Sarah Sonder

06/24/2026

PSA: NOT ALL ARTISTS CAN DRAW!!! I always tell my custom clients that I am better with metal than I am with paper and pencil and it is so true. I need them to trust my vision, even if the rendering on paper looks questionable. Their trust has gotten me this far😅

The thing is, I am bad at drawing. Like, super bad. I grew up surrounded by artists of traditional mediums like colored pencil and paint and was constantly amazed at the talents of my family members and disappointed I didn't find it any easier.

Fast forward to today, and I find myself needing to demonstrate my ideas on paper before I can make them in metal. I still think I am terrible at drawing, but I want to keep doing it, in hopes that someday it will get easier. This time, I had a custom collection to design and figured this is the perfect moment to bust out the colored pencils and go all in. Does it look great? No. Did I try real hard? Yes. Does it get my vision across to the customer? Tbd. Also, I got to color at work this week and anytime childhood sneaks into the every day is a good day🤙🏻

06/15/2026

Soaking in the perfect weather this week with a grateful heart 🫶🏻

These two sparkly babes are on the site now with loads of other goodies 🍬

Link in bio to shop🐛

06/12/2026

It's like a girly fort.

06/11/2026

Inner dialog while searching for my next spot to take photos >>••

I am quite excited about this next collection of pieces and at the same time, I am sad to see these stones go!! Promise you'll be good to them and give them a loving home?

06/04/2026

I made a whole bunch of new pieces with my hands. I wrote listings for them with my own brain and came up with all of the words in this caption myself too, believe it or not. They're up on the website now. The pictures have real backgrounds that exist in my studio and my nail polish is undoubtedly chipped. Any mistakes you find are human error and we don't mind those so much

05/30/2026

I always say that I am better at creating with metal than I am at drawing. New collection in the works....

Two of these turquoise stones have been in my stash, being saved, for a DECADE. 10 years, just waiting for my abilities to catch up with what I wanted to create with these precious babes.

These are the last of my turquoise stones. Which means a stone buying trip is in our future. I get to buy pretty rocks. For my job.

05/29/2026

Come have lunch with us and celebrate the new park in Downtown Peoria! Next Friday 6/5 11am-2pm 🫶🏻

Join ArtsPartners of Central Illinois and Peoria County for a First Fridays Amplified pop-up lunchtime celebration on Friday, June 5 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. outside in the new Bicentennial Park at the Courthouse. Bring your lunch or purchase food from one of the food trucks on site. A ribbon-cutting to open Bicentennial Park in the Courthouse plaza will take place at 1 p.m.

“Peoria County is excited to officially open Bicentennial Park and show off the extensive renovations to this area,” said James C. Dillon, Peoria County Board Chairperson. “We previewed the park during our Bicentennial Block Party last year, which celebrated our 200th anniversary, and we’re looking forward to the public being able to now fully utilize this new and updated space.”

The newly renovated area includes new stone pavers, bronze bison statues within a new water feature, updated lighting, landscaping, and seating areas.

Hosting the inaugural First Fridays Amplified event in this space allows the community to experience the new plaza as a hub of art, music, and creativity. Peoria County is grateful to ArtsPartners of Central Illinois for selecting Bicentennial Park for their June 5 daytime event.

Some of the participating artists and performers include:
🎵 Live music by Goodnight Gracie
🎨 LNOR LLC, freelance illustrator and Studios on Sheridan artist, creating live paintings
💍 Sarah Leman of Sarah Sonder Design, featuring handcrafted sterling silver and bronze jewelry
🖌️ Sarahi Munoz of Cloudgaze, presenting watercolor illustrations inspired by fantasy and everyday beauty
🎈 Doug Smith and The Unique Twist & Twisting Crew with live balloon art entertainment

Food will be available to purchase from Tony's on Wheels (Haddad's Restaurant) and Chuy Blonos Tacos on Hamilton/Adams, plus attendees can get a free ice cream scoop from The Daily Scoop - Peoria Heights while supplies last until 1:30 p.m. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public.

05/27/2026

"Do you know that what you are doing is actually not soldering?!?"

Ok, bud.

A rose by any other name is still a complicated skill and artform, joining two pieces of metal together using a torch, flux, and solder.

New pieces coming this week👀

05/19/2026

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who came out and visited my booth at the yesterday!!

I saw some of my very favorite customer-turned-friends, met some new faces, and enjoyed the beautiful weather with my favorite guy! Shout out to and Jamie for all their hard work and organization to make this market possible!

Lots of new babes went home this week, but I have plenty more up my sleeve. Check back for more fun pieces coming soooooon!

My next market will be June 20th in Washington, Il