Having trouble coming up with a theme for your next jewelry collection? Here are a few ideas that may spark your imagination, while also inspiring you and your customers...
- Seasonal and other symbols and/or archetypes i.e.; Fall leaves, the queen, OM, etc...
- Inner reflections i.e.; Keep a journal to record dream images, emotional and/or relationship patterns, feelings that come up in everyday interactions.
- Outer reflections i.e.; Become aware of your surroundings, taking note of images, sounds, smells, tastes and attractions in your immediate environment.
- Explore art i.e.; Make a point of visiting museums, art openings/shows, craft markets, Etsy ... Get inspiration from other artists and record your musings in your journal.
-Take a class i.e.; Take time to explore yourself as a multidimensional being in community with others. Get your creative juices flowing by taking a class. Here are just a few suggestions: yoga, meditation, Zumba, cycling, digital photography, gardening, rock climbing, weaving, tennis, encaustic painting, nature printing, boxing, chess, book binding, hoop-dance, positive parenting, floral arrangement, zine making, frisbee golf, permaculture, backyard birds, etc...
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Creating Community Through Craft: Connection, Awareness and Social Change
This Fall I will be teaching a couple of jewelry classes here in Portland, Oregon in collaboration with Skillshare at the 100th Monkey Studio. The 100th Monkey Studio opened it's doors six years ago with the intention to create community, through an open studio model, which gives every human being interested in art a place to come create. To read more about the inspiration behind their business name go to:http://the100thmonkeystudio.
I was introduced to Skillshare by fellow artist Christine Claringbold, http://www.etsy.com/shop/
Please join me this Fall, as I embark on an exciting teaching journey. If you or someone you know are interested in learning more about sustainable jewelry making techniques and/or practices, my classes may be of interest. All are welcome and encouraged to come with an open mind, curiosity of spirit and a willingness to share in this experience with myself and other.
You can explore my Skillshare classes here:
http://skl.sh/T3KC17 and http://skl.sh/T3LOBy
I was introduced to Skillshare by fellow artist Christine Claringbold, http://www.etsy.com/shop/
Please join me this Fall, as I embark on an exciting teaching journey. If you or someone you know are interested in learning more about sustainable jewelry making techniques and/or practices, my classes may be of interest. All are welcome and encouraged to come with an open mind, curiosity of spirit and a willingness to share in this experience with myself and other.
You can explore my Skillshare classes here:
http://skl.sh/T3KC17 and http://skl.sh/T3LOBy
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Metal Clay Impressions: Texture, Shape and Color
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Chalkboard Pendant!
This pendant was inspired by Marti Emmons of CocoDelay Inc. She shared her recent chalkboard jewelry collection with me entitled, 'CoCo Lingo'. Here's my attempt at creating my own chalkboard jewelry creation.
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| Choose desired circle punch and material. I chose a sheet of cork board although wood is another good option. |
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| Paint the circle with chalkboard paint and let dry. |
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| Use white ink and X stamp and let dry. Add small tube rivet at the top where the jump ring will be placed. Add large tube rivet next to the X. |
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Place the round cork piece on top of a square shaped metal piece, using your metal punch and round file to hollow out and shape the inside of the rivets. Use a hammer on each side of the rivet to securely attach the cork to the metal.
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Red, White & Blue Statement Necklace!
Inspired by Jewelry Designer Brehan Todd, I headed to the local Red, White & Blue to search for treasures to make a statement necklace. I found some really nice spring themed vintage chains and brooches for the project and headed to my studio to start creating.
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| My treasures...$1.50 each!
The chain that I chose was quite long and I wanted to create a choker style statement necklace, so I removed the original clasps and doubled the chain to the desired length.
|
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| Set up your work space and choose tools. |
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| Decide which treasures to use. |
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| Remove clasps or other unwanted findings. |
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| Attach clasps to create desired length. |
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| This vintage brooch needed the pearls restrung and reattached with eco-resin. |
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| Remove the brooch pins and attach to the chain using eco-resin and/or a soldering tool. |
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| Voila! A beautiful Spring vintage choker style statement necklace! |
Friday, April 20, 2012
Marti Emmons- The Intuitive Sustainable Jeweler
This is my final blog entry for the sustainable jewelry digital storytelling review series. I hope you've enjoyed learning more about the incredibly talented and creative jewelers I've shared with you. Stay tuned for the Documentary to follow Fall 2012!
Marti was so kind from the minute I contacted her. She was in New York that week visiting her old stomping grounds, but set up a time to meet with me the next week when she returned. I found Marti's work on Etsy, while researching sustainable jewelers living in Portland. Her work intrigued me instantly because she used recycled paper to create intricate sculptured jewelry pieces.
