Behind The Counter- April

Welcome to Behind the Counter. Take a glimpse behind the scenes at Thistle & Bess to connect with people who inspire, hear the thoughtful stories behind the goods that I love and find out what is currently sparking joy in my life.

One of my favorite parts about owning a shop is planning our window displays. We truly have so much fun coming up with new concepts and themes. We put so much thought and love into each shop window and we adore watching our community enjoy them as they stroll by. T&B team member Ellie Behm has taken on the job of "window designer" since she started at the shop in 2023 and she has really taken the shop window designs to a whole new level. 

We recently updated our window for the spring season. Ellie built giant honeycombs that are perfect for displaying some of our favorite little spring things. She also made papier-mâché bees, a friendly caterpillar and the most adorable giant mushroom. Each time that we create a new window I keep saying that this has to be the best one yet! Ellie is graduating from a graduate program at Michigan next week and we will sadly be losing her as she moves on to a new exciting adventure in Boston. She is graciously trying to finish our holiday window display before she leaves Ann Arbor and from what she has made so far, this one is truly going to be our best window yet. We hope that you stop by to admire our new spring window and wish Ellie the best of luck before she moves. She will be greatly missed! 

Goldeluxe Jewelry has been one of our best sellers since we opened almost 10 years ago. Handmade in Dexter, MI by Libby Hopper Trajkovski, Goldeluxe Jewelry is modern, sculptural and perfect for every day wear. Fun fact- Libby randomly wandered into the shop during our very first week of business in 2015 and told me about her jewelry line. Like me, she had recently moved back to Michigan after living in NYC. We instantly hit it off and the rest is history. I recently asked Libby some questions about her design process and what is currently inspiring her. 

What does jewelry mean to you? 
Jewelry is such a personal thing. I love how we can have something special to wear on our bodies every day - sometimes we can assign our own meaning to it, or we can simply express our own personal style by wearing it. It can make us feel pretty, put together, or confident. It can remind us of a loved one as we go about our day,of a commitment, or of a personal mantra we try to live by. I often think of my jewelry as tiny sculptures or works of art. It's more special and beloved than clothing (in most cases) and more close to our hearts than art on the wall. It's so singular and special!

How did you get started making jewelry? 
I dabbled in beading and jewelry making as a young kid, but it didn't really stick until one birthday when I was in my 20s - a friend brought over a little wire wrapping necklace craft and I was hooked from then on! I started an etsy site in 2009 selling pieces I constructed out of vintage components. It was a fun exercise in creativity but I was interested in learning more so I ended up moving to NYC to try and work in the jewelry industry. Somehow I managed to land a job as a production manager for a small jewelry brand (after I had stints as a nanny, front desk clerk at a spinning studio, and even at a sketchbook museum). I didn't make the jewelry at this job, but I learned SO MUCH about running a jewelry business. I eventually learned how to string pearls from a professional pearl stringer who did work for David Yurman, and took over that job at my company as well. Throughout my time there, I learned so much about how jewelry is made. I took a 6 week class at a local jewelry school in jewelry fabrication, and then another one in wax carving. From there I was pretty much set up to have a jewelry business and the ball started rolling almost on its own. I still had the etsy shop so it was an easy pivot to my handmade pieces.

Do you have a favorite part of your creative process? 
Yes! Designing new pieces and seeing them come to life is such a joy every time, even 10 years in. I only get to do this once a year and it's my favorite thing ever. I love the experimental phase of designing - going beyond the sketches and digging into playing with wax. I never limit myself with the experiments I make in wax to get cast into metal. Sometimes once I see the piece in metal I get a million new ideas. Sometimes I get something back and it's really weird or doesn't fit with a collection, but still a fun one-off I can sell at my annual sample sale. Honing in on a cohesive collection is always hard but it's a really fun challenge.

What is currently bringing you joy or inspiring you? 
Watching my daughter grow and learn and being surprised and delighted by her every day. Going on walks with my family and taking note of the new growth appearing each day. Having mature, adult female friendships that lift up and support each other, no strings attached. And finally, I love (and have always loved) movies and TV shows from the 90s and 2000s - they seem to have more heart and a more genuine point of view over today's more generic, algorhythm-influenced content. So cozy!

You are a mother of a young child. Do you have any advice for others who are juggling parenting and a creative business? 
You really learn to be super efficient as a mom! I think what works for me is making sure I have dedicated time to work, and dedicated time to be with my daughter. I don't really try to do both at the same time because I'm never satisfied with the results on either end. I constantly feel like I never have enough time to work and get everything done that I need to do, but honestly I felt like that even before I had a child so I sort of came to peace with that feeling years ago. I can only do so much!

MOTHER'S DAY EVENT WITH GOLDELUXE JEWELRY
SATURDAY, MAY 10 from 11-5pm 

Join us at the shop for a fun afternoon with Libby from Goldeluxe Jewelry. Create a truly custom piece on the spot, perfect for a thoughtful Mother's Day gift!

Libby will be offering:

-Permanent Bracelets- get a matching one with mom or your little one. So cute! 

-Custom Gemstone Fringe Necklaces- choose your own stones and Libby will make you a special piece on the spot. 

-Custom Gem Duo Necklaces- pick birthstones, your favorite colors, anything you'd like! 

We hope you bring your mom (or your little!) and join us for a cute day of jewelry.

I don't make it out to Detroit as much as I used to, but my husband and I recently had a great evening trying new spots, one of them being Vesper Books and Wine. Housed in an old bank building, Vesper is a wine bar, serving natural wines and delicious snacks. What makes it even more special is that it is also a book shop specializing in cook books! Peruse the bookshelves while sipping your wine. It really is a brilliant concept. The offer some fun wine and cooking themed events as well. Put it on your list! This is a great spot to spend a chill evening catching with friends.