Spring Is Here

The months leading up to spring are my most creative time of the year. I’m done with holiday orders, things slow down a little on Etsy, and craft show season is behind me, so my mind is freed up to think, while my hands are freed up to experiment with new ideas in the studio. This year, on the first day of spring, I launched several new handmade jewelry collections I’d been working on and developing throughout the dreary winter months. Here’s a recap of all things new at Once Again Sam. 

Geometric & Geometric Florals

An addition to my most popular collection, Curious Cameos, these designs are more abstract than their predecessors. Inspired by textile patterns, these designs are done in vibrant colors for spring. I used my laser cutter to etch the intricate designs into hand painted wood, then set the wood in a metal bezel. The pendants, earrings, and rings are all very easy to customize. 

Geometric & Geometric Floral Designs

Dipped in Color 

For this clean modern look, I combined exotic and dyed wood veneer with matte acrylic paint. I love the contrast of the wood with the paint. This collection, like the rest of the cameo-style pendants, uses commercial settings in order to keep the price affordable, and are easy to customize. Available as horizontal or diagonal, which can be done on small & large pendants, earrings, and rings. 

Dipped in color series

Painted Wooden Pendants

Laser etched maple and walnut wood is painted then sealed with Danish oil. These designs are geometric and are created through a process that reminds me of painting by number. The lines are etched into the wood with the laser, then I painted in each block of color after sanding the wood. There’s no setting to contain the wood, only a simple pinch bail to string it onto the chain. 

Painted Wooden Pendants

Turned Wooden Pendants

Recently, my husband and I took a woodturning class, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Turning is my new addiction! These pendants are made from mostly exotic woods, and a brass tube goes through the top of the teardrop shape, giving the necklace some structure and a modern touch, while also providing a place for the brass chain to loop through. Each pendant is one-of-a-kind, and are limited in availability. 

Turned Wooden Pendants

Once Again Sam Press:

Recently, I was honored to have my jewelry featured on Southern Living’s The Daily South, and get the chance to join Jamarcus Gaston on Studio62. 

Recap: Indie Craft Parade

Last weekend was the 5th annual Indie Craft Parade here in Greenville, SC. This is a top notch festival of all things handmade, and is always my best show year after year. With a record number of attendees this year, nearly 7,000 people, it’s no wonder it was a huge success for all involved.

A lot goes into preparing for a major show like this. I worked all summer making inventory and still felt like I didn’t have enough by the time September rolled in. The week of the show, I mainly focused on tweaking my table setup, and finalized some new additions to my display to ensure my booth would look it’s best and function well for the crowd of shoppers. I always do a mock up prior to this show (that’s what the dining room is for!) and that, plus carefully packing up what is essentially a miniature store, is a several day-long endeavor. The checklist is never ending!

The day before the show, I got an unexpected opportunity to appear on Studio 62 with Jamarcus Gaston to talk about the festival and my handmade business. This was my first time on TV and I was shaking like a leaf, but I’m thankful for the chance to plug this amazing event as well as share my work. Here’s the video clip. 

Friday September 12th was the day of set up. All the vendors showed up at assigned times to unload, and the anticipation was there from the get go, long before the VIP Gala kicked off that evening. I did a series of live posts throughout the day Friday to give a behind the scenes look at what all goes on before the doors are open. Click here for photos.

To say the show was a success would be a huge understatement. I’m not just talking record sales or attendance. Everything about the event was extremely well organized, widely publicized, and I felt energized even though I was utterly exhausted by the end of it. Below are some of my stats from the weekend, but I’ll just point out, this show is a complete anomaly - I DO NOT sell almost 800 items at every craft show I do!

Not only did I sell a lot, but I bought a lot too. That’s half the fun, right?  

Here’s a peek at my Indie Craft Parade loot from some of the most talented regional artists. I could have bought something from just about every vendor. I had a hard time narrowing it down to these awesome items!

1. Ring from January Jewelry

2. Print from Chris Koelle

3. Felted Flowers from Muncle Fred Art 

4. Brass Earrings from Olivia de Soria Jewelry

5. Bone Pendant from Exterra88

6. Turned Walnut Bowl from Turning South

7. Trivet and Feather Ornament from Crave Studio

8. Owl Print from Joe Engel

9. Turned Muddlers from Slab

10. & 11. Paintings from Candy Pegram

12. Bowl from Bean & Bailey

13. Tiny Vases from April Swhingle

14. Porcupine Pendant from Spectrum Handcrafted

15. 2015 Calendar from Paperform

Thanks to everyone who made this event so special!