The "Heart" of the matter is...

Remember how exciting Valentines day was when you were in Elementary School? A few days before this legendary mini holiday the classroom would smell of fresh cut construction paper and paste as the children excitedly assembled their shoebox which would be receiving tiny little envelopes of sweetness. (The best ones of course included the candy!)

For me the "sweetness" of Valentines day dissipated over the years. I began feeling the social pressures of finding the "one" as more and more friends of mine were married or in serious relationships combined with my general loathing of a "holiday" that at the time I felt was essentially promoted by the capitalistic retail companies. Yes indeed over the years I kept finding the concept of valentines day to be less and less appealing. I heard one radio DJ coin it as "Single Awareness Day" (SAD) that actually made me laugh.

Lately the artist in me decided to revisit the concept of "the heart". For so many years my inner motto was "I just don't DO heart jewelry". Yet at some point during my sales season I would be asked if I would do something with hearts. So for the first time I decided to give it a whirl.

A heart, is a simplistic symbol. It's one of the first things a child learns to draw, it's symmetrical and is easily cut from paper by folding it in half. It's message is equally as simple that being "love". So why had I such disdain for it? I mean my own last name has a "Hart" in it. Perhaps I should give it a second chance.

Valentines day a simple day that does drive consumerism. But really what is wrong with that? It sets aside a day to remind someone just how dear they are to you. It provides a reason to decorate a home or a class room, to create fun little crafts, to indulge in delicious chocolates and it gives an opportunity for artists (like myself) to gain a bit of business during what would normally be a slow time of year. It's fun to think that a piece of jewelry that I spent time hand crafting may become a special trinket expressing love for someone.

I decided that I wanted to design some heart jewelry but needed to express it in a unique way. First I spent time looking up ideas for "abstract hearts". However a heart can only be manipulated a couple of ways. My first design became my "eclipsed hearts" necklaces. They are two over lapping sterling silver hearts with a faceted stone.

My second design became a simple heart ring...but I wanted mine to be different. So I decided that my hearts were going to be oxidized sterling silver making them black, with a contrasting sterling silver shiny "button" soldered on to it which gives an asymmetrical look that I like.

Each heart is shaped by hand and no two will look exactly a like. Which makes the piece extra special. A unique gift for a unique person.

After making some creations that I swore I'd NEVER do I decided that I shouldn't loath Valentines day. I may not have found a special "valentine" in my life yet but that's ok. One should just focus on the positive meaning, remember how it makes a child smile, or simply enjoy a piece of chocolate and pamper your self with a little love.

"Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead." Oscar Wilde

Winter Sparkle

Winter in Minnesota can be brutal at times. January is one of my least favorite months as there are no more major holidays to look forward to. Temperatures plummet and the windchill picks up. It hurts to be outside for any significant amount of time. (Gee can you guess that winter is my least favorite season?)

However being an optimistic type of person I also look for the silver lining that winter offers. That being beauty in its starkness. When the sun shines upon freshly laden snow the ground and trees become illuminated with glittering sparkles.

When I was a child I was enchanted by these tiny glittering snow crystals. I was amazed that while standing in the snow I was surrounded by millions of these sparkling wonders yet unable to pick up and hold a single one. When I was in fourth grade I had to write a story that explained something like a myth or legend. I imagined a story of how these tiny little snow sparkles came to be....

It began with a princess (as most stories do when you are a little girl). This princess of course was beautiful and was given everything she wanted. But she was not happy. She wanted to own all the diamonds in the world and begged her father the king to have everyone in the kingdom gather and bring all the diamonds in the world to her so they would only belong to her. And it was done. The princess had an entire wing of the castle with rooms and rooms filled to the top with glittering diamonds.

Then one day a young child had been sent from a nearby poor village. He approaches the princess and asked if she'd be willing to share one of the beautiful shining diamonds with his village. The people of the village were falling ill and one diamond could afford them all food.

The princess refused to part with a single diamond. And sent the child away! The next day an old woman arrived asking the same favor and again the princess sent the old woman away. Day by day she continued to send away people who begged for her to share just one single diamond. Until one day she refused a weary old man who then turned into a magic sorcerer. He was angry at her for he had given her many chances to show kindness and selflessness and yet she continued to refuse to share her diamonds.

With the wave of his wand all her diamonds swirled up into the sky creating a large sparkling cloud. The princess leaped forward in an attempt to grab the magic wand. Suddenly all the diamonds turned a bright glowing white and gently fell to the ground. She immediately began to scoop the up but each time she did so, they'd sparkle in her hands and then melt away.

The sorcerer laughed and said "Let this be a lesson to you. You will no longer be able to keep a single diamond for yourself. Instead you will share them with the world. Every time the snow falls your diamonds will appear with such grand sparkle for all to enjoy"

And that is why the winter snow sparkles.

ExperiMetal design fresh from the bench.

