Seasonal Sparkle from Drakesflakes

words by Chelsea McMahon

With each person I meet it seems that people’s true talents and ideas are unearthed in such unpredictable parts of life. Take drakesflakes for example, a company crafting designs as delicate as the snowflakes which inspire them from the same machines as the sprinklers, pumps, and bearing houses at Hooke Machine Co. in Canadensis, Pa.

After earning his mechanical engineering degree, Drake Hooke, the creator of drakesflakes returned to his home in the Poconos to work with his father at Hooke Machines – a family business that currently hosts a full-time staff of 15.

The very first drakesflake (and creative venture for Hooke) was made as a Christmas present for his mother, a lady who seemed to have just about everything. His sketches were created on the computer, and made with the shops machines. Drake’s mother loved the gift and requested that he make more the following year, and the business kind of grew from there. Still drafted with CAD (computer-aided design programs) technology, Drake’s elegant snowflakes can be found in 72 designs that crop up at craft shows and retailers across the country.

When asked if drakesflakes will expand into other themed products and designs Drake replied, “You’ve got to be careful and focus on just a few things, and do them really well.” He plans to keep plugging away at his snowflakes– for the clientele he has been fortunate enough to build relationships with. He is thankful to be able to manage all of this with the help of his assistants, Mary Ann Miller and Ryan Gearhart.

Each design is created from aluminum, which will not rust and can be passed down from generation to generation; this is the very idea that Hooke puts behind his work. “These designs are so not much about holidays, but they are about winter – which makes them timeless and classic – it lasts forever.” And each flake has its own name, taken from places around the world that people have been to – “as long as the place is cold,” he said with a laugh.

Drake’s lovely jewelry and ornaments can be viewed online at drakesflakes.com, or you can find them at Theo B. Price of Mountainhome, Josephine’s Fleur-de-lis in Stroudsburg, or this holiday season at Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem.

Jewelry by Ingrid Blackert

words by Heather Hanson

For me, childhood summers spent in the Pocono Mountains included afternoons swathed in mud, crystal cool waters tickling my toes as I chased crawfish among the crevices of a stream bed. My mind is full of nights tracking softly blinking fireflies, as they danced to a symphony of crickets. There was an abundance of magic in those summer months; a feeling that is captured in the whimsical, eye catching jewelry of Ingrid Blackert.
Though native to Germany, Blackert has spent the past 25 years living here in Northeast Pennsylvania, soaking in inspiration from the natural elements around her. Many of her pieces, which she does in both limited editions and series, take the form of a bejeweled bug or flower and serve as a small reminder of the feelings nature evokes within us. “ I believe everything in nature has a power all its own and wisdom to be found in its observance” said Blackert.
With her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education and a focus on art, Blackert initially started crafting jewelry only as a hobby. “I took a 3 credit course, and I guess you could say the jewelry bug bit me!” Blackert exclaimed. Over the past 13 years a hobby has grown into a career of meticulously fashioning both gold and silver jewelry from high-quality materials. To Blackert, who is an active member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen, quality is key. “Every piece I would wear myself,” said Blackert “ which means paying attention to detail and ensuring it will hold up to wear and tear.” Currently, Blackert’s work can be found at her online gallery or purchased at one of the many craft shows she has scheduled throughout the summer. Visit her at the Arts in the Park Juried Craft Show and Festival in Elkins Park, Pa on June 7th, which promises to be a great day spent outdoors enjoying art. Bring home a lustrous dragonfly or winsome ladybug pin, as they are the perfect accessory to help you capture a little bit of your summer spirit.
Visit www.ingridblackertjewelry.com to see all of Blackert’s creations and find a complete listing of her line-up of craft shows this summer.

Feed your Skin

by Heather Hanson

Craving sweets? Give into your craving without feeling guilty and try one of BRYCE Organics delectable face scrubs. In succulent scents like California Meyer Lemon, Hawaiian Coconut, and Mediterranean Pomegranate each scrub provides a treat for the senses as well as the skin. The award winning California Meyer Lemon conjures memories of confections like lemon squares and sweet summer lemonade, all the while leaving your skin silky smooth.
Founder of BRYCE Organics, Adrian Diorio, was inspired to create the skin product line after whipping up fruit concoctions with his juicer. “I started to wonder, how can I turn these healthy drinks into skin care products?” Said Diorio. What truly sets this line of products apart is their all natural 100% organic ingredients; and a guarantee that every skin treat includes at least one half to one whole fruit. There is a reason, after all, that mom told you to eat your fruits and vegetables, and with the help of a scrub from BRYCE Organics your skin will be privy to all the nutrients that nature provides.
Diorio’s products have seen great success in fine spas and boutiques across the country and will soon be available at fine retailers in the Pocono Mountains. “I feel like the natural beauty of the Poconos coincides so well with our fresh organic products” explains Diorio, “we’ve seen a great number of online orders from Northeast Pennsylvania and want our skin care line more easily available to our customers.” This spring, BRYCE Organics is working on complete collections to compliment each of their yummy scrubs. Soon you will be able to enjoy a body bar, shampoo, conditioner, lip balm, moisturizer, and soy aromatherapy candle in your favorite BRYCE Organics flavor.
Start feeding your skin and purchase a BRYCE Organics scrub by visiting
www.bryceorganics.com.

Gifts of Jewels

words by Heather Hanson

Jill Elizabeth, creator of Liztech Jewelry, has a passion for bright, expressive baubles that began one day at Girl Scout Camp. By age fourteen Jill had entered her fisrt craft show, the 1965 Scranton Lackawanna Art Festival, and has been pursuing her passion ever since. It was in 1984, after traveling around the country with her husband, Scott, that they decided to settle in East Stroudsburg. Scott began cooking at Dansbury Depot and Jill rented a small space on Crystal Street, which became the studio of Liztech Jewelry. “In the beginning the jewelry was so horrific that nobody bought anything!”, Jill proclaimed, “It took me that first year to figure things out and create what Liztech is today.”
Over the past few decades Liztech’s whimsical handmade pieces have caught the attention of the community and beyond, boasting a mailing list of over 15,500 customers. Though all of Liztech’s jewelry is exceptional, their group of charity pins bring a certain twinkle to many fundraising campaigns in the Pocono Region. The first charity pin was inspired by Rachel Moyer, who started the Greg Moyer Difibulator Fund after her son, Greg, died from heart complications on the school basketball court. The purchase of the “Greg Moyer Heart Pin” helps the Greg Moyer Difibulator Fund donate automated external defibrillators (AED’s) to schools, YMCA’s, libraries, ambulance corps and youth groups nationally. The “Greg Moyer Heart Pin” is not only the longest running charity pin, but also one of Liztech’s best selling fundraiser pieces along with the “Hospice Pin”, which supports the VNA/Hospice of Monroe County. On average, Liztech creates 8-10 fundraising pins a year, all of which donate funds to a worthy local cause. “I like the oppurtunity the fundraiser pins give me to reach out to the community,” Jill expressed. Liztech Jewelry’s spring line up includes pieces for The Salvation Army, Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators Women’s Caucus, The Stroudsburg Chemical Hook and Ladder Company #1 and The Lehigh Valley Dental Hygenist Association.
For more information on Liztech Jewelry and their fundraising pins visit www.liztech.com, or stop in at The Gallery at Liztech, located at 95 Crystal Street, East Stroudsburg, Pa.