Strait, and maybe someday I'll travel to Antalya, along the famous Turquoise Coast of Turkey.  I've returned inspired and the weather is starting to become that perfumed and heavy summer air,the perfect season for wearing turquoise.  With that in mind I've been busy on some new pieces for this Saturday's Ligonier Country Market.  (June 18, 2016, 8-noon).  Here's a peek:

And here is some of that turquoise inspiration.....

 

Hope to see you at the market!

It's Farmer's Market Season!

Zippity Doodads kicks off the Ligonier Country Market Season this Saturday.....Sun will be shining and I am excited to say hello to friends I haven't see since last fall!

The Spring Artful Affair!

Lots of talented artists and delicious treats.....Hope you can stop by!

Feels like Spring

It is so hard to decide how to begin introducing spring into our daily wardrobe when some days are cold and wet and some sunny and breezy. In all my activities, whether volunteering, working, creating, or just out and about, I tend toward neutrals and the easiest way to bring in the spring is with my jewelry.  The pieces I've been working on are inspired by a dried bunch of hydrangeas that I harvested from my yard last year. They were in my studio just waiting for me to notice that winter had made its exit...I've been really infatuated with these blossoms and the palette they inspire, see for yourself:

It is difficult to hold back a smile when looking at this soft collection of lime, periwinkle, and rose quartz.  It is like nature's shout out to Pantone's color of the year. I think I will continue in this vein for a while as I build my inventory for the upcoming Artful Affair on April 30th, the Ligonier Country Market season, and the refresh at the Westmoreland Museum of Art.  

And what would I pair this with in my fantasy wardrobe?  Well, a lovely Eileen Fisher dress from Garnet Hill..... Or maybe a beautiful lace up tee at Madewell...Hmm. Better whip up some new jewelry to fund this fantasy!

Wishing you blue skies and warm breezes,

Planning, designing, and dreaming of spring....

February is typically the month that Zippity Doodads begins to make prototypes of design scribbles and musings that took shape in January. Purchases are made, new techniques are tested, and pieces begin to evolve. A perfect activity for the end of February, that pre-spring month.

This February I am also working on one of my favorite projects: A wedding. I love making pieces for weddings! Each bride is different but they all have a few characteristics in common: they are excited, they are happy, and their creative juices are in full swing. Sometimes it is a simple piece for the bride, sometimes elaborate pieces for the bridesmaids, sometimes a trinket for the flower girl or mother-of-the-bride, and sometimes the whole shebang. Regardless, brides are a joy to work with.  We meet and look at photos, fabric swatches, and raw materials. We discuss themes, budgets, and Pintrest.  It is a collaborative process and I typically propose to make several prototypes for her to select from. This wedding is no exception. The colors to work with are navy and blush.  The stones: pearls (in unconventional applications) and Swarovski crystals. The approach: simple, yet eye catching. So I have been having a grand time designing approximately a dozen pieces for the bride to select from.


Here is a sneak peak before even Lauren gets to see them (Shhh!):

While I've made jewelry for over 20 weddings and I say that this one is my favorite, to be honest, each one is my favorite.  Each bride is the most lovely and I am always tickled to have contributed to their special day.

So while I am thinking about the upcoming Artful Affair, inventory for the beautiful new Museum Shop, and dates for the Ligonier Country Market I'm really hearing those wedding bells!