Portland Mercantile Company Blog

Sienna Sky Earrings - Fun for the Holidays!

2011-08-25T12:37:00.001-07:00

Sienna Sky Earrings (and Adajio Earrings) are made in Longmont, Colorado (USA), include a holiday collection for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. In addition to holiday earrings, there are other earrings in the Sienna Sky collection including animals, flowers, and others...including some rather whimsical ones.

You can shop for Adajio and Sienna Sky Earrings and other products at Portland Mercantile Company. Or, click the Adajio or Sienna Sky Earrings link on the right.

Zen Jewelry Collection

2011-05-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

New Zen Collection by Vessel International, Inc.

You can shop the Zen Jewelry Collection and other products at Portland Mercantile Company.

Pacific Northwest Gifts

2010-09-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

Explore our ever expanding Pacific Northwest Gifts selection. From executive gifts, to unique handmade artisan artwork, to beautifully silkscreened fabrics and textile pieces like scarves and ties, we believe that you will enjoy our wide range of diverse products. Crafted with quality craftsmanship and precision, our products are sure to be a great gift!

Click the links below to see some of our other selections:

Boma Giftware
Desk, table, and wine accessories

Magenta Giftware
Coasters, scarves, and ties

You can shop for Pacific Northwest Gifts and other products at Portland Mercantile Company.

Become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!

2010-09-10T23:30:00.000-07:00

Now you can become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!

Become a fan of Portland Mercantile Company on Facebook

Follow Portland Mercantile Company (pdxmercantileco) on Twitter

Lovell Designs Fine Pewter Jewelry

2010-07-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

Ken Kantro has been an artisan for 35 years. Today, Ken works out of his studio in Portland, Maine creating original designs in sterling, pewter, and gold. He continues to receive numerous commissions from museums and institutions such as the United States Capitol Historical Society, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Winterhur Museum. Ken has won many prestigious awards and has exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution and at museums and galleries throughout the world. His work in The Earthsong Collection is a celebration of the timeless beauty of nature's creatures. Crafted from fine pewter.

You can shop for selections from The Earthsong Collection at Portland Mercantile Company or special order any of Lovell Designs' products by contacting us at customerservice@portlandmercantile.com.

Gelato Watch from TOKYObay in Yummy Colors!

2010-02-12T16:49:00.000-08:00

The new Gelato Watch from TOKYObay is a perfect blend of retro athletic and fashion forward. With a simple bubble dial and bright colored straps, the ultra smooth leather and low profile recessed watch face provides a colorful alternative to more traditional style watches. Comes in Orange, Blue, Green, Pink, and "Red".

You can shop for the Gelato Watch from TOKYObay at Portland Mercantile Company or special order any of TOKYObay's Watches and Accessories by contacting us at customerservice@portlandmercantile.com.

Zazou Scarves

2009-11-02T16:01:00.000-08:00

Zazou is a collaboration between designer Christopher Carroll and founder Claudia Koch. Originally an idea to clothe a mythical “Zazou,” a hipster of early 40’s Paris, Zazou has evolved into a company whose goal is to find a way of combining art and artisan to make beautiful textiles at affordable prices.

Painter and designer Carroll uses a wide variety of techniques to create his original designs, including painting, drawing, cut paper, and collage. Claudia Koch travels the world searching for perfect fabrics to translate the Zazou vision into textiles. She walks through the bazaars of Asia and spends hard time in the cafés of Europe in search of the ultimate scarf.

Zazou designs are sold worldwide and is the only company that regularly creates homage studies of major artists, composers and art movements. From traditional wood block and screen printing techniques, Zazou has progressed into multi-fiber jacquards and complex brocades. They are always consulting textile masters throughout the world for evolving weaving techniques and the latest yarns.

As Zazou's interest in sustainability has grown we have developed Bamboo scarves and fingerless gloves using that wonderful prolific plant. They continue to look for fabrics and techniques that are easier on the planet.

Zazou prides itself on its work on detail, drape, and hand. They like to say "Wear Zazou, Change your life”. Who knows? It might even be true.

