Jewelry Archives - Try Handmade

All the world's waiting for you

November 18, 2018 by Erika Jurney 3 Comments

I am completely, totally, and faithfully in love with this first bracelet.

And these other ones are incredible as well.

If God didn’t want you to have it, He never would have let you see it.

Well, alrighty then.

Gogo Borgerding combines her love of vibrant color with her passion for bold design to create sterling silver and anodized aluminum cuff bracelets. Borgerding fashions the top layer of each cuff in silver, and then rivets the silver to a bottom layer of colorful anodized aluminum. The result is reminiscent of 1950’s picnic-ware– bright silver melded with luscious roses, golds, and reds, each cuff a refreshingly timeless piece of jewelry.

Melissa Lew Jewelry

November 18, 2018 by Valerie Williams 1 Comment

Melissa Lew has been an artist her whole life. Some of her fondest childhood memories are of making jewelry with her mother. These days, in addition to her graphic design day job, she is also a painter, a photographer, a classically trained pianist, and of course, the designer and sculptor of her own jewelry line.

The current Melissa Lew jewelry collection includes four lines, with four themes: Transcendence (cherry blossoms), Prosperity (goldfish), Longevity (Asian dogwoods), and Resilience (transfers of Melissa’s paintings on bamboo). Melissa uses mainly recycled, sustainable, and eco-friendly materials to create her jewelry, including recycled fine silver, stainless steel, and bamboo. All her recycled fine silver jewelry is hand carved, so every single piece is completely unique!

Although Melissa has wide-ranging experience in the visual and performing arts, her interests were focused into jewelry making partially through her exposure to recycled fine silver. The material intrigued her, and she found it was an excellent medium to translate her passion for her Chinese heritage into a personal, wearable form.

“I love how personal jewelry is,” she says. “I love that instead of being hung on a
wall or placed on a pedestal, people wear it and enjoy it.”

Her inspirations come from her Chinese heritage, and from the deep reverence the Chinese have for the natural world. Classical Chinese proverbs, symbolism, and tradition all play a part in the creation of Melissa Lew jewelry.

Melissa taught herself how to make jewelry, which is unsurprising for someone attracted to all types of art and handcrafting. She had always been interested in sculpture, and jewelry-making, the way she does it anyway, is just like sculpture on a very small scale.

In addition to her love for recycled fine silver, Melissa also hopes to experiment with other recycled metals, including copper, bronze, and gold.

Melissa Lew Jewelry has won several awards and has been shown in exhibitions locally and across the country. Most recently, locals may have seen her jewelry adorn the models at DC Fashion Week in February.

Not surprisingly, Melissa’s DC-area customers are drawn to her cherry blossom themed Transcendence line. She supposes that the extremely popular National Cherry Blossom Festival here makes it easy for locals to form a personal connection between the understated flower and their hometown.

You can find Melissa Lew jewelry online and at local arts and craft shows. The next one will be the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market in Arlington, Virginia on June 12. Melissa’s web site is updated regularly with news on her upcoming events and appearances, so check often!

Interview with Kim Last of Kim Last Designs

November 17, 2018 by Erika Jurney Leave a Comment

I design and create jewelry and accessories by hand – using a variety of different techniques (lost wax casting, cutting and piercing metal and wire-wrapping). I work mostly in sterling silver, brass and gold vermeil – I also use freshwater pearls and other gemstones in my work.

How did you get started? Have you worked in other creative areas before the kind of work you’re doing now?

Well, my work as a jewelry designer began after a New Year’s resolution at the end of 2008. I’m usually not a sucker for New Year’s resolutions but I was very bored and uninspired by my day job in media (the industry was dying and I felt that I was plateauing) – I live in NYC so I decided to drop by FIT one day and check out the course offerings they have in the evening. Jewelry was the first thing that struck me (and it makes sense because my Dad has worked in the business for 30+ years on the sales side). I started taking classes in January 2009 (stringing, jewelry 101, etc.) and have been going strong since! I love the dynamic of being in a learning environment while creating new pieces. I have met some wonderful jewelers through this as well.

