Description
What it is
A pair of little brown bat earrings from Jabebo, the husband-and-wife studio in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Kevin Abbott draws the species art, and the earrings are cut from upcycled cereal box paperboard on surgical steel hooks.
About the design
The two earrings show a little brown bat with wings spread in two flight positions. The little brown bat is a small insect-eating species found across the Black Hills, including the caves and crevices around Jewel Cave and Wind Cave, where bats shelter and roost.
How they are made
The base is post-consumer cereal box paperboard, collected from friends and neighbors around Jabebo’s studio in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Each design is laminated front-to-back for stiffness, the species artwork is bonded to the surface, and the shapes are laser-cut. A paperboard back is glued on, the earring is sealed with a natural shellac topcoat, and since 2018 a second clear epoxy coat adds water resistance and a smoother feel. The hooks are surgical steel.
Specifications
- Motif size: approximately 1 inch per earring
- Weight: approximately 0.2 oz per pair (1 oz shipping with card and packaging)
- Materials: upcycled cereal box paperboard, shellac topcoat, epoxy topcoat (2018+), surgical steel ear-wires
- Hardware: French-style surgical steel ear-wires (hooks)
- Mismatched pair: two different poses of the same species
- Made in: Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, USA, by Jabebo (Kevin and Mary Abbott)
Who is this for
A good pick for a cave-tour visitor, a bat enthusiast, or anyone who likes a less expected nature design. Light, under 20 dollars, and easy to mail as a gift.
Frequently asked questions
Are the two earrings identical?
No. Each pair shows the same species in two different poses, so they read as a set rather than a mirror image. Wearing them as a pair is the intent; the asymmetry is the design.
Are they really made from cereal boxes?
Yes. Jabebo collects post-consumer cereal boxes in Bellefonte, laminates the panels for thickness, bonds the artwork to the surface, and laser-cuts each earring. The display card is paperboard too. The studio goes through more than 100 boxes a week.
What metal are the ear-wires?
Surgical steel French-style hooks. Most people with metal sensitivities can wear them without reaction. They are not sterling silver or gold-filled.
Why is the bat a good cave-country pick?
Little brown bats roost in caves and rock crevices throughout the Black Hills, so the design fits a visit to Jewel Cave or Wind Cave.
Does buying this support national parks?
BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, as well as the Black Hills National Forest and Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands. Proceeds from every purchase support education programs, conservation projects, and visitor services at these sites.
