Handcrafted Jewelry News from a Maine Jewelry Store

Ok. I promise to stop whining about the weather. It is what it is. Eventually it will be safe to go outside.

We received a huge order this week. Thirty seven pounds to be exact. Fun and funky costume jewelry in all the new colors for spring. Lots of beads and crystals and glass. Pearls and shells and lots of dangly earrings. I especially like the hinged cuff watches in so many colors. They’re so affordable you can have one for every occasion.

Then there’s the silver. Loads of sterling silver earrings and necklaces. Anklets and bracelets too. It takes time to put price tags on all this jewelry! But it should all be out by the weekend.

We’d be happy up here in the north if all April brought were rain showers. A full foot of heavy snow last week cramped everyone’s style and put a damper on spring festivities. Some homes are still without power today. Oh, the price we pay for beauty and quiet.

Meanwhile, the store has begun to receive the first of many orders of new jewelry. Handmade creations of every stripe and color. New sterling silver pieces by Portland’s favorite, Julie Howison. Colorful glass bead necklaces and earrings by Penrose look like strings of candy. Handwrought sterling silver linked chains in great lengths for layering by Thomas Kuhner. New stretchy headbands by Violet Love that hold your hair in style without slipping or giving you that “headband headache”. Lots of fun!

Maybe I’ll just stay indoors for the time being. It seems more like spring in here than out there . . .

Ok, so I jumped the gun on spring. What can I say? It’s Maine! We all know spring is never assured until May, at least.

Mainers are a hardy bunch. Even those from “away” who have lived here for many years and can’t rightly call themselves true Mainers must be brave souls. A good number of Freeport merchants are in this category, having braved the nasty weather to participate in Freeport’s “Spring” Fashion Show at the Hilton. A few merchants had the opportunity to set up displays around the perimeter of the catwalk, thus having perfect views of the fashions as they paraded the runway. It was very impressive, seeing the variety of clothing and accessories available in this little town. Although the turn-out was not as large as expected, everyone there successfully ignored the raging wind and snow outside for a little promise of spring inside.