My New FAVORITE gemstone! Red Creek Jasper was discovered in Northwestern China about 5 years ago. It is name 'Red Creek' after the stream that runs through the mining area. The colors and hues are out of this world. I have seen multiple shades of Red/Burgundy, Green, Browns and Yellows. Each piece is virtually different from the next. This gemstone is called Jasper but the … [Read more...]
Newest Design: The MELANIE Earrings
My sister Melanie simply LOVES jewelry! She has been know to wear 5-6 rings and 2 pair of earrings at the same time.. Tastefully of course. So when I set out to name a design that will be recurring in my Pure Metal collection, I knew that they HAD to be named after her. I absolutely love this design. (and so does Melanie of course). I created the diamond shaped focal … [Read more...]
Tips on Buying Sterling Silver & Gemstone Rings
I spent last week in Sedona .. enjoying the gorgeous weather and scenery. Most of our group had never been to Sedona before and so wanted to take in a lot of the shops in the downtown area. One particular shop featured very high end sterling silver with gemstones. The sales person was singing the praises of a particular lighter colored turquoise... which was beautiful! However, … [Read more...]
Creating Designer Components-Copper
I am often asked how I create my designs for my gallery collections. So here is the first blog on this topic. The copper components I use primarily for earrings are lots of fun to create. This particular style begins as a square piece of copper. First step is to hammer (or forge) the design on the squares. You can see the design clearly in the image here. Next step is to … [Read more...]
Change is certain: my evolution in design
Yesterday I was updating my images that I post for acceptance into Juried Art Fairs. Since I don't participate often, the images had not been changed for 2 years. I was SO amazed at how my designs have evolved in that time. White Pearl Necklace This is one of my earlier necklaces. I started with the "Make A Difference' Starfish collection many years ago, but was using Glass … [Read more...]