All work and no play {all play and no work}

The truth is, I do get to do really wonderfully fun things with my days.  Although, I do venture into my old work sometimes, just to keep me in the real world a bit.  However, getting to be covered in paint and glue, in clay and surrounded by pretty jewels is just bliss.  If you like that sort of thing :) 

