Handmade Gold Nugget Necklace

Handmade gold nugget necklace

In May (our last month before our big hiatus), subscribers received this handmade gold nugget necklace from Polished Podge as one of their unique handmade surprises!  We adored it, and heard wonderful things back from our customers as well.

Let’s dive right in to opening one!

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We love the branding on this little package—from the ribbon, flower to even the branded sticker and little insert!  Plus, who doesn’t love to know exactly where things are made?

Goody—we get to open a second box!

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Handmade gold nugget necklace

Handmade gold nugget necklace

The big reveal:  this gold nugget necklace was so shiny and exciting, unwrapping the box felt like opening a treasure chest!

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The little artist’s info card reads:

This surprise gift has been handmade and delivered to you by Natalie Peters of Polished Podge.  Natalie began her adventures in creating jewelry as a child.  Much later in life with her home overflowing with jewels and findings, Natalie opened up the Polished Podge shop on Etsy in 2012.  She is delighted to be a featured artist with Fair Ivy.

This handmade simple gold necklace was created especially for you.  These golden nuggets hang delicately from a 14k gold filled chain.  Simple and elegant, this necklace adds a touch of sparkle to your everyday wear.  Natalie hopes you enjoy wearing this piece as much as she enjoyed its creation!

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Handmade gold nugget necklace

We hope you enjoyed your jewelry surprise in May, and if you didn’t get a chance to get one—head on over to Polished Podge’s Etsy site to pick one up now!

 

 

Handmade Stationery – Watercolor Designs

Handmade Stationery - Watercolor Designs

We just love a good, handmade stationery set….so of course we scheduled some as early as possible this year!  And we love watercolor designs, so it was a no brainer to choose this handmade watercolor stationery set, put together by Rachelle Levingston just for Fair Ivy. It included a wonderful collection, including a watercolor owl, watercolor sunflower, watercolor rabbit, watercolor hummingbird, and watercolor robin.

Let’s delve right in!

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Opening a fair ivy package

What’s inside?  It’s always a big surprise to our monthly subscribers—who don’t know if it’s going to be jewelry, bath products, something edible….who knows!

Watercolor stationery

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Fair Ivy information card

Outside of every Fair Ivy surprise there is a little note from us, explaining what Fair Ivy is and the fact that this is, in fact, one of the surprises.  Since each surprise is sent from a different artist, with different packaging from a different place around the country, it could be rather hard to tell otherwise, ya know?

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Aren’t these handmade stationery watercolor designs fabulous?  It’s hard to choose, but I think my favorite is either the watercolor owl or the watercolor rabbit.  But the watercolor sunflower and watercolor hummingbird is so lovely too!

Handmade Stationery - Watercolor Owl, watercolor sunflower

Handmade Stationery - Watercolor Owl

Handmade Stationery - Watercolor Rabbit

Watercolor Hummingbird Stationery

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The full artist’s info card reads:

“Although I was college educated in art and received additional training with masterful teachers, I am largely self-taught.  When I first started painting, I thought all my watercolor marks had to be smooth and perfect.  Now I purposely let the paints dictate the outcome.  

Watercolors are an interesting medium where the ratio of water to paint as well as the timing of when you add them to the paper can yield unexpected results.  The artists I admire have lost edges and areas that are undeveloped.  I think this is a great metaphor for life…not everything has to be perfect, defined, controlled and neat.  

Sometimes my artwork comes together magically, each brushstroke complimenting the piece.  Other times it takes scrubbing, lifting, scratching or redrawing to get successful results. My paintings evolve in many ways…a walk to sketch birds, a hike to paint a landscape, or just playing with colors.  When an idea strikes, I’m impatient to get it to paper.  A single detail may drive the painting and then appear effortlessly  from my brush.  And now I am venturing to acrylics.  I am humbled.  I get to do what I love.  Painting is purse indulgence for me and sharing it with others makes it even more amazing.  Please let me know if your art arrived safely and if there are any problems.  Thanks so much for choosing my art to go in your home.”

