Daily treat - Navagio, the loveliest blue earrings

"What special earrings these are--the Navagio turquoise earrings with Ethiopian opal and amethyst in sterling silver.

Gorgeous, scalloped focal briolettes of turquoise are topped with a tumble of apatite briolettes and rondelles in smooth Ethiopian opal, and faceted lilac amethyst and blue quartz. These beauties dangle from fan-shaped, sterling silver, post style earring studs that are vintage Cini parts.

The wonderful Navagio gemstone earrings measure 1 3/4"/45mm in total length, and the turquoise briolettes measure 20x15mm. All metal on these earrings is sterling silver, including the earring posts."

Featured wire jewelry designer: Anna Cordner from Noria Jewelry

Welcome to a unique and fantastic world of intricate and at the same time very detailed and delicate statement wire wrapped jewelry. The world of Anna Cordner, the owner of Noria Jewelry. She runs her shop from her home studio in northern Virginia. Anna opened her shop in April of 2009.

“My mother’s father is a geologist and lapidary, my dad made jewelry when I was young and my mother involved me in her many arts and crafts projects. 

I always had a keen interest in rocks as a child and my grandfather’s knowledge and enthusiasm fueled this interest. 

The crafting and creative atmosphere my parents provided for me led to a talent in drawing. As a youth I made jewelry from beads I made from polymer clay, strung glass beads on necklaces and learned to use needle nose pliers to open and close jump rings.

Making jewelry was a very natural, easy and fun activity but it wasn’t until after the birth of my first son that I considered selling jewelry. I found I needed to seriously undertake a creative outlet to help me adjust to motherhood but to justify the cost of buying supplies, selling my creations had to be a part of the equation."

"I started out making beaded bracelets. 

Then one day I was on the internet and stumbled upon another artist’s wire wrapped jewelry. I had never seen advanced wire wrapping techniques and was highly intrigued. 

I researched wire wrapping online and decided to venture beyond beading. 

Through much trial, error and experimentation I began to understand and eventually gain a command of wire wrapping. 

My long-forgotten drawing skills have been put to use drafting sketches and designing new pieces."

“It is the continuous experimentation and learning that I find so enjoyable, besides pouring my mind’s fanciful wishes and artistic fantasies into something tangible.”

Can you describe the steps you take in designing and creating a piece?

“I start with a sketch. I know some designers prefer to create more organically but I rely on having a precise roadmap for my pieces. 

I can recreate them almost exactly if I have my sketch. 

Generally, I begin with a base shape of wire then embellish with ‘supporting’ detail flourishes. Other times the stones primarily determine the design.” 

What inspires you?

“I find inspiration from Indian mehndi and henna and their use of bold colors. 

I also find much inspiration in the vast elements of Victorian and Edwardian styles, particularly the floral motifs and filigree lines. 

Stones are inspiration to me, from the rough and uncut specimens to sparkling gemstones. 

Lastly, nature is a great source of inspiration. Sometimes when I find myself at a creative roadblock, I look at various types of flowers, finding patterns or color and delicate lines to help me along in generating my own designs.”

What inspires you?

“I find inspiration from Indian mehndi and henna and their use of bold colors. 

I also find much inspiration in the vast elements of Victorian and Edwardian styles, particularly the floral motifs and filigree lines. 

Stones are inspiration to me, from the rough and uncut specimens to sparkling gemstones. 

Lastly, nature is a great source of inspiration. Sometimes when I find myself at a creative roadblock, I look at various types of flowers, finding patterns or color and delicate lines to help me along in generating my own designs.”

Tutorial: by delilah - Feather Earrings

Material List:

- 4 feathers (most likely, in pairs of two)

- chain

- ear wires

- 12 pieces of seed beads

- about 20 cm of 0.3 mm silver plated wire

Tool List:

- wire scissors (you can adjust feathers, too, with them)

- round nose pliers (to open ear wires bail - or chain jump rings)

- something round to spin wire around it (diameter 3 mm or less, if you have)

Alternative materials:

- you can use feathers of any kind, at hand, any colors. I have these ones from my parrots, picked them up from their cages.

- beads also can be replaced with any other small beads, any colors. 

