Materials and Sourcing…

Posted on March 22, 2015 by TheStrayArrow

Spring is almost here in New England and I’ve been getting back into using deer hide in my jewelry. I have wonderful customers of all types, sizes, backgrounds, and beliefs, so I know pieces with leather aren’t for everyone. That being said I want to share with you all what I use and how it is sourced…

As with my stones, quality and sourcing is extremely important and a lot of time and effort goes into it. All of the deer hide I use, and it’s currently the only kind of leather I use, I get solely from my local annual powwow. None of the beautiful creatures it is gifted from are hunted for sport of any kind, but for food. Every part of the deer is used and nothing is wasted. I acquire the natural hides in full, so I can cut my own cord pieces from them for another layer to the hand crafted nature of my work.

In addition, I’ve been hanging full hides in front of my window so certain folds can be lightened by the sun. This has over months created a really lovely ombre effect in the leather colouring.

With this hide sourced respectfully I’ve made a few fun earrings to add to the shop this afternoon. So far there are three pairs with different kinds of stamped markings. All sweet and simple to add to any woodlands lover’s collection:

***Giveaway news with mythical ties coming soon***

xxStray Arrow

Sale, New Items-

Posted on July 27, 2014 by TheStrayArrow

In honor of the melt worthy heat outside, take 13% off in the main Stray Arrow shop with all orders over $25 (does not apply to custom orders).

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NEW ITEMS

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One of my very first rings from years and years ago with a rugged Pilot Mountain turquoise is now coming to the shop~

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This wondrous statement piece that has been creeping in the corners of my Victorian curio cabinet will also FINALLY make a shop appearance~

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More news coming soon!

xxStray Arrow

New Items

Posted on July 5, 2014 by TheStrayArrow

A few new items will be hitting the shop throughout Sunday, made again in between filling orders. Long term custom orders are almost all complete so more pieces will be filtering in soon!

AND FOR THIS WEEKEND ONLY:

In the main shop enter in coupon code: FIREWORKS, for 10% off of your order.

(not applicable to custom orders)

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Check back to the shop tomorrow for these sweet and simple new pieces!

xx Stray Arrow

SALE & New Items

Posted on May 1, 2014 by TheStrayArrow

I’d like to announce it’s now the annual MAY SALE! All throughout the month of May in the main Etsy shop enjoy 10% off of your entire order by applying the coupon code: MAYBABY at checkout. The sale will end May 31st at Midnight, and does not apply to custom orders.

A few new items made in between working on custom orders will be added to the shop tonight. Here’s a quick preview:

^Chained rings now made to order with your stone of choice.

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Now, a little highlight on rutile & tourmalinated quartz, plus some photo candy:

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I also just want to thank everyone for having patience with me while I was sick for several weeks, due to a reaction from some medication. All pending custom orders are still in the works and getting little extras! The Plugs shop will reopen shortly once I’m more caught up with orders.

NEW STOCKIST ALERT-

Small Home Studio in Brooklyn, NY now carries Arrow Ware by The Stray Arrow!

more news soon

Stray Arrow

Tucson Gem Show!

Posted on February 21, 2014 by TheStrayArrow

Alright folks. This is going to be a fairly long post, so hold tight.

To give a brief summary, I’m sharing my experience and rock haul from the Tucson Gem Show this year. Anything marked N/A in the photo is not available for custom orders. All other stones are up for grabs and will ONLY be fully reserved once you nail a design down with me and a deposit for said design has been paid. Please be aware that unless you’ve sealed a piece with me, I may be showing the same stones to others.

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So. I started in New England, looking at this:

Packed up jewels from my personal collection to sport in the sun:

Took a few planes…

….and entered a region where aliens are abundant. Aliens. Yes. They are everywhere, in bizarre variations that look inviting yet are secretly hazardous…

And yes. I’m talking about these:

I swear these are the weirdest, coolest things. I got so many, “Uhm how many photos of cacti is this girl going to take???” stares. I don’t even care.

Oh yeah. There was also the huge gem show all over the city, that was cool too.

(^natural rough Sleeping Beauty mine turquoise)

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Now, onto conquests.

^Broken Arrow mine variscite. natural. straight from the mine owner.

^Burtis Claim Cripple Creek mine turquoise. natural.

^Royston turquoise and Royston ribbon cut turquoise. natural.

^Royston turquoise. natural.

^White Buffalo turquoise. natural. Straight from the mine owner.

^Blue Moon mine turquoise. natural.

^Royston ribbon cut turquoise. natural.

^ left to right: New Lander mine, Peacock mine, Carico Lake mine, Number 8 mine (!!! truly!), Damele mine.

All natural.

^the amazingly tight webbing in this one is hard to photograph.

^this one has a very high dome.

^ Sleeping Beauty mine turquoise. natural.

^Fox // Cortez mine turquoise. natural.

^old stock Number 8 mine turquoise. natural.