I asked Marti where her studio was and she told me that she worked out of her apartment, most comfortably sitting on the floor. When I arrived to film Marti, I was advised to use the intercom to let her know of my presence. As I approached her vintage brick building, I was so amazed that it had a working old fashioned call button style intercom system. I rang and she came down the stairs to meet me.
Stepping into her apartment was a throw back in time. It was beautifully arranged with a style that is hard to put words to. Her coffee table was a stack of three vintage suitcases, which went from large on the bottom to small at the top. She had shelves from wall to ceiling, which housed her jewelry findings, stones, fabrics, recycled papers, etc...
There on the floor, just as I was told me on the phone, was her work space. Marti had trays organized with findings, charms and other ephemera that she used to create her unique jewelry pieces. As she demonstrated her favorite green jewelry technique, folding recycled paper into tiny square boxes, she told me of the story behind her business name. She asked me if I wanted the G-rated version or the real version. I said that I wanted the true version. Marti went on to tell me that her business name, CoCoDelay, was created from mixing the name of her first pet with the street name from her childhood home. This seemed pretty G-rated to me, until she explained that it was supposed to be her stripper name.
Surprised, but not shocked, Marti and I had a good laugh when she revealed the dirty secret behind her business name. There was a serious side to Marti though. Not stuffy or rigid, but thoughtful and spirit based. She mentioned many times that spirit had lead her to Portland from New York and if she listened to Spirit, she knew she was in good hands. Marti explained that she was a student of metaphysics and had been following her intuition for years. Her business, she explained, was run solely by connection with Spirit. She never has an agenda for her day, unless it's a meeting with a boutique owner or private client. Marti describes herself as a Nowist, which I find so clever and fitting. I was delightfully wowed by my connection with Marti and am so happy to include her in my film project.
Visit CocoDelay at:
www.etsy.com/shop/cocodelayinc
 |
CocoDelay Inc. |
 |
| Cocodelay designs |
Marti was so kind from the minute I contacted her. She was in New York that week visiting her old stomping grounds, but set up a time to meet with me the next week when she returned. I found Marti's work on Etsy, while researching sustainable jewelers living in Portland. Her work intrigued me instantly because she used recycled paper to create intricate sculptured jewelry pieces.
I asked Marti where her studio was and she told me that she worked out of her apartment, most comfortably sitting on the floor. When I arrived to film Marti, I was advised to use the intercom to let her know of my presence. As I approached her vintage brick building, I was so amazed that it had a working old fashioned call button style intercom system. I rang and she came down the stairs to meet me.
Stepping into her apartment was a throw back in time. It was beautifully arranged with a style that is hard to put words to. Her coffee table was a stack of three vintage suitcases, which went from large on the bottom to small at the top. She had shelves from wall to ceiling, which housed her jewelry findings, stones, fabrics, recycled papers, etc...
There on the floor, just as I was told me on the phone, was her work space. Marti had trays organized with findings, charms and other ephemera that she used to create her unique jewelry pieces. As she demonstrated her favorite green jewelry technique, folding recycled paper into tiny square boxes, she told me of the story behind her business name. She asked me if I wanted the G-rated version or the real version. I said that I wanted the true version. Marti went on to tell me that her business name, CoCoDelay, was created from mixing the name of her first pet with the street name from her childhood home. This seemed pretty G-rated to me, until she explained that it was supposed to be her stripper name.
Surprised, but not shocked, Marti and I had a good laugh when she revealed the dirty secret behind her business name. There was a serious side to Marti though. Not stuffy or rigid, but thoughtful and spirit based. She mentioned many times that spirit had lead her to Portland from New York and if she listened to Spirit, she knew she was in good hands. Marti explained that she was a student of metaphysics and had been following her intuition for years. Her business, she explained, was run solely by connection with Spirit. She never has an agenda for her day, unless it's a meeting with a boutique owner or private client. Marti describes herself as a Nowist, which I find so clever and fitting. I was delightfully wowed by my connection with Marti and am so happy to include her in my film project.
Visit CocoDelay at:
www.etsy.com/shop/cocodelayinc
Anna-Meike Anderson- The Grass Roots of Green Diamonds
Welcome to the third sustainable jewelry digital storytelling review. There are many paths to creating a more sustainable world. Let this blog entry inspire your involvement toward building a better future for all!
I have to admit that if I would have known who I was calling when I called
Mia-Donna Diamonds, I'd have been much more nervous. Luckily, Anna-Meike took my
call and was really warm and generous with her time, though she has very little
to spare these days. I learned a lot on that initial call with Anna-Meike, like,
it is probably a good idea to have a storyboard draft ready to send to potential
film participants. Especially those that grew up on on film sets.
After our first phone contact, I sent her over a storyboard draft, which she approved and then I made arrangements to come to the Mia-Donna Headquarters in Beaverton to do our filming. Meanwhile, I started researching Anna-Meike a bit further and realized that she was the CEO of Mia-Donna Diamonds and the founder of The Greener Diamond, which is a humanitarian organization helping those affected by the blood diamond wars, to rebuild their communities and take back their lives.
