Category Archives: Creative Inspiration

New In My Studio: Blue Agate Cameo Pendant

I am proud to present the first entry in my Mother’s Day collection!

Mother and Baby Blue Cameo PendantThis blue agate cameo is just gorgeous, and so incredibly detailed.  I set it in sterling silver wire, embellishing with Victorian swirls and Swarovski pearls.

Then the trouble started.

I realized that I had made the top loop (for hanging the bail on) too large for my liking. Now I needed to figure out how to camouflage it. I started experimenting with bail styles.

No less than SIX attempts later, I had my design for the bail. It is accented with a Swarovski pearl. It is well balanced.

But I threw an awful lot of wire across the room that night.

This blue agate cameo pendant is now available in my ArtFire
Studio.

Do I Dare Call Any Of My Pieces Steampunk? Or Gothic?

I’m so intrigued by steampunk styles of jewelry.  But – I’ve been nervous about referring to any of my pieces as “steampunk”, even though I think a number of them fit the (rather nebulous) definition.  The minute I call something of mine “steampunk”, the “All-Knowing Arbiter of Steampunk” (aka Some Random Internet Jerk) will come along and tell me I’m completely stoopid. (Misspelling intentional.)  Same thing with Gothic styles.

Why am I worrying about what anyone, other than my customers, think?

I dislike being pigeonholed as much as the next artist, but it’s easier for customers to find the jewelry they love if it’s categorized.

It’s funny – oftentimes people trying to provide examples of steampunk point to the 60s TV series “The Wild Wild West” – but I could never STAND that show!  I’ll bet it was a blast to be the set decorator on that show, though.  Another example, one that I love, is the movie version of “The Time Machine”.  It’s real eye candy for Victorian and Steampunk lovers, from the decor of the sets, to the period clothing, to the design of the time machine itself.  My favorite scene? The ladies’ fashions going by in sped-up motion.

I would rather expend my energy making the jewelry my customers love, than worrying what Random Internet Jerk thinks.

Creative Inspiration

My fellow artists would probably agree with me: creative inspiration can strike in an infinite number of ways.

About two weeks ago, I was sitting at my computer at work, when, with no warning, an image of a finished pair of earrings flashed into my head.  I actually recoiled as if someone had smacked me in the forehead!  Well, before the idea could get away, I sketched the design on paper…quickly…before the boss caught me drawing.

Stay tuned for a photo of the finished earrings.