Courtesy Earth Clay Co.
As my co-editor Katie wrote in her Journeys essay, sometimes you have to will spring to come to make it so. Whether or not you believe that, here are some spring-inspired jewelry from Minnesota makers and stores.
1. Earth Clay Co.
“Living in Minnesota, my favorite part about spring is watching our state transform from grays and browns to green. Don’t get me wrong, I love our winter landscape, but the budding branches and growing grass is something that always inspires my springtime creativity,” says Grace Vanderbush, the creator of Earth Clay Co.
While Vanderbush readily admits that pastels, light pinks, and oranges are often the colors of spring, she really loves working with the nuances of earth tones. Her clay creations provide a bit of both (apparently pairing pastels with neutrals and burnt oranges is trending). Check our her new spring floral collection, and don’t forget, you can ask to have a custom floral necklace of the blossoms that have the most meaning for you, like a bridal bouquet.
2. & 3. Felis Jewelry
Flowers are beautiful but fleeting, and Helen Shchur, the creator of Felis Jewelry, was tired of having the flowers she hand-picked or bought from stores or farmers markets fading away. By using eco-resin, she says, “Your favorite flowers can always be with you.” While her favorite springtime flowers are hyacinth and tulips, much of her collection features smaller flora highlighted by minimalist frames plus the perfect amount of glitzy accents.
Two of my favorites are this delicate greenery necklace and this necklace featuring a pair of blue petals—they remind me a bit of fairy wings, and the gold flakes around them add to the enchantment. (If you’re not into the hexagon frame, she also uses triangular shapes, circles with a band of crystals across it, and a branch shape.)
4. & 5. R.F. Moeller Jeweler
The three-generation, family-owned local company has hundreds of fine jewelry pieces, but for this roundup, I pulled from their new and vintage sections. Both the vintage Roman bracelet by Baccarat and the diamond flower pendant by Spark Creations exude spring but in very different ways. The first hits spring and winter, I would argue, since its splash of color evokes either new blooms or Poinsettias, and the elegance from the soft gold and pearls lets it work on casual and formal looks. The second piece is daisy crazy for those in the midst of spring fever, but the metalwork and design keep it well away from childish. For those who care, diamonds are also the month’s birthstone.
6. & 7. Skipping Lilies
All it takes is one look at Kristin Wornson’s jewelry brand, Skipping Lilies, to understand that here is a woman who knows how to highlight the simplistic beauty and small marvels of nature. “I often collect [flowers] in the most ordinary ways—roadside and alleyways and forests, on walks or swims,” she says. “When I’m traveling, I often bring a book and tuck small plants inside if I find anything! My eyes are always open to tiny bits of biomass!”
Besides the pieces featured here—earrings with pressed stems and a necklace with pink sweet alyssum—she also has pieces that bring you to California’s beaches. “I have a biology background and used to teach marine biology out on Catalina Island and still get back there a couple times a year for different art festivals,” Wornson says. (Her current marine biology course takes her out to Antarctica, but she has yet to create jewelry inspired from it. I would imagine the climate has something to do with it.)
8. Soul Flower
These brass statement dragonfly earrings are handmade and (believe it or not) lightweight. The description reads, “Just like dragonflies, these beauties will bring you wisdom and enlightenment from another realm.” It’s up to you if you believe that, but it’s a nice sentiment from one of the few self-proclaiming hippie stores based in Minneapolis. The shop started in 1999 with a boutique on Grand Avenue and pop-ups at festivals, but in 2004, owners Mike and Peggy switched to be exclusively online. Make sure to check out the rest of their accessories, clothing, and gifts if you love going green.
