It's coming together, Piece by Piece.
Sheila Van Osdel and her daughter, Tessa Smith, hope to have their new store open in Oak Park Mall by the end of September.
It's called Piece by Piece, and will feature different types of glassware — think vases, bowls and statues — as well as original jewelry, marble and brass pieces.
The glassware is vintage, Van Osdel said, found at antique shops, auctions "and even rummage sales, for that matter."
She and Smith will also purchase gemstones, glass and crystal beads, then design and assemble the jewelry they'll sell in the shop.
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"We don't actually make the pieces of glass or crystal," Van Osdel said, "but we'll make the different types of jewelry."
It's a dual homecoming of sorts for Van Osdel, an Austin native.
"I used to sell jewelry, and made and sold candles and dream catchers" in northern Minnesota, she said. "But the community was too small, and we ended up moving."
The venture also appealed to her daughter, who is "very creative," Van Osdel said.
"It's just something that, you know what? If I don't fulfill this, and do this with my daughter now, it may never happen," she said. "We both would like to give it a chance. This has actually brought us closer; it's been quite the experience."
The pair would like to eventually add stained-glass pieces, candles and greeting cards, Van Osdel said, "and we're also going to try to do a little bit with non-profits" such as Relay for Life, Autism Society and National Down Syndrome Society.
"As we're building, we'll get into more of the other things," she said. "That's our plan; there's nothing written in stone, for sure, but we'll have glassware and jewelry when we open, and we'll build from there."
In the meantime, both Van Osdel and Smith have full-time jobs.
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They'll likely cut back a little, "but we'll probably keep parts of both of our employment, and gradually work into having more store hours," Van Osdel said.
Wine and song
Nashville-based country artist Becky Schlegel will perform Sept. 7 at Four Daughters Vineyard and Winery .
Schlegel has been named the "Bluegrass Artist of the Year" multiple times in Minnesota, is a frequent guest on "A Prairie Home Companion" and has performed at the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Songwriters’ Showcase. She's visiting Minnesota from Nashville.
General admission is free; guests are asked to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. Food and drinks will be for sale. No outside food or drink will be allowed.
VIP tickets for the concert, which will be held on the winery's patio, are $50. The price includes front-row seating, dinner, three glasses of wine, and a meet-and-greet with the artist.
For more information or for tickets, call 346-7300, or visit info@fourdaughtersvineyard.com.
