Shopping small doesn’t end at just buying things for the home, looking for gifts or buying artwork. Jewelry is such an easy way to support a small business – there are tons of jewelry makers out there! If I were super(wo)man, I’d say that local jewelry is my kryptonite.
Over the years I’ve gathered mass amounts of jewelry, but it was mostly cheap stuff found at Kohl’s or Charming Charlie. Thankfully, style and habits have also changed over the years, and I’ve culled down my collection several times. Now, my jewelry collection is “minimal” (true minimalists would still would have much to say to me still, I’m sure ;)) in that I try to really only get get pieces I “need.” Of course I also try to only purchase jewelry that is from a small or local business, thus hopefully gaining quality pieces as well.
My Jewelry Collection from Small Businesses and Local Makers
Today, I’m here to share my collection of jewelry from small businesses. As you’ll see, it’s mostly simple gold necklaces, with a few bracelets and other items in the mix. Although these may not be your style, I hope you find a local maker that you can start buying your bling from (vs. Target), or that it inspires you to start shifting your spending habits to the wonderful craftswomen and men out there making accessories to dress up your outfits.
Now that we are completely settled into our new Chicago home, I’m proud to call this little corner of our bedroom my jewelry nook. I have two wood wave wall hangers from Kansas City’s finest, Ocean & Sea, that hold all of my neck swag. Then I have one photo frame shelf to hold all bracelets and rings.
I won’t be showing you all of what you see in the photo, because it’s not all from small businesses, but I am happy to say that about 75% of my collection is! For those who are curious, most of my necklaces are 16-18″ long, but I’ll be showing about three longer chained ones as well.
One last thing before we dive in: it turns out I am terrible at photographing jewelry, and it’s really hard. So, I did my best and discovered a good “pose” about half way through. Oh well. 🙂
Let’s cover the makers who make up the bulk of my jewelry collection before diving into location-specific jewelry makers in Chicago and Kansas City who I have fewer pieces.
Whiskey + Bone
Tarrah, owner, maker and all around boss babe of this bohemian + edgy jewelry is definitely one of my favorites, and her amazing work takes up about 1/3 of my collection now with necklaces by her.
My collection: Dalmatian jasper stone, cactus, clear quartz crystal, gold crystal cluster and leather choker necklaces.
I love how she takes such raw pieces and makes them so pretty, but not too pretty and “glitzy.” They really are the perfect blend to dress up a tee or to give some extra edge to an outfit. I’ve actually become friends with Tarrah from seeing her around different craft fairs and on following on Instagram!
Sierra Winter Jewelry
Fine art and crafts(wo)manship is exactly what you’ll find with Sierra Winter Jewelry. Each one of her pieces speaks to her roots in the Kansas prairie and I love how you can tell that!
My collection: spirit bracelet in white and the Tuscan necklace.
These two pieces are simple classics that can seriously go with any and every outfit in my closet, which is great because I tend to overthink getting dressed for anything (even the gym). Sierra’s work is amazing, but so is she. I love following along with her process and seeing her work come to life.
Hide
From a small town just outside of Kansas City resides Hide – part rustic, part vintage vibes. Each piece is handmade and has a story to tell. If you’re in the Weston, MO area, you can find her work at Jones on Main.
My collection: leopard cuff, leather cuff, long antler necklace.
One of my favorite tidbits is the antler piece. It looks so simple, but is apparently quite the process. Deer shed their horns naturally, so these are found in the woods and it takes lots of work to get them sawed down and polished to this form. Plus, I heard they smell bad too when working with them – how odd!
Chicago
I imagine this part of my collection will continue to grow as I live in the city longer. I’ve already started discovering so many different and unique jewelry makers around town though! Here is what I’ve gathered in the past 4.5 months (pictures from left to right).
Made In Jewelry: Created by Lana Nikolenko in my neighborhood of Wicker Park, my shark tooth necklace was cast from a real one – too cool! All of her pieces are from different bits of creatures and cast from the original object or fossil, making these the real deal!
Michelle Starbuck Designs: My simple, but classy gold triangle necklace from Michelle Starbuck Designs is definitely my most worn piece. It literally goes with everything and if I’m ever just wanting something subtle, this necklace does the trick. I picked this up at a little local boutique, Wolf Bait, in Logan Square.