Handmade Stationery - Watercolor Rabbit, Watercolor Sunflower

The full stationery set included prints of 5 different original watercolor paintings (2 of each print).

Missed out on this gorgeous surprise stationery gift in April but still want to purchase some? Head on over to Rachelle Levingston’s Etsy page to pick up a set, or buy individual prints like just the watercolor owl or just the watercolor rabbit!

Want to sign up to receive monthly surprises from Fair Ivy, just like this lovely handmade stationery set?

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Handmade silver tube bracelet

Handmade silver tube bracelet

This past wonderful month of April brought a rarity to the Fair Ivy jewelry scene—a handmade bracelet (we usually focus on necklaces and earrings, but we’ve had so many requests for a bracelet we had to comply)!

This handmade silver tube bracelet was made just for Fair Ivy subscribers by Little Things Happen.  This is her first Fair Ivy feature, and we really enjoyed having her on board!

Fair Ivy sends unique handmade packages in the mail every month!

Fair Ivy sends unique handmade packages in the mail every month!

Her shipping box packaging is probably the most lovingly created we’ve ever come across—we’ve had really lovely gift wrapping INSIDE the shipping box, but this is a new frontier in cute gift wrapping and adorable packages in the mail.  Let’s open it up and see if the trend continues…

Handmade letter opener (Fair Ivy)

Handmade letter opener (Fair Ivy)

….yes, we do have a handmade letter opener with Fair Ivy inscribed on it.  It was a gift (awhile ago), and we love it!  We use it on all our letters and packages.

LIttle Things Happen - Handmade gift from fair ivy

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Upcycled packaging style

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Little Things Happen did not disappoint with the wonderful gift wrap on the inside of the handmade silver tube bracelet package.  Every piece of the packaging was upcycled/recycled, so it was a very eco-friendly gift to receive.  Who would have thought that simple yarn would look so darn cute?

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Yarn as ribbon for gift wrap

Cute wrapped box

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Handmade silver tube bracelet

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We absolutely loved this bracelet, since it works so well for an everyday outfit or for an evening on the town. It was wonderfully delicate and reflects the light so nicely off the silver tube!  The tube itself is made from gorgeous german silver, and even the chain and findings are all silver filled—so the shine will last!

We also loved how Little Things Happen took care of every single detail of the entire surprise gift package experience, down to the cardstock polka dots on the back of the bracelet card.

And here’s a closer look at the Artist’s Card from Little Things Happen:

Artist's Card Little Things Happen Artist's Card Little Things Happen

The text reads:

“Little Things Happen is a small jewelry and accessory business based out of Torrance, CA.  Each lovely item is designed and hand-crafted with love by the do-it-all owner, Loren Harada!

Beautiful button earrings, lovely gemstone necklaces, wire wrapped bracelets, handmade hair clips and more are all craftily wrapped and packaged throughout the world year round!  With a huge range of materials and styles, there’s something special for everyone! “

Popular blogger Ilene from Much Love, Illy also receive one of Little Things Happen’s bracelets and took some lovely photos:

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Want to snag one of these lovely handmade silver tube bracelets for yourself?  Head on over to Little Things Happen’s shop on Etsy!

Partly Sunny Tea Towel

Unique handmade tea towel

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March brought our Duet subscribers a fantastic unique handmade tea towel from Wit and Whistle, dubbed the “Partly Sunny Tea Towel”.

This flour sack tea towel is silk-screened with a hand drawn design, and the wonderful material gets softer and more absorbent with every use.  We love it!

Unique cute gift packaging from Fair Ivy

Unique cute gift packaging from Fair Ivy

We really enjoyed the unwrapping experience for this unique handmade tea towel—it felt very organic and packaged with a lot of love!  We got a little photo-happy with the unwrapping process…

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Fair Ivy Artist's Info card

In case it’s hard to read, the Artist’s info card says:

“I’m Amanda Wright, the girl behind Wit & Whistle!  Wit & Whistle offers witty greeting cards and whistle worthy paper and home goods—all designed and illustrated by me.  