^Royston turquoise. natural. Along with some strays.

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That’s the haul folks! I hunted and enjoyed the skies of the Southwest

Then I returned home to a series of snow storms. Fantastic.

Keep a look out as I’ll be posting NEW ITEMS to preview here on the blog this coming Sunday before they hit the shops!

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SALE NEWS

From tonight until next Thursday at midnight, enjoy 15% off of your order in the Main Etsy Shop with coupon code:

SNOWVERDOSE

in honour of there being too much snow here and wanting to empty the shelves in the shop a bit for new items! Sale does not apply to custom orders, minimum purchase of $25 required to apply.

KEEP POSTED FOR SUNDAY.

In the meantime, if you aren’t in a sunny land, stay warm and bundle up!

xx Stray Arrow

Giveaway and News!

Posted on February 1, 2014 by TheStrayArrow

Well folks, it’s the first of the month. I think it’s time to bring back the Rock Appreciation Days, what about you? Today VARISCITE will be highlighted. See the feature and photo examples of current and past jewelry pieces using variscite at the END of this post.

For now, I’d like to update you all. Studio access has been slightly limited in the recent past due to construction on the building. A big thank you to all who have placed orders for your immense patience during this time! The studio is now at full speed again and any work in my space has finished. Due to the slower production speed I have solely been keeping up with “made to order” items and custom items. I will finally be updating the main Etsy shop with new items next week. To stay posted on exactly when you can follow any of my social media seen at the right side bar.

In more exciting news,

I will be going to the Tucson Gem Show!

This is a big deal for me, because it is absolutely huge and spanning a month’s time, and I wasn’t able to go last year. I will be gone from February 9-13th. Please note that I will keep both Etsy shops open during this time, but some “made to order’ items may be deactivated. All orders will ship upon my return. As I am shopping for rocks, I’m giving you all an opportunity to weigh in. What kinds of stones would you like me to use more? Have a custom piece in mind with a specific kind of stone you want me to hunt for? If you have a serious hankering, please list your desires in the comment section below. I’ll be adding it to my ‘treasure hunt’ list. When I return all new scores will be photographed and posted here. For the most up to date Gem Show experience you can follow my Instagram: @thestrayarrow.

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GIVEAWAY NEWS

This giveaway will primarily be for Instagram. Any comments below on THIS post will also be included into the giveaway! Comment with stone opinions! Win the Feathered Band with Arrow Vane below, in your size. Winner will be chosen Feb. 14th.

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On a more serious note…

I want to bring up something that often goes unsaid by most jewelers. It goes unsaid because of backlash. Because of people getting defensive. Because you take something that is “fun” and “aesthetically pleasing” to the general public and shed light on a negative aspect of the industry. That’s right. Industry. This is a trade, not a hobby. I’ve mentioned this before and I want to mention it again. Creative rights are constantly being infringed upon. It is not okay, and should not be supported. It is morally bankrupt. Yes, there are others out there with technical skills, no, they do not have my mind, or the mind of a peer. If you see something that you *immediately associate with my work or think is mine initially* chances are fair that my creative toes are being stepped on. If you see someone using ALL of my main themes I’ve been working hard to curate for years-

(turquoise.wampum.myth.literature.Native American.Nordic.)

then yes. There’s no respect being shown, and my hard work is being stolen. Unfortunately there is little to be done, and speaking with people who clearly have no respect for others OR respect for themselves is most often a dead end. Again. This is a message for you to be aware. Not to dictate whom you should be buying from. When folks purchase my work along with that of my peers I get excited customers enjoy our work all around. There are wonderful, talented, respectful artists out there with some true integrity. They spend years creating work that evolves into a personal aesthetic. I will always fight for my creative rights and the rights of my peers. Please be respectful of the creative rights of other artists. Please be aware of what you’re looking at and who you are supporting. Lastly, please take this message as a celebration of those who know themselves and stay true.

ROCK APPRECIATION DAY

[DISCLAIMER: I am not a lapidary (stone) artist, gemologist, mine owner, or any other kind of authority on gems, stones, or minerals. I am simply an enthusiast who likes to share the information I’ve gathered in my goal to attain the perfect rocks for my jewelry pieces].

VARISCITE.

Variscite is an aluminum phosphate mineral, ranking about a 3.5-4.5 on the MOH’s hardness scale. It is often confused with turquoise, although more often than not much greener. It is another popular southwestern stone for jewelry use. The most popular can be found in Lucin and Fairfield, Utah, and Esmeralda and Lander counties in Nevada. It also hails from Australia, Brazil, Spain, Poland and Germany. Many kinds of variscite, especially from the USA, can have host rock webbing in them again making it easy to confuse with turquoise.

Below are pieces I’ve made with different varieties of variscite:

(^from Australia)

That’s it folks!

Have a good weekend~

xx The Stray Arrow

Eye Candy.