INTRODUCTION

I will teach you in this tutorial how to create a funny pair of earrings, with feathers and few additional

materials. Working on them requires not so many skills; anyone can make them, if there’s a wish. Simple to

create, beautiful when worn, this pair of earrings will make you shine and smile.

Now we start working with the 0.3 mm wire. Note that you can work with the entire wire (20 cm) from the very beginning, but, if you do have wire (wasted) from other projects, now it’s time to use it. Pieces of 5 cm will be more than enough for one feather to work it out.

In the 2nd picture you can see the wire with a bead inserted on. In the 3rd picture, you get the wire’s end and insert it once again through the bead hole, in order to secure it. 

Once the first bead is added to the wire, we go on and add the feather, simply inserting it through the bead’s hole, making sure the wire we are working with remains at the top part of the feather. Wrap the 0.3mm wire three times on the feather and prepare to add the second bead.

Now we must add the second bead, and the last one, as the operations are the same. Note that the bead must be inserted on the feather, not on the 0.3 mm wire. Add the bead, wrap/coil the wire three times more, and finally add the third bead and another three coils.

Now I will show you how to create a bail for this feather, to be able to attach it on the chain. Just grab something with a small diameter (2-3 mm) and twist the wire twice around it.

We continue with twisting the wire under the bail, around both wrapped wire and feather. Twist it 4-5 times, as much as you consider it is tightly secured. At the same time, you can notice how this feather should look like with bail finished and secured.

The second feather requires the same operations, the same steps to follow. And the other two feathers for the other earring, as well.

Now, all you have to do is to hang these feathers two by two, symmetrical or not, (and that depends on

you) on the chain.

What is there to say ... Pick up the chain you are going to use (make sure there’s a chain with small jump rings, because the feathers are pretty light, and only the chain will keep them “hanging down”).

Take measurements in order to have two equal chains (count their jump rings, to be sure). Ok, one piece of chain … decide where you will attach it on the ear wire, open the ear wire’s bail and insert the chain’s jump ring. Do the same operation for both of the earrings, in order not to forget the counting and make them symmetrical.

Once you’ve attached the chain to the ear wire, close the loop and prepare to add feathers.

To add feathers, you must open every final jump ring on the chains, and they are 4 (2 for an earring,

another 2 for the other). Open the jump rings and insert the feather’s bail, one by one, at each end.

And that should do!

Here’s an earring ready! 

Text and photos: delilah

www.delilah.ro

Featured designer: Andreas Schiffler The German designer living in Spain

When I found myself browsing Andreas’s shop, I was immediately drawn to the beautiful and very modern looking designs of his jewelry.
His high quality designs reflect an imaginative mind and talented craftsmanship. I like the way he combines shiny with matt, straight lines with circles, gold with silver. His jewelry is classy and yet so modern.

- Tell me about who you are and where you live, where you studied, where your shop is, your workshop etc.
Andreas: “I am a German self-made jeweller with a part time life between Barcelona and Formentera; in both places a workshop, in both places a part of my heart.
I came to Spain in 1993 looking for new horizons after studying Metal Processing and Plasterer in Germany, and in Formentera I started to experiment with techniques and materials and I came into contact with a craftsman’s world.
I’ve learned Jewellery on my own with freedom and patience, always in direct contact and feedback with my clients.”

- How did you discover your passion and get started with it?
“Mother Nature gave me the first inspiration to create jewels with little things found in the forest and the sea, and the studies with industrial metal production, the technical support to develop my creativity. I remember that my first vocation test gave as a result I had skill for this.
So I guess it’s been really like developing who you really are, on one side.”

- Do you have a favourite material you work with? If yes, why?
“Silver and stones have been the main materials in my work. Silver, the noble humble metal, stones: the ancient earth tresors … I truly don’t know, can create a poem for you about this perhaps, but the fact is that I choose materials among my reach in a very intuitive way. Reason is not always working in the process.


- Could you describe the steps you take in designing and creating a piece?

“Well, I work with ideas, but my items are created in action, they are created at the working table. There’s a famous saying attributed to Picasso that goes something like “inspiration does exist and sometimes comes, but you’d better be at your workshop”. And I am very pragmatic, I don’t theorise.