The Crystal Collective: My newest piece is this druzy stone bangle bracelet from The Crystal Collective. Simple, but just the right amount of bling to dress your look up.
Kansas City
I’ve already spoken to some other Kansas City area jewelry businesses, but the rest of my pieces from KC locals are spread across different entrepreneurs (again, pieces match photos in order from left to right).
Wild Juniper: A mother duo making simple, yet elegant pieces and kids wear in the cutest, tiniest boutique in quaint downtown Liberty, MO. Everyone should go check it out! My long white tassel necklace from them gets compliments every time I wear it!
Lily Dawson Designs: Gold, funky and classy is what you get with Lily’s beautiful work. My white howlite stone bracelet is the perfect, dainty piece I’ve dreamt of and I’m so glad it’s mine.
Fringe with Benefits: Lauren, the gal behind the vibrant work, is so fun and you have to smile every time you see her. Traditionally a weaver, this girl is really a Jill of All Trades and everything she makes is wondrous. I have such an obsession with fiber/woven art that I just had to have this mini weaving necklace the instant I saw it.
Young Metal Designs: A self-taught metalsmith crafting up unique and intricate jewelry, Jenny is such a kind human and you feel the love in her craft. My mother gifted me my Missouri state shaped necklace (with a marker on KC) from her as a going away gift when I told her we were moving. It definitely makes me feel at home.
Broken Arrow Crafts: My sleek chevron/arrow necklace from Abby’s brand is a must to fit that in between spot of bold + simple. Not only does she create jewelry, but her tote bags are to die for.
Kristina K.: This last one isn’t really created by a local business, but it should be! My lovely and sweet coworker, Kristina, made me this circular KC necklace before I transferred offices to say, “goodbye.” Everyone needs a Kristina in their lives. She also made me and Mitch reusable coffee sleeves. She has an epic craft room and maybe one day she’ll have her own little shop. 😉
Jewelry From Around the World
Buried Diamond: I found Matha’s work via Instagram and it’s been the best ever since. Vibrant, loud and exactly what everyone needs to make the best day ever. Made in Brooklyn, NY her pieces are truly one of a kind. I got her sparkly cat necklace in her “cat grab bag” over the holidays that came filled with different pieces of her work that were cat related. It’s probably the best holiday purchase I’ve ever made.
Fay With Love: I found this Canada-based brand YEARS ago on Instagram and have seen them grow over the years. Now they have a storefront and I want to travel further north, over the border just to check it out. Each one of their pieces has a certain purpose, meaning and intention behind them, which I love. My green beaded bracelet is for “new beginnings” and Mitch gifted this to me as I was about to get my undergrad and accept my first “big kid” job offer. It really was the perfect touch I needed then and now.
Mahina: Pineapples may be trendy and all, but can you say you got yours in Hawaii?! Mitch and I went to O’ahu for our honeymoon back in October and I was dead set on bringing back something pineapple related. On the last day of our eight day trip we stopped into Mahina, a little boutique in the small town of Kailua where we were staying. Filled with flowy dresses and so much more, I had finally found my pineapple piece – tiny, gold and the perfect summer necklace (and memory).
My Sister-in-Law: Jenna is my sister-in-law and she just “gets” me. My first time meeting Mitch’s family was 2014 Christmas in Orlando. Jenna gifted me this Kansas City map necklace – I instantly fell in love and knew she just understood me. I know she found it off Etsy, but I’m not sure where.
Fast forward to two years later and Jenna also struck gold with me again with this twisty copper wire ring that was made from a local artist in Winter Garden, FL where my in-laws reside. The maker upcycles scraps into jewelry – Jenna really hit two birds with one stone on that one (local + sustainable)!
Columbia: Ok, really though, I have the best coworkers ever. My last piece I have to talk about is this black and white banded bracelet. Adriana, the visionary behind Made by Alú, and my colleague, is originally from Cartagena, Colombia. Last year she went back home to visit and, to my surprise, she brought me back some local goodies, one of which included this bracelet. I will forever cherish this sweet gift and hope to visit where it came from one day!
That seemed like a lot, but it’s only just scratching the surface. I hope to finish out my jewelry collection by curating and replacing the rest from small businesses all around. If you have any favorite jewelry artists, I’d love to hear who they are and check them out!