Natural beauty; casual elegance
I was born and raised in the beautiful North Carolina mountains where one is constantly surrounded by natural beauty. My love of natural beauty later translated to gems and minerals when I began collecting gemstones. Even though I am now in Charlotte, I still have my stone collection, and my appreciation of natural beauty continues to grow.
Years ago, my interest in gems and jewelry making was further fueled when I got a part-time job in a jewelry store that specialized in custom work created on site. I spent time watching the jeweler each day as he carved wax and soldered gold for custom pieces. It was there I first discovered a pair of handmade, wire wrapped gemstone briolette earrings. I was in awe of their beauty, craftsmanship, texture, composition and colors. I loved everything about them and decided I wanted to learn to make something like them. And I did.
Jewelry creation is fun yet challenging, and being able to play with pretty, shiny, sparkly things is always a nice benefit. At the same time, it’s a tremendous artistic outlet with endless possibilities and color combinations. The jewelry I create has a more casual feel while still maintaining an elegant appeal. I believe everyone deserves to wear a touch of elegance each and every day, helping them feel special and adding a bit of natural beauty to their daily lives. And creating a piece of jewelry with your own two hands, knowing that it is not mass produced in a sweat shop somewhere, makes it even more special and satisfying.
At MsBelle (my college nickname, by the way), my goal is to create affordable, high quality jewelry using the best stones, beads and findings I possibly can. I love creating simple, elegant pieces that flow, move and sparkle as you wear them. To me, even though creative process is satisfying, the best part about making jewelry is when someone really enjoys wearing it. I love seeing someone adorned in my work, or hearing from a customer saying how much they like their piece. It always makes my day and gives me the confidence and inspiration to push forward.
