I Have This Thing with Earrings

I’m gonna go ahead and say it — earrings might be my favorite pieces of jewelry to wear and to design. You can easily swap them out to match your mood, they can add a splash of color and drama to any outfit, and they’re like little pieces of art framing your face. 

I am picky, though, about how much they weigh. I like wearing earrings for the day without having to give my ears a rest, so when I’m designing them for each collection I’m always testing and adjusting them to meet that criteria. I carved multiple versions of the Halo Hoops until they were light enough, I use hollow snake chain in the Undercurrent Earrings so they feel weightless, and the Galaxy Earrings are convertible so you can wear only the stud but still have the option to go more dramatic for dinner parties and date nights. 

I’d love for you to see the end results of all that fine tuning — check out all the earrings I make and come try some on at my next market!

Caring for Your Opals

Opal, October’s birthstone, has been mesmerizing people for thousands of years with its bright flashes of rainbow colors. It’s said to be a stone of prophecy, and symbolizes hope and truth. While beautiful, they are a little sensitive and require some extra care:

1
They’re porous and will absorb liquids they come across. Avoid cleaning with any chemicals, but instead with room temperature water, mild dish soap, and a soft cloth or brush. Don’t let opals sit in water, and take them off before exercising or showering. 

2
They’re sensitive to extreme temperatures and humidity (kind of like your skin), so avoid spending too much time right next to fireplaces or outside on especially cold days while wearing them. 

3
They’re relatively soft, too, so store them in a soft dust bag or plastic baggie so they don’t scratch against your other jewelry. 

But don’t be intimidated! Just keep in mind that they need a slightly delicate touch, and you’ll be able to enjoy your opal jewelry for even longer. Looking for an opal of your own? Try the Birthstone Star Necklace with opal.

Starscape Inspiration

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Image credits, clockwise starting top left: Hubble Space Telescope photo of part of Sagittarius, ESA/Hubble & NASA; Fashion editorial from 2017, source unknown; Comet illustration by Lyn Ward; “Winter Full Moon” engraving, Johannes Hevelius; Cast cairn in brass, Cast Cairn in brass, Joseph Magliaro; “Moon Dust (Apollo 17)” installation, Spencer Finch.

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Two years ago I saw a photo (the top left one, actually) taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and became immediately obsessed. It shows stars in a rainbow of colors, sparkling against the deep black of space. That image immediately made me want to recreate it, using colorful semi-precious stones against a dark metal background. 

And then I fell down a rabbit hole of space photography, space-inspired fashion spreads, and Galileo's original drawings of constellations (I'm not sure I'm fully out of it yet). Sketches came together fast, and before I knew it I was carving (and re-carving, and re-carving again) shapes out of wax, testing out different stone colors, and setting mini constellations into all new pieces. 

If you haven’t seen the new Starscape Collection yet, check it out here — I’d love to know if you can see how the inspiration became the finished jewelry!