Is there a story behind the name of your shop?

Nope – for now it’s just my name…I couldn’t imagine another name and another line of designs just yet. That would require leaving my day job for sure!

Do you work alone? With a team? Do you engage your family or friends in the work? What is your process? How do you ensure you get your work done yet still have a life?

I certainly do not “work” alone – I have a WONDERFUL boyfriend, Ben, who happens to be in law school, runs two successful blogs and doesn’t get too mad when I cart over to his apartment all the beads for whatever project I am working on at the moment. Ben helps me keep my books and he’s been busy building my website from scratch (launch is set for the end of March!). My Dad is also the other man in my life who’s in the business with me. He’s a vet in the fine jewelry world and has a creative eye. Sometimes I’ll work on something and he’ll add input to change it for the better. Also, being a native NY-er, I don’t have a car – and he does, so he helps me out when it comes to going to a show where I need to drive! As someone who has a full-time job, I have the mantra that I MUST make 1 new piece a day and I usually stick to that goal and sometimes double and triple it around the holidays.

Where do you sell your work? Which venues are your favorites? Do you prefer selling online or in person? Do you attend shows or fairs? Is your work in a gallery or brick-and-mortar store?

I sell my work online at Etsy. I do find that I LOVE to sell in person. I mainly do shows in the NYC-area, including the Brooklyn Lyceum’s big spring and holiday shows, Artists and Fleas and even my local church’s holiday fair.

Do you have any favorite handmade shops or sellers you’d like to recommend?

I love handmade notebooks and books and boxes is one of my favorite sellers.

What inspires and motivates you?

A lot of times fashion and what I’ll see in magazines inspire me – but living in NYC and all of the different people and places really do inspire me. I also get inspired by broken jewelry – I rework a lot of pieces into something new.

Thanks Kim. And if you would like to be interviewed next, just head over to DIY Interview.

Crochet silver crown

November 16, 2018 by Erika Jurney Leave a Comment

I adore this crochet silver ring!

Lena Marie Echelle: The assumption of jewelry as tactile is a basic component of the definition of jewelry as distinguished from other art forms, and it is part of the intimacy of the medium. Because of this, texture and movement are as important as color in my work. Many of my pieces open or close, have moving pieces, bells, or secret elements that rattle within hollow spaces. I use mixed metals in my work, building up dimension and texture through shell forming, folding, forging, punching, repousse and chasing techniques. In a simple process where silver dust and filings are fused to copper sheet, I have found a method that produces wonderfully reticulate surface textures and beautiful color contrast. The excitement of the unknown and the timely recollection of previous ideas, the practice of creating and distilling forms and concepts, and the pleasure of seeing others’ reactions to my jewelry encourage me to keep working.

Put a little Spring in your step

November 13, 2018 by Erika Jurney 7 Comments

bio: I’m Kumi Middleton and based in Northants, UK. I have produced one-off handcrafted bags and corsages since 2005 after a career break (bringing up my family). I was trained as knitted textile designer.

My career after the art college includes working for fashion prediction company as well as producing one-off garment and length. Since I started family, however, I change the direction and decided to create something more accessible to wider audience.

My inspiration comes from nature around us and the nature of the materials I use. I create the fabric for my bags by dying, stitching, starching and embroidering. I use a range of materials, including genuine kimono fabric – I buy them in Japan at second-hand shops or kimono shops which sell remnants ,or sometimes make use of those inherited from my family.

I am committed to reducing the amount of waste in general and I am very careful when I produce my work. I am a strong believer of “art for everyone” hence the reasonable prices and the promotion of “handmade/crafted” products. I am an associate member of Design Factory (based in the East Midlands), and my work is also available at various galleries around the UK.