silver Archives - Try Handmade

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!

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.

Coffee Talk – part two

November 5, 2018 by Rebecca Hadfield Leave a Comment

It is said that the stimulating effects of coffee were discovered by a 9th century goat-herder who observed his goats becoming livelier and more energetic after consuming the fruit of a certain bush. As the story goes, the shepherd gathered up some of the coffee “cherries”, brewed himself a drink and, as any coffee lover can well-imagine, became hooked.

Whether that’s a true tale or a tall-tale, historical records show that by the 15th century coffee consumption was wide-spread throughout Africa and the Middle East. It wasn’t until the mid-1600s, though, that coffee merchants began importing the beans on a large-scale basis to the Netherlands, home of Europe’s first coffeehouses. Today, coffee is enjoyed world-wide and has become a part of our cultural landscape. Cafes and coffee-shops are everywhere and “going for coffee” remains an affordable daily indulgence; even with today’s economic belt-tightening. For some of us, it is the one vice that we have allowed ourselves to hang on to.

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New in the Gallery

October 19, 2018 by Erika Jurney 7 Comments

flowery felty bowl

This bowl has been made from un-dyed native British wool using a wet felting method to create a seamless structure. I added a touch of green Merino to the base of the bowl to create a mossy effect, and decorated the edge with needle felted flowers in lovely soft… details »

Twists Earrings from Bale & Twine

Hand twisted elegance. Fine silver with Hand Formed sterling silver wires. Dangle to approx. 1.25 inches in length.Beautifully presented in our complimentary handcrafted rose gift box. details »

Pontos the flannel monster

This cuddly, flannel fellow is one of my son’s favorite designs and just right for snuggling. He also makes a perfect naptime pillow.All of the flannel monsters are handmade from new materials and have securely stitched felt details. details »

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It’s All in the Details

October 11, 2018 by Amy L. 1 Comment

Over the years I’ve seen bows popping up everywhere, and while I would have previously called bows just a trend – they’ve become a classic mainstay now as far as I’m concerned! Interestingly enough – I decided the theme of this post yesterday when I saw a gorgeous example on the front page of Etsy, but today all these bows have taken on an even a greater significance for me. Because when you’re making a bow, essentially you’re tying a knot. And – my cousin got engaged tonight! So you should probably expect some handmade wedding posts from me as I’m so excited to help her with all the planning. She and her fiance have already decided that the wedding will be next summer, so that means the next few weeks she’ll be researching venues and soon after that shopping for a wedding dress!

Now – back to the topic at hand, bows! I’ve found some fun items to feature today, from a variety of Etsy shops.

Secda has a very sweet Etsy shop, Secdus, where she sells pillows – many embellished with sweet bows. During the day Secda helps design lingerie for her families business, but after work she likes to create for herself as she finds it really relaxing.

Lime Green Modern has a beautiful Etsy shop featuring her own metal work. I’m pleased to learn that she makes her own silver pendants and ear wires by hand in her studio, all out of reclaimed and recycled silver. The second I saw her bow necklace I knew I had to post about it.

Lamorez lives in Malaysia and loves to sew! How sweet is this red purse I found in her shop? Made of canvas, because of it’s size you could use it for pretty much anything: a diaper bag, school tote, an every day purse, and the list goes on!