Found Objects
If it’s something you can hold in your hand, chances are very good I can wrap or set it into a unique piece of jewelry! Alternatives to jewelry include ceiling fan pulls, zipper pulls, rearview mirror adornments, and wall art.
This shell is not high in monetary value but has enormous personal meaning to the owner, who finds her heart and soul at the beach. She asked me to wire-wrap the shell & I “listened” to the shell’s contours to know how to wrap it securely but organically. The 14k rose gold-filled wire complements the peach colors in the shell; smooth peacock freshwater pearls add a simple but beautiful element. Accentuating the curve of the shell transforms to feel like pottery or weathered ceramic.
This seaglass was collected by a college graduate who taught for a year in Spain. Short on money, he spent time on the beach and collected pieces of seaglass, which he brought home to his Mom stating he'd like her and his sister to have earrings someday. Mom and I met at a local holiday show and she entrusted me with designing some of the precious pieces of glass into jewelry.
I was asked to take this pretty (huge!) faceted blue glass & reset it from inexpensive costume plated gold to a handmade gallery setting. It is all .935 Argentium sterling silver, securely prong set with high polish. An excellent example of taking an element & upcycling it to quality jewelry.
A geologist found this stone on a trip & his grandmother liked it so much she asked that he have it made into a pendant. The 14k goldfill setting accents the curves of the stone without being "over the top." It sits on a lovely spiral with weaving across the back as well as the front (shown).
A dozen river rocks collected over several years became gifts for attendees at a special riverside wedding. Each is wrapped in sterling silver, bronze, or mixed metal for a lifetime of wear.
This is a transformation I did for my Mom, using an old bolo tie we found after my Dad passed away. The reward is in repurposing a beautiful cabochon while creating something new & sentimentally important for my mother.