Reflections of Growth {Earrings of the Month}

The end of the school year almost always brings to me tears with the chaos that ensues from tying up all the loose ends and unfinished projects. But, as my boys were reflecting on their respective school years and finalizing their summative assessments for various teachers, I took some time to pause and look at the tremendous growth we’ve seen this year. No tears, just deep breaths. From their typing skills to their analytical abilities, this school year has taken my kids to new heights. So, on that note, I was inspired to create pieces that – to me – illustrated growth and change. I had some Rhyolite from a trip to Oregon a few years ago and love how the colors remind me of an old growth forest – with its palate of green and brown and I used green onyx for growth and the glittering Golden Pyrite represents success.

Oregon Rhyolite, Golden Pyrite, Hematite, and green onyx are handwired with sterling silver findings to create one-of-a-kind pieces just for my subscribers. Enjoy!

Plum Blossom Necklace and Earring Set for the Carmel Foundation

 A good friend of mine is the development manager for The Carmel Foundation, so when she told me she was working on their auction, I got busy making a donation for the cause. Cabaret is the theme for this year's event, but I was stumped on making a piece in that vein; so I ended up with a floral motif set in deep greens and purple.

I hope she likes...and I hope it does well at the auction.

Sterling silver flowers - featured on the pendant, on the toggle, and in the earring findings - are handwired with grossular garnet nuggets, recycled purple glass nuggets, purple charoite rounds, green labradorite rounds, and rhyolite ovals.

Earrings feature green and purple fluorite nuggets, hanging from sterling silver French wires.

Granola Mamma

A good friend of mine doesn't wear jewelry very often. I mean, she always wears her wedding band and earrings, but that's about it for bling. So when she asked me for a necklace - "just stones, no charms, in earthy tones" - I jumped at the chance to make something I thought she might wear.

I picked a piece of rhyolite that I had gotten in Oregon a few years ago, then handwired that with ruddy, faceted carnelian, mossy grossular garnets nuggets, sunny olive jade, golden rutilated quartz rounds, and small rhyolite barrels.

I hope she likes it. Happy Earth Day, fellow granola mamma!