Blog Tour

A few weekends ago, I was invited by Andrea of Style My Way to take part in a blog tour, where each blogger on the tour introduces themselves and a few of their favorite bloggers. Of course I agreed to participate! And what a perfect opportunity for me to get blogging again!

Photo courtesy of Style My Way

Andrea is a fashion and style blogger right here in KC. I first met Andrea at the last KC Blogger Meetup event and have been admiring her style ever since. She makes looking chic and flawless look so easy! And to top things off, she is so personable and sweet. If you have a moment, do stop by her blog for some fab style!

As a continuation of this blog tour, here are some tidbits about me:

me in my studio --photo by Orangepeel Photography

What am I working on?
On my work bench, there's always a scattered array of jewelry parts in various stages of completion. Currently, I'm creating new jewelry pieces for the upcoming Holiday Chick Event. It's in November (13th-16th..you don't want to miss this one), which seems like a while away, but it really isn't a whole lot of time to make at least one hundred original pieces of jewelry. I like to be prepared!

How does my work differ from others?
With so many incredible jewelry artisans out there, it really is difficult to stand out from the crowd. But I feel that I do offer something in my designs that my customers love, and that is versatility. Since first starting my jewelry line in 2007, all of my original Signature pieces are designed with versatility in mind, which means they can be worn a number of different ways. My most versatile design, the Wrap and Thread necklace, can be styled up to about 20 different ways! At least that's what I could come up with. Perhaps my fabulous customers have come up with other style possibilities I hadn't thought of before! I also feel like my work differs in that aesthetically, it is a nice blend of elegance and edge! Edgy elegance...the two "e"s in eNVe.  ;)

Why do I create what I do?
I have a ton of creative energy. This can sometimes be a curse because if I'm not directing it somewhere, I feel completely out of balance. Jewelry design offers an outlet for me that hasn't really been matched by anything else that I've dabbled in. It might have something to do with my addiction to natural gemstones and all things pretty.  :)

What is my creative process like?
Usually, I treat each piece like a painting. I start with a blank slate and just let the stones and materials speak to me. It sounds a little silly, but honestly, that's where my best work comes from. It's organic, and just really exciting when it all comes together and I have that "eureka!" moment. I'll know when I've hit it because it's almost like my hands and fingers can't move fast enough to execute my vision. And at times, it can be frustrating because I don't have the right materials to complete the piece as I envision it. It's a thrilling roller coaster ride for sure! And oh my gosh, the icing on the cake is seeing a customer gravitate toward a particular piece of jewelry that is just perfect for her, like it was created for her. That's actually my favorite part of this whole process.

So there you have it, a little bit more about eNVe Designs and my creative process. 

To continue the blog tour, here are a couple blogs that I have discovered and really love: 

Olive Bites Blog -- A wonderful resource for the independent, handmade artisan. The woman behind Olive Bites is Cat Ivins. I met Cat through etsy when I first started my shop over 6 years ago (the good ol' days of etsy when it was more of a community of handmade artists, rather than the conglomerate entity it is today that seems to have forgotten the little guys on its rise to fame and fortune...anyway, that is a soapbox for another day). Cat is a brilliant jewelry artist, but so much more! Her blog is overflowing with positive energy, useful advice, and extremely thoughtful and real posts that I've really connected with. She is business savvy and environmentally conscientious, characteristics I feel are vital in this day and age. On top of it all, she is a genuinely nice and wonderful person. Go check out her blog already! ;)

KC Moms Blog -- This blog is a recent discovery of mine that I'm still exploring. I'm wondering what rock I've been living under these past 5 years that I've been living in KC! Their team of bloggers is a gathering of moms across the area, from a variety of professions. They cover many different aspects of being a mom...from nutrition to discipline, to all the fun things motherhood and KC has to offer. Their posts are easy to relate to and such fun to read. I'm hoping to attend one of their future MNO events and get better acquainted with this community of moms in KC!

There you have it.. just a couple of my favorite blogs. I'll be sure to share more in the future, as I do have more favorites!

