Meet Nina Breuer of Harmony Bazaar in Fort Collins

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina Breuer.

Nina, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My creative journey started a long time ago. I was born in Pakistan but raised and traveled in many different countries due to my parent’s work. I’m what folks call an Oil Brat.. like a military brat but my Father worked in Oil so we were fortunate to have lived and traveled to many different parts of the world. From a young age, I loved History, Art and Culture.

No matter where my family and I were in the world my parents made sure we saw everything… Museums, Bazaars (Marketplaces), Ruins, Cities & Villages. Every place had a story and we would love learning about them. My mom would always buy a piece of jewelry or clothing as a memento instead of your usual souvenir and to this day I have most of those pieces.

After high school, I was fortunate to go to a small design school in Pakistan to learn different techniques and about textiles. That led me to design clothing for myself and Friends. I even designed a few pieces of Jewelry but had them made for me buy local Artisans. I remember watching them working with their hands and was so interested to learn more about their Art.

It would be about 17 years later that I would create my first piece by hand. I moved to Colorado in 2000, got married here, worked in a Dr’s Office for ten years and then in 2011 became a stay at home mom when my oldest kiddo was born. For my birthday in 2017, I had asked for Etsy gift cards so I could buy some custom Artisan jewelry. The reason I went on Etsy was because I could find Hypo-Allergenic jewelry. I have always had extremely sensitive skin and I finally found Hand-stamped jewelry I could get custom made.

So I ordered three items and only one which was Sterling Silver was safe for me to wear. The other two gave me the worst allergic reaction I’d ever had. I was so confused if the jewelry was Nickel and Lead-Free then why I had such a bad reaction. It’s Hypo-Allergenic and should be completely safe. I was wrong. 

After doing research on-line I found out I am allergic to something called Cadmium. Cadmium has trace amounts of Nickel in it and apparently low enough it shouldn’t bother most people, and it’s in pretty much all metal jewelry unless it says Cadmium Free. I learned about Fine Pewter, Alkeme, some Alloys, Pure Base metals that were Cadmium free. I decided to order some supplies and see if I could come up with something.

The first piece I made for myself was my three Hearts Necklace, in my closet at home. Yep.. you heard me, my Closet. My kiddos were all under the age of six and it was the safest place for me to keep my tools, supplies and work in there too. The hearts I had found were Silver, Gold & Rose Gold Plated over Brass. I didn’t like the way the charms looked when they arrived so I decided to hammer them for a more textured look. And the hammered look completely transformed them and it was exactly what I had been picturing in my head but hadn’t found anywhere.

Since that day the hammered look has become my signature design element. And the best part was I could wear my necklace and not have a reaction. I still wear the three Hearts to this day and proudly show it off at Art & Craft shows.

After that I wanted to learn more, I kept finding new materials to play with and learning how to Hand-stamp, Cut Metals and Wire wrap on-line. After a few months, I moved out from the closet to the guest room, because I needed more space. I was moving on up!.

I named my Jewelry line Harmony Bazaar and started my Etsy shop in the Fall of 2017.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Nothing in this world is easy, especially when you decide to pursue your dream and turn it into a business. I absolutely love what I do but juggling being a Stay at home Mom and a Part-time business owner at times is hard, Mommy Guilt is real! I have three boys under eight and absolutely love being Mom and that comes first but also love making jewelry. Finding a balance between the two is my goal for 2020.

After I started my Etsy store I wanted to grow my presence in the community. I signed up for Craft shows & Artisan Markets. It gave me a chance to meet other Artists, connect with my buyers, create custom pieces but shows are a lot of work. I put a lot of time and energy into them and most events are great and then you’ll have the odd one that is just terrible. That’s when Self-doubt or Mommy guilt starts to creep in but I do my best to not let those times get to me and try to find the silver lining.

For example, a recent show was incredibly slow due to bad weather, since there were hardly any customers but that day I met the nicest fellow Artisans and crafters. Some of my dearest friends are Artisans I’ve met through shows like that.

