At this point, Valentine’s Day is synonymous with excess — the chocolate samplers, the rom coms, the abundance of saccharine greeting cards … oh, the humanity! While so many tropes of the holiday are trite (A dozen red roses on V-day? Does that surprise anyone anymore?), there’s one sign of the season we don't hate — hearts! Who could ever get tired of that so-simple but so-significant shape? From graphic to geometric, deconstructed to whimsical — we think any rendering of true love's essence is endearing. That said, we're particularly fond of handmade jewelry with a romantic twist — we've been struggling to determine if there is anything cuter than a teeny tiny pair of heart-stud earrings, and we’ve decided there isn't. (Sorry, puppies, ducklings, and cheetah cubs.)
Lucky for us, local jewelry designer Rachel Pfeffer is on the same page, because she created a special line just in time for the lovers' holiday — and there are tiny hearts on everything! From sparkly pyrite rings to delicate pendant necklaces to our personal favorite, a handcrafted bicycle charm necklace embellished with tiny hearts — yep, we're in love. The pieces range from $20 for a too-cute pair of brass studs to $210 for a 14k gold ring with a drusy stone. We know where we’ll be directing our significant others next month...