What are some of your favorite blogs and why? translation: keep me in the loop and help me emerge from this rock I'm living under!  ;)

 

Sneak Peek :: Statements in Stone

 

My absolute favorite thing about jewelry making is working with natural gemstones. I love them all...from rough and raw, to polished and refined. It's so true that they carry their own unique energies. I can't explain it, but something about stones just draws me in. I often hoard them, not having a real clear vision of what I will make with the stones I buy {the stones used in the necklaces above I've had for at least 3 years}. If they call my name, I buy them. I usually store them in various places around my studio, just so I can soak up their energy and admire them each time I pass by. Eventually, they make their way onto my workbench and I stare at them until something happens. I work with them, arrange and rearrange, combine them with a mixture of metals and materials, step back, undo, redo, add more, subtract, revise, and repeat. Often, it's a frustrating process. But in the end, the piece created seems {to me} to take on whatever form it was meant to be. I especially love that each final piece is one of a kind and as unique as the stones themselves.

Some more lovelies I made over the past week. I've been busy this month, digging through my supply of gemstones to make all one of a kind pieces. It had been far too long since I had done that and my creative side was screaming for attention. The result--statement pieces in stone and mixed metals. I can't wait to share more with you!

If you're in the Kansas City area, you can come see them in person next weekend! I'll debut these babies and other lovelies at the Handmade & Vintage Chick Event. It's a pop up marketplace for all things handmade and vintage by local artists and artisans, complete with good eats by local restaurants and good beats by local musicians.

I'm really looking forward to it and hope to see you there!

In the Studio :: Metalsmith 101 with dad

One year, ten months, and nineteen days--the amount of time it takes for a lot of stuff to happen.. and I have zero blog posts to show for it. What can I say, life happens much faster than my speed of blogging! But one of the highlights of recent months is finally getting metalsmith lessons from my dad. For many years during my childhood, my father worked as a goldsmith. He did not immigrate to the states with this trade, but somehow taught himself soon after settling here. And all the equipment that I'm now using to learn this trade are the same pieces of equipment that my father worked on decades before. Rusty, dusty, and so full of history.

There is something very meditative about playing with a torch and some metal. I'm not sure what it is about it that I'm drawn to, but I'm enjoying every minute of it. And it is much harder than it looks. Good thing practicing is fun...and I have so much to learn!

Here are just a few preliminary pieces I made while practicing my soldering techniques. I've been using a lot of copper to practice with because it's more affordable than sterling silver and I have to say, I really love the look of it! Not so much a fan of the shiny copper look, but when oxidized and textured, copper really adds a nice rustic quality and dimension to jewelry. I've worked with copper in the past, but haven't used it much until recently and I've already incorporated copper into a lot of new jewelry pieces. They're not listed online yet and I'll probably debut them at my upcoming show next month!  Details soon.

It feels great to be blogging again. I'd love to hear what you think of my new layout and look!

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In the Studio :: almost finished

Has it seriously been 2 months since I last posted???  Just thought I'd pop in with a quick update.  Here are a few bits and pieces laying around my work table.. just waiting for some finishing touches.

Tiny tourmaline leaves wire wrapped to a sterling silver oval.  I love tourmaline!  I don't work with it often because frankly, it is so expensive!!!  I purchased a strand of these tourmaline leaves last year at a gem show and have only made one completed necklace using these beauties.  It was purchased before I had the chance to list it online.  Now I've started this focal piece... and can't decide whether to wire-wrap the leaves all the way around, or do something asymmetrical.  What do you think? 

Some oxidized sterling and gemstone pendants (top to bottom: phrenite, lepidochrosite, amethyst)

Glass droplets in a new design.  I'll probably make this available in several different color combinations.  What color combos are you partial to??

Gold plated pavé beads in crystal and sapphire blue.. and a beautiful vintage brass bead with Austrian opalite crystals.  These will probably be necklaces.

Simple and elegant gold plated twig earrings with stick pearls.  I think these would be perfect for a candlelit dinner.  :)

So what are you working on at the moment?

P.S.
I know I mentioned a giveaway.  I actually had one on Sandy a la Mode a week or so ago, but didn't have a chance to blog about it.  But if you follow me on twitter or facebook, you knew.  ;)  If you missed out on that one, don't fret, I'm planning on another one, right here on my blog.  I'll make it special since you've been so patient with me. :)