11.30.20 Retail Therapy

At the Ladysmiths of ATX
gallery at Canopy Austin

Last year, I had a great holiday selling season, with pop up markets at Pottery Barn and Creative Side, and my work shown in the Ladysmiths of ATX gallery at Canopy Austin.

This year will be very different, I imagine the only sales I will make will be through online events and my Etsy shop - but my jewelry doesn't represent my livelihood - for many other artists I know (and plenty I don't), holiday shopping makes or breaks their annual income.

It would be hard to overstate the negative impact that Covid-19 has had on artists and businesses...including, or maybe especially, makers.

My work in the Canopy Austin gallery 

The New York Times reported that "small businesses account for 44 percent of all U.S. economic activity" and a story in the Washington Post led with the sentence "More than 100,000 small businesses have closed forever as the nation’s pandemic toll escalates".

Never has the concept of "Shop Small" been more important.  Buying work directly from a maker, or through a local gallery does more than just give you warm fuzzies as a shopper, it can have both an emotional and financial impact on the person who crafted the items you buy.

Buying from a maker results in a more personal and thoughtful gift.  It will be one of a few or one of a kind, hand crafted rather than made through production (and maybe even out of the country).

Buying from a maker supports them as an artist.  It demonstrates your commitment to craftsmanship and creativity.  The creation of the item is personal, which makes it a more meaningful gift.

Buying from a maker has a positive financial impact, not just for the artist, but for the local economy.

The Local Multiplier Effect (LME) - and economic concept that looks at money spent small and local, versus in a large national retailer or online - means that dollars spent with a local artist or vendor stay in the local community.  Those dollars continue to circulate locally, supporting other businesses, rather than leaving the community.  The impact of a dollar spent locally can be several times greater than a dollar spent in a big box store or online. 

While there is no physical retail space this year, the Ladysmiths of  ATX are working hard to create a virtual space for women jewelry makers. 

Starting this week, November 28, through December 6, they will be hosting an online holiday market on their Instagram feed and stories. They will be highlighting nearly two dozen jewelry artists using the hashtags:

#makermagic2020 and #LSATXMM20.

These are just a few of the faces behind the social media posts and accounts you will see over the next couple of weeks at the Ladysmiths of ATX Maker Magic Holiday Show...

not only are these talented women crafting beautiful jewelry, they all need to buy groceries and pay bills - and I guarantee that they will be more excited about and grateful for your purchase than a big box store or major online retailer.

Some of the Ladysmiths of ATX on Zoom

I understand that handcrafted, artisan gifts may be harder to find this year because there are almost no in person markets, and these items can be more expensive - so not everyone can afford to purchase them - but I encourage you to look online for virtual markets, or seek out small shops in your area.  These folks are your neighbors, they make up your community, and they deserve your support.

Until next time.

11.23.20 Home for the Holidays

Under ordinary circumstances, I would say that when it's still 100+ outside, it's too early to be talking about Nutcracker...but a few weeks ago, that's exactly what I did...and it was great.

For the last decade or so, I have been giving Nutcracker Docent presentations on behalf of Ballet Austin at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and more recently, I have been providing descriptive audio narration for students and other visually impaired patrons at performances.

Like everything else about 2020, Nutcracker presentations are going to be different this year...but I was thrilled when I got a request to go to the Ballet Austin studios and record both a video piece for the docent presentation that will go out to third graders across central Texas, and make an audio recording of my descriptive narration.

I was so excited to be going somewhere and doing something - in person, with people - safely, of course.  I got dressed, put on make up and jewelry, donned my mask and drove downtown.

When I got there, I was so glad to see the staff from the Community Education and Production departments...but I couldn't hug them, in fact, we all stayed six feet apart as they set up the camera and microphone for me to record my video segment.

I was a little nervous - it's one thing to make a presentation in front of a group of third graders, they love having "guests" in the classroom, but doing it on camera is a little more daunting.

For many students, Nutcracker is their introduction to live performing arts, especially dance, and I wanted to appear as enthusiastic on camera as I try to be in person.

The good news is - it went quite well - in no small part due to the work done for me by the Ballet Austin staff. They had the script on a teleprompter, and adjusted the scroll rate to a speed that worked well for me.