Inside this package you’ll find one of my screen printed tea towels.  These are my favorite kitchen towels ever.  They’re huge, and they get softer and more absorbent with every use. I hope you love yours as much as I love mine!

Please come visit me at witandwhistle.com to shop or to browse my blog, where I share glimpses behind the scenes at Wit & Whistle and lots of creative inspiration.” 

Design Handmade tea towel

Design Handmade tea towel

Organic handmade packaging

Cute hello tag in succulent planter

This was one of our most well-received handmade surprise gifts yet!  Definitely head on over to Wit & Whistle’s shop, as well as take a look at her crafty blog for some wonderful inspiration!

 

Handmade hammered silver necklace

February brought us some wonderful surprise gifts—and the jewelry item was a definite joy to receive (and now to wear)!  Jill from Grey Goose Gifts—one of our favorite repeat artists—was the mastermind handmaker between February’s handmade hammered silver necklace.

Let’s delve into the exciting package-opening photos!

Mystery package from a Fair Ivy artist

Mystery package from a Fair Ivy artist

Mystery package from a Fair Ivy artist

Can’t wait to find out what is inside!

Mystery gift!

 Cute handmade gift packaging!

This adorable little box was a classic Grey Goose Gifts packaging style, and we love the simplicity and cleanliness.

Cute handmade gift packaging!

Cute handmade gift packaging!

Cute handmade gift packaging!

Handmade hammered silver necklace

The hammered necklace is revealed!

Handmade hammered silver necklace

Handmade silver hammered necklace

Handmade silver hammered necklace

Artist's Card

The artist’s card reads:

“Each piece in the Grey Goose Gifts line is designed and handcrafted by artisan jeweler Jill Goulait.  Her simple, delicate designs feature bold geometric shapes rendered in sterling silver and 14 karat gold fill.  Jill’s versatile pieces are perfect for wearing along, or for mixing and layering.”

Handmade hammered silver necklace

Kilee from One Little Mama even adored this necklace when she received it as a Fair Ivy surprise gift last month!  Check out shots of her modeling it (photos courtesy of One Little Mamma, of course!)

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We can’t wait to see what other fantastic handmade surprise jewelry items Grey Goose Gifts has coming up in her store in the future!

Handmade freshwater pearl strand necklace

Freshwater pearl strand necklace - monthly subscription gifts for women, from Fair Ivy!

January subscribers to all three of our subscriptions (Jewelry, Duet and Original—which is now closed) received this gorgeous pearl necklace, handmade by Just A Charm Jewelry. It’s the essence of class, without being overly fancy (so you can wear it on a regular day or dress up a fancy evening outfit with it!).

Freshwater pearl necklace - monthly subscription gifts for women, from Fair Ivy!

Freshwater pearl strand necklace - monthly subscription gifts for women, from Fair Ivy!

Freshwater pearl necklace - monthly subscription gifts for women, from Fair Ivy!

Freshwater pearl necklace - monthly subscription gifts for women, from Fair Ivy!

The packaging it came in was absolutely wonderful as well.  In a little kraft box with lace-type ribbon and organic twine, it was sealed with a cute circular sticker from the small business.  It felt like very organic gift wrapping–our favorite kind!

Creative gift wrap from fair ivy

Unique gift wrap from fair ivy

Artist's Info card from fairivy.com

Artist's Info card from fairivy.com

The Artist’s Card read:

“We make contemporary jewelry with clean and simple geometries. Each piece is handcrafted in New York City with sterling silver, gold-filled, semi-precious gemstones and delicate charms.  The style is modern, versatile, minimalist and understated.

We couldn’t agree more!

Creative gift wrap from fair ivy

Freshwater pearl necklace - monthly subscription gifts for women, from Fair Ivy!

Want to pick up this lovely pearl necklace as a surprise gift for a friend (or yourself)?  Head on over to Just A Charm’s Shop!

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