Ancient art with a modern twist.
I've been making jewelry for 20 years, now. I got my start doing basic stringing, and learning everything I could from magazines, and books. I did my first wire piece 17 years ago, and once I'd done that one, I was hooked on metal! Chainmaille came along about a year after that first wire piece, and it's been a passion ever since. Up until I started Dancing Leaf Studios in 2010, I made pieces for friends, family, and myself.
After nearly 20 years of retail management, and the lengthy, and unpredictable hours that went along with it, I decided that I needed to be more available for my daughter, so I started up Dancing Leaf Studios as a way for my family to lead a richer life. It's one of the best decisions I've ever made. Working from home has lead to better relationships with the people I love.
One of the main things that drives me in this business, is being able to design something different, something you can't walk into the mall and find, something that speaks to who you are as a person and allows you to share some aspect of your personality with the world. Something I learned while working in fashion retail, is that wearing something beautiful can go a long way towards making you feel beautiful and confident. Getting to provide that boost to someone is a great feeling.
I make each piece entirely by hand, one ring at a time. I really enjoy the challenge of designing new and exciting pieces, and the fact that chainmaille is exploding, as a genre, has made some new and wonderful components available. While I still stick to many of the basic weaves, I love to put my own spin on them, or use them as a basis to try something new.
