August 2016: New Beginnings {Earrings-of-the-Month}

Years ago, I captured this photograph of a nest while hiking in Modoc National Forest. And it popped into my head as I prepare to send my eldest off to high school in August. New beginnings. Big beginnings.

R is a bundle of excitement and nerves. He will be part of a pilot group, forging ahead to bring the International Baccalaureate program to the high school level here on the Monterey Peninsula. He's been immersed in the PYP and MYP programs at his other school, but this is a new beginning.

I still see him as this soft, little boy – most of the time – but I catch glimmers of his teenage self, with harder edges and a wee bit of tween ‘tude. He's gangly and awkward right now, but I am embracing each stage because it passes quickly. So, I’m facing this change and growth head on and enjoying the person he is becoming.

New Beginnings

The August 2016 EcoChic Designs’ Earrings-of-the-Month selections are made in the shades of these eggs, with turquoise, amazonite with flecks of earthy brown, and other gems...all handwired with sterling silver.

Beautiful Chaos {Earrings-of-the-Month}

My husband (lovingly) calls me the Goddess of Chaos.  My email address is – constantmotion. I am constantly moving, constantly creating, constantly striving, and constantly learning.

But the end of the school year is, inevitably, busier than the other 11 months of the year. And each and every May my life descends into chaos.

So, this month, I have made the earrings-of-the-month selections chaotic. I hope the gals find them beautiful despite the chaos.

The pieces are multicolored, multidimensional, and multifaceted. All are handwired with sterling silver and hang from sterling silver earwires. Enjoy…and don’t forget to breathe. Photos to come.

Ice Queen Bling {Pieces of the Month}

My family and I spent a week in Lake Tahoe for the boys’ Spring break. We sledded, snow-shoed, hiked, and just generally loved being in the Winter Wonderland.  Here we are after a day of exploring where Desolation Wilderness meets Cascade Lake. So much fun!

One afternoon atop Mount Rose summit, overlooking Lake Tahoe, I noticed small icicles in the pine needles. The sunlight was hitting them just right to make them sparkle like diamonds.

I saw there, under the trees, for what seemed like hours. It was probably only fifteen minutes; but it was cold. I waited for snow to melt to catch the droplets.

Inspired, I decided to create my April pieces in crystal, silver, and deep green. Enjoy!

I'll post photos of the pieces soon. Notice I wrote "pieces." I have some subscribers who have been part of the earrings-of-the-month club for five years. They have more earrings than they know what to do with. But, not wanting to miss out on the jewelry fun, I have migrated them over to a bracelet and a necklace subscription. So, if you ever get tired to receiving earrings, that is an option!

Happy (Almost) Spring

I’ve always loved tulips. At my wedding sixteen years ago, my bridesmaids carried bunches of tulips with ribbons wrapped around their stems. I commissioned a local artist to create a sterling silver parrot tulip ring for me years ago. I wear it all the time.

To me, tulips represent Spring which, in turn, represents rebirth and renewal.

I love that they are equally beautiful in the garden as they are, singly, in a vase or as part of a larger arrangement. They are statuesque, graceful, and vibrant.

So, this month, I have made the earrings-of-the-month selections tulip-themed.

Some of the gals are getting handmade lampwork glass tulips from an artist in Oregon (Serena Smith Lampwork); some are getting sterling-over-brass sculptural tulip beads; and some are getting pieces with gems that are my favorite colors of tulips.

Enjoy…and Happy (Almost) Spring.

Deck the Lobes {earrings-of-the-month}

This month's selections are inspired by my lack of space for holiday decorating. We are in the middle of a major remodel on our house and my husband declared: NO holiday dinner parties and NO big Christmas tree! Boo. 

He has promised, however, to restore water and electricity every evening by the time I get home from work. Okay.

 

So, instead of spreading tinsel and hanging delicate glass balls over the boughs of a tree, I have decided to deck your lobes!

This month's earrings are made with sterling silver swirls and swoops - just like tinsel - and sparkling micro-faceted gems - just like ornaments. All are handwired with sterling silver and hang from sterling silver earwires. I hope my subscribers enjoy these pieces made just for them!

Disco Balls {Earrings-of-the-Month}

Who knew that a novel turned movie about an astronaut stranded on Mars would cause a revival of disco?

If you haven't seen The Martian, the soundtrack is enough to send any disco-lover into orbits of elation. So, the other afternoon, D was looking through our CDs to find good "cookie-baking" music; he found a disco compilation. Yes, I have one!

"Mommy, do you think we should listen to disco while we make cookies?" Yes!

"You have terrible taste in music," deadpanned R, quoting Matt Damon's character.

So, while we baked cookies - here are the Kaffir Lime-Matcha Sugar Cookies we made - we listened to Gloria Gaynor, the BeeGees, and more! I even dug my pink glitter platforms out of the costume bin. It's a good thing people can't see into my kitchen too often!

But while looking at my beads, I decided to completely change direction on the earrings-of-the-month. This month, I made disco balls with microfaceted gems handwired with sterling silver.

I had made a pair of earrings for a friend's birthday and she wrote in her thank you note: "Love the purple disco ball earrings - well, they remind me of disco balls anyway. It's like a party dangling from my ears."

I love it! So, here you go, gals. Disco balls for November's EcoChic Designs' selection. It's like a party dangling from your ears. Enjoy!

For the Love of the Vine {earrings of the month}

This month had me thinking about wine and the grape vines. A few vintner friends were talking about the early harvest due to the warmer-than-usual summer. So, inspired by my love of the vine - and, yes, the ensuing liquid libation that comes from those vines - I created this month's pieces in different shades of wine.

See the wines...

I used lemon quartz, green garnet, deep garnet, dusty Burmese raw rubies, green onyx and more to represent the palest gold of Pinot Grigio to the almost inky black of Negrette.

The last of the packages went into the mail today. I hope the gals enjoy these. Cheers!