A Place in Pittsburgh Where You Can Create and Connect

Songbird Artistry on Penn Avenue in Central Lawrenceville is a whimsical store that often becomes a hub of conversation and community.

photo by Chuck Beard

Jennifer Orefice began selling handmade items as a 12-year-old entrepreneur.

“I made little trinkets and doodads,” she says. “I used to take those plastic Loony Tunes brushes — I would melt them and remove the bristles and sell them to my friends for $1.”

After years as a playground enterprise and eventually an online source of handmade artwork and jewelry, Jennifer partnered with her sister, Jacklyn, and mother, Debbie Jacknin, to open Songbird Artistry (songbirdartistry.com) as a physical store on Penn Avenue in Central Lawrenceville.

The shop offers more than Jennifer’s creations and Jacklyn’s vintage finds, however. Regular classes, events and parties ranging from the lighthearted (’90s-themed, BYOB game nights, a recent session of which included a spirited round of “Girl Talk”) to the cathartic (monthly “Stitch and Bitch” sessions, inviting guests to craft and vent) turn the whimsical store into a hub of conversation and community.

“We’ve come up with ideas for days and events based on the people around us,” Jacklyn says. “It kind of just keeps on growing.”

Those seeking more inventive options for children’s parties should take note as well: Songbird Artistry offers craft-making kids events along themes such as “Harry Potter” and “Alice in Wonderland.”