INSPIRATION MERMAID: BEHIND THE KIRKS FOLLY MERMAIDS

THE MERMAID by Howard Pyle

Mermaids have captured the hearts and imaginations of men and women the world over. The bewitching sea creatures are found in every culture and date back to ancient Greece, where archaeologist have found bronze moldings of sea nymphs which are over three thousand years old. 

Diego Fernandez's evocative mermaid 

Appearing as both the heroine and villain in countless stories, mermaids run the gamut of emotions, from beautiful seductress to powerful predator. Beneath all these depictions lies a common thread: mermaids embody femininity in all its forms—from the innocent child to the passionate woman. Mermaids symbolize the full spectrum of the feminine, the light and the dark, its power and its mysteries. To embrace the mermaid archetype is to embrace these traits within.

David Adam's scrimshaw

Ulysses and the Sirens H.J. Draper

 Here at Kirks Folly, we fully embrace the mermaid and the  mystery she holds. 

When we design our mermaid jewelry we envision the elusive fish-tailed beauties of ancient lore, who sing captivating songs to lure sailors closer for a stolen kiss or to seal their doom. 

We visualize longhaired lovelies cavorting amongst the sea creatures—seals, seahorses, octopi and dolphins.

The Mermaid and the Dragon
by Warwick Goble

We imagine the sleek, glistening scales of their undulating tails as they dive the depths plucking pearls and treasures from the ocean floors.

We picture them in small groups baking themselves on sea cliffs and separating  seaweed from their gleaming curls with combs of pearl and bone. 

We sense the ocean spray splashing on their warm sunbaked skin, as the wind lifts their hair to reveal the laughter in their eyes and the secretive smile on their lips.

John William Waterhouse

We marvel at the powerful twist of their graceful bodies before they dive from their perch.

Brief glimpses of exquisite faces charm us before disappearing below the ocean surface and we can only stare at the rippling sea, imagine what lies beneath and strive to capture it in metal, crystal and enamel.

Mermaid of the Lighthouse

The illustrations accompanying this post are some of the many, which have inspired the Kirks Folly vision of mermaids. 

Sailor's Fairy Siren Pin/Enhancer

Please share your thoughts on mermaids with us and visit our Inspiration Mermaid Pin-board here to see more of our mermaid inspirations.

Summer is coming, embrace your inner mermaid and…

SPARKLE THE WORLD!

Leave us a comment if you'd like a chance to win our June giveaway drawing. Click here for details. 
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THE BUZZ: PREP FOR THE FACTORY OUTLET SALE

Royal Flyer Bee Pin

This week we raise the curtain and give you a glimpse of what it takes to prepare for our fabulous 
FACTORY SALE! 
Yes, that Sale! The two day event when we gather all of our sparkly treasures, display them on tables, racks and walls and throw open the doors to the public. Some of you have attended this auspicious event which we’ve held for over 20 years and others of you have heard of it or seen glimpses of it in images that we’ve posted on our website. 

Butterfly Magic Pin/Pendant

But that’s the endgame. It takes  a lot of  work to prepare for the Sale, but  for us, it is a labor of love. The Factory Sale is our way of showing our appreciation to our customers for all the joy and support they give us. We offer a huge selection of our jewelry, accessories, gift items and clothing at less than wholesale prices.
We realize that many of you live far from Rhode island and cannot attend, so we try to schedule an online Sale or have special value items on our website during the two days the Factory Sale takes place. 
Approximately five months before the Sale, we  decide if we have enough merchandise to make the event fun and exciting and then choose the dates.

Bird of Fairyland Evening Clutch

It takes months to gather the limited edition items,  one-of a-kind pieces, and  forage through our archives for the limited vintage treasures that those attending search for. Many times we include clothing pieces from the Dreamkeeper collection that is sold exclusively on QVC UK. Once the treasures are gathered, we spend a great deal of time with quality control making sure each piece is perfect.

Crystal Chameleon Pin

Once upon a time the Factory Sale was held at our actual factory, but as the number of customers attending grew, we had to switch the venue to a larger place with access to much more parking. For the last few years the sale has been held at Scottish Rite Masonic Center, a lovely spacious building with room for our vast array of merchandise.

Dragonflies in the Forest Pin

 But we did say a glimpse of behind the curtain didn’t we? So here it goes: 

From the far corner of the factory the worried voice of our chief solderer calls for assistance from a designer. Can she substitute the fine jump ring on the watchband she is soldering, for a thicker one? The change is approved and the designer rushes back to  finish the prototype for a dragonfly treasure box. Customers were looking for more dragonflies, mermaids, fairies and various animals which we ran out of at the last sale.

Rainbow Radiance Pin/Pendant

A loud babble of voices is heard as it is discovered that one of the shawls has arrived in the wrong color. After our manger calms our inspectors, he seeks out an owner—can we work with the new color or will it have to be returned?  The color is attractive, more peach than the plum shade originally ordered. Someone is sent around the studio with a sample of the original and new. All of the fairies, um, workers weigh in and soon its decided: the new color is much more popular than the original. Score!

Emerald Queen Bee Pin

Meanwhile the manager receives an urgent call from production—they can’t meet the deadline for a windchime, if it remains as ordered. They're short on the chosen sparklies!  

A brief conference to decide what changes can be made to facilitate the deadline, and lucky us— Sparklies that were previously unavailable are offered as a substitute.  The intercom cuts through the jubilant "Saved!" as an urgent voice announces the need for assistance. 

Hang On Monkey Pin

One of our hand-painters from the enameling dept. is seeking advice for a second color choice on a picture frame.

Feline Fancy Heart Key Chain Charmer

Suddenly a buzz of excitement rises through the workshop. Apparently there is a cat outside. It looks a little scrawny and frightened, but not feral. Someone mentions its been outside for several days. A search of the company fridge and milk is found and poured into a jewel adorned cut glass bowl. A small group is elected to take the milk out to the cat, while the rest of the fairies, er, workers, resume working. Suddenly a  bell sounds, and it’s time for the 10:30 morning break.

 That’s just a small taste of what is happening behind the curtain as we prepare for the May  2014 FACTORY SALE.  We hope some of you can join us to see what wonderful treasures we’ve dreamed up for this much-anticipated event.

Friday, May 2, 2014 9AM-5PM

Saturday, May 3, 2014 9AM-4PM

Scottish Rite Masonic Center

2115 Broad Street

Cranston, Rhode Isand

Come “SPARKLE THE WORLD” with us!

We have a Winner!

 Congratulations

 JENNIFER JACOB

You have won the April drawing! 

Please contact us at 236helenjane@gmail.com and let us know where to send your prize!

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