Artfully Elegant — Handmade Jewelry & Handcrafted Gifts

Although the winter wonderland idea is fun at first, the cold is getting old. Let’s get excited for spring! Sure, cleaning out your entire house is part of the season, but why not freshen up the house with some vibrant paintings for the walls. Peter Krobath’s original oil paintings are just what your house needs to get you in the spring set of mind. With a variety of shapes, sizes, and subject matter to choose from, Krobath’s art is perfect for any room of any home. Working in both oil and watercolor, Peter is a photo realist, often times capturing his idyllic scenes right from his backyard. Most of his paintings are set in the Hudson Valley area of New York, but they could easily be our very own Lehigh Valley. One of my current favorites is Sugar Maple Afternoon, but if you’re really looking for something to brighten your day I highly suggest any of his Sunflower series. Peter Krobath continues to capture every detail of the richness and purity the American countryside has to offer. Don’t gaze at his work through a computer screen; come see how bold his work really is. Let his work warm your home and your heart.

Our children’s section at Artfully Elegant has been exploding recently. The biggest bang for your buck, it seems, has been our Modern Moose three dimensional wall hangings and clocks. After 25 years as an industrial designer for a big name companies, Paul Ocepek went out on a limb producing his personal designs. He blames it partially on the purchase of a laser cutter to appease his gnawing midlife crisis. However, that impulse buy has proven to be quite profitable. Paul designs and builds his laser cut wood wall hangings and clocks in “Moosachusetts”. The mix of natural materials and themes, with bright colors, clean lines, and bold patterns make every customer smile. Who can resist a shark clock, with a fishbone for a pendulum hanging from its mouth? Or a polkadotted moose with a purple rack? They bring to mind the trophies often seen hunting family homes, but with the humor of a saturday morning cartoon. You can feel good about these products not only because they are handmade in the USA, but because they use safe materials. Each one is crafted from sustainably harvested baltic birch plywood and printed with non-toxic, water based inks. No glue or chemical coatings either. We’re in love with all of these wall pieces. Visit us to pick the right one for you!

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! We know there are many ways to let your partner know you love them. You can spell it out for them, sing it, and even shout it from the mountaintops! Why not say “I love you” a different way this year. Rebecca Coagan of COATT Jewelry has the solution with her Morse Code Collection. Through the use of the dots and dashes of Morse code, this collection is an elegant token of appreciation for anyone in your life. With sayings like “love me do,” “wild horses,” “sweetheart” and more, you’re sure to find the right combo. The vibrant, sleek silk cords and slender gold are a beautiful way to take anyone’s breath away. Show them how much you care with COATT’s understated pieces of poise and purpose. Whether it’s for a good friend, or your one and only, the Morse Code Collection is the perfect way to tell them just how much they mean to you.

Shopping for any small children? Stop by Artfully Elegant and check out our latest in kids toys, including the whimsical creations from Little Korboose! April Nemeth is the brains and artistic brawn behind Little Korboose. By day she works as a graphic designer and illustrator in Cleveland Ohio, but at night her imagination runs free in her playful sketches. These sketches often become big, squishy pillow pals, kids tees, and art prints to decorate you walls. Little Korboose products have a sketchy, childlike quality combined with a sophisticated design sense, making them accessible to children while still appealing to adults. Here at Artfully Elegant we have just begun to carry her screen printed pillows, in a large and mini sizes. From bright pink elephants to smiling blue robots, there is certainly one that you’ll want to take home and squeeze. We are also offering a range of screen prints by April including airplane, bicycle, helicopter, and skateboard prints. Frame them as a collection or individually to add a little fun to your home. With Little Korboose products you are also sure to get something made in America, from materials that are sourced in the most sustainable manner possible. Just visit us and hug a pillow. You won’t be sorry.

November isn’t too early to get caught up in the holiday spirit is it? We say NO. Especially when cocktails are involved. Artfully Elegant will be just one of many stops on the Downtown Bethlehem Association’s Cocktail Trail on Saturday, November 23rd. Purchase a passport on DBA’s website and sample over 20 New Year’s cocktails at participating Bethlehem shops, all decked out for for the most wonderful time of the year. Make the most of those four hours of fun, by arriving right at 1 pm for the opening. The tour will only last until 5pm, just in time to grab a meal at one the great eateries on Main Street. We at Artfully Elegant are cooking up our own creative concoction called Red Nose Punch. One part bourbon, a twist of lime, a hint of cranberry and a big artful secret. You’ll have to try it to find out. Don’t forget to stay awhile and maybe purchase a cocktail ring to set you apart as a connoisseur on the trail.

