Artfully Elegant — Handmade Jewelry & Handcrafted Gifts

Happy Valentine’s Day, America! Don’t worry if you’ve procrastinated this holiday and still haven’t found that perfect gift – we at Artfully Elegant are here to help! Whether your Valentine is very traditional, or likes to have a little more fun with his/her look, we have something sweet for any relationship. Luckily for you this Valentine’s Day, not only can we help you find the perfect gift, but you can easily enter to win  $50 Artftully Elegant Gift Card. The steps are easy: Step 1: Take a picture of your happy honey with their stupendous Valentine’s Day gift from Artfully Elegant. Step 2: Post the picture on one (or more!) social media sites, and let your friends admire your good taste, by tagging us in the photo: Facebook – @ArtfullyElegant Twitter – @ArtfullyElegant Instagram – #artfullyelegant Step 3: Encourage your friends to “like” or “favorite” your picture! The photograph with the most collective “likes” by February 16, 2013, will win a $50 gift card to Artfully Elegant! There is no minimum price to participate, and items can be purchased in store or online, so there is nothing stopping to stop you from entering! If you have any questions about our contest, feel free to call us toll-free at 855-278-3851 or email me ellen.williams@artfullyelegant.com!

We are very excited to announce that we are now carrying the Citizen Watch line in our store and online. We have funky watches; we have artsy watches; now we have the classic Citizen Watch. Citizens are great because they are powered by light, meaning you’ll never have to worry about replacing the battery. Even better, they have a five year limited warranty, so most anything will be covered by Citizen. What I really love about Citizen is how wide ranging their styles are. They have traditional, classic styles, like a two-toned men’s bracelet or they improve upon that, like the Stiletto. It’s a traditional style, but done in a nontraditional, black finish. It’s perfect for the guy who wants to step out of the box, but not too far. If he loves the bells and whistles, I’d recommend the Blue Angels watch pictured above at left. With more functions than I can name, this watch is not only great looking, but functional. Of course, we didn’t forget about the women. Like the men, we carry everything from classic styles to trendier pieces. Right now, you can’t go wrong with a ceramic watch, like this one, accented with real white diamonds. Perhaps you’re not used to wearing a larger watch, so the D’Orsay pictured above right is a nice way to bridge that gap. Larger than Citizen’s other ladies styles, but not so big as a men’s style watch, the D’Orsay is a great round watch, again accented with white diamonds and blue hands. As a special thank you to our blog readers, please use coupon code Citizen15 now through February 14th and receive 15% off your purchase of a Citizen Watch. We can’t wait to see what you think of them!

Searching for the perfect holiday gift? Artfully Elegant can help! This Saturday and Sunday, we will be hosting a Heather Moore Jewelry Mini-Trunk Show during our standard business hours.  We’ve already gotten a peek at some of the pieces we have ready for sale – you won’t be disappointed with this selection of charms, harriet stones, and more.  We even have charms featuring some of Heather Moore’s new design techniques, including embossing and colored enamel. Don’t worry if none of the charms we have on display suite your fancy – this is also the LAST WEEKEND to order customized charms and receive them before Christmas, without a rush fee! We will be happy to help you design the perfect gift for yourself or a loved one.  Don’t worry if you are not local – we can easily work with you through email or over the phone this weekend as well! So be sure to stop by in-store or give us a call from 10am – 7pm this Saturday, December 1, or from 12pm – 5pm Sunday, December 2. And feel free to stop by the Heather Moore Page on our website for even more examples of what you can create when you “cherish who you are” with Heather Moore.

TONIGHT, from 6-9pm, is the Artist Reception for our current photography show, Fresh Eyes: A Modern Look at Landscapes. Featuring four exceptional young photographers, Alyssa Andrew, Calli Higgins, Jeffrey Bell, and Timothy Gangi, this show engages the viewer in multiple viewpoints of both urban and rural settings. With prices starting at $75, this show has a range of sizes and prices, making it affordable for every budget! Whether you are looking for framed archival prints or a large canvas showstopper, we have the perfect piece to spice up your wall. This show will be up until December 3, so if you cannot make the reception tonight, don’t fret! But if you’d like to see some great photography with some great company (and a few snacks) make sure you stop by tonight from 6 – 9 pm.

