We are excited to announce the return of the Muggles Market, just in time for Valentine’s Day! This year’s theme is Muggles Market: Love and Plunder, combining our adoration of pirates and love. As usual, you have a wonderful opportunity to get to know our artists, writers, artisans, and entertainment through our Muggles Market Spotlights.
Shellie Vickers of The Valkyrie’s Jewel is a new artisan with our Muggles Markets. We asked them a few questions about their life, work, and what treasures they’ll be bringing to Muggles Market: Love and Plunder.
Please tell us all about the plunder you’ll be bringing to Muggles Market.
I am excited to bring back a dazzling array of faux Fairy Wing earrings, hair sticks, and necklaces! I have new colors and patterns to premier. We also offer intricate hand-woven stainless-steel jewelry in bracelets, pendants and earrings. We have a variety of fantasy inspired pieces from many fandoms and genres. Don’t miss the mermaid scale earrings, the dragons vein agates, mystical opalites, and mini magic potion bottle necklaces! I will have beautiful mermaid glass tail pendants and matching fluke earrings. We even offer phoenix tear potion, Felix Felicis, Amortentia, and golden snitch earrings for wizards and muggles of all ages. I have feature a selection of glow in the dark skulls and hand knapped arrowheads for the pirates to plunder!
How did you get started making your glorious plunder?
I have crafted jewelry for over 35 years. I started making my own jewelry because my skin is very sensitive, making it difficult to buy fashion, fandom, or cosplay jewelry. I find that stainless steel is perfect for this because it is very hypoallergenic, it will not tarnish, fade or cause allergic reactions in most people. Making unique items by hand also means I can offer a tailored fit. I also know the frustration of being other-than-average sized, and I love to offer items in many sizes and custom make pieces to fit anyone of any age.
What’s an item you are bringing that you are really excited about?
I am excited to share my Angel Grace Vial Pendants! Fans of Supernatural will love this magical little vial inspired by Castiel’s Grace, and adorned with tiny little wings, It is one of my most popular items. It is made with materials that are both reflective and refractive, so it shimmers, sparkles and displays lovely color variation. It seems to glow all on its own when hit by sunlight.
What else would you like everyone to know about your wares?
I love to show the hidden beauty in seemingly mundane things and serendipity of unexpected combinations. I also love the challenge of making items inspired by fantasy into beautiful reality. I always try to include layers of symbolism and to make something that is more than it appears to be at first glance. That is why I love to create in steel. I can craft incredibly strong, sturdy jewelry that is also lightweight and comfortable. My woven wirework only looks dainty, delicate and fragile. Actually, it is durable, practical, and quite literally strong as the steel it is made of! I want my creations to inspire new ways of thinking and seeing the world. I want you to get new perspectives, get curious, really look at things, and see the beauty in places you didn’t see it before. I want to inspire your imagination. I want you to see little bits of magic all around you. I want to show the beauty in strength and the beauty of a warrior spirit. That’s where the name came from. The Valkyrie picked the “diamonds in the rough” when she chose warriors to take to Valhalla. Adornments are wonderful physical reminders of beautiful ideas. I want my creations to remind you of inner strength and inner beauty. Many of my designs feature beautiful backs or are double sided. It is to remind you that you have many sides, and that often the most beautiful thing is on the inside. It is a little secret for you to enjoy. I feel that what you wear should be very personal. It should speak to your soul. I celebrate the energy of slight variations in a totally handmade item. You should feel empowered by the individuality and uniqueness of the items. Let the organic features of a crystal or a stone remind you that we are all perfectly imperfect. We are the ordinary elevated to extraordinary!
What’s your favorite love or pirate story and why?
How can I pick only one? Inconceivable! The Princess Bride is perhaps my all-time favorite tale! With cheesy comedy, dashing swashbuckling, True Love, revenge, pirates, princesses, miracle men, and gentle giants, it has all you could ask for. True movie magic! 🙂
You can find The Valkyrie’s Jewel on the interwebs!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevalkyriesjewel/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thevalkyriesjewel
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheValkyriesJewel
And, of course, you will meet them in person at Muggles Market: Love and Plunder on Sunday February 5, 2023 from 10:00AM to 4:00PM at Queen’s Sports Complex, 2229 Tyvola Rd. Charlotte, NC 28210! It’s always a good time for pirates! So dress in your finest, sea-worthy garb, and come check out these awesome treasures!