After the video taping was finished, I was ready to do my descriptive narration audio recording...but rather than being in the sound booth at the Long Center, with a live performance on stage, I was in an office watching video on a small screen.

Still, I was glad to be asked, and happy to be doing it.

I'll miss being able to see the students - and the performances - in person this year, but I'm glad to be able to help the folks at Ballet Austin, who are working so hard to make sure that Central Texans - including thousands of school children - can still experience the Nutcracker this year.

Covid has hit arts organizations and individual artists especially hard.  If you are able - please support them - by maintaining your season subscriptions, following the on platforms like Patreon, and as always, shopping small from artists for yourself or as gifts.

You can help support Ballet Austin, and enjoy the holiday tradition by bringing the Nutcracker Home for the Holidays.  Just follow the link to make a tax deductible donation to Ballet Austin and get digital access to the performance and related events.

I hope you have a small, safe and socially distanced Thanksgiving this week.

Until next time.

07.20.20 It's not about you...

...or me, it has to be about us - ALL of us.

The American myth has always been just that - our reality has never been that all [people] are treated as though we are created equal, or that there is opportunity, liberty and justice for all - even though that's what we've been taught, and want to believe.

The past few months have brought the problems of inequity and social injustice to the forefront of our national consciousness. Yes, it is going to be a painful conversation - but it also long overdue.

Mask from Resistance by Design

The list of challenges we face - poverty, racism, homophobia, misogyny, xenophobia - is long and daunting...but not insurmountable.  There are things each of us can do (and that I see so many around me already doing) that can and will result in positive change, if we are willing to persevere.

There are simple things - like wearing a mask. Wearing a mask is about ensuring the safety of our community, just like obeying traffic laws when you drive a car.

You have to wear a seat belt when you get in your car. You have to drive on the right side of the road, and stop at intersections and for traffic signals.  When people fail to to drive safely, they put lives at risk - and no sane person goes on a tirade about traffic laws violating civil liberties. It's even easier to put on a mask (no behind the wheel training required) and it protects everyone.

(As I've written before, I work on my posts a week or two ahead and fortunately, since I started this one the Governor of Texas has made masks mostly mandatory in public places).

Mask from Irene Neuwirth
Covid plushie from Giant Microbes

Because it's not about you, or me - it's about everyone.

I'm actually starting to "amask" quite a collection - including one from jeweler Irene Neuwirth that was part of a fundraising effort for Campaign Zero - made from Liberty of London cottons -  it came with a lovely handwritten note from Irene!

But, high profile jewelers and designers are not the only folks working to raise funds and awareness for social justice causes. 

I used to tell my graduate students when I was teaching about civil rights and social justice - ordinary people often do extraordinary things - and that is how progress happens.

My donated fabric.
My friend Jennifer's sewing table

Here are a couple of examples:

When the CDC recommended everyone should wear a mask, several of my sewing friends began working hard to ensure that anyone who wanted a mask could have one.  

Knowing that these friends were making and donating masks motivated me to go through bins of fabric I had sitting in my laundry room (because at one time I thought I might go back to sewing when my nest emptied - but then I found metalsmithing) and donate it...

for years I'd been telling myself to take care of that chore, but I'm glad I waited.  It's been fun to see posts with my fabric being turned into masks for folks who need them.

Little things - like doing something I needed to do - turned into a bigger thing for other people (honestly, you would have thought I'd left bags of spun gold on my friend's doorstep). That's what it means to be part of a community.

In late May, as the Black Lives Matter protests started across the country, one of the members of the Ladysmiths of ATX was approached by a fellow artist about selling an item and donating the proceeds to a social justice non profit organization.  That exchange led to a huge online fundraiser that raised over $11,000.

In just a couple of weeks - by reaching out to their community of women and non-binary makers - they brought together over 90 artists who donated more than 200 items, and the proceeds were donated to several social justice organizations supporting Black lives.

When we come together, we can make change happen, and the actions we take are not necessarily overtly political...wearing a mask certainly shouldn't be...neither is shopping at the farmers' market, or getting take out from a local restaurant rather than a chain.  These are things that we can all do to keep our communities safe and strong - because this is about us (not you or me).