Source: Zazou Website

You can shop for Zazou Scarves at Portland Mercantile Company or special order any of Zazou's Accessories by contacting us at customerservice@portlandmercantile.com.

Maruca Design Handbags

2009-08-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

Maruca Design proudly cultivates the art of personal adornment…with handbags and accessories that are always right on trend. Maruca Design's distinctive fabrics and beautifully constructed shapes are the perfect match of style and functionality.

Handcrafted in the U.S. in Boulder, Colorado since 1993, Maruca Design's handbags and accessories are designed to become exclusive collectibles that will hopefully beautify your every day life. One look at Maruca Design handbags and it's easy to see that the company was born out of a love for textiles. Owner, Rex Maruca has a background selling high-end jacquard fabrics, which in 1993 progressed into the handbag business. More than a decade later, Maruca Design has become the leading manufacturer of jacquard and tapestry handbags.

You can shop for Maruca Design Handbags and Accessories at Portland Mercantile Companyor special order any of Maruca Design's products by contacting us at customerservice@portlandmercantilecompany.com.

Burnout Velvet Scarves by Dana Herbert

2009-07-16T10:14:00.000-07:00

Unique and luxurious burnout scarves from Dana Herbert. Dana lives and works in Portland, Oregon where her line is designed and manufactured. With a lifelong love of textiles and color, Dana started designing accessories over a decade ago.

Every Fall, Dana introduces a fresh new collection of luxurious, yet affordable burnout velvet scarves. Dana travels around the globe, including fashion centers like New York, Los Angeles, and Paris, to see what’s new and beautiful, looking for fabrics that will offer her customers something unique and glamorous.

Available in different styles, the Classic Style shown (single-sided) measures approximately 11″ x 60″ in length. Double-sided burnout velvet scarves are also now available. Dana’s line also includes environmentally-friendly handbags, knit ruffle scarves, silk cotton sateen scarves, loop scarves (including double-sided loop and two color loop), and silk chiffon scarves.

You can shop for Dana Herbert Burnout Velvet Scarves at Portland Mercantile Company or special order any of Dana Herbert's Accessories by contacting us at customerservice@portlandmercantile.com.

Firefly Austrian Crystal and Czech Glass Mosaic Jewelry

2009-07-02T11:10:00.001-07:00

Firefly jewelry is intricately embellished mosaic jewelry inset with a combination of Austrian crystals and Czech glass beads. Earrings are on French ear wires that are either sterling silver or gold fill; posts are surgical steel. The Lever back earrings are on high quality Euro wires which are either antiqued brass or silver-plated antiqued brass. Bracelets are 7" long. Necklaces are 16" (17' with extension) unless otherwise noted. The necklaces are either made with silk thread, antiqued steel or antiqued brass chain. The intricately embellished mosaics are inset with a combination of Austrian crystals, Czech glass beads, brass and nickel silver wire. The findings used in the jewelry are brass that has been silver plated and then antiqued.

Firefly provides employment and training in comfortable working conditions and fair wages to the indigenous people of Santiago Atitlan in Guatemala. The workshop employs over 80 skilled artisans both men and women. The indigenous people of the village are very skilled in their traditional arts; the women weave on the back strap loom and are skilled in embroidery the men weave on foot looms and are skilled in making fishing nets.

Firefly has taken many of the traditional skills and transformed them into jewelry making skills. The workshop is spacious and filled with skylights and windows, every artisan has their own worktable and light. It is built around a plant and flower filled courtyard with the ever-vigilant terriers Ricky and Rocky around to greet the workers and roam the gardens.

Note: Firefly jewelry should be cleaned with a soft cloth only since chemicals or chemical baths could strip the beads of coatings and destroy the finish on the metals.

You can shop for Firefly Jewelry at Portland Mercantile Company or special order any Firefly jewelry by contacting us at customerservice@portlandmercantile.com.

Fullenstar Studio Nuno Felt Scarves

2009-06-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

Fullenstar Studio is the work of Carmen Halverson, a fiber artist in Chicago, Illinois. Carmen has been interested in all things fiber for ten years when she started knitting and quickly became a “yarn snob”, wanting only to handle natural fibers.

Knitting was Carmen's gateway into felting. She began loose knitting very large pieces and fulling (shrinking) them in her washing machine.

