Craft Fair Find: Ash

This past weekend I spent a gorgeous Saturday afternoon trolling the aisles of the Rock & Shop Market in downtown Durham, NC with my friend Nicole. While I usually get super stoked about craft fairs and love seeing what people have been working on in their studios, I'm often struck by how it all sort of starts to look the same, show after show. Especially in the jewelry department. But this time I noticed one table that stood out among the hand-crafted crowd.

Ash is a jewelry line created by Ashlee Meadows and based in Raleigh, NC. Her work is mostly matte porcelain pendants and earrings, dipped in different pale glazes then dunked again into a gold overglaze. The results are pretty, delicate geometric pieces that have a nice weight and feel to them. You can see the full range of what she does on her website, www.jewelrybyash.com and purchase work through her Etsy shop.

Hexagon Porcelain Earrings, $58 

by ashjewelrystudio via Etsy

Porcelain Bar Necklace, $65

by ashjewelrystudio via Etsy

Circle Porcelain Earrings, $58

by ashjewelrystudio via Etsy

Tiny Porcelain Hexagon Necklace, $54

by ashjewelrystudio via Etsy

- Cathleen

Puces POP feat. Olivia Mew

Just got back from a long weekend way up north in Montreal with my honey, Micky. Since the trip was our Christmas gift to each other, we spent the last few days leisurely exploring the city's cutest neighborhoods and adorable shops together. It was great. While rambling up Boulevard St. Laurent on our second night there, I spotted a poster publicizing Puces POP, a holiday fair featuring more than 80 artisans, designers, and purveyors of all things handmade — and it was happening THIS WEEKEND ONLY!!   

Needless to say, we beeline-d it there the next day, prepared to get some serious holiday shopping done. The tables were set up in a big church basement right off The Main and the crowds were thick and craft-hungry, slowly snaking their way up and down the aisles so as not to miss one single odd or end. The whole thing felt very cozy and homespun, complete with a supervised DIY table where parents were encouraged to leave their kids while they shopped. Micky and I jumped right into the mix immediately, and came away with some great gifts for several loved ones that hopefully they will enjoy. I won't go into too much detail on that front—surprises are one of the best parts of Christmas, after all. But I did want to spotlight one particular seller that made it very difficult for me to walk away from her table empty-handed. Thankfully Olivia Mew has an Etsy shop called feverfew where she sells some of the beautiful scarves, jewelry, and shirts of her own design and illustration online. 

the perfect pair, wearing their wildflower crowns 

"fox and hound" printed silk scarf, $45 on Etsy

pretty printed bunting, a sweet handkerchief for teenagers in love (also below), 

and the most amazing bird casket pendant necklace, from youngcaptive's instagram

moth pentagram pendant

rat and raccoon pendants

gorgeous shirt above sewn by isabel hervieux 

with mouse printed fabric by olivia mew below

the cat who almost ate the canaries

"artemis" printed silk scarf, $45 on Etsy

Unfortunately, Olivia hasn't listed any of her fully-cool half-shirts or pendant necklaces anywhere online that I can find yet, but! she seems really nice, so I bet if you wrote her she'd work something out for you. Maybe you can get something with that Christmas money your grandma sent you. 

- Cathleen 

[All photos from oliviamew.com where not indicated.]