So, at least in these first two attempts, I've managed to touch on jewelry in my return to blogging - and it feels good to be writing - which is really why I started in the first place.

Until next time.

12.23.19 Wrap it up, I'll take it!

Wow! What a holiday season this has been for me and my jewelry...

two years ago, I'd never done a holiday jewelry show - this year I did THREE!

The lovely folks at the Pottery Barn at the Arboretum (Austin) invited me to do an in-store pop up in mid-November.

It was a busy Saturday - the staff set me up about halfway back in the store, with some of their lovely jewelry boxes to use as display props. All afternoon I visited with shoppers as they were getting ready for Thanksgiving, and just starting to think about holiday gifts.

Some lucky people are going to get earrings in their stockings this week!

That same weekend was the first - of two - for the East Austin Studio Tour, or as most folks around here call it, EAST.

THE Ladysmiths
📷 @in.hansland @happyhannahkkuh

After a fun and profitable day on Saturday, I spent Sunday at Canopy, an artists' community in east Austin, where the Ladysmiths of ATX (I've written about them before) rented gallery space that opened just in time for the show.

This incredible group of women (I'll be writing a lot more about them in 2020) rented a space and got it ready in record time, then brought in nearly two dozen women artists (including me) to sell handcrafted jewelry, ceramics, textiles and fine art!

I am so excited to have a local gallery space where my jewelry is on display and for sale...because it wasn't just open during EAST; for at least the first few months of 2020, the space will be open for business every weekend!

📷 @lindsayhendricksjewelry

Not only did my jewelry (and that of everyone who was there) do well at EAST, it was a treat to spend two weekends watching people - LOTS of people - come in, and shop for handcrafted art and jewelry.

Yes - we were tired when it was over - but, very happy.

I took a break (from in person jewelry sales) for the week of Thanksgiving, but I ran a sale on Etsy (so thanks to all those shoppers, too). When I got home, it was time to get ready for the my last event of the season...

...the Second Annual Holiday Trunk Show at Creative Side Jewelry Academy.

📷 @lindsayhendricksjewelry

For the second year in a row, the incredibly hard working staff of CJSA turned the studio space where I make jewelry into booths for more than a dozen members to set up shop.  It was wonderful to have guests come in and see our work - and our space - and it was especially wonderful to just hang out with my benchmates.

Generally, when we are in the studio, we're working - so our heads our down (sometimes our earbuds are in) and we're sawing, hammering and using power tools...but a few times a year, we come together as a group and get to socialize...and it makes me even more grateful for the place and the people that I have come to think of as a second home, and family.

I'm thankful, too, for my online community.  I've now been writing this blog for five years - and I never imagined I'd be where I am today.



Y'all just keep coming back for more...as the year ends, we're closing in on 26K views...from all over the world...which (at least to me) is pretty amazing.

So, that's a wrap for 2019.  Thanks for being part of my jewelry journey.

Until 2020.

02.11.19 Duck, Duck, Goose

This is me - with my friend Dorsey. We've been friends a long, long time. We met as undergraduates at the University of Virginia, where we were both studying religion (she as a major, me as a minor).  When we graduated, we went our separate ways - or so we thought - until one evening just a couple of years later, we discovered that we had both moved to Austin, at almost exactly the same time.

Dorsey spotted me first, I was having dinner with my Dad - she walked across the restaurant and said "Deb, what are you doing here!?"

One of many wonderful meals with friends at Eastside
Photo credit: Betty Weed

I had come to attend graduate school at UT, and she had come to open Eastside Cafe (which closed at the end of January after a fabulous 31 year run) - one of the first eateries to base their menu on locally grown and sustainable agriculture.

After years of running the garden at the restaurant, Dorsey left Eastside to establish HausBar Farm - where she and her wife Susan run a sustainable urban farm and a darling guest house.......which brings me to the ducks, and a very special goose, named Gustavo.

Photo credit: HausBar Farm

As Dorsey tells it, when Gustavo arrived at the farm as a gosling, it was clear he was no ordinary goose.  He is a charming and gregarious bird - he talks to people and other animals, he likes to be held and loved on, and he has become HausBar's official ambassador.  Whenever there are visitors, it is Gustavo leading the tour.

