Behind the Counter- August

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. 

My family has started a relatively recent tradition of spending time in the summer in Northern Michigan. We usually head up to Glen Arbor in mid-August to relax on the beach, swim in Lake Michigan and enjoy the stunning landscape. One place that is always on our list when we are up north is Farm Club. The modern design of the space paired with the delicious and gorgeous locally-grown food makes it such a dreamy experience. The fact that it is kid-friendly for my three year old is the icing on the cake. We love to go in the early afternoon (before it gets too busy!) to grab dinner and a glass of wine, pick up some goods in their market and let our little one run wild in the field. If you are heading to the Traverse City area, you must add Farm Club to your list of places to visit. 

Some of my other favorite places in the Glen Arbor area are The Mill for coffee, great sandwiches and pastries to take to the beach, the Dune Climb for a gorgeous but challenging hike, Pyramid Point or Pierce Stocking Scenic Drivefor the lake views without the intense dune climb, Esch Beach for a quiet beach experience and The Little Traverse Inn for a charming dinner on the front lawn. 

This month I had the honor of chatting with San Francisco-based artist Jennie Lennick of Jenny Lemons. The quirky and fun food-themed goods designed by Jennie have quickly become a shop favorite. Her work even helped inspire our food themed holiday window last year, which she got to see in person while in Ann Arbor for a wedding. I really admire the business that Jennie has built and was so excited to ask her about what inspires her. 

What led you to start Jenny Lemons?
I started Jenny Lemons in 2014 as an extension of my art practice. At the time, I was making and exhibiting my art in numerous galleries, but rarely selling anything. My focus was primarily on paintings and sculptures. It wasn't until I had a show where I created products like shirts and necklaces, and displayed them on the walls like paintings, that I finally started seeing sales. That pivotal show led me to participate in the Renegade Craft Fair in 2015, and that's when I formally launched my business. Initially, I was creating a diverse range of products including clothing, jewelry, and art objects.

You have had a bit of an evolution with the products that you make over the years, from an initial focus on clothing to more of a focus on accessories now. Have you found that transition to be a natural progression or a more difficult process? (I love the recent reel with your early works, by the way.)
The transition was really challenging at first. Like many makers, I struggled with the realization that I couldn't physically create every single product myself. It just wasn't sustainable. When I started my business, I was hand-painting, block-printing, and sewing every garment. This intense labor eventually led to a repetitive stress injury, forcing me to seek help from a local factory. Since then, I've been constantly looking for ways to improve production. Shifting from labor-intensive, size-exclusive, and expensive clothing to accessories was a natural progression. I absolutely love designing accessories. They're affordable, accessible to a wider audience, and bring so much joy to people!

For someone who makes food-themed goods, do you consider yourself a foodie?
Absolutely! I am a total foodie. I love baking and dining out at restaurants. I also have a gluten allergy, so I'm always on the lookout for delicious food that I can enjoy safely. Exploring different cuisines and discovering new recipes is one of my favorite pastimes.

Do you have any advice for someone currently running or thinking about starting a creative business?
My number one piece of advice is to seek help when starting your business. This could mean getting someone to help you make your products or seeking advice from experts. When I was getting started, I spent a couple of years taking classes, reading business books, and bingeing on business podcasts. Don't be afraid to invest time in learning and growing your skills. It pays off in the long run.

What is currently inspiring you or bringing you joy?
Right now, I'm writing this email from an airplane en route to Mexico City (CDMX), and that is definitely bringing me joy! Talk about a foodie paradise! I'm so excited to eat my weight in tacos and soak in the vibrant, colorful atmosphere of this beautiful city.

I have been on a hunt for a Victorian Lucky Bean pendant for quite some time. They are quite difficult to come by, especially in the US, and they sell super quickly when they do turn up. I did a bit of research on the significance of the bean as a good luck charm. It turns out that they are based off of Sea Beans. Large beans and seeds regularly washed up on the western shores of Britain from the Caribbean or South America. Finding one of these on the shore was an act of good luck and they were treasured and worn as amulets. The fact that the seeds were still able to sprout after months at sea was also a sign of growth and new beginnings. The Victorians took this and ran with it, creating small bean pendants to be worn for good luck. Often found in seaside towns, there were many different variations of the pendants- plain gold, enameled, lockets and even set with different stones for even more meaning. This humble bean design had a resurgence in the 1970’s when jewelry designer Elsa Peretti designed a bean collection for Tiffany & Co. 

The lucky stars aligned on my birthday and I was able to snatch up a gorgeous blue enameled bean pendant from one of my favorite Australian antique sellers, Goldbrick Jewels. I am thrilled to add this piece to my growing collection of antiques. I am so enamored with the design that you just might see a lucky bean showing up in our T&B Fine Jewelry collection soon. Interested to read more? This is a lovely article by one of my other favorite antique sellers, Sandy’s Vintage Charms.