"As soon as I laid my hands on raw wool fiber, I was hooked. I felted my first scarf about two years ago and scarves have been my focus since then. I love that scarves are truly wearable art and many of my customers have commented that they are unsure if they should wear them or if they should hang them on a wall. The natural materials are always my inspiration. I use artisan blended wool whenever possible, and I hand dye each piece of silk used in my nuno felted scarves".

Her tools are simple: bubble wrap, environmentally friendly soap, lemon juice, hot water, and hours of physical labor.

You can shop for Fullenstar Studio Nuno Felt Scarves at Portland Mercantile Company.

Camenae Jewelry by Janice Lee Ripley

2009-05-27T20:20:00.000-07:00

Camenae Jewelry celebrates the art of adornment. Janice Lee Ripley, owner and principal designer, reinterprets the 3,000 year of history of jewelry in her handcrafted pieces.

Her design style, described as modern primitive fusion is inspired by motifs from ancient cultures. She uses natural elements such as river rock, bone, wood, slate, sterling silver, copper, brass, pearls, shell, and semiprecious stones with colorful glass beads and ceramics.

Camenae Jewelry uses centuries-old techniques of hand-dying, painting and carving bone, hand stamping and antiquing metals, and application of 24k gold vermeil which gives her designs depth and texture.

These techniques ensure that each piece of Camenae Jewelry is truly unique.

You can shop for Camenae Jewelry at Portland Mercantile Company.

Sierra by Sonoma Art Works Jewelry

2009-04-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

Sierra designs are created in the design studio of Sonoma Art Works, located in Sonoma Valley amidst the vineyards of northern California's wine country.

The jewelry is designed by artist Cheryl Sirkus whose designs begin on her sketch pad and are transformed into works of art.

For the subtle and feminine...handmade in the USA in Sonoma, California.

You can shop for Sierra by Sonoma Art Works Jewelry at Portland Mercantile Company.

Marjorie Baer Jewelry

2009-04-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

As a jewelry designer, Marjorie Baer is always doing new and interesting things. Marjorie's career began on the steps of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in the late 60's. It was there that the Berkeley grad displayed her first group of handcrafted necklaces, bracelets and earrings - those pioneering pieces that would lay the groundwork for her collections.

Although her style has evolved with the changing times, it's always maintained its original design concept: each piece of jewelry is unique.

"I think my jewelry reflects both my love of art and my training in design. I am concerned with a sense of rightness in the way things are made - in the craftsmanship they reflect. I also strive for meaning in the pieces and for a feeling of cultural connection. The forms and look cannot be random; they have to make sense in cultural terms, connecting us with the symbolic heritage of our ancient societies and indigenous people. Each piece is made to last and resonate the enduring values that inspire me."

You can shop for Marjorie Baer Jewelry at Portland Mercantile Company.

Dream Mullick Jewelry

2009-04-08T09:51:00.000-07:00

Now in our store.

You can shop for Dream Mullick Jewelry at Portland Mercantile Company.

Celtic Jewelry

2009-04-07T07:58:00.000-07:00

The Celts were a people who dominated much of western and central Europe in the 1st millennium bc, giving their language, customs, and religion to the other peoples of that area. The word Celt is derived from Keltoi, the name given to these people by Herodotus and other Greek writers. To the Romans, the Continental Celts were known as Galli, or Gauls; those in the British Isles were called Britanni.

In the 5th century, Saint Patrick converted the Celts, the Iron Age invaders of Ireland, to Christianity, but many of the converts retained much of their Druidic religion. This Celtic cross on the left near the Shannon River in Ireland, with its elaborate stylized relief of earth gods and woodland spirits, illustrates how the Celtic people preserved many of their Druidic beliefs.*

You can shop for Celtic Jewelry at Portland Mercantile Company.

*Source: Encarta

Zealandia Designs Jewelry

2009-03-31T09:31:00.001-07:00

Zealandia Designs creator Jenny Byrne was born in New Zealand and has woven her initial love of the natural materials found on the beaches and rivers of the world, and a fascination with spiritual and mythological art, into an unusual line of silver, gold and fossilized ivory jewelry.

