I stumbled upon a craft fair happening at one of my favorite places, The Herbary at Bear Creek Farm in Howell, New Jersey (more on them very soon). It was a beautiful treat to see local vendors selling their creations in The Herbary’s gorgeous greenhouse full of poinsettias, winter flowers and succulents.

A very cool table caught my eye that I just have to share: VELVET & SLATE is owned by Karisa Perrone and all the pieces are handmade. Her Etsy store’s boilerplate:

“To the wanderer, the lover, the artist, the creator, the maker, the doer and the thinker. This is for you. Velvet and Slate was created for the free spirited mind, the bohemian soul and the youthful heart. Each piece is hand crafted with special attention paid to the finishing details. The feathers are real, and each is unique and organic in nature, making every piece of jewelry one of a kind. Every item is made n the USA.”

I bought a stunning gift for a friend of mine which was a “wrap necklace” with a gold-dipped feather on one end and a shiny gold tassel on the other, but the design was so fantastic; The piece included a chain clasp that would go around your neck to mimic the look of the wrap necklace but was way more comfortable and secure.

I couldn’t leave empty-handed for myself which for some reason, at this time of year when I’m supposed to be buying things for others, I feel a bit guilty…

…but you have to see these earrings.

I love agate earrings and I love how no two pieces are the same. These are surprisingly comfortable, weighty but not too heavy, dramatic but not too long (about 2.3” long), and crafted beautifully.

Velvet & Slate also has some beautiful decoratives like gold-dipped feathers in frames and hand-drawn & cut greeting cards.

I am so excited by this GREAT FIND and I cannot wait to treat myself more in the future to what Velvet & Slate has to offer! I strongly suggest checking out this ETSY page as there are lots of beautiful and individualistic giftables here.