- How does the place where you live influence your work?
“The place where I live influences my work the same way as the places I visit when I travel. Everything around me influences my work. I’m not particularly conscious of any special aspect. Let’s allow psychologists do their work, I prefer mine.”

- Which is your favourite ever item you created?
“That is hard to say, I have many favourite items that represent different moments along the last 20 years…”


- Who is your favourite designer and why?
“My favourite designer is nature, ever surprising, simple elements, functional, beautiful, endless combinations, cruel, tender, wise; everything.
A remarkable characteristic of my self-made condition is that I never paid much attention to the work of designers, especially during the first 10 or 15 years of my career. But if you want a name, one comes to my mind now:  Michael Zobel, because of the way he uses and combines materials.”

“I have two workshops, one in Barcelona at La Casa de la Espiral, calle Asturias 78 Barcelona inside the Gracia neighbourhood; and another one in Formentera, where I work between June and September, selling my production at the Handicraft Market of La Mola.”

You can find Andreas’s creations also online: 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/andreasschiffler

http://andreasschiffler.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/andreasschifflerjewelery

Text: Sandra Kemppainen, photos: Andreas Schiffler

Featured designer: Mia Montgomery - The Moonlight designer from California

MEET MIA MONTGOMERY. 

Her own words, “deep in the night, it’s just the moonlight and me...” suggests a fairy-like world, which you can feel when you see her exquisite designs.

- Tell me about who you are and where you live, about your studies, workshop.

Mia: Thank you for inviting me into your cool new magazine. What a treat to be able to talk a bit about what I adore.

My name is Mia, and I’ve collected beads and various other artistic treasures for ages.

Home is currently Northern California, but I’ve lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, the gorgeous Pacific Northwest, and a brief stint in the Midwest. My schooling was in interior design, which is the work I do when I’m away from my beading tables. I’ve taken a few technical classes in jewelry design -- soldering, wirewrapping, etc. -- but for the most part I’m self-taught, and definitely inspired by many spectacularly talented artists.

Over time, my home studio has evolved. About a dozen years ago I gave up the pretense of trying to cram a workspace into a tiny back bedroom, and instead took over the entire family room. The space is centered with three enormous wood tables oriented in a U-shape, with lots of shelving along the walls, not to mention many piles of bagged and boxed treasures that I’ve lacked the time to sort and store.

The perimeter of each tabletop is stacked with clear storage boxes, each containing a specific category of beads that I use regularly. One box might contain all seed beads in the orange range, for example, or all small briolettes in the aqua-blue range, or all my brass filigree hearts and flowers, etc.

- How did you discover your passion and get started with it?

I’m told the first signs of trouble surfaced one Sunday morning while in church. We were seated next to a woman wearing sparkly jewelry, and to this day my Mum gets giggly recalling my wide eyes and big toothless grin as I gawked at this poor woman. I was about six months old at the time.

As to the root of the passion, it comes down to this: Every creative move I make is fueled by a lifelong fixation with color and texture, whether the materials are weathered and rustic, or glimmering and fantastical. I’ve explored many art forms, but the satisfaction of creating personal embellishment is tough to beat - the variations are endless, and so are the challenges.

Truth be told, my earliest attempts were not particularly brilliant, but ongoing education, paired with life experience over the years, has helped to refine my sense of what constitutes an intriguing composition.

The art of micro mosaic is also a big passion for me. It’s a stunning craft, with designs ranging from the exquisitely intricate, to more chunky looks. My love of those old pieces eventually inspired me to bring a hint of it into my own work.

My detour into asymmetry was something else altogether, the result of being left with just one beautiful bead, when I needed two to finish the project I had in mind. Throughout the night, I tore the studio apart to find its mate, but to no avail. Finally, just before dawn was breaking, it came to me -- that I could use that single bead as the foundation of a mismatched set. From there it was like a fever -- I fell madly in love with asymmetry as an art form, all its intrigue and complexity. I will always return to that style now.

- Do you have a favorite material you work with? if yes, why?

How does anyone chose?! I can at least rattle off a list: Micro-mosaics, antique brass, matte pearls, rhinestones, Italian buttons, porcelain flowers, crystals and gemstones in muted hues, delicate metal chain (for use as ‘swags’), and. . . grout! Yes, grout.

- How does the place where you live influence your work?

