They say beading is the gateway drug in jewelry.
Such a true statement! Most jewelry artists I know started playing around with beads, caught the jewelry bug and the addiction just grew.
From beading to silver soldering, I've loved creating jewelry for 30 years.
After doing basic beading for abut 20 years, I learned to solder while living in Hawaii. Selling simple soldered jewelry and wire wrapped beach glass to tourists quickly became my weekend gig.
At the end of 2021 I officially retired my Custom Picture Framing business after over 30 years of framing artwork! I sold my equipment and consolidated all my jewelry making supplies into one room, morphing from a frame room to a jewelry studio.
It didn't take long to convince my husband that cutting stones for my jewelry (cabochons, or cabs for short) would be a great hobby and potential retirement gig. We've both really upped our game and now create together. This means rock hunting in the desert in my husband's RZR, joining a local Rock and Gem Club, learning about all the thousands of different stones you can make jewelry with, becoming obsessed with turquoise, paying to mine more exclusive stones on private mine claims and meeting lots of new friends and fellow rock hounds.
Being a silversmith is my job, but it's also my passion. My mind won't stop and I'm constantly seeing new design inspiration everywhere. I wake up early and can't wait to get going in my studio, designing new pendants, rings and earrings, or my absolute favorite: Bolo ties (they are NOT just for men)
Be very careful if anyone asks you if you want to play with beads and make a pair of earrings with them!