Posted on December 26, 2013 by TheStrayArrow

No. This isn’t a post about rocks.

There will be one down the line, but not today!

I’ve been spending some time going over old photos, admittedly clearing space on my computer. I thought I would share some old and new that may not have made it to item listings, social media posts, or just been swept under the carpet of time…

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I hope everyone has had a lovely Holiday Season, whichever you choose to celebrate!

For future notice on a packaging change:

I used to send all bangle bracelets and bracelets in general in plain sweet little muslin bags. They’ll now be going out a bit more spruced up, as such:

That’s it folks!

NEW ITEMS will be hitting the shop throughout tomorrow, including two Chained in Turquoise rings, and two unique stacking ring types.

xx The Stray Arrow

SALE.

Posted on December 2, 2013 by TheStrayArrow

CURRENT SALES:

10% off with code: BLACKCYBER, ends tonight at midnight

20% off orders over $50 with code: TODAYONLY, ends at midnight

25% off orders over $100 with code: KEEPINGUP, ends at midnight!

LAST CHANCE.

New items next week.

News, News, and New News

Posted on November 28, 2013 by TheStrayArrow

WHEW!

It has been quite awhile since my last posting!

I’m pleased to say after months of hunting and some set backs, I have finally found a studio space near my new apartment. I’m excited as it will be my first time sharing space in an artist building with painters, printmakers, and a sculptor! While I’m getting ready for this next venture in my life, setting up my studio and plastering the walls with hanging tools and Cave items, another hurdle is gaining speed….Holiday Madness. To start off this Holiday season, I’ll be holding a SALE in the main Etsy shop this weekend. From MIDNIGHT Thursday to MIDNIGHT Monday enjoy 10% off all items (excluding custom orders). Use the coupon code below to claim your discount at checkout. To be clear about shopping with The Stray Arrow, I have updated my SHOP POLICIES which I encourage everyone to read over thoroughly.

A couple new items will make it to the shop this weekend in my Cave line theme, including the mini goodies below. A new extra long Arrow Vane Shield ring will be available, plus this little Royston turquoise Arrow Vane. More new pieces are in the works in tandem with custom orders. Keep a look out as they’ll be posted to my Instagram or Facebook page before hitting the shop.

To keep up with the studio space you can follow @thedooryardcollective on Instagram or Facebook- DooryardCollective. The Dooryard is the new home to The Stray Arrow Studio. If you’re around Portland, ME come check us out! The Dooryard will be participating in First Friday Dec. 6, located at 108 High Street. Stop by for some drinks, food, jewelry, and all that other cool art stuff.

Have a good weekend everyone- whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day, or just staying in to avoid shopping madness. I’ll be in my new amazing space decorating and banging out orders with some cookies and coffee.

>>>>A Special Offer<<<<

For those following my blog here, I want to thank you for your support. For this weekend I’ll be doing a 25% off sale when you spend $100+ in my shop for those larger items. Enter in the coupon code: KEEPINGUP at checkout.

xx The Stray Arrow

New Items, A Taste of Home, and NEWS-

Posted on September 29, 2013 by TheStrayArrow

Firstly, a brief photo viewing of the pieces that’ll be listed today, Sunday. Then some photos of the outdoor ventures in this lovely New England Autumn weather. Lastly, some very important news concerning the month of October for my shop and all jewels.

…HOME…

I’ve been swooning over this delightful weather lately. I’ve been opening all the windows and the door to the studio to let through the nice crisp breeze. I love hearing the leaves rattle and fall….

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NEWS:

I am excited to say I am moving my home and studio from the woods to a city. This is going to be a hectic and semi slow process, so in the coming month a few things will change in the shops:

***THE ETSY SHOPS WILL REMAIN OPEN***

There may be a few 2-4 day spans when they’re on “Vacation”, but on the whole they’ll be open. Many of the “made to order” items will be deactivated. Mostly “ready to ship” pieces will be available. If you’re looking for something you were hankering for and no longer see it listed, convo me either on Etsy or email me here: Stasia@thestrayarrowjewelry.com. I may have studio time available to whip it up. If something is listed, it means I CAN make it. Production time will extend on all orders to 2-3 weeks.

*FOR CUSTOM ORDERS*

If I have started conversing with you about a commission, don’t worry. I still have a studio to work in and we can create something lovely for you in a timely manner. I will NOT be taking custom orders during the month of October UNLESS it is a very desired and needed gift for someone (I’ve got a soft spot). If you do have an idea for a custom order you’re serious about, contact me to plan for it come November/December.

Everything should be settled by November in PLENTY of time to handle the Holiday season which I am very excited for this year. If you have any questions about any of this feel free to contact me! I will update moving status on my Facebook and Instagram (@thestrayarrow).

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I hope you’re all enjoying the season!

Another blog update will occur Tuesday, Oct. 1 with further (happy) news! Stay tuned folks-

xx Stray Arrow