Zealandia Designs uses all natural materials, combining several elements such as silver, gold, fossilized walrus tusk, ancient mammoth ivory, semi-precious stones, ammonites, orthoceras, mother of pearl, and the vibrantly colored paua. Fossilized ivory, shells, and fossils are like human fingerprints, in that no two pieces are the same. Paua shell, a species of Abalone found only in New Zealand, varies in color from pink and gold to green and blue. Each ammonite is unique.

The fossilized walrus tusks used in Zealandia Designs ivory jewelry can span the neutral tones from creamy white to honey and reddish brown to black, depending on the minerals the walrus tusk was in contact with and the length of time it was in the ground before uncovered. This ancient fossilized ivory is anywhere from 500 to 3,000 years old. It is legally obtained from native owned land, having been excavated by Eskimo families from old village sites on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska.

Ancient mammoth ivory is a byproduct of gold mining being found in the layer just above the gold by both American and Canadian gold miners. Zealandia Designs uses mammoth ivory when they want a nice creamy skin tone. Occasionally they will use mammoth ivory from Siberia, which is generally whiter than North American mammoth ivory due to its resting in ice rather than soil.

Jenny selects the fossilized ivory and shells, like paua, appropriate for her design concepts. She explains her inspiration:

"The richness of hues developed by the fossilization of ancient ivory makes each piece of our ivory jewelry unique. The idea of using ivory as old as the petroglyphs and cultures that inspire me is very exciting as I like my designs to tell stories that honor the wisdom ancient people developed to explain and understand the forces surrounding them. I see early expressions of writing, art and ritual as having an innate power, and incorporate this into my designs as silent incantations or mantra."

Shop for Zealandia Designs Jewelry at Portland Mercantile Company or contact us for special orders at customerservice@portlandmercantile.com.

Frank Lloyd Wright Ties

2009-03-29T18:06:00.000-07:00

“Whether people are fully conscious of this or not, they actually derive countenance and sustenance from the “atmosphere” of things they live in and with.”

Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), American architect, is considered one of the greatest figures and influences of 20th-century architecture.

Frank Lloyd Wright was born in Wisconsin. His father who was a musician, abandoned the family in 1885. Wright briefly studied engineering at the University of Wisconsin, displaying a knack for drawing, and in 1887 he moved to Chicago, Illinois. From 1888 to 1893 he worked as an assistant at the Chicago architectural firm of Adler and Sullivan, learning much before embarking on an independent architectural path in 1893. The rest, they say, is history.

Many of Frank Lloyd Wright's work is reproduced or adapted for use in the men's neckwear industry. Portland Mercantile Company is pleased to offer a wide selection of his designs on 100% silk from Boxelder, Inc., a Wisconsin company that is a leader in the gift and museum market with their art-inspired neckwear.

You can shop for Frank Lloyd Wright Ties from 100% Silk at Portland Mercantile Company in addition to ties adapted from the works of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, M.C. Escher, Eadweard Muybridge, Gustav Klimt, and Santiago Calatrava.

Laurel Burch Jewelry

2009-03-29T10:20:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, March 26, 2009, Laurel Burch was inducted into The Marin (County) Women's Hall of Fame posthumously.

At the age of 14, Laurel Burch left her tumultuous home life in Southern California with nothing more than a paper bag of clothing and the rare bone disease osteoporosis that she was born with. Cooking, cleaning, and babysitting for her room and board, she embarked on a search for some stable ground to support her fragile body. With no job, no money, and no dreams, Laurel Burch reached the Golden Gate of San Francisco.

Laurel’s search for connectedness was evidenced in the jewelry she began to make for herself and wear – old coins, bones, and beads arranged into earrings and necklaces. Wearing them gave her a sense of belonging, if only to an exotic world of her own making. Fascinated by her adornments, people on the street began to ask her where she got them. Her creations became bridges to friendships and patrons. Through trading, selling, and giving them away, these artifacts found their way into the lives of people all across the country, and the phenomenon of collecting Laurel Burch began.

