Description
What it is
A pair of pronghorn earrings made by Jabebo, a husband-and-wife studio in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Kevin Abbott, who holds a wildlife ecology degree from the University of Florida, draws the species art, and the earrings are cut from upcycled cereal box paperboard and hung on surgical steel hooks.
About the design
The two earrings show a pronghorn in two stances, one facing forward and one in profile mid-stride, so the pair captures the animal the way you would actually spot it on open ground. Pronghorn are the fastest land animal in North America and a common sight on the prairie at Wind Cave and Agate Fossil Beds.
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 trip souvenir for anyone who watched pronghorn out on the open prairie, and an easy under-20 gift that mails in a regular envelope. The upcycled-cereal-box card is part of the story.
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 pronghorn a good Black Hills pick?
Pronghorn range across the open prairie at Wind Cave National Park and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, so this design is a natural match for a trip to either site.
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.
