Zelpha's Garden

My sweet Grandmother (in-law) recently gave me a collection of tiny paper flowers that her mother, Zelpha, cut out of old antique/vintage greeting cards and magazines.  Those little cutouts were her most prized possession.  As a tribute to her, I made a flower collage that features the names of her seven children and showcases some of the beautiful flowers and butterflies that she so carefully cut out and collected all those years.  I hope you like it Grandma!  Love you!

My Heart Belongs To A Soldier

Leather, Pearls, and Silver

Black leather with fresh water pearls and sterling silver beads/clasp.

Lancaster Family

Belle Armoire Jewelry

I finally received my long anticipated copy of Belle Armoire Jewelry.  It is such a privilege to be featured in this magazine among such talented artists.  My article is the first featured in the magazine. 

Turquoise, Icelandic Lava, Coral, and Vintage Sterling Silver

Leather and Pearls and Vintage Sterling

Kate & Ryan, Hailey & Landon, Mason & Madelyn

Brag Book Necklace

This is a sterling silver brag book necklace I made for my BFF's mom for her birthday.  These little custom books are my original design and have been a big hit.  They are very fun to make!! 

Black Pearl

This is a necklace I made for a friend for her birthday. I used two black pearls and a brushed sterling silver bead for the center. The cord is dark brown leather with a sterling silver clasp.

Antique English Rose

I found this gorgeous antique English pendant on ebay recently.  It is sterling silver with a pearl focal and is over 75 years old.  I created the chain using antique sterling silver ball beads and an assortment of coin pearls and round pearls.  I topped it off with a sterling silver clasp.

Riveted filigree pendant with assorted links.

To create this pendant I stamped a small red brass disc with a flower, melted it into a sterling disc, and then textured it using a variety of steel stamps and dies. I layered it on two filigrees and used a ball head pin to rivet the disc onto the filigrees. I created the chain using an assortment of metal beads, fresh water pearls, a glass bead and sterling silver link. The metal chain is vintage style brass with a sterling silver clasp.

A Bird Conversation

I created the bezel for the pendant with sterling silver sheet metal, a jeweler's saw, fine silver bezel wire, solder and metal stamps.  The image is a bird transparency backed with white paper.  I used a vintage watch crystal over the image and set the bezel.  I used sterling silver and a small screw to attach the bail to the pendant.  I created the chain using an assortment of sterling silver chains, new and vintage, smoky quartz links, volcanic lava rock from Iceland, a sterling bead from Iceland, two clear stones, and a handmade sterling disc with stamped leaves and a bird.

Personalized Pendant with Coin Pearl

This is the necklace I made for my BFF for her birthday.  I created a sterling silver washer and stamped the names of her three little girls.  I riveted a small sterling stamped flower for the bail and added a coin pearl as the focal.

Turquoise and Sterling

I designed this necklace for my mother for her birthday.  She has always loved turquoise and silver.  I designed the sterling silver bezel freehand with a jewelers saw, dapping punches, scalloped bezel wire, and twisted sterling silver wire.  I used liver of sulfur to oxidize the bezel.  The turquoise was cut by a Native American tribe out west. 

Vintage Necklace with Antique Edwardian Locket

I have waited for years for just the right chain to compliment this amazing pendant.  My parents found this unusual antique copper chain at an antique store.  When I received it in the mail, I knew it was the perfect chain for this locket. The rest of the chain is composed of a vintage rhinestone bracelet and a vintage filigree with a brass and stone dangles.

Necklace Envelope

I made this pretty fabric envelope to house the "Heirloom Necklace" that is going to be featured in Bead Trends.  I used velvet and satin material with a vintage French lace.  I created the focal piece using organza, tulle, and a vintage button.  I am unable to display photographs of the necklace inside the envelope until after the release of Bead Trends this November.  The necklace is fastened to the envelope with two ribbons.

Etched copper washers with vintage lace necklace

For the pendant I etched an antique lace design on copper washers and then sandwiched a piece of vintage lace between the washers using sterling silver tube rivets. I designed the chain links using sterling silver, amber, copper, and fresh water pearl beads. The chain is antiqued copper.

Custom pendant with turqoise setting

I was commissioned to make this for the school teacher of one of my piano students. Her husband is serving in Afghanistan right now. Hopefully this will be a special keepsake for her.

Heirloom Necklace

*I just found out that Bead Trends is going to feature this necklace in their November 2011 issue.  It is such an honor to be featured in this publication.  They have asked me to remove photographs of this necklace until after the November issue is released.  I will post the pictures following that.   They will photograph it much better than I did anyways.  I can't wait to see it!!

I made this necklace from sterling silver components that my dad and mom found at various antique stores in the Northwest. It also consists of fresh water coin pearls and a variety of sterling silver beads that my husband bought for me in Iceland.  I soldered a sapphire that my husband bought in Jordan to a sterling tag (an antique store find) that I decorated with metal stamps. The antique book charm is sterling silver with a mother of pearl plate on the cover.  My dad found this for me and it is one of my most prized charms.  It already contains little photographs of my family.

Raw opal set in handmade sterling silver bezel.

I made this ring using sterling and fine silver and a raw piece of opal.

Custom Sterling Name Pendants

Copper Ring

I really enjoy making beautiful things with unusual materials.  I recently came across some copper tubing at an auto parts store.  My intention was to use it for making bails and hinges.  Then the idea for this ring came to me after reading an Art Jewelry Magazine tutorial using sterling silver sheet metal to make a riveted spinner ring. Rather than using sterling silver for the ring, I used the copper tubing.  It was an extensive process of hammering, annealing, hammering again, annealing again, sizing, shaping, stamping, and polishing. I added a fresh water pearl using a sterling silver tube rivet and sealed the patina using Renaissance Wax. This is my first real attempt at making a ring. 

Reversible Sterling Soldered Pendant

Pendant for my mom of her two grandchildren.