Creativity can be fed by beautiful surroundings, but just as often it can the result of a lack of access to such beauty. I lived for a time in a small town that was devoid of access to the traditional hallmarks of inspiration, like rivers, oceans or mountains. The landscape was flat and bland, the climate unpleasant, and the artist community small in numbers. Ironically, though, it ended up being one of the most artistically prolific periods of my life, the foundation for all the work I have such a passion for now.

In hindsight, I believe the sensory deprivation forced me to be more resourceful, to stretch my imagination. I got into graphic arts, art furniture, interior design, and then beading.

- Can to walk us through how you go about creating one of your Asymmetrical earring sets?

It always begins with one beautiful bead that I decide to build a world around. Sometimes the bead’s pattern or texture suggests a secondary color; other times I have to play with different combinations until I fall in love. This can go on for hours.

I also pull from a large library of inspirations -- color schemes I’ve torn from magazines, the pattern mix in a quilt, the muted hues in antique maps, a sunset over the ocean, or some idea I’ve sketched onto a napkin at Starbuck’s. Mostly I prefer sticking to two main colors as the foundation of any given set, and then vary the depth of those two colors throughout the piece.

An example would be using brick red and vivid turquoise as my foundation colors, then accenting them with pale peach pearls and aqua crystals. Those lighter shades echo the foundational shades, making the set feel more cohesive.

After color, the most important thing to keep in mind is balance. For me, good asymmetrical design is not just a matter of throwing together beads that coordinate, or making one earring rightside-up and the other one upside-down -- to my eyes that is not particularly interesting. Instead, I focus on creating harmony between the two earrings, an interplay, where they complement but do not mirror each other. It helps to spill a wide array of different elements out onto a large tabletop, then let your eyes pass over the chaos for awhile, until you begin to pick out interesting connections. Experiment with scale -- let large elements play off tiny elements -- and find ways to use little accent beads that will tie the two earrings together without getting too matchy-matchy. It’s a very painterly process, actually, with roots in collage. Endlessly challenging, and definitely a labor of love.

- Who is your favorite designer and why?

The late Gianni Versace was first to come to mind. The man was irrepressible in terms of pattern and color, and I still look to images of his Casa Casurina estate in Florida when I need an infusion of pure joy in design. Going further back, Louis Comfort Tiffany for his stained glass, and Maxfield Parrish for his exquisitely vivid paintings. Other present-era favorites include Cheryl Rowley, interior designer for the Kimpton chain of boutique hotels (lots of imaginative color and pattern mixes), and the furniture designs of MacKenzie-Childs. This is a difficult list to abbreviate, let me tell you! I also cannot neglect to mention the impact Disneyland had on my psyche as a little girl. Specifically the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, with all the treasure chests spilling over with jewels and pearls and precious metals, sparkling under artificial moonlight. I about fainted from sheer ecstasy the first time I saw it. Those early impressions remain etched into my brain.

- What dreams do you have for your brand for the future?

I’m not particularly driven in the ‘brand’ sense, and far more interested in simply finding my niche, my audience, so that I can have the luxury of creating jewelry art they will cherish. And of course I would love for this to be my full-time work. At the moment, I spend half of my working life in the interior design field, and the other half beading. It strikes a good balance, but I never seem to get quite enough time with my beautiful beads.

I personally fell in love with Mia’s designs and I believe she has already found her niche. They are original, unique and extremely beautiful.

Text: Sandra Kemppainen

Photos: Mia Montgomery

Mia Montgomery Etsy Shop
Mia Montgomery on Facebook

Gemstone Special: Arizona Wired Elegance

Ever since I joined Etsy, an enormous online community for buyers and sellers of handmade, vintage and supplies products, I have been browsing for beautiful items. That is how I came accross Arizona Wired Ekegance, an online shop with stunning handmade wirewrap jewelry. So I decided to interview its owners for Design Jewelry and Accessories magazine.

“Tell me about who you are, where you live, the location of your shop, workshop, who creates the jewelry.”