He is such a special goose, that he, Dorsey, and her mom Barbara, have written a book - On Gustavo's Farm.  

It tells the story of his life on the farm - helping to raise ducklings, hanging out with his pals the donkeys and rabbits, how everyone gets along, despite being so different.




I was lucky enough to attend the launch party for the book, and I thought my speckled hen pendant would be the perfect piece of jewelry to wear.

Dorsey liked my pendant so much, that I offered to make one for her with a goose on the back.

We chose a lovely moss agate for her piece - the colors echo the white and gray in Gustavo's feathers and the verdant greens of all the things that grow on the farm.

It is always a joy to make a custom piece, especially for someone who has been my friend for my entire adult life. I say that every piece of jewelry has a story - but I think this is the first time that the story comes from a book by and about a friend.

Photo credit: Gustavo's Farm

If you have a child in your life, I encourage you to follow the link above to Gustavo's page and buy a copy (or two or three) of his delightful book.

Until next time.

12.10.18 Shop Local 2018

Thank you to the amazing folks at Creative Side who made the holiday market happen last weekend, and everyone who came out and shopped! I loved seeing the work of all my fellow member - makers  and talking to so many wonderful people.

Photo credit: Blue Genie Art

If you didn't make it to the event - fear not - my Etsy shop is still open - with free upgraded shipping through December 18!

Now, it's time  for my annual shout out to two of my favorite long running local holiday art fairs! Both the Blue Genie Art Bazaar and the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar are open through December 24.

Blue Genie is now in their second year at at 6100 Airport Boulevard - and conveniently located next to the fabulous Brewtorium brewpub.

What started as some creative people deciding to have a little holiday fun has become one of my favorite must shop Austin holiday traditions



According to the history on their website - "The first Blue Genie Art Bazaar was held in 2001 at the Blue Genie Art Industries (BGA) shop, where we mostly sold items made by Blue Genie employees. Without putting much thought into it, we built a few walls, hung up some clip lights, and swept the floor — and then we opened the doors. It was quickly apparent that we had something exciting on our hands. Now, the bazaar features the handmade, unique work of over 130 artists, whom we select from a talented pool of more than 300 applicants. We have spent over a decade refining the bazaar, and we’re quite proud of what it has grown into."


I ALWAYS find something at Blue Genie, and almost always, in addition to gifts for other folks, I usually also end up with something for me...like these great earrings from Metalsgirl (I'd been coveting a pair in this style for a quite some time).

Photo credit: Armadillo Bazaar

The Armadillo Christmas Bazaar is the oldest and longest running of the fairs.  If you REALLY want to make a day of it - get tickets to Ballet Austin's Nutcracker (which runs through December 23, right next door at the Long Center for the Performing Arts), then stroll over to the Palmer Events Center for a different kind of Texas culture.

With artists from all over the country, it's not just a great place to shop for gifts - but a wonderful way to entertaining out of town friends and family wandering from booth to booth while hearing great Texas music.

In case you can't one or more of these events - or aren't fortunate enough to get to Austin at all - here are links to a few of the Austin-based women I've shopped with over the years:




adaptive reUse - Christine Terrell uses vintage tins to make one of a kind earrings, necklaces, belt buckles and cufflinks.

Amanda Deer - dainty, delicate jewelry for everyday including lots of items that can be personalized.

Dish it Out Jewelry - Holli Brown brakes vintage plates - and turns them into wonderful earrings, pendants and bracelets.

Fail Jewelry - Christine Fail works in gold, silver, brass and gemstones to create beautiful contemporary wearable art

Haley LeBeuf Jewelry - contemporary, sophisticated pieces. I especially love her Austin-inspired Violet Crown line.

Lisa Crowder Jewelry - Lisa Crowder creates distinctive floral and geometric jewelry in silver, gold and enamel.

Metalsgirl - Lisa Gibson combines stones and silver in wonderful, colorful, wearable works of art.

Poppy & Fern - Rachel Pruitt creates tiny embroidered works of art to wear on a chain or hang on the wall.

Happy shopping - and stay tuned for at least one more "shop local" post.

Until next time.