The Modern Miner's Daughter

Do you find that a story behind your piece of jewelry gives it a bit of mystique and intrigue, maybe sparks the imagination of the new owner?  My friend, and occasional collaborator, Heidi, is a gifted and brilliant story-teller.  She just makes the piece come alive!  Here's an example of one of her stories that she wrote about the earrings I made for her!

"The Modern Miner's Daughter"

Though she's moved to the city, her earrings remind her of her pleasant childhood growing up in the mountains.  There she spent afternoons perusing her grandfather's collection of semi-precious stones and gleaming copper retrieved from his mining days.  The earrings themselves a gift from her father, also a miner of those mountains she now misses almost as much as her dear old dad.  The turquoise echoes the azure sky, while the shiny copper reflects the pink-orange sunsets that they watched together from the front porch swing...times beautiful and carefree...just the words to describe the earrings she wears so often these days with a happy wistfulness.

I hope you were taken into another time and place with Heidi's story!  Our fictional dream is that we make jewelry together and she writes all of the descriptions for a catalog!  Thanks, Heidi, for always being an inspiration and a joy!

Miss Fickle Frenzy!

http://missficklemediacom.blogspot.com/As soon as I receive an order of patinated components from Miss Fickle, I seem to become instantly inspired and other projects are pushed aside!  All the colors are awesome and go well with a large variety of other metals, gemstones,  art beads, and fibers.  As you will see, I've been reaching for the turquoise, but I will broaden out in the near future.  It's all so irresistible!  Since I have quite a collection on hand before some of it goes off to the northern Wisconsin galleries, I would like to show you what I did.

                 The Sea Grass Hammered Bars are like two delicate arms, suspending the turquoise.

Here I have combined Indigo Washed Chestnut Chain and Coins with copper bicones.

                      I love these organic links!  This is Chestnut Opal with a rough garnet nugget.

The coordinating earrings and bracelet.  That Indigo Washed Chestnut Chain just caresses your wrist!

                                     Chestnut Chain with Water and Wood 16mm Links

                                                      These large oval links are so useful!

   These earrings are among my favorites.  You don't need a lot of embellishment on these beautiful                          Water and Wood rings.

More Water and Woods!  The chain in the center provides the added touch of contrast and interest.

             This is fun to wear and the Oval links lay so nice.  You could attach a lot of danglies !

The Water and Woods is so compatible with this turquoise!

                  I like using the silk wrap for a finished look.

                           A closer look at those colorful Water and Woods  rounds!

A Soot Black toggle with lots of chain!

                  MissFickle generously sent me two unbelievable black tourmaline nuggets
                 and some ceramic beads from MaCarroll, check out her beads!

                         The other black tourmaline with Black Soot chain, a no-brainer choice!
The clear quartz nugget is the perfect contrast and the heart is from my friend Judy's necklace!

Details!  Soot Black toggle,  secure and looks good in any position on a necklace.  I also used MissFickle's instructions on wiring the cut chain lengths back together, a neat trick with style!

See her blog, Monday, August 30, 2010.

                         Verdigris Mini-Discs flutter from any earring design or as a bracelet dangle.

Would you believe that I have lots more of these delightful parts and pieces?!  Sure you would,
because we all need something left to hoard and play with while waiting for the creative juices to
come our way.  The next display will include Violet!  Thanks, MissFickle for your love and 
talents!