Artfully Elegant — Handmade Jewelry & Handcrafted Gifts

Is springtime your favorite? Is the thought of growing flowers, birds chirping, and lush greenery something that makes your heart soar? If so, you’ve come to the right place! Here at Artfully Elegant, we bring springtime to a whole new level with fun items that give a little extra boost to your favorite season! Here are five of our favorites!

Shake & Bloom

Customize the visitors in your yard by adorning it with beautiful plants that attract a specific type of wildlife! Choose from a hummingbird or butterfly variety, or pick the cut flower kind to have a constant selection of beautiful blooms to bring into your home!

Get it here!

Caterpillar Bud Vase

Display your beautiful fresh cut flowers that you’ve grown in your yard with this beautiful bud vase! It’s delicate and dainty, but it can stand up to the strong colors of even the brightest bloom. Use crystal clear water, or add a few drops of food coloring to make that H2O pop!

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‘My Garden Forever’ Necklace

Bring your love of your yard and garden with you wherever you go with the sweet necklace. This sweet little bauble will have an extra sentimental meaning due to its emphasis on friendship.

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Grow Like a Weed Growth Chart

Start your children early on loving the outdoors by incorporating this stylish and practical wall art that doubles as a growth chart. Not only will you be able to accurately keep track of how fast your little critter will be growing up, but you’ll also have a delightfully cute outdoor theme to cheerfully highlight the event!

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Babiators

You might already have the perfect shades to wear while you’re spending time outside, but what about your mini-adventurer too? With these awesome sunglasses for kids, available in a variety of sizes, he or she will be able to hit the playground in style!  

Get it here!

So stop and check out Artfully Elegant to add a little extra kick to you and your family’s spring time routine! Not only will you be making amazing memories, but you’ll be instilling a love of nature for the next generation that will continue to grow their whole life!

feature image source

Tags: products, spring

Founded by Lisa Lowe, Oré Originals has a bright and colorful history. Lisa grew up in a loving family surrounded by creativity and function, so the concept of colors, prints, and patterns was part of everyday life for her. So, with a focus on useful products with a fun and creative edge, Oré Originals was started in her small Southern California garage in 1989, and it grew from there!

Founder Lisa Lowe as a child (left) and as a thriving business owner (right)

Now Oré has grown into a dedicated team that works hard together and makes things happen! They are always on the hunt for new functional product ideas that will put a smile on your face. Due to these facts, Oré Originals considers itself a design-driven company as unique as the items that it makes. So it’s no surprise that the products in their collection are sweet, quirky, and always comes in handy for the task it was made for.

The team at Oré Originals

Beyond creative aspects, Oré Originals takes pride in their products from start to finish assuring that customers have a quality item that always arrives in perfect condition. Since they are based in California, they are heavily involved in many charitable events and causes throughout the communities of Southern California, and even donate products, give directly, and assist in charity benefits.

The company is community oriented, helping out local Southern California charities and organizations.

So the next time you’re in Artfully Elegant, check out our amazing fun collection of Oré Original products like the Cuppa Mugs. Not only will you sip your coffee or tea in one of the most adorable pieces in your cupboard, but you’ll be supporting an amazing company whose products we couldn’t be more proud to carry.

A fun selection of Cuppa Cups at Artfully Elegant

All Oré Original photos courtesy of oreoriginals.com

Tags: artist spotlight, ore originals

When one thinks of fine jewelry, precious metals and stones typically come to mind. Platinum, gold, diamonds, silver, and other glittering colorful stones that mirror every color of the rainbow quickly materialize in our imaginations. While these are indeed amazing materials used in most jewelry, there are other materials that are just as incredible that emit a strong, powerful, and masculine vibe.

Chris Ploof Designs, located in Massachusetts, works with other quality materials to create amazing pieces. Everything from stainless steel damascus to mokume gane, which is a traditional Japanese method of mixing metals to replicate a wood grain pattern. From these materials, Chris and his team make amazing quality jewelry that will last for ages.

Damascus Ring made of Stainless Steel

One unique material his team also works with is meteorite. The galactic rock that has potentially traveled light years in space and thrust onto our planet can be crafted into amazing pieces of jewelry for any occasion. Chris’s meteorite pieces are exclusively made from the Gibeon Meteorite in Namibia, a meteorite that is estimated to have landed on the planet 30,000 years ago and is estimated to be about four billion years old.

However, not all pieces of the meteorite are all usable due to varying metal content, elemental wear, and natural imperfections. Chris’s team takes it a step further and for every piece that is suitable for jewelry, Chris Ploof Designs rejects an average of 20 for every one that they choose.
From there, the ancient material is combined with platinum, gold or mokume gane to form an extremely strong and durable ring. The Gibeon meteorite also contains nickel so it’s naturally stain and rust resistant.