“My husband, Ryan DeWitt, and I created Wired Elegance two years ago. It’s been an amazing experience for us to share - one that is away from the daily grind of work and the hustle and bustle of raising young children. Located in Tucson, Arizona, my husband works as an electrical engineer by day and a jewelry artist by night! He comes from a very artistic family and has experimented with different mediums, but he found his niche in jewelry. He makes all of our wire wrapped pieces and is currently experimenting with other forms of jewelry making. Soon, we hope to add a few new types into our store! A former teacher, I now stay home with our three children. My days are filled with preschool, sports activities, and diapers. During nap times and night times, I create the chainmaille pieces in our store and maintain the business (customer relations, online store, taxes, etc.)

Our garage has been transformed into a full lapidary shop so that we have the ability to cut and polish cabochons. We have a silver-smithing workbench in our garage as well, where my husband is experimenting with textured silver and various other types of jewelry. Our chainmaille and wire wrapped pieces are created in our home. My husband has a set up in our den, out of reach from little hands. Each night he sits at the desk and listens to music as he creates beautiful pieces.

Currently, our jewelry is sold online as well as at art/craft shows in the Phoenix/Tucson area.”

 

“Do you have a favorite stone you work with?”

From Ryan DeWitt:

“I wouldn’t say that I have a particular type of stone to work with, but I do have a favorite shape that I enjoy. I really like the challenge of working with the bizarre, odd shapes. They provide me an escape from my standard patterns and force me to be more creative. I often have to think “outside the box” with these pieces and find that the finished products are quite rewarding in the end!”

“What do you feel influences your designs?”

Ryan DeWitt:

“I really believe ‘less is more’ when working with wire. I prefer simplistic

patterns that flow and highlight each stone. The stones themselves are beautiful. I use the wire to form organic, fluid movement in an attempt to highlight their beauty in an elegant way, not to detract from them. It’s hard to say what exactly influences my specific designs because it is more of a feeling than any particular attribute. When I look at a stone, I mentally develop different possible designs based on its size and features and then go from there. As I’m wrapping a piece, sometimes I’ll get inspired to try something new…sometimes this doesn’t work, and other times I am pleasantly surprised. My mistakes also guide my designs, and are often a blessing in disguise!

If I make a mistake, it forces me to brainstorm and be creative to find a solution. Truth be told, most of my designs are an indirect result of my mistakes!”

“Which is your favorite item ever created?”

Ryan: “I would have to say the Carved Amber Pendant is my favorite piece that I’ve done thus far. I had never wrapped a carved stone before and was a bit skeptical of the outcome. The shape of the stone and the design carved in the amber appealed to my creative nature. The finished result was stunning! It was so unexpected and completely different than anything I’d ever done.”

If we were to select a fellow jewelry designer as a ‘favorite’, it would be Scott McNeely from Maya Canyon. His work is exceptional. He has the same philosophy of ‘less is more’ and really lets the pieces speak for themselves. We have admired his work for years, and are able to stay in touch each February as he and his wife travel to Tucson for the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show.”

“What is your dream for your brand in the future?”

“We love to dream about the possibilities for Wired Elegance. We hope to grow as artists and explore creating different types of jewelry. If we are dreaming big, we’d also love to have someone from every country in the world wearing a piece of our jewelry! Knowing that something we have made is being worn by someone on the other side of the planet is an amazing feeling!"

"Who is your favorite designer and why?”

“My husband comes from a very artistic family. Their life-long work has definitely inspired him and influenced the way he views art of all mediums as well as in the way he designs his jewelry. If we were to choose a favorite artist, it would have to be a tie between his grandmother and aunt, Pat DeWitt and Wendy DeWitt. Their talent truly is amazing!”

“For years, we have always admired the various wire wrap artists that we have seen. We enjoy the chance to talk, share our common passion and truly appreciate all the effort and talent that goes into their work.

feeling. It’s definitely surreal! We also dream that one day, people will see our jewelry and recognize it, knowing that it came from us.”

“Ultimately, we’d love to continue finding success and growth in our store! We took my husband’s artistic hobby and his passion for minerals and were able to turn it into a business. It truly has been a remarkable journey and we are only at the beginning! We look forward to expanding and reaching new levels of success, whatever they may be!”

Arizona Wired Elegance online:

Website:

http://www.wiredelegance.com

Blog:

http://wiredelegance.com/we-blog.html

Etsy Shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArizonaWiredElegance

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/WiredElegance

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/WiredElegance