I am truly blessed to have the most amazing support system. My husband Mark without whom none of this would have been possible. He’s my biggest cheerleader, stays up late so many nights to help me finish pieces before events, helps me set up for shows, takes care of our boys so I can finish projects all after he gets home from work. And my wonderful Mom-in-law Carol lives with us, helps with our boys and comes to my shows with me. Harmony Bazaar is a family business, I feel like if anyone piece was removed, it won’t work.

My Boys, Mom, Dad, Brother and Amazing Friends have loved, supported and wished me success from Day 1, and for that, I am so grateful. And it keeps me going and doing what I love.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Harmony Bazaar – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Harmony Bazaar is known for being Handcrafted & Hypo-Allergenic minimalist Jewelry. When I meet people at events and tell them the story behind my jewelry line they see the dedication and love put into every piece. Each and every one of my designs has a story, and sharing that has been wonderful. My Mountain Collection for which I have had custom hand stamps made of specific Colorado mountains scenes and my Mixed Metals Collection are my calling card.

All my jewelry is Hand-stamped, Hammered and Hand polished by me. I cut a lot of my own metals, I don’t use any chemicals and keep them as organic as possible. I didn’t realize how many people out there were just like me, and were looking for truly Hypo-Allergenic jewelry. I create my pieces using pure base metals, precious metals, and gemstones. All items are Nickel, Lead, and Cadmium free. I started out with making dainty Charm & Handstamped Necklaces, Gemstone bracelets, And doing a lot of custom pieces which I love making to this day.

Harmony Bazaar has grown from my first 3 Hearts necklace to a collection of over 200 designs. I make Necklaces, Bracelets, Cuffs, Earrings and Rings. All items are unique since they are made by hand and no two items are the same even if they look similar.

My jewelry line has given me opportunities I never thought I would have and allowed me to share my work with people all over the country & across the world. This fall I was invited to be a vendor at the Dapper Day Expo in Disneyland, CA. That was something I had dreamed of since I first started making jewelry and special Vintage/Disney inspired designs.

Through my Etsy store, I have made Jewelry for Weddings, Anniversaries, Graduations, Birthdays, Holidays and have loved being a part of so many special moments!

Through my shows, I was fortunate enough to meet Boutique owners and other Artists in the community. Now my jewelry is available across Colorado at Blush Boutique (Greeley), Vintage Willows (Loveland), Dandelions and Rust (Fort Collins), Charley & CO (Greeley), and in the Gift Shop at the Fort Collins Museum of Art.

For me, the most fulfilling part of Harmony Bazaar is making a difference and providing a truly Hypo-allergenic jewelry line.

It’s so wonderful to hear clients’ feedback after they have worn their jewelry. I love being able to provide handmade jewelry they can treasure in their everyday lives.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My goal for 2020 is to launch the Harmony Bazaar web-store. My clients will be able to shop my full catalog from the comfort of their home and be able to design custom orders. I’m so excited to be teaching Jewelry making to Elementry School students in the Spring and showing them Jewelry making can be a career as well as a hobby.

And I’m hoping to continue doing Artisan Shows through the year in Colorado and hopefully head back Dapper Day Expo in California again.

My hope is to grow as an Artist by learning new techniques, share my love of jewelry making, continue creating pieces that are safe and wearable for anyone. And hope it brings them joy every day.

Pricing:

• Handstamped/Hammered Necklaces $29+
• Handmade Earrings $26-$35
• Gemstone Bracelets $28-$32
• Hand-stamped Cuffs $22-$29
• Handstamped & Wire Wrapped Rings $14-$20
• Gemstone Necklaces $32+

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theharmonybazaar.com
• Email: theharmonybazaar@outlook.com
• Instagram: @theharmonybazaar
• Facebook: @theharmonybazaar
• Other: Harmonybazaar.etsy.com

Image Credit:
Harmony Bazaar Collage Photo:
Emily Kowalski Photography

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