Gibeon Meteorite Ring with Gold Lining

According to their website: “Each ring begins with Chris in the design process, and every single item he designs also passes a review by our skilled artisans. As a team, we make sure that, in addition to being beautiful, the design will stand the test of time.”

So if you or a loved one are looking for a beautiful piece of jewelry, head on over to Artfully Elegant or www.artfullyelegant.com, we’re the only official carrier of Chris Ploof Designs in the entire state of Pennsylvania. Not only do we carry an amazing selection, but we can help you get a custom piece that is just right for you! See more designs here!

Damascus Wood Grain Ring made of Stainless Steel

Tags: artist spotlight, chris ploof

If you’ve been in Artfully Elegant, you’ve probably seen the nifty vintage cigarette machine tucked neatly near our checkout desk. This delightful piece of mechanics is referred to as an Art-o-mat, and instead of cigarettes, it vends one-of-a-kind mini art! 

Click Here for the Art-o-mat at Artfully Elegant! 

The particular Art-o-mat at Artfully Elegant is one of over 120 unique Art-o-mats that can be found at locations all throughout the country.

The original was created by artist Clark Whittington when a friend heard cellophane being crinkled and then had an uncontrollable urge for a snack. It was a Pavlovian response to hearing the candy wrapper being crinkled.

So in June of 1997, the first Art-o-mart was created using a recently banned cigarette machine. The piece, along with a number of full sized art from the artist, was displayed at a local cafe in Winston-Salem N.C., and contained small black and white photos mounted on blocks.

Although the piece was only to stay displayed for a few months, the owner of the cafe loved it so much, that she asked that it stay. Due to the length of stay, Whittington needed other artists to contribute to it’s contents. Local artists were asked to contribute to it’s tiny art, and the Art-o-mat that exists today, full of different artists and artistic styles, was born!

Each Art-o-mat is beautiful and distinctly different, however, the goal has always been the same. That ”art should be progressive, yet personal and approachable.“

So the next time you’re in downtown Bethlehem, stop in and check out the Art-o-mat! Not only is it a true re imagination of a vintage piece of history, but you can score some pretty amazing art too!

All photos courtesy of Art-o-mat’s Facebook Page

Tags: art o mat

If you’ve ever checked out the wares here at Artfully Elegant, you’ve probably noticed the perky little pieces of pottery spattered with inspirational quotes and sayings. These little art pieces are more than just cute and inspiring, the artists behind them make each piece with a purpose.

Zpots, handcrafted in the Zpots Studio in Vermont, are individually made by husband and wife artists Eric Hendrick and Noelle Van Hendrick.

Each piece starts with a chocolate clay body and is hand thrown before being treated with a variety of techniques to give each one it’s distinct and one-of-a-kind look. Noelle then incorporates her own poetry into each piece, and hand writes her words onto each one.

When fired in the electric kiln, which is powered by Vermont Cow Power by electricity generated from surrounding farmlands, the studio keeps a renewable future in mind. “We make choices within our production and daily lives to benefit the mission of living in harmony with our planet.”


The colors used represent the elements of water, earth, and forest, and stay the same throughout each piece, while the lines are more varied and sporadic.

Eric and Noelle look at each piece as an individual that’s part of a whole collection, a family so to speak, making each one both individualized yet related in it’s method of creation and overall look.

While Zpots are available at galleries and boutiques across the country, each one is as unique and personally individual as the person who chooses to display one. Check out Artfully Elegant and choose the Zpot that speaks to you.

Tags: artist spotlight, zpots

The gifts have been distributed among friends and family, the countdown has been chanted, champagne has been popped, and resolutions have been made. Now every one is back to work on a cold January new year.

Now what?

Now it’s time to think about yourself for a change. You’ve worked hard picking out the perfect gifts for everyone, you’ve stuck to that new year’s resolution (kinda) and even acted like you were happy to see the boss that first Monday back to the old grind.

Good job! Now go pat yourself on the back with a little retail therapy with these fun suggestions.

ROXANNA NECKLACE by Laura Elizabeth

What better way to break away from the chilly gloom of winter than a little sparkle. And bright colors?! Pair with your cutest slouchy sweater and a nice cold winter ale and you’re set for even the chilliest evenings. Bonus: You can dangle it in front of your friends and practice your hypnotist skills.

I LOVE MY CAT CUPPA THIS CUPPA THAT MUG by Ore Originals

Don’t really feel like a beer? How about a cozy cup of your favorite herbal tea with your cat curled up in your lap. Let your inner crazy cat lady shine. Say it loud and say it proud with this ‘I heart my cat’ mug. No kitty can resist an owner with this mug who’s wearing a pair of comfy pants. (cat hair not included.)

