Patriotic Jewelry at the Grand Canyon: Celebrating America's 250th
Happy 250th birthday, America.
The Most American Place I Could Think Of. When you own a red, white and blue jewelry line and the country you love is turning two hundred and fifty years old, you don't celebrate small. So we packed our bags, hopped on a plane, and headed to the most breathtakingly American place I could think of. The Grand Canyon.
I've wanted to write this one for a while, because standing on that rim gave me words for something I've always believed about the pieces I make.
One of a Kind, Made by the Creator, Unmistakably American
The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It's a mile deep, up to eighteen miles wide, and there is not another one like it anywhere on earth. No human hand built it. No factory could ever reproduce it. It was formed by the hand of God, and standing at the edge of something that vast and beautiful, you feel how small you are and how great He is.
Standing there, I couldn't stop thinking: that's the whole heart of what I do.
Every Sarahfide bead is hand-painted by my own hands here in my Jacksonville studio. Each piece is made with care, intention, and prayer, and because of that, no two are ever exactly alike. American-made, by an American artist, standing at America's most iconic one-of-a-kind place. It just fit.
Back in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt stood on this same rim and said to leave it as it is, that "you cannot improve on it." He fought to protect it for every American who would come after him. There's something in that I hold onto. The most beautiful things are worth making by hand, and worth protecting.
What I Wore on the Rim
I layered four necklaces for this one, and together they tell the whole red, white and blue story:
The Patriotic Sparkling Alorah Necklace is the showstopper. Hand-painted wood beads that run red to white to blue and back again, each finished in my gold and silver sparkle design that catches every bit of light.
Layered under it, the Gold Sparkling Aila Bead Strand Necklace adds a warm, elegant glow that pulls the whole stack together.
I also wove in the Gold Lux Aila Bead Strand Necklace, with its soft gold and silver marbling, for even more depth and dimension.
And closest to my heart, the Patriot Queen Charming Charm Pendant Necklace, the perfect little finishing touch.
On my ears, the Gold Sparkling Bougie Hoop Earrings, lightweight, hypoallergenic, and just enough sparkle to catch the golden light.
(Outfit: red floral maxi skirt from Target (on sale right now!), white tube top from Amazon, and the sweater from Amazon draped over my shoulders.)
A Few Honest Tips If You're Headed to the Rim
Because I want this to be useful and not just pretty, here's what I learned:
Go for golden hour. The canyon is beautiful all day, but about an hour before sunset the walls light up in reds and golds and the whole place glows. It's the best light for photos, and honestly the best light for just being there. Both of my favorite shots were taken as the sun dropped.
Dress for two climates. In July, the South Rim is hot and exposed up top, but it cools down fast in the evening and the wind picks up. A long skirt kept me cool and covered, and a light top over the shoulders was perfect once the sun went down.
This is exactly why I make jewelry the way I do. When you're out on a dusty rim all day, the last thing you want is heavy, itchy jewelry weighing you down or irritating your skin. Every Sarahfide piece is surprisingly lightweight (you honestly forget you're wearing it) with hypoallergenic stainless steel hardware that's kind to sensitive skin. It's the smartest kind of travel jewelry. It packs light, it doesn't tangle into a mess, and it takes a plain white tee straight to a statement.
Stacking is where the fun really lives. On this wrist I layered the Red Sparkle Bracelet, the Gold Sparkling Dapper Bracelet, and the Warm White Sparkle Bracelet. A whole red, white and gold moment in one stack.
The gold beauty at the top is my Platinum Sassy, which isn't on the site just yet, but the Gold Sparkling Sassy Bracelet gives you that same gorgeous glow and is ready to shop right now.
And that second bracelet with the three big statement beads? 👀 That one isn't out yet either. It's a brand new Sarahfide design launching in November, and this is your very first peek. Keep your eyes on the shop this fall. It's going to be worth the wait.
Red, White and Blue Goes Everywhere
The red, white and blue didn't stop at the canyon. Out in the Tucson desert I kept my patriotic pieces going with a simple white tee and navy skirt, and that's the beauty of these hand-painted beads. They take the most everyday outfit and turn it into a statement. I layered the same red, white and blue sparkle necklaces and stacked my Red Sparkle, Warm White Sparkle, and Gold Sparkling Dapper bracelets on one wrist. On the other, I wrapped my Gold Sparkling Vera Necklace/Bracelet Combo into a bracelet stack. It's a true three-in-one you can wear long, doubled short, or wrapped on the wrist like I did here. Lightweight enough that I forgot I was even wearing all of it while I climbed around on the rocks.
(Outfit: white tee from Ross, navy maxi skirt from Amazon.)
Made by Hand, Made in America
Here's the part I'm most proud of. Every single piece you've seen in this post, every bead, every color, every sparkle, was painted by hand. This is my husband John and I behind a table full of the pieces we make together, each one painted by hand with care. When you wear Sarahfide, you're wearing something genuinely American, genuinely handmade, and genuinely one of a kind.
Wear Your Red, White and Blue
America is worth celebrating, this year more than ever. If you'd like to wear your own hand-painted piece of it, everything I wore on the rim is waiting for you, with free shipping on all jewelry.
Shop the Patriotic Collection →
Hand-painted by artist Sarah Cash. Created in the Sarahfide Studio, Jacksonville, FL.
No two are exactly alike, just like the country we're celebrating.
