It started in my late teens, when I saw someone else wearing a necklace I had on, purchased at a department store. The next time I was in that store, I studied the jewelry and thought I could do better, and it would be one of a kind. I taught myself how to bead and design. That is how fernkeeley jewelry designs started a few years later, and I did a pretty decent business making custom pieces for friends and family, and soon after to people I met who loved what I was wearing.
~This is where my need for having one of a kind things came from.
I haven’t ever really wanted what others had, the trends, at least not since junior high. I admit that I was a big shopper throughout my twenties, loving the mall and racking up my credit cards. I lived and worked in Los Gatos, where shopping was a way of life. After a few visits to see a good friend in Los Angeles and checking out the stores there, they began to blur together, they all sold the same things, felt the same, something clicked off inside me and I started to hate shopping. I was over it, and really over trends. If a bunch of people like something, a style, a brand, a fabric pattern, I’m over it.
~This is why I hate to sell things that you might see somewhere else.
When I moved to Santa Cruz things really began to change. I know normal people like to shop, because they buy from me and other stores in town, thank goodness. After nine years, I really, really hate to shop. If I had time to be pioneer woman and never set foot in a store again I probably would. I support my fellow shop owners, when I do shop it’s definitely local. I’d just prefer to be eating blackberries off a bush, talking with you, good music, hanging out with family and friends, and reading loads of books on any subject that interests me.
~This I can’t explain, other than hey, I’m just a country girl.
Mind you, I LOVE to shop for my store, and I LOVE my store. I am happy to run up to the San Francisco Design Center and find fab things for clients. I am thrilled to be able to shop for antiques in the pastures of Texas. I also LOVE you all that love my store. Making my customers and interior design clients happy is what I live for, it keeps me going.
~This is why my shop is like a home, and you feel so welcome and inspired there. (I hope)
I do have a point here. I have always and always will sell what I love, and nothing I don’t. I promise you, I know what sells. I read the blogs, I see people going gaga over things that yes, if I did not know they were mass produced in China and India I would think were fabulous as well. But I do, and I can’t get past that. I like to know the artist. It’s getting worse and worse, my snobbery, I can’t help it! There are companies I could order from and have my shop looking beautiful at all times and I would probably make loads of money. Actually, I have ordered things from these places because I know that my customers would like them and could be perfectly happy using them in their homes, but if you know me you know what happens with that stuff. It goes straight into the half off section. Boxes from China do not have good juju for me. I feel like that idiot/brilliant garage band that refuses to sell out therefore nobody ever gets to hear them except their friends, but times are different now. The garage band can make a youtube video and go viral. I can continue here on my blog, on facebook, and in person to gather a great following of people who like to have things nobody else has, love my taste and appreciate knowing where their useful or beautiful home wares, lotions, etc., come from. Please understand that I am NOT judging you for buying or anyone who sells what I can’t. Everyone needs to make a living and you do what you have to do, some of you reading this might only have a Walmart to shop at, you might have more important things to think about. Believe me, I am not judging. Please continue to shop in my store even if you don’t care about these things, I’ll still love you! I know I have issues, in twenty years it’s certainly possible I may be a hermit, living off grid with only an internet connection and a herd of cats 😉 NOT judging you guys either!
Just like I want to know where my food comes from, I want to know who poured my candles, cast my rings, made my dress or handbag, and I want to know the artist who made my dishes. If I can’t have that, because our planet is not that small yet, at least I can know who works directly with the people who make the dishes, who picked this antique chest of drawers from a barn in Nebraska.
Here is a list of artisans that I have personally met or spoken to, many are good friends, and I am proud to carry their products:
Tricia Rose – Rough Linen in San Rafael
Laura Zindel ceramics in Vermont
James and Jacque of old soul studios in Northern Ca
Maurice Connolly Northern Ca
Cheryl Schulke from Houston Texas
Maggie McKay of tomgirl west Santa Cruz
Naomi Campos, yedomi jewelry, Portland
Katie McCann, beetle blossom in Berkeley
Kim at Austin Press
by nieves, Berkeley
Josh at Best Slipcover company
And of course my local antique dealers and workrooms!
As I write this I’m making a vow to you, I will continue to only buy what I love, and to never ever buy anything that I have my doubts about its provenance. It needs to be special, well made, and beautiful or useful, as William Morris said. When I buy, especially antiques but also when I am looking at a product and talking about it with its producer or representative of, I get a feeling, good or bad. This is why I have a guaranteed good juju sign. Y’all might think I’m crazy but I can’t help myself. It’s the way I feel, and the only way I can run my business.
Scarlett
I make linens for you Scarlett! with you on the shopping…
I had a feeling I would leave someone important and obvious out, I’m so sorry, Tricia! I’ll add you in the am. Forgive me.
I love you for saying all of this. So many times, at the other store, I felt this way and you expressed it so beautifully…SO BEAUTIFULLY. Many times, the customers don’t understand that as a store owner, you are there 24/7 and after a while, want to surround yourself and invest yourself with things you believe in and truly love so that with purity, you can offer of yourself 100% without comprimise. I am confident your customers sense this and its the reason why they continue to visit you. I only hope I can be there soon and show you my support in person, not just on these airwaves. Kudos to you.
Since I was in college, over 40 years ago, and as an art major, first learned about William Morris, I have always tried to live by his words and surround myself with only things that I love, (not an easy task when children come along), so it was so refreshing to read that you feel the same!
Scarlett, that was inspiring for us. So often we get asked why we don’t go another route with our business, we are told “oh you guys could make a lot more money if you did this or that”. We create for people like you, that get it. We love what we do and the making money part doing it just comes as a perk. We are so grateful to be able to spend our lives creating and having others enjoy it. Thank you for your vision, your ideals and for being a good friend and customer. Your store is my favorite and you explained exactly why! Jacque & James Ferreira
This is a very delayed comment – I read this post when it came out and soon after I visited your store, which is so beautiful and filled with great, fun, inspiring things. I feel like you do – I would live very rural if I could, do some painting, gardening, sewing – though I might have some dogs and maybe a miniature horse in with the cats! I don’t get to Santa Cruz often but when I do I will be sure to stop in again. It just feels so much better to have things around that are not made in the millions by some anonymous factory worker, though it’s tough in a modern world.
BRAVO! I love how uncompromising and full of conviction you are! But I’m also a biased friend and admirer! 😉 Thanks for sharing why your store is so unique—because you are!