| If you haven't visited the Dixon Gallery
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| | membership. Dixon members get a 10
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| and Gardens gift shop in a few years, you
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| | percent discount.
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| might not recognize the place. It's aglow
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| | Robertson has an M.A. in crafts from the
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| with beguiling jewelry ranging from
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| | University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where
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| inexpensive baubles to items intricately
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| | she studied metalsmithing, enameling,
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| handcrafted in precious metals.
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| | pottery, silk screening and weaving. She
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| When store manager and jewelry buyer
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| | also worked for many years in fine
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| Nancy Robertson took her post there
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| | jewelry at Marshall Fields in Chicago.
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| almost four years ago, the shop focused
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| | "The knowledge of how these jewelry items
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| on things such as Monet mugs and magnets
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| | are made has really helped me be more
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| and art prints that were not big sellers
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| | discerning in making quality choices,"
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| with local folks.
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| | she said. She and other sales people at
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| "My vision was that (we) could do a lot
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| | the store enjoy educating customers about
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| better if we focused on craft items such
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| | the pieces of jewelry.
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| as pottery, woven textiles, beaded purses
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| | Some seem to demand it. Cynthia Bloom's
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| and jewelry that would support craftsmen
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| | alluring dragonfly necklace, $186, for
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| and artists in their own right," she
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| | example, is a hand-painted glass button
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| said. Items still relate to the Dixon
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| | embellished with 14-karat gold, kiln
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| through their artistry and nature-related
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| | fired, and adorned with rare, antique,
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| themes or by reflecting current exhibits.
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| | 24-karat gold-lined, antique Czech glass
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| As she saw what sold, Robertson -- little
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| | beads and Swarovski crystals.
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| by little -- expanded jewelry lines until
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| | More whimsical are earrings and necklaces
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| she had tripled the merchandise. Jewelry
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| | by Ayala Bar pieced together from printed
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| is now their best-selling category. Shop
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| | fabrics, beads, stones and crystals.
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| sales have more than doubled.
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| | Some items are purely for fun: Stretch
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| "A lot of people look to us for jewelry
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| | bracelets of transparent disks in smoke
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| they haven't seen anywhere else that has
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| | and bronze are only $12 each but will
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| a high-end look without being super high
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| | wonderfully complement fall's trendiest
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| end," she said.
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| | color -- gray.
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| She purchased fine jewelry pieces that
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| | Eleanor Scott, a Memphian and former art
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| sell for $300 or $400, but also added
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| | director of the Memphis Jewish Community
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| fashion-forward items from $6 to $30.
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| | Center, said she and her daughter shop
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| Even those are usually handcrafted with
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| | often at the Dixon to find unusual gifts
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| considerable skill.
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| | for friends.
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| "It's a lot of fun to spend $10 on a
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| | "We've found fabulous stuff for Christmas
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| jewelry that everyone in the office
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| | gifts. We've bought a lot of amber
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| admires," she said.
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| | jewelry, all kinds of earring and
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| And shopping at the Dixon is relatively
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| | brooches." She said she could take things
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| guilt free because all profits support
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| | directly from the store to the recipient
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| the Memphis landmark, a private jewelry
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| | because items are attractively packaged
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| museum that depends on sponsors and
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| | in bags or boxes.
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