So here it is, my very first blog entry - if you'd asked me two weeks ago if I'd be online sharing my thoughts, ideas and ramblings in a blog, well, I would have just winked and thought, "Sure, that's going to happen!" But then I started reading and then writing, and now here I am - an official blog author.
Until now I'd never blogged before and barely understood what it was until I saw the film, "Julia Julie" (or is it Julie Julia?) starring the incomparable Meryl Streep and the lovely Amy Adams. But now that I understand it, I can genuinely see how important a tool it is for staying in touch with my loyal customers, and I'm really excited about getting started. So here's a bit of "me" to share. Ever since I was a child, I liked making things with my hands. I made macrame in the 60’s (I know this dates me but who cares, 50 is the new 40 right?) and would string turquoise Heshi beads in high school, and learned to knit when I was pregnant with my first child. My home is filled with needlepoint pillows and tons of colorful afghans that I
crafted over the years.
I actually didn't start making jewelry until 1996 when I tried my hand at beading with Swarovski crystals; it was always about the amazing COLORS that got me goin g (and still is), though now I use 18K and 22K gold as well as sterling silver and genuine gemstones. I have always played with color, from the time I was very young – draping my mother’s chiffon scarves into dress designs, and using all of the purple and teal colored crayons in the box to create an abstract design. I think my sense of color came from my mother and grandmother; my mother sculpted (see, it really does run in the genes) and my grandmother painted. I wasn't particularly drawn to either, so I never considered myself as having ANY artistic talent. It was not until going to the Tucson Gem Show in 1996 that I discovered not only a hidden talent, but my true passion!
I am often asked by my customers what inspires me? The answer is pretty simple – COLOR. Sometimes its the falling of autumn leaves or the tones of color in a woman's dress; most ofte
n though, I just take one of my many t-shirts (and there are many
I assure you) and select interesting color combinations that will go with it. Recently I was doing a great deal of traveling to trunk shows for my boutiques and shop owners and I wanted to wear something that would go with all of the t-shirts and sweaters I'd planned to bring. That season, I mostly had red, hot pink, orange and teal blue tops. Those hues and tones inspired a totally new color combination which I truly love. Other times I just want to design a piece that will look beautiful with a particular coloring; my brother always loved women with red or strawberry blood hair and blue eyes and I made a piece for my sister in law that would capture all those vibrant shades – of course that is her coloring! Imagine those bright, rich colors in stones done in a piece on a strawberry blond with blue eyes - stunning. I always tell women to choose whatever compliments their hair and eyes OR goes with the colors they like to wear. I have gray hair and brown eyes so when all else fails I wear deep black tourmalines, watery, sparkly labrodorite, and bright quartz; all of these look so great with whatever I have on. I never fail to get a compliment when I wear these gemstones because they bring out the color of my eyes and hair.
Simply put, mostly I just love bright, dynamic colors so I incorporate so many var
ieties of color in my designs, so that they will go with the many bright scarves, tee's and clothing I wear.
Well, that wasn't so scary, I guess I'm going to get the hang of this blogging after all.