We got a big shipment of new items from Anne Sportun last week and it’s all absolutely beautiful. Arriving just in time for the holidays (I know it’s early for holiday talk, but when it comes to handmade items, it’s never too early!!), we have a lot of options for you! I am loving the new wrap bracelets they’ve come up with over at Anne Sportun. My favorite might be the pyrite, but the hematite that’s pictured is stunning as well. Best of all, these bracelets can be worn doubled up as a tighter, choker type necklace or simply leave it long. The little gold hex bead breaks up the pattern of the beads and the tied gold clasp is a wonderful touch. We were practically sold out of earrings from Anne, so we stocked up on those too. The chain earrings pictured are simple and delicate, but still make a statement. My personal favorites are definitely the green garnets. Rori is blonde, Ellen is a redhead, I’m a brunette and these look good on all 3 of us! Check out Anne’s entire collection here, and as always, if you’re searching for something and we don’t have it, let us know and we will track it down for you.

We are excited to announce our newest artist, Beth Mueller. Beth’s tiny ceramic vases are hand-painted with simple phrases and images. We think they are the perfect gift, regardless of the occasion. Maybe you have a wedding coming up. We love the Happily and Ever After vases paired together. Or if you have a friend that just needs a pick me up, check out Friends or Happiness. My personal favorite is definitely the Enjoy vase, with it’s little adirondack chair. It reminds of perfect summer afternoons, spent relaxing with a good book and a cold beverage. Best of all, these vases retail at $50 or less, with most of them at $25 or $30 each. They’re perfect when you need something quickly, but aren’t looking to break the bank. Check out her entire collection now!

As September approaches, so too does the second annual Bethlehem Fashion Show! This year’s event, being hosted on September 22 in the Celtic Classic Grand Pavilion Tent at 5:30, is going to be an event to remember. Unlike last year’s all day affair, this year all FIFTEEN participating boutiques will present their Fall and Holiday trends in one, single epic combined show, that will certainly show that shopping local is not only great for the small businesses of the Lehigh Valley, but also great for your wardrobe! In addition to the fifteen clothing boutiques sending looks down the runway, Bethlehem salons and accessory boutiques will be highlighting some of their favorite pieces as well, included Artfully Elegant! As for which boutique we will be paired with, well let’s just say that is a mystery for now, but looking at some of the excellent downtown stores represented, including Loose Threads Boutique, Apotheca Salon and Boutique, Sophistikate and more, there are plenty of fantastic options. Don’t worry guys – with menswear from Homebase Skateshop and Donegal Square among others, you will find plenty of styles to inspire your wardrobe as well. Begin the night at the cocktail hour, tunes courtesy of DJ Discreet, and stick around for an amazing after party, featuring yummy treats from Yianni’s and an explosive live performance from The Waffle Stompers.  Tickets are limited and already on sale, buy yours here before they are gone! Want to reserve seating? Corporate packages are also available.  Feel free to check out the Bethlehem Fashion show on Facebook and Twitter (@BethlhmFashion) as well, for continuos updates! In honor of the upcoming Bethlehem Fashion show, and due to the incredible fashion available in local boutiques, we are beginning a new feature called “What’s HOT to Wear.”  Each week, we will highlight a look from one of the participating boutiques, and what Artfully Elegant styles we would pair it with. Stay tuned for our first post – It will be up shortly!

