Heartbreaker Steals & Deals for Valentine's Day

Ages ago, I wrote about Carrier Pigeon’s matchstick necklace. I was in love at first glance. Then I was lucky enough to get to know Carrier Pigeon‘s creator, Lauren Neal, at No Coast Craft O Rama this past December. Thankfully, my husband noted that I still carried a torch for the necklace…it arrived on Christmas Day. I had the same reaction the other day when I spotted this heart ring, also made by her, on Facebook. I immediately emailed Lauren to tell her I must write about it for Valentine’s Day.

Well, that worked out perfectly. She’s selling the ring, for $30 (!) Saturday at her second-annual Valentine’s Day Sample Sale from her workspace (suite 215) in the Thorp Building in Northeast Minneapolis. She receieved such an outpouring of interest in her heart-ring sample that she made a few extra (but get there early!) and if you ask pretty-please she might take an order for you if you miss out.

But there’s more than heart rings. Full-price jewelry will be a full 20-percent off, which according to her, means “lots of jewelry under 40!” So if you, too, carried a torch for the matchstick necklace (or the iconic talon), those will be on sale, along with one-of-a-kind pieces and salvaged-parts jewelry. A limited number of heart pendants will also be for sale in the studio, and you can get them custom-stamped for free on Saturday. It will be like shopping for buried treasure! Only right in front of your face!  How’s that for love?

And that’s not all.

Kerry Riley of Needle & Black will be in suite 223 selling her striking wristlets, belts, and signature harnesses and holsters at up to 25 percent off. For the first time, Valentine’s Day accessories and other various studio goods will also be for sale, including back-stock fabrics and dress forms. Raul Osario will join Riley in selling some of his gorgeous women’s and handsome men’s pieces at a discount.

Then head on over to suite 217 to check out a preview of Shawn McNulty‘s paintings, which are headed to the Rosalux Gallery in April, plus snap up open-edition giclee prints and other various prints, both framed and unframed, for a steep discount.

Valentine’s Day shopping: Done. Just in time.

12 noon to 4 p.m., 1618 Central Ave. NE, Mpls.