KAPOW VASE MINT by Chive

Make your space ‘da bomb’ with this teal grenade vase. What better way to say I’m comfortable with flowers AND explosives than with this practical home accessory. The subtle coloring matched with the to-scale size makes this ideal for all home styles.

LIVE THE LIFE YOU LOVE MEDIUM FRAMED PICTURE by East of India

Personalize your space with art. ‘Live the Life You Love’ should be everyone’s mantra. Do you love to hang glide? Is lion taming your thing? How about knitting sweaters for telephone poles in your community. You do you, baby! Remind yourself everyday to do stuff that makes you happy!

Tags: art, home, jewelry, treat yo self

Still need to get a few gifts before Christmas morning? Join the club.

Luckily, we have a few quick ideas that you can stop in and pick up at Artfully Elegant at 451 Main Street in downtown Bethlehem. But, don’t wait!

For Her

Mini Bowls by Zpots are the perfect gift for the girl you have no idea what to buy for. She can use it as decoration or a place for some of her favorite pieces of jewelry.

For Him

The Two Flying Fox Wallet Card from Zootility Tool will be the hit of Christmas dinner, especially when he’s using it to open all the bottles of beer for everyone. It’s definitely a conversation piece.

For Mom

Mom’s love fun jewelry, right? Well look no further than these Spalted Tamarind Wind Pendants from Once Again Sam. They are unique, just like mom!

For Baby

Do you know someone who is expecting? Sometimes the best presents are those that others may not think of, like this Octopus Clock from Modern Moose. It’s the last piece to a complete baby room.

Okay, we helped you out as much as we can. Now, you just have to get in here.

Baltimore-based metalsmith Hilary Hachey prefers the simple over the complex and the solidly built over the mass marketed.

This ideal comes across in every piece Hachey produces.

The result is a geometric masterpiece that, while grounded in the simplistic, plays off some pretty complex ideas.

“I adopted the Bauhaus name for my jewelry because the Bauhaus aesthetic utilizes economy of method and severe geometry of form,” said Hachey, who studied metalsmithing at The Maryland Institute College of Art. “My metalwork, hand-fabricated in sterling silver and 18k gold, achieves this through experimentation with the figure/ground relationship.”

While Hachey’s pieces are heavily grounded in the geometry she loves to bring to life, the hints of personality and nature are undeniable and, dare we say it, sometimes almost whimsical.

Visit Hilary Hachey’s page at Artfully Elegant.

Tags: hilary hachey, jewelry

Todd Reed knows a thing or two about the art of love. His engagement rings have been on the ring fingers of spouses-to-be for decades. That long-lasting success is a testament to Reed’s commitment to authentic design.

Reed proudly stands behind his product and his values and continues to offer a lifetime guarantee on the craftsmanship of every piece.

The winner of numerous awards and distinctions over the years, Reed is celebrated as an icon in the raw diamond jewelry designer community.

R481 18k Yellow Gold-sq107

“I started to get interested in jewelry when I was 10, primarily watching and being interested in the craft of putting things together,” Reed said. “By the age of 19 I had a studio and was teaching myself jewelry making and starting to realize what it took to turn idea into a well constructed finished piece.”

Reed has an affinity for raw diamonds, which make every single one of his pieces absolutely unique.

“My work uses raw diamond cubes and other natural diamond shapes. It started as a way to question society about the idea of perceived value,” Reed said. “In particular how value and perceived value relate to ideas of beauty or perfection that have become norms of society. Raw diamonds offer a unique character every time; the unique surfaces and textures are individual and deeply inspiring.”

Take a look at Artfully Elegant’s Todd Reed Collection to find the unique piece that fits you and yours.

Tags: engagement rings, gold, jewelery, todd reed

We can’t wait to show you what’s new at Artfully Elegant this month! If you’re living an eco-friendly life and love giving back to the environment, we now have the perfect neck candy for you! We love these new items by ReVetro, mostly because of how dynamic the product is! Each pendant has been made from bottles of craft beer, coca cola, bourbon whiskey, wine, or Bombay Sapphire gin. No… we are not making this up! So to all of our lovely wine-os and our fellow bar hoppers- don’t think your bottles are going to waste anymore. These necklaces come in various colors including: amber, green, clear, black, and blue making it easy to match with anything!

One of our favorite things about them is that they’re unisex too! If your guy is huge bourbon fan, then he’d love the bourbon ball chain necklace. Wine more your thing? Check out the amber wine leather necklace. Our friends at ReVetro are showing us how chic and fun repurposed, recycled, and reused glass can really be! Is there anything better than that? Make sure to show us your ReVetro look by tagging us on Instagram and be sure to hashtag #ArtfullyElegant. Happy shopping, from our jewelry box to yours!