Welcome kudu-lah critters to AE! Fun and affordable, these little critters are just waiting for you to take them home! Inspired by both the pets and people he meets in late night New York City, artist Kenneth Kudulis creates each piece of artwork by hand through their own unique photo transfer process. The special print is then mounded to a wooden block, ready to hang and bring a smile to your face! Each collectible Mason Jar Critter (3.5” x 4.5”) comes with a name and little biography, and are super affordable at only $15! They are the perfect gift for imaginations young and old – I know I can’t wait to start my collection with Plumb, the leader of the critter crew! We also love Shark Jr.! Just remember, if you’re out late in NYC and acting critter-y, you could be the inspiration for the next kudu-lah critter!

We are excited to introduce our newest artist, tru.che. Artist Stevie Koerner fashions your home state, or maybe your adopted state, into a stunning pendant. Stevie works with fine silver, which is 99.9% pure, compared to sterling silver, which is only 92.5% silver. Each state or country has a heart cutout, which you can specify where you’d like your heart to be. We stocked up with a bunch of Pennsylvanias and New Jerseys for our shop, but we couldn’t forget about our friends in Cali, Illinois, and Florida. We also grabbed a few countries like Italy and the good ol’ United States, plus the entire continent of Africa. Looking for something we don’t have or want to specify where the heart should go? Simply email us and we’ll coordinate your custom piece with the good folks at tru.che.

The AE team had a long, busy day in New York on Monday. As we do twice a year, we packed up the Family Truckster and made the 75 mile trek to the New York International Gift Fair in New York City. This year, we adopted a divide and conquer approach – Ranjeet and Ellen were on the hunt for new artists for our Home sections, while Rori and I were left to explore all of the amazing jewelry. While we love the NYIGF, the problem is that so many of our artists attend, so we spend part of the time catching up and checking out what’s new! It was great to see Barb and Suzanne at Anne Sportun, Noelle from ZPots, Lyndsey and Heather from Heather Moore Jewelry, Kate from Polli, Stephen Estelle, and so many more I’m probably forgetting! Point being, it can be hard to balance catching up with our friends and finding new artists to join our collection. Rest assured, this winter’s show did not disappoint. Here’s a quick rundown of all the new artists we added. Look for longer, individual blog posts as their work arrives in the shop in the coming weeks!

• Thomas Mann [pictured] – Thomas grew up in Allentown, PA – a mere ten minute drive from our store in Bethlehem. He’s been living and working in New Orleans since the late 70s, expanding his “Techno-Romantic” style into a fully realized collection. We should have some jewelry in as early as next Monday or Tuesday!
• Dolan Geiman – Dolan considers himself a mixed media artist – meaning he works with a variety of materials on varying mediums. Incorporating found objects, reclaimed wood, and other materials, Dolan’s work merges folk art with urban style.
• Molly M Designs – Ever since Tivi went back to their roots and stopped making jewelry, we have missed having some wooden jewelry in the shop. Molly fills that niche nicely! Her wooden pendants and earrings are laser cut with intricate designs. They are super light weight and perfect for every day.
• Beth Mueller – Rori and I immediately fell in love with Beth’s tiny ceramic vases, mugs, and plates. Each one is hand painted with an image and a little saying. My description leaves something to be desired, but I immediately fell in love with the image of a penguin and “hi.” written in Beth’s thin, reedy handwriting.
• Rebel – We can’t forget about the men, so we picked up a bunch of Rebel’s masculine leather bracelets in a variety of colors. To be honest, I even liked some of them for myself, so these can definitely be unisex for the woman looking to make a statement.
• Sheila Fajl – Hailing from Brazil, Sheila’s jewelry is big and bold. We picked up a ton of hoops and statement earrings and necklaces in silver, yellow gold, and rose gold. I owned a pair of Sheila’s earrings before we added her, so I am very excited for these to come in!
• One Swell Gal – We are expanding into something we’ve never done before – clothing! Natasha Keller screen prints scarves, cardigans, and T-shirts in her studio in Upstate New York. We fell in love with her bird and peacock motifs. Strangely enough, Natasha and I went to the same high school in rural New Jersey!