Laurel was a self-taught painter. She saw herself as a folk artist, telling stories. “In our fast-paced, changing world,” she said, “we need symbols that are a reminder of the ongoing world of the spirit.” On some level, her work was always about bringing different cultures together, and about our connection with the earth and all living things, ideas that have only increased in relevance today. Laurel was always incredibly prolific. Even during her long periods of convalescence, when she was forced to paint from a bed or wheelchair, she seldom put her brushes down. Laurel said, “I refuse to have anything in my life that I can’t turn around into something magical and beautiful. I just refuse.” Her art will forever convey a sense of joy and passion and lightness. There is an inner strength in her figures, with their bold lines and sinuous curves, and something irrepressible in the explosion of her colors. The universe of her imagination was fertile, burgeoning, uplifting, egalitarian, a place where every flower and dragonfly was transformed into something...magical and beautiful.

Source: Laurel Burch Website

Shop for Laurel Burch Jewelry at Portland Mercantile Company.

Adajio Earrings

2009-03-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

Inspired by a diversity of imagery from ancient art of the Americas to contemporary African, Asian and European motifs - Barbara MacCambridge’s interest in color and texture infuses each item in the collection with a unique visual appeal.

Adajio Earrings are etched, then embellished by hand with a special proprietary process that adds color and interest to each piece. Adajio Earrings are then completed with gold-filled or sterling ear wires, as well as glass, metal and crystal beads. The resulting jewelry is not only unique and colorful, but also lightweight and comfortable to wear.

Shop for Adajio Earrings at Portland Mercantile Company.

Singerman and Post Earrings

2009-03-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

When people first examine the lightweight and colorful earrings from Singerman & Post, they always want to know how they are made. The colors have an unusual saturation and most people believe that they are made of metal, but the pieces are too lightweight to be titanium, the usual best guess.

The jewelry is actually made by laminating together very thin layers of different types of brushed aluminum and gold finish plastic materials including films, mylar, and vinyl. Patterned top layers,designed by Leni Singerman, are film photo transfers of her artwork: watercolors, collages, pastels, drawings, and photographs. Individual pieces are hand cut, beaded and twisted in the studio to form sculptural shapes that are featherlight and extremely comfortable to wear.

Leni loves color, texture, and patterns from many cultures, drawing on surface design, particularly textiles, for inspiration. Her other great pleasure is found in natural form. The collections feature photographs of leaves and flowers taken in her garden in the Berkshire foothills of New York, where she lives with her husband and partner, Terry Post. The process Leni uses today has evolved and developed over the two plus decades that she has designed and produced jewelry.

Shop for Singerman & Post Earrings at Portland Mercantile Company.

Bamboo Pendants by Laughing Girl Arts

2009-03-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

Laughing Girl Arts Jewelry Bamboo Pendant images are from 18th Century Japanese woodcuts and are bordered top and bottom with patterns from chiyogami paper. The completed images are transferred onto a central bamboo tile.

Tube beads, hand-rolled from metallic paper, are added to the top and bottom. Your piece is wired with complementary colored wire and a little bead dangle is added for movement. Handsigned by the artist on the natural bamboo back. The piece is triple-lacquered with UV resistant lacquer for moisture resistance and durability. Strung on a black cotton cord, the pendants come with an adjustable-length sliding bead clasp.

Shop for Bamboo Pendants by Laughing Girl Arts at Portland Mercantile Company.

Art Deco Earrings from Kit Heath

2009-03-10T19:35:00.000-07:00

Kit Heath has recently released beautiful Art Deco jewelry that is superb. Art Deco, a style that was made popular in the 1920s and 1930s, was used primarily in the design of buildings, furniture, jewelry, and interior decor. Art deco is characterized by sleek, streamlined forms and geometric patterns. You can find more Art Deco earrings like those on the left at Portland Mercantile Company.

Kit Heath Ltd is based in Barnstaple, Devon in the picturesque South West of England. Kit Heath believes that jewelry is a precious heirloom, a beloved gift, a treasured memory - all of these things, and more. For a woman it can be a statement of femininity, inspire confidence and set her apart in a style of her own. It can be an expression of love, sorrow or celebration.

Shop for Art Deco Earrings from Kit Heath at Portland Mercantile Company.