LilygirlOriginalArt

Lilygirl Original Art is me, A. Denise Rollings-Martin, and I opened my Etsy shop in March 2012 as an extension of my jewelry art company Lilygirl Original Wearable Art. I live and work on a beautiful pristine lake in rural north central Alabama where I create one of a kind bracelets, rings, pendants and earrings out of natural gemstones, fossils, freshwater and South Sea pearls, Sterling, Fine Silver, 14K and 18K Gold.

I work alone here in this peaceful corner of paradise. Well, unless you consider our two cats who give endless affection and carte blanche design approval, and our black lab who provides perspective - take a break, join husband and dog on the dock and clear my head with a swim. My studio, perched half way between the 1st and 2nd floors of our home, is a great balance between Function - everything has its place, and Form - lots of large windows, a cool stone floor and a high ceiling. I spend most of my day here, managing my website and Etsy shop, and of course creating new Jewelry Art.

I use only natural gemstones, fossils, freshwater and South Sea pearls, Sterling, Fine Silver, 14K and 18K Gold - no glass, acrylic or man-made stones. Sterling and Fine Silver are my preferred metals for a couple of reasons. I just really like their color and patina, complimenting and cradling the gemstones, not competing with them. And I love the fact that they're able to be manipulated and formed to hold a shape with mostly cold connections. All the Sterling, Fine Silver, 14K and 18K Gold wire and sheet stock that I use is made right here in the U.S.A.

The stones I like to work with will have something special and unique about them; an unusual shape or exceptional color, pearls with ridges and rills, or a rough gem that just needs a little care and attention. I've loved collecting fossils since I was a child and occasionally find another one that desperately needs to be perched on someone's finger or hanging from a Sterling chain. These gemstones are acquired directly from the miners or through wholesalers and come from all over the world: Aquamarine, Beryl, Tourmaline, Quartz and Amethyst from Brazil, Lapis Lazuli and Turquoise from Afghanistan, Labradorite from Canada, and Turquoise, Peridot, Agate and fossils from the U.S.A.

I try to take time each morning to sit on the veranda, eat breakfast (the most important meal of the day) and have that one last minute of calm before the creative process begins. And every morning, I find myself amazed and grateful that I'm here, in this incredible place, and able to work at something that's so much a part of me. I do love making each and every piece of Jewelry Art and I hope you can feel that in every bracelet, ring, pendant and pair of earrings I make.