BelleWest

Belle is the embodiment of all that inspires me. My muse is a beautiful, romantic, aristocratic, free spirited woman who moves west at the turn of the century and falls deeply in love with the rugged mountains of Colorado. This is where I find my inspiration for creating one of a kind, handcrafted, artisan jewelry.

Originally launched in 1999 as "Charmed, I'm Sure!", I was one of the first people online to create sterling silver 'themed' charm bracelets. My creations grew to include baby and bridal jewelry, which led to a completely unexpected feature in a major publication. I'll never forget the day I received an email from a potential customer who said she saw me in Bride's Magazine. I thought, she must be trippin'! But, when I visited my local bookstore and picked up the Holiday issue of Brides Magazine (which I had to sit on the floor to read cos it was so gigantic)... and saw my name listed in their "Best Wedding Websites", I almost fell over. And, literally cried... it's still hard to believe.

Here's a few of my 'famous' appearances...

~ Voted one of Bride's Magazine's Best Wedding Websites, December 2001/January 2002.
~ Featured in Collector Editions Magazine article entitled 'Irresistible Charms', Fall/Winter 2002.
~ Featured in Gwinnett Daily Post (Lawrenceville, GA) article entitled “Charmed, I'm Sure”, May 8, 2002.
~ My charm bracelet graced the original cover of The Lovely Bones book by Alice Sebold, published 2002.
~ Our State Magazine, June 2003, began offering a NC Charm Bracelet modeled after my original Carolina Pines Charm Bracelet shortly after my bracelet was advertised (with a photo) in their magazine. *Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? 0.o
~ My Hollywood Red Carpet Charm Bracelet was featured on Cuteable.com's Mosaic Monday, February 23, 2009: http://cuteable.com/mosaic-monday-the-oscars/4692

Belle West is really just a vintage incarnation of me. I moved to Colorado when I was 21, and immediately fell in love with all that is beautiful, rustic, wild and free in this amazing part of the country known as the 'wild, wild, west'. I love antiques, silver mine ghost towns, and Victorian homes with large 'picture window' views of the mountains. Oh, and by the way, along my journey in discovering Belle West, I learned that, not only am I part Cherokee... I'm also related to an aristocrat by the name of Nancy, Viscountess Astor, born in 1879, who also shares the same birthdate as my mother, May 19th. How wild is THAT! :)

Although I still have a passion for pearls and bridal jewelry, my repertoire has grown to include vintage, bohemian, and romantic creations with a little 'wild west' thrown in here and there. Because deep down inside, I'm just a free spirit who discovered her 'roots' in the wild Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy what Belle has to offer. XO