Variations on a Theme

I know not everyone wants or can afford a necklace dripping with gemstones and precious metal! 

As a jeweler, you have to keep your customers in mind when creating new designs.  Often I'll create variations on a theme.  Similar pieces with varying degrees of extravagance.  Most designs will be quite simple and classic, but a few will kick up the wow factor for those who want something just a little extra special.

A few days ago, I showcased a gorgeous necklace with nearly 140 carats of gemstones.  It definitely has that wow factor!  However, the practical side of me and many of my customers know that it's not something you'd wear everyday while grocery shopping or while lounging at the beach. That's where this piece comes in:

A sleeker version of the "Love Letter" necklace.  It features petite Peridot gemstones and an Argentium Sterling Silver neckchain. Perfect for everyday wear.

Happy Father's Day!

Just wanted to extend a delightful Happy Father's Day to my Dad, Husband, and especially all the other Dad's who are not able to be with their children or families today.

A growing tradition in our family is to celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day as a weekend event.  Gifts are not generally exchanged, but good food and good company are definitely a must!

Last night we went out to a great little German restaurant so my husband could enjoy some German beer and his favorite German meal (Rouladen) complete with Apple Strudel.

This morning, I'll whip up some blueberry pancakes with sausage. Yum!

As for the rest of the day...it will center around relaxation and good 'ol family time....complete with a game of Monopoly or Clue.

New TOOLS! New GEMSTONES! New DESIGNS!!

So, what have I been doing for the past few months??  Well, I've purchased a few new and totally cool tools. I went on a gemstone buying trip and bought some amazing stones.  I've been experimenting with my new tools and gemstones to create a few new designs. 

This is a sneak peek at my latest design. 

This design was created with nearly 140 carats of amazingly beautiful rhodolite garnets and a gorgeous fine silver "love letter" pendant. 

The pendant was created by passing a piece of fine silver sheet through my rolling mill with a section of a low-relief paper pattern.  The rolling mill compresses the pattern onto the fine silver, destroying the original paper pattern in the process.  The pendant is then shaped, drilled, filed, buffed, polished and work-hardened* in my rotary tumbler for about 10 hours.

*Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver and is a very soft metal that must be properly work-hardened to make the metal more durable and less prone to bending and warping.

The Poor Deserted Blog

Has it really been over 2 months since I posted.  Well, I guess the Blog doesn't lie.  April was my last entry.

Well, let's get back into the swing of things!

MILESTONE

Celebrate my 100th sale with a special promotion....FREE domestic shipping through April 30th!! Use Coupon Code "EbDFreeShip2011"


Visit my Shop and take a peek.  I'll be adding new items in the coming weeks, so if you don't see your must-have piece, check back soon.  Or contact me for a custom handmade piece of jewelry!

Happy Spring!

Oh bother!  It's that time of year when working in my one window studio makes me not want to be in the studio. 

The sun is shining, the grass is getting greener everyday, and folks are coming out of hibernation.  Kids are zooming by on bicycles and scooters.  Even my own kids asked for a frisbee the other day.  Of course, the really funny thing is that the weather is still barely above freezing most days!!  I suppose 34*F feels like a heat wave compared to -20*F though. 

I can't wait for the trees to start budding and flowes to bloom.  Ah, spring!

Inspiration can come from ANYWHERE

Sometimes in life beauty just hits you square in the face and you just have to take notice!  Enjoy.

P.S. This is a piece of Tiffany Stained Glass from the Stained Glass Museum at Navy Pier, Chicago, IL.