All Things Miniature

I think that one of the biggest reasons I love designing and making jewelry is because I am a fiend for the details on little tiny things. As long as I can remember, I have had a fascination with all things miniature...okay, maybe not miniature golf...but most things miniature. And, now I'm trying to keep my mind out of the gutter -- that being said, I think you might know where that might have gone. Now...back to my original thought.

In the 50s I remember my Auntie Opal, who was a real girly-girl, having all this fabulous costume jewelry that was beaded and filigree and layered, oh my. She would actually let me wear it on the days I feigned illness so I could stay home from school and stay with her while my mom worked! Tiny little bits and bobs all jumbled together to make one glorious look -- in a subtle yet stunning way. I know...it doesn't seem like so many little pieces could ever be subtle. That early exposure led to my becoming a huge fan of jewelry from the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s (think Miriam Haskell et al. no surprise there) that I think my early love carries into my design aesthetic today. (Wow, I just used the term "design aesthetic." Some times I surprise myself. Well, most times, really.)

Over the last several months, I have a renewed fascination with brass components and ways in which I can incorporate them into my designs. Of course, I'm not one to settle for the ordinary brass components that just anyone can use, that would be too easy. Instead, I have to customize them with a hand-patina that incorporates about five or six different colors - all buffed to have that "I just picked this up at that lovely little stand at the antique flea market just outside of Paris" look. Little droplets of aquamarine are attached to the starfish and then my intention was to work them in with pearls and more aquamarine so that they had the just "tossed from the sea" kind of look. 

Okay, so today it seems as if I am stuck in the "putting quotes around phrases" mode -- but at least I didn't use the international hand gesture for quotations. Thank goodness my hands are on this keyboard. Had I been sitting in a concept meeting, my hands could have flown in the air before I could stop them. Well, all that aside, when designing jewelry you never really know how the final piece is going to work until all is said and done and you finally get to actually put it on. Today...I am a happy camper. In my mind, every thing is just perfect about this piece. I know, I know...smug as hell...but it is what I felt when I looked in the mirror and saw this beauty looking back at me. Perfect weight, perfect length, perfect finish to the components and just the perfect tumble of it all -- isn't it something when all things come together in just the perfect way? Sigh -- now I just need to find my red carpet.