Mudthaw 2010 - A shop update

"Vikki" design pin, $12.00 at my Etsy shop.
http://archeress.etsy.com

Just a few more days to go! This will be the first time I've set up shop at an SCA event since Birka, in 2009, and I'm pretty excited to be out there again among the merchants, taking it easy and spending time with all of my friends, acquaintances, and newcomers. Mudthaw is typically one of the bigger events these days due to its popularity - there are some events that offer "something for everyone", and this is certainly one of those, despite the absence of archery this year due to site limitations.

The merchants are typically pretty squished in the same room as the feast (dinner - seats are available for purchase the day of the event at this point, as the cutoff for reservations was a week or two ago), and although there is no dayboard (lunch) offered, there is one very, very good cook selling cooked food among us merchants. Chef Jaji's Mongolian Wok will certainly be there, and his fare has been posted over in his LiveJournal account. Shameless plug - his food don't suck, he's a licensed and professional caterer, and his prices are very reasonable.

While I am not sure entirely of who else will be there among the group of merchants, the space is first-come, first-served. Game Gnight is usually another attendee, as a local (who has been kind enough to continue to feed our Carcassonne addiction over the years) shop owner, and I know Little1's Leather will also be present.

As for Archeress Arts, I'm still working on affixing these little price tags to everything to help me make sure I can do a proper inventory at year-end. Although unfortunately the barrettes won't be making it (I was not satisfied with this batch, sorry!), I'm still hoofing it here in hopes of getting a few other favorites put together before opening shop at O'myGodIneedmycoffee-thirty in the morning. :)


So... if you'll be in the area of Livingston, NJ this weekend, and know where the Shriner's Hall is - and feel up to the task of wearing something medieval-ish to blend in with the locals, come on over, take a look around, and enjoy the day with us. Just look in the merchant room downstairs, and find the lady with the unusual tiered jewelry tree from koolartoo, and you'll find me.

Hope to see a bunch of you there!

http://www.eastkingdom.org/event-detail.html?eid=1850


Oh, also... please note that the shop will be closed briefly at 10:30am; should you show up and I'm not available to speak, I would be happy to help you shortly afterward, right in time for the lunchtime crowd.

Happy Spring!

Knotwork earrings, $14.00 at my Etsy shop, just in time for St. Patrick's Day!
http://archeress.etsy.com

What a wild winter it's been, and out here in New England, we're ready to see the weather warm up, which thankfully will start happening this week.

Temperatures are set to hit the low to upper 60's until Sunday, and the forecast for St. Patrick's Day (tomorrow) is supposed to be gorgeous. Add to this that our favorite drive-up hamburger place, Harry's Place, of Colchester, CT (wicked awesome burgers and shakes), is also slated to open tomorrow for the 2010 season, and we're pretty excited to see spring get off to an early start!

So what's new with the shop? A few things....

First off, at the end of this month, I will be bringing the shop with me for in-person sales in the merchant room at Mudthaw 30 in Livingston, NJ, on March 27th, 2010. Any remaining stock from my Etsy shop (aside from bridal whites), plus a few extra goodies, are coming with me.

What sort of extra goodies?

• I'm currently in-process on making a bunch of leather barrettes of the narrow bar type, which will be stamped and tooled in basic patterns.

• Laurel earrings are coming back! I ran out after a short trial run, and am considering adding a pendant necklace, for those interested in completing their sets.
  

• I also have blank cabochons in the middle of being painted with SCA award badges, however, availability for these is limited and will mostly be available by commission only.

• Hair sticks! Assorted dangles will be available, please keep an eye out...
  

• I'm bringing some destash with me as well; if you're looking for acrylic cabochons, and other interesting findings, please stop by my table and I'll point out the collection to you.

Provided that there is cell phone signal at the site, I can also accept credit cards, besides the usual cash and personal check.

Barrettes won't be available in my Etsy shop until after the event, so if you'd like to get your foot in the door, please meet with me at the site, or you could send a friend along (in garb, of course) to pick something up for you.

Have a wonderful remainder of the month, everyone, and I hope to see you back here soon.


One last note...
**Please note that my current production schedule is about to be limited again!
I will be unable to work on new pieces after 3-28-10, so the window for current custom work is closing swiftly. I should be available again on 5-3-10, right in time for summer bridal and renaissance faire season.

There's still plenty of bridal stock available in my Etsy inventory, which will not be traveling with me to Mudthaw, however, package custom orders, such as bridesmaid necklaces or full necklace/earring/circlet sets will be created following May 3rd by custom request.

Thank you so much for your support, and at the end of the month, keep an eye out for our next featured customer, Nikki, with a very special set of Halloween-themed bridal jewelry created not only for her special day, but also made for all of her bridesmaids and flower girls. It'll be a spooky start to spring, and please, yes, absolutely, keep sending me those lovely photos of yourselves wearing my jewelry for more featured customer content!!

See you back here soon!