Getting recognized in New York City’s fashion world is hard, but it seems like Julie Nolan was destined to make a name for herself with her jewelry. Maybe this kind of success was evident in her astrological charts, which she calls to mind in her Mazzaroth collection. After working as a make up artist 10 years ago, Julie took up an interest in ‘charming’ that led to an intensive jewelry course and her future career. She made a name for herself at art markets, producing jewelry on a grand scale from within her Manhattan studio apartment. Through her handwork, and perhaps a litttle bit of fate, she was able to move to Western Massachusetts, into a house and much larger studio. This is where she crafts the items you will find in our store this fall. We at Artfully Elegant are excited to carry Julie’s line of necklaces and charm and hinged bracelets, all featuring the constellations associated with the 12 zodiac signs.The simple and clean designs were patterned after a Swiss calendar from the 1900s. The largest holes represent the brightest stars in each constellation. Every piece is hand stamped with a three letter abbreviation of the corresponding constellation on the back as well. They are the perfect pieces to represent your place in the cosmos. And they certainly make it easier to avoid the ultimate pick up line cliche 😉

Is everyone always telling you you’re hard to shop for? Are you tired of not getting what you want? Are you over pretending to love your gifts, even when you don’t? Come by our shop on Main Street in Bethlehem and fill out one of our brand new wish lists. One of our lovely associates will help you get all of the pertinent information on the card: your personal info, who we should send the list to, and most importantly, all of your favorite items in the shop! Whether it’s jewelry, artwork, or stuff for the kids, we’ll get all of the proper artist names, product names and codes, and prices noted on the card. There will be absolutely no confusion – we want you to get what you love! We’ll keep a card on file here at the shop, plus send a copy to whomever you designate. Plus if you tell your loved ones about the list, they can call or come into the store and we’ll be able to tell them exactly what’s on it. We are really excited about these new lists, so hurry into the store soon to fill yours out!

Yikes! Mother’s Day is Sunday May 12 – only a little over 2 weeks away! And if you are anything like us here at Artfully Elegant, you have yet to get your very hardworking and deserving mother the perfect gift! Good thing we have a number of excellent gifts available instore. The recycled sterling styles from Figs and Ginger are a perennial favorite with mothers – just pick the style with the number of baby birds that reflects your family! We also are carrying new wooden charms by this artist – perfect for someone searching for a personalized gift on a budget, since charms are only $6 each! Baroni charm necklaces are another great way to customize a gift for mom! Add which ever charms you like – initials, birthstones or shape charms will be sure to touch any mother’s heart. If it’s your lovely lady’s very first Mother’s Day, take a peek at the Dogeared New Mom necklace. The little safety pin is totally charming. 😉 Don’t forget about grandma this Mother’s Day! Kathy Bransfield has the perfect necklace to honor your family’s matriarch. Maybe you’d like to branch out and get Mom something a little different than jewelry this Mother’s Day.  If so, we recommend one of the beautiful Beth Ann Ballek glass flowers, or one of the many handcrafted Cedar Mountain art blocks we have in store. Either gift is guaranteed to make the ladies in your life smile. But most importantly, we at Artfully Elegant would like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all the influential mothers in our lives, whose care, guidance, and love has helped us grow into the people we are today.  We love you, Moms.

Art has always had the unique ability to present a social commentary in a powerful, and often beautiful way; the Caliber Collection, one of the newest lines here at Artfully Elegant, proves jewelry can do so as well. Created out of the metal of two hundred and fifty guns and bullet casings seized by the Newark Police Department, these bronze and steel bracelets are equal parts symbol of renewal and stunning arm candy. Originally inspired by Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s strong words about the insidious problem of gun violence, especially in his own city, founder and designer Jessica Mindich decided to utilize her sleek bangles as a unique fundraising opportunity.  Proceeds from the sales of the Caliber Collection go back to the Newark buyback program. In fact, Mindich has already donated back more than $20,000 from Caliber sales. Each bracelet is shaped in an oval, to represent the trigger cage of a gun, an area capable of so much violence,  and now a symbol of redemption.  Even the name, Caliber, was chosen for its double meaning: the caliber of a gun and how the caliber of a city is raised when illegal guns are taken off its streets. Each style is hammered by hand, not only showing the hard work it takes to fully create the design, but the hard work and determination it takes to clear the streets of gun violence. Available in small, medium, and large (as well as an open, one-size-fits-most cuff), we have the perfect Caliber Collection bracelet for you!

Located in Boulder, Colorado, Christine Marguerite Designs is a custom design retail jewelry studio, led by owner/designer Linda Kozloff-Turner.  With over 38 years of experience in jewelry design, Linda has created lines for the likes of Tommy Bahama and Canadian clothing designer Linda Lundstrom.  The name Christine Marguerite has deep emotional ties to Linda; in fact, it was the name on her birth certificate before she was given up for adoption by her mother, a Blackfoot Indian. Both spiritual and naturalistic, Linda holds the environment in high regard, and uses only non-mined precious metals, recycled to minimize the environmental impact of traditional mining practices, and all of her diamonds, like all the artists we carry at Artfully Elegant, are conflict-free. Linda often creates custom wedding and engagement bands specific to that couple’s love story; one line, known as “The Meaningful,” showcases rings created out of the same piece of metal for both bride and groom! We are fortunate to be carrying an exclusive line from Christine Marguerite Designs here at Artfully Elegant.  Linda used the twelve common birthstones to inspire a pair of earrings and a necklace for each month of the year.  My personal favorites are these stunning December earrings (pictured on left). The turquoise nuggets and hammered silver add an organic texture to the smooth Tahitian pearls.  The November earrings (pictured on right), with their large hammered gold fill component, swiss blue topaz briolettes, and Tahitian pearls are also show-stoppers. Check out Christine Marguerite Design’s page on our website, or stop by in store to see even more of her fantastic birthstone inspired work.