Making more than mermaids

You'll find many mermaid-related items for sale at The Giggling Mermaid, but that is just the tip of the tail, so to speak.

The shop is Hernando County's newest addition to a growing bevy of venues where local artisans display and market the fruits of their creativity.

Owner Paula Trehey's new business supports an eclectic assemblage of handcrafted pieces by local artisans.

"We have a pretty good variety of handiwork, including things I haven't seen in other places," Trehey stated.

Trehey said the shop is run similar to an artisan co-op, except she is the sole proprietor. Other artisans consign their items through her. She displays and sells the merchandise for them.

The establishment occupies the end unit in a plaza by the entrance to The Heather, affording them the advantage of more windows. Trehey makes the most of them, displaying a large selection of stained glass crafted by Weeki Wachee's Tina Furlow.

"Tina's work is amazing, and her prices are the most reasonable I've ever seen for stained glass," said Trehey.

Furlow also does embroidery, occasionally embroidering her customized golf and hand towels on site. Trehey hopes to have other artisans do demonstrations, adding, "It's a great way to show people that, yes, we really do make all this stuff ourselves."

Trehey creates fused glass art and jewelry. Her unique pieces include a multitude of colors and patterns which, she says, are typically ingrained in the glass when she starts to work with it.

She also carries pieces by an artist from Cozumel, Mexico, who specializes in rare black coral jewelry.

"You have to dive over 300 feet to get it," added Trehey.

Kris Crollard is another Weeki Wachee artist who Trehey says has a gift for creating unusual art pieces and gift items. Many of Crollard's original paintings are on display in Brooksville's Rising Sun Café. Her Giggling Mermaid contributions include paintings, greeting cards and customized "wine bottle crafts."

"I've never seen anybody make candelabras like that," Trehey said. "You really have to see them to believe how beautiful they are."

One of Crollard's specialties is re-creating a wedding photo onto a wine bottle-turned-oil lamp, candleholder or candelabra.

"It's a lovely memento of a special occasion," Trehey added.

Selecting an item from Glen Eskedal's hand-turned wood creations, Trehey said, "Isn't this the neatest thing? You can use it at home or when traveling, and it's a perfect hostess gift."

She's referring to a combination bottle stopper and corkscrew made of tulip wood. Eskedal has many hand-turned wood items on display including pens, serving pieces and keychain pill holders.

Eskedal's wife Jan is an artist and has a collection of pins on display. The Eskedals are originally from Silver Lake, N.H., and a New England influence can be seen in some of their handiwork.

Jim and Judy Cress of Spring Hill have displays of painted porcelain - Judy's specialty - and hand-turned wooden baskets and bowls - Jim's forte.

A third husband-wife artisan team is Weeki Wachee's Ted and Denise Decker. The Deckers are jewelry artists; Ted specializes in wire wrapping, Denise in necklaces.

Weeki Wachee artist Marion LeChance's contributions include original art and greeting cards.

In keeping with what a mermaid might appreciate, the shop carries a large collection of seashell art created by Weeki Wachee artisan Carolynne Montgomery.

"It's phenomenal," Trehey said. "The detail is incredible."

Items include wine glasses, clocks, trinket boxes, photo frames and more.

The emporium also carries purchased items including Italian pottery, African art, Mexican Talavera tile sinks (including two soon-to-arrive mermaid sinks), and a school of mermaid memorabilia including napkins, magnets, note pads, jewelry and other unique trinkets.

Trehey's husband Dan enjoys the creative "Mermaid" environment. He previously worked at Weeki Wachee Springs and boasts friendships with several "real" mermaids. Dan helps Paula by waiting on customers and keeping an eye on the unique merchandise.

Dan was also instrumental in getting the "real thing" to appear in person at the shop's grand opening on March 8.

"Come see what we have, and meet the mermaids," the Treheys said. The mermaids are scheduled to appear from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visitors will receive a free mermaid charm.

Trehey said she wanted a mermaid-themed business.

"I kept thinking, 'somebody ought to do something with mermaids.' This is the mermaid capital of the USA."

She said she hunted until she found the right place with a reasonable lease. She opened the doors to her mirthful new establishment last week.

The Treheys love the nature coast and Paula dreams of one day being part of an even larger artisan community.

"I wish we could expand to where everyone creative was together in the same place marketing their products," she said. "Ideally, we would become a landmark, like Rogers' Christmas Tree House. When people come to Hernando County they would say, 'You have to go to the Giggling Mermaid.'"

For now, the fledgling Giggling Mermaid will more than suffice.

The shop is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday or by appointment.

Biz at a glance:

Name: The Giggling Mermaid.

Location: 7371 U.S. 19, Weeki Wachee.

Telephone: 352-200-9193.