Although I had interviewed other participants for the film, I was really nervous before working with Anna-Meike. After getting further information about her through my research, I realized that her company was quite well known and that she was not your typical local sustainable jeweler. Infact, Anna-Meike isn't a jeweler at all. She is a young, sophisticated Australian woman who got engaged a while back and when her Father asked her where she got her diamond engagement ring, she told him that her fiancé got it at a local jewelry store. Her Father persisted, which planted that first seed of wonder in her head.
Not long after the conversation with her father, Anna-Meike began tracking where her diamond engagement ring actually originated. As she got further into her research, she learned of the horrible realities behind the mining of diamonds in Africa and immediately took off her engagement ring. Feeling extremely guilty for being ignorant to the situation in Liberia, she decided to sponsor a child at a local orphanage, who's family was destroyed by the 'blood diamond' industry. After a year of receiving haunting letters from the boy she sponsored, Anna-Meike began researching diamond alternatives for herself and other women. She was dumbfounded, as she found no good alternative. She did, however, discover soon after, that lab grown gems and man made diamonds were a possibility.
With this new information, Anna-Meike vowed to put all of her time and energy into building a sustainable jewelry business. To this date, she has done that and a lot more. Not only is Anna-Meike the CEO of Mia-Donna Diamonds, but she also oversees both the headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon and the manufacturing studio in New York City. She is the founder of The Greener Diamond, a foundation that helps employ ex-soldiers in Liberia, to farm local food crops. This gets them out of the blood diamond business, by teaching them new ways of providing for their community, while also helping to grow local agriculture. The farm in Liberia employs many workers and provides the community with a positive alternative livelihood.
It was such a honor to meet Anna-Meike and learn how her Father's question, turned into a quest for a better world. Anna-Meike is dedicated to continuing on this journey to create positive change for communities affected by the diamond mining trade. She has also graciously offered me footage for my digital storytelling project from the farm in Liberia, for which I am incredibly grateful. I believe that this story is so very important and the footage from Liberia, is imperative to exploring the depths involved.
You can find out more about Anna-Meike by visiting:
 |
Mia-Donna & Co. |
 |
| Lab Created Diamonds |
After our first phone contact, I sent her over a storyboard draft, which she approved and then I made arrangements to come to the Mia-Donna Headquarters in Beaverton to do our filming. Meanwhile, I started researching Anna-Meike a bit further and realized that she was the CEO of Mia-Donna Diamonds and the founder of The Greener Diamond, which is a humanitarian organization helping those affected by the blood diamond wars, to rebuild their communities and take back their lives.
Although I had interviewed other participants for the film, I was really nervous before working with Anna-Meike. After getting further information about her through my research, I realized that her company was quite well known and that she was not your typical local sustainable jeweler. Infact, Anna-Meike isn't a jeweler at all. She is a young, sophisticated Australian woman who got engaged a while back and when her Father asked her where she got her diamond engagement ring, she told him that her fiancé got it at a local jewelry store. Her Father persisted, which planted that first seed of wonder in her head.
Not long after the conversation with her father, Anna-Meike began tracking where her diamond engagement ring actually originated. As she got further into her research, she learned of the horrible realities behind the mining of diamonds in Africa and immediately took off her engagement ring. Feeling extremely guilty for being ignorant to the situation in Liberia, she decided to sponsor a child at a local orphanage, who's family was destroyed by the 'blood diamond' industry. After a year of receiving haunting letters from the boy she sponsored, Anna-Meike began researching diamond alternatives for herself and other women. She was dumbfounded, as she found no good alternative. She did, however, discover soon after, that lab grown gems and man made diamonds were a possibility.
With this new information, Anna-Meike vowed to put all of her time and energy into building a sustainable jewelry business. To this date, she has done that and a lot more. Not only is Anna-Meike the CEO of Mia-Donna Diamonds, but she also oversees both the headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon and the manufacturing studio in New York City. She is the founder of The Greener Diamond, a foundation that helps employ ex-soldiers in Liberia, to farm local food crops. This gets them out of the blood diamond business, by teaching them new ways of providing for their community, while also helping to grow local agriculture. The farm in Liberia employs many workers and provides the community with a positive alternative livelihood.
It was such a honor to meet Anna-Meike and learn how her Father's question, turned into a quest for a better world. Anna-Meike is dedicated to continuing on this journey to create positive change for communities affected by the diamond mining trade. She has also graciously offered me footage for my digital storytelling project from the farm in Liberia, for which I am incredibly grateful. I believe that this story is so very important and the footage from Liberia, is imperative to exploring the depths involved.
You can find out more about Anna-Meike by visiting:
www.miadonnadiamondblog.com
thegreenerdiamond.org/
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