I was inspired to create this ring based on a ring my friend bought in Brazil. At first I was hesitant that a double ring would even be comfortable to wear but turns out it is hardly even noticeable. My first attempt I decided to make two rings. The first ring is sterling silver which I hammered and textured and filed the edges to create ridges. The second ring has sterling silver for the ring base and copper for the top. I decided to leave these both plain with just the textured metal giving it that "modern" edge.

Future designs like this one will likely involve a faceted stone or two. Regardless it will be an edgy and fun accessory to have in your ring collection.

Gemstone Milestones

While home for Christmas I decided to take a trip down memory lane and peruse through my mothers jewelry box. I was surprised at the vast assortments of jewelry she had collected over the years. Even more surprised that the majority of this jewelry came from my collection. Indeed my mother has been one of my biggest fans and supporters of my growing and developing jewelry line. However, I was still overcome to see my evolution in a wide collection of colors and sparkles right before me. As I began to pick up pieces I was instantly brought back in time to the bead stores I had shopped, to the estate sales I perused and the late nights spent stringing beads.

Some of these pieces were created specifically for my mother. The fun little coffee and tea charm bracelets complimented her appreciation for days spent reading a good book or laughing with friends while enjoying a good cup of coffee. The stunning pearl necklace with lavender Swarovski crystals was the perfect accessory to wear to my sisters wedding.

I enjoyed making colorful "multi-dangle" necklaces and collecting unique pendants. Thus making the majority of my jewelry unique and one of a kind. 

I had created a series of bracelets that features plated silver tube beads and a fun colorful focal point. Then there are the pieces that are inspired by my love of the beach and long walks through the woods.

This was a very time consuming but eye catching statement necklace featuring amber, bronze and topaz seed beads with sparkling swarovski crystals.  Each loop strung individually and then linked to the next loop creating an intricate circle necklace. 

I really enjoyed looking through and taking pictures of these beautiful pieces of jewelry. I know that as I am merging into being more of a designer of precious metals and gemstones there is still room in my work for an element of that whimsical and colorful look that began with collecting beads. I am looking forward to using these design ideas from my past to create a new presence to my designs of the future.

A Year in the Life...The Holidays

I am definitely not a winter person but I love December and all it’s holiday festivities. It was this time of year that I was working hard at creating new pieces to sell at a variety of different holiday shows.  

I also work as a nanny for a wonderful family and this photo was taken at the annual KNOCK holiday photo shoot with “my girls” Gabriella and Alessandra.

December also happens to be my birthday month and I love to celebrate with great friends.

I so get to care for this cute little Chihuahua Paco when the family I work for is away for the holidays.  He is the only dog I’ve really taken to.  Mostly because he mello not a yapper and basically behaves like a good lounge cat.

My christmas tree complete with my Geisha cheese grater as my tree topper.  

I also had my first ice fishing experience in central ND with my uncle and cousins.

Following my ice fishing adventure it was time to drive home to spend Christmas with my family.  I can always count on my parents house to be a very festive place.  My mom and sisters get together a few days before Christmas eve and bake all kinds of Christmas cookies and chocolate treats.  

This year Christmas will be a little extra special as we welcomed my nephew to the family this past July I look forward to spending time with him next month.   

A Year in the Life...part 1

A Year in the Life...Part One Nov 2011

When ever I open up my photos on my laptop an option that I have is to look at the past 12 months from the current date.   I decided to use that as a tool for a series of blog posts.  In a sense it captures my day to day life but it also captures the growth and cultivation of my jewelry line.  Showing what type of events that were going on at the time and how they possibly may have impacted my creation process.

 A year ago during the  Thanksgiving holiday  I decided to stay in Minneapolis and enjoy a four day jewelry working weekend.  I created these rings were  by fusing fine sterling silver into an abstract organic shape then soldering it on to sterling silver.   I always spend my Thanksgiving conveniently out of my kitchen.  In stead I spend it at various friends' homes.  My contribution last year was a special bottle of wine and a delicious wild rice salad. 

It was also a very warm fall much like this year and I took a mid November trip to Duluth and enjoyed a lovely hike.  Long walks and spending time in the fresh air often spark inspiration on my jewelry.  The following photographs are of works of jewelry created during the fall. 

Gifts of Gratitude

Gifts of GRATITUDE

I have been thinking a lot about gratitude and things that I am grateful for.  Perhaps it’s because it’s November and Thanksgiving is around the corner, soon followed by Christmas and then New Years.  The year is winding down and I reflect upon the past 10 months both in my personal and in my business life.  

It is important to take moments out of the day to day and pause, to find something for which you are grateful.  It ranges from something as simple as all the traffic lights being green when I am running late or as deeply felt as the love and support my family has given me all these years.  

I have been developing a concept for a jewelry line that would be based out of gratitude.   It’s meant to be a simple reminder, or a gift of appreciation.  A simple band to wear on the finger with “gratitude” stamped on the inside.   For now these bands will be plain or textured sterling silver; however,  I can see these bands evolving to include flush set stones in a variety of colors.