My name is Irene and I’m the proud owner and designer of Black Sand Designs. As many Etsy shop Cinderella tales begin, mine begins with those fated words, “I bet I can make these!” A few years ago, one of my co-workers had a jewelry party. She passed me one of the catalogues and as I browsed through the mass produced jewelry my wheels began to turn. I just had to try it out!

And so I did. One pair of earring led to another. One necklace quickly turned into a few more. Before I knew it, I was all in and taught myself how to solder. To say that I found my calling, isn’t an overstatement. I fell head over heels in love with jewelry making. I never imagined that this little hobby would turn into a business, but one day my sister-in-law told me about Etsy, and here I am!

Fast forward to now, my shop and my skill set have grown tremendously. I love to fine tune my skills and I’m constantly in search of new ways to do things. Since my self-taught days, I began taking classes and still attend workshops in the suburbs of Washington DC. Once a week, myself and a small group of metal artists get together at the studio to swap ideas and techniques.

Looking back, I should have known that I would be so drawn to jewelry making. I’ve always been a maker and I’ve always been drawn to expressing myself through more structural mediums. I’ve come to appreciate the balance of science and the technical aspects with creativity and artful expression that jewelry making offers. Mass produced jewelry is so dull and soulless. Every jewelry piece in my store crafted by hand. One of my favorite things is knowing that my creations will become a part of my customers’ most precious memories.

In my spare time, you’re bound to find me with tools in hand making something. I truly love creating - it isn’t just a business, it’s my passion! When I’m not fiddling with new designs or crafts, you just may find me snuggled up on the couch for a sci-fi marathon with my favorite snack, chocolate!

Thank you for taking the time to get to know me. I hope you enjoy wearing my handcrafted sterling silver jewelry as much as I enjoy creating it for you!