Off to Brooklyn for the Renegade Craft Fair

This weekend is one of our favorite shows- The Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn NY. We have had the honor to participate in the show for four years. It really just gets better and better. Not only are the crowds HUGE but they are super enthusiastic about buying art and craft.

I plan to shop a little myself (alright...a lot). I need to get a new notebook for my hubby Jason and some cool toys or stuffed animals for my girls. I am also looking for a cool new belt and some summer skirts. I also always buy end of the year gifts for my daughter's teachers. Got to support my craftin' peeps!

We were hoping to receive our new Square for the i phone, but we are on the waiting list. Guess it the old knuckle-buster again this year.

So, please send out good wishes for great weather. We have seen thunderstorms, 100 degree heat, torrential rain and wind, and clear blue skies over the years. I have even been trapped in a Port-a-potty during a storm once. Too funny! But really no matter what the weather we love being there.

We created this! MELT Makers Everywhere Living Together.

Hi all!
We just created a new blog and Flickr group called MELT. MELT stands for Makers Everywhere Living Together. We are hoping that MELT will be a community full of good karma that shows the world that being a maker goes beyond the studio, into all aspects of our lives.

Kerry and I are very passionate about being artists and about helping the environment. We are hoping that this group will grow and grow. We ultimately want to be able to show the world that the choices we make can do good, make people happy and can also help us become a success.

It's baby steps right now but we will be working on this new venture, along with our flickr group, to make this a place a happy place.

Twigs and Heather jewelry featured in a movie!

Last summer we were contacted by a costume designer that was working on a movie in Beverly MA. They were filming a movie about a real estate developer who is trying to develop a big piece of land and the forest creatures fight back! The move is called Furry Vengeance. It stars Brendan Frasier and Brook Shields. Our pieces are being worn by their daughter who helps the animals.

She will be wearing a tiny maple seed and perriwinkle necklace. We are so excited! The movie comes out April 30th. Save me a seat.

Writing a new artist statement.

Sometimes shows that we apply to ask for an artist statement. We have used the same one (or variations of it) for a while now. It's easy for me to describe my work to people when they ask, but putting it on paper has been a challenge. We just don't want it to sound, well, artist statement-y. We want it to be simple and true. Plus we are working on our line sheets and this will be included in it. So it in a way has to sell our work to potential customers too. OH the pressure!

Here it is. My newest version, subject to change at a moments notice.

Twigs and Heather is twin sister silversmiths and casters Heather Goodwin and Kerry Alice Collins. We opened our studio in 2000 and have been creating one of a kind sterling silver jewelry designs ever since. Using the lost wax casting method and a few tricks of our own, our pieces are cast from organic objects and hand carved waxes. Our jewelry is part forest finds, part rock star, and part silly romantic.

Heather's organic collections reminds us of our personal connections with nature. Each piece sparks memories that are sentimental and sweet. Kerry's work focuses on love, heartache, rock n' roll, and rebellion. They are moody, romantic and have a sense of humor. As different as these collections may appear, they always compliment each other and hold many of the same truths.

These pieces of jewelry will get more beautiful the more they are worn and they will last a lifetime.

There it is. We love using the word sweet.

Making new displays

Kerry and I love how we display our work at shows. We try to look different from anyone else that is selling jewelry. We have always stayed away from velvet necks and many of the other commercial jewelry displays that you can buy. We like to have lots of color and sometimes we like to make our own displays. I have in my mind that this year I want to display my acorns a little differently. Here I am making my new display out for birch logs and branches. It still needs more work but I want to finish it by this weekend when we have our first show in Somerville at the Burren. Look for our new handmade display and all of our jewelry there!

Looking forward to my shows.

Last year I wrote almost the exact same blog post. We mean it again this year. We are looking forward to showing our work in person, being around other artists and talking to customers. Please come check us out at one of these great shows.
Thank you kindly!

March 27- SLAM Somerville MA The Burren
April 11- Craftopia Pawtucket RI
May 8 Andover crafts in the Park
May 22,23 Craftproducers Flemington Arts and Craft Fair- Ringoes NJ
June 5,6 Renegade Craft Fair Brooklyn NY

New pincushions!

Check out these new pieces by Kerry Alice. Our show season is about to begin look for our events page coming soon...