Couture Collection

I'm very excited to share the start of my new more dramatic "couture collection" I'm bringing my designs in this direction now, because it's what I enjoy making most. All pieces are absolutely one of a kind, created with an eye on current trends and vintage sensibility.

~bells & trumpets~

Newly listed! Beautiful bell and trumpet flower vintage style layered earrings. Prices range from $12.00-$15.00 as part of my new shop promotion, and shipping is only 1 dollar in the US. You can find them at my new shop, www.earringemporium.etsy.com

champagne dragonfly~necklace and earrings

I love this new set! I used champagne color cubic zirconia faceted teardrops and beautiful detailed dragonfly charms. A vintage ivory rose is added to the necklace along with asymmetrical accents of copper beads and delicate antiqued brass link chain. I've listed them in my shop seperately, as not everyone likes sets, but I'm hoping someone loves them enough to buy them together. I'm experimenting with a new photo background of grunge style handwriting. I think I like it as it adds to the vintage feel of my jewelry. What do you think?

using props in jewelry photography

Not that i'm an expert, but I thought I'd share my recent discovery of how cool it can be to include props in photographing your jewelry designs. I made this ring using a vintage flower cabochon and copper filigree ring base. I was thinking of how to showcase it in the best way and my mind stumbled across this pretty teacup... I decided to try it out with the ring on my finger. I took it on my front porch after it rained which makes for a good lighting situation, and you can see the wet wood in the background. I'm excited about the outcome and about trying out more options in the near future. sophia ring available HERE

lovely lockets

I just listed some awesome locket earrings, HERE, in my new Earring Emporium shop.

They remind me of Molly Ringwald's style in Pretty In Pink!

my babies are leaving the nest....

Aha! For those of you who are artists, you may know that some of your pieces feel like your babies... yesterday I sold two more of my nicest necklaces, to the lovely buyer of Couture Charms. Now, I better get to work making more!

nouveau pearls

I've had this beautiful art nouveau style silver stamping for so long... I finally decided to add some simple pearls to compliment it in an elegant way. It's an asymmetrical piece, so the focus is on the side...which is my favorite style these days! It's 21 inches long, with pearls that are handwrapped together, going all the way up around the neck.

appletini!

Sometimes things are created more easily than others... this piece kind of made itself! I named it Appletini because I can just imagine some trendy chica wearing it with her cocktail dress during cocktail hour :) The gold swirl beads and textured chain come from my Grandmother's stash of beads from the days when she worked for the Vogue jewelry company in the 50s. I like the chunky architecture of it.

mad about mocha

I was asked recently to do a custom order...there was a set in my shop with vintage celluloid ivory roses and portrait cameos. She wanted the roses a MOCHA color. I searched and searched all the sources I could think of, and finally broke down and asked a fantastic fellow seller and friend of mine on Etsy (MataHariJewelry) how on earth I could find them...as the only ones vaguely close to what I needed were in Italy and would cost me about half what I would end up charging.
She told me that she had JUST been experimenting with dyeing the roses with RIT powder dye, and showed me the gorgeous outcome of her coral roses.
I decided to give it a go, using Cocoa Brown dye, and a little patience... after a few tries I was able to get the right shade for my customer, and now I am obsessed with dyeing everything mocha! I don't know what will happen when I get my hands on more colors...the possibilities are endless.