TDmonthly’s Top-10 Most-Wanted Jewelry and Accessories

Girls Grab Fashion-Forward Treasures and Make-Your-Own Designs

By Marie Raven
November 2008

With additional reporting by Sharri Hefner, Terri Hughes-Lazzell, Chris Lundy, Claudia Newcorn and Brenda Ruggiero

A TDmonthly Magazine survey of more than 50 specialty retailers revealed that jewelry sales are headed by kits from companies such as Fashion Angels, Klutz and Alex that encourage kids to make bold, new fashion statements by designing their own accessories. Also, cute sets for younger girls by Haba or Pink Poppy enhance dress-up or an everyday wardrobe, retailers said. Here are the top-10 jewelry and accessory items for kids:

Jewelry Design Workshop by FASHION ANGELS

Housed in a pink, patent-leather tote, this extensive kit holds a rainbow of different kinds of beads. Glass, metal, semi-precious stones in all shapes and colors allow children to design endless combinations, and the included instruction booklet gives them the skill needed, too. Along with the also-included chain, hemp, wire and other materials, the Fashion Angels Jewelry Design Workshop is a comprehensive accessory-making studio.
- “The price point's nice,” said Diana Gisolfi, co-owner of Sister’s Kids in Springfield, Mass., of the Fashion Angels line, which she listed as a top seller for jewelry and accessories in September 2008.
- “That would be our best,” agreed Patti Tepper-Rasmussen, owner of Learning Tree Toys, Games & Books in Oklahoma City.
- Ten percent of 51 retailers told TDmonthly that Fashion Angels is a top seller in the jewelry category. 9/19/2008 (MSRP: $124.99; Age: 8 and Up)

Charm It! Gift Sets by HIGH INTENCITY CORP.

Charm It! Gift Sets by HIGH INTENCITY CORP. Each pre-made gift set comes with five themed charms and one snap-clasp bracelet. Gift sets are packaged in a rainbow-striped box that doubles as a keepsake with a velvet insert and magnetic closure. The box itself comes in a special gift bag. Gift set themes range from friends to birthdays to dance to licensed Disney characters, such as Disney Princesses, Hannah Montana and High School Musical. ( Watch Video) 11/5/2007 (MSRP: $30.00)

Pink Poppy Butterfly Necklace and Bracelet Set by CREATIVE EDUCATION OF CANADA

As part of Pink Poppy’s extensive line of kid-friendly jewelry and other accessories, this matched set features a necklace and bracelet strung on elastic cord. Pink, magenta and clear beads are centered around a hanging butterfly charm on both pieces. The necklace measures approximately 7.5” long.
— “Pink Poppy is a great line. They’re very cute, there’s a lot to choose from, and the price point is really great,” Janet Gregory, owner of Over the Rainbow Toy Store in Anchorage, Alaska, told TDmonthly in early fall 2008.
— Four percent of 51 retailers said Pink Poppy was their main jewelry line in Fall 2008.
— John Taylor, owner of O.P. Taylor's in Brevard, N.C., told TDmonthly in an October 2011 survey that he sells 60 Pink Poppy necklaces a month at each of his stores. Mike DiAndrea, manager of Hardware Toys in Paoli, Pa., also called Pink Poppy necklaces a best seller. 9/19/2008 (MSRP: $6.99)

Beading Loom Kit by BEAD BAZAAR/KID JOURNEYS

Beading Loom Kit by BEAD BAZAAR/KID JOURNEYS Designed to allow girls to weave their own jewelry, this kit comes with a wooden loom, glass beads, a needle, thread and instructions.
- “Bead Bazaar is No. 1,” said Jenny Thomas, owner of Applause! Give Your Kids a Hand, in Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada, when discussing best-selling jewelry items.
- Six percent of retailers told TDmonthly in September 2008 that Bead Bazaar is one of their top-selling lines. 9/19/2008 (Age: 8 and Up)

Mood Rings by SCHYLLING

Mood Rings by SCHYLLING When kids slip on one of these classic, adjustable mood rings, the high-quality stones shift colors, depending on the wearer’s state of mind. The metal rings are U.S.-made. 8/21/2006 (MSRP: $1.99; Age: 3 and Up)

Bead Loom Bracelets by KLUTZ

Bead Loom Bracelets by KLUTZ The book features detailed instructions and step-by-step illustrations for making seven different bracelets. The book comes with all the necessary supplies, including a bead loom, beading floss, needles and thousands of sparkling seed beads, bugle beads and specialty beads. The bead loom requires no assembly and collapses neatly for easy storage. Launch date: March 2008. 1/2/2008 (MSRP: $24.95; Age: 8 and Up)

Ladybug Necklace by HABA USA/HABERMAASS CORP.

All around this elastic necklace, tiny, frosted glass beads in spring green alternate with larger, painted wood charms in the shapes of flowers and spotted ladybugs. Larger-faceted glass beads serve as spacers, and as the centers of some of the flowers, giving this whimsical necklace a little more sparkle. Rings and bracelets in a matching motif are also available from HABA.
- Of 51 retailers surveyed in September 2008, four percent told TDmonthly HABA supplies their best-selling jewelry. 9/19/2008 (Age: 3 and Up)

Small Miracles Pearl Jewelry Set by SCHYLLING

Realistic pearl-finished beads adorn this set of a matching necklace, bracelet and pair of earrings for small princesses, movie stars or other characters dreamed-up by a child’s imagination. The set is part of Schylling’s Small Miracles dress-up line.
- Linda Graham, owner of Scheffel’s Toys in Jacksonville, Ore., told TDmonthly in early fall 2008 that Schylling supplies most of her dress-up jewelry.
- Four percent of 51 retailers named Schylling when asked about their top-selling jewelry items. 9/19/2008 (MSRP: $12.99; Age: 3 and Up)

Spring Burst Music Treasure Box by ENCHANTMINTS

Part of the Four Seasons-series of jewelry boxes from Enchantmints, this small treasure chest is richly detailed with cheerful watercolor paintings on the outside, and myriad places for storage tucked away all over the box. Simply open the lid, and it plays music just like the classic child's jewelry box, while a tiny figurine dances inside.
- “Our best is our Enchantmints' jewelry boxes,” Kathy Beaman, owner of Toys to Treasure in Evansville, Ind., told TDmonthly in September 2008 when discussing her store’s best-selling jewelry items.
- Ronald Kutchick, owner of Grand Slam Toys in Kodiak, Alaska, also named Enchantmints' music boxes as “a big seller.” 9/19/2008 (MSRP: $26.95; Age: 5 and Up)

Native American Bead Loom by ALEX BRANDS

A high-quality bead loom from Alex puts the ability to make highly detailed, complex beaded designs right in kids' fingers. The kit includes more than 2,000 beads and instructions along with the loom itself.
- “We do some kits by Alex, to make your own beads,” said Dean Nelson, owner of Wizard Kids Toys in Toledo, Ohio, when telling TDmonthly about his best-selling jewelry in early fall 2008.
- “We do sell jewelry craft kits,” added Heather Rounds, buyer for Smart Kids Company in Greenwich, Conn. She listed Alex among her store’s top sellers when it comes to jewelry and accessories. 9/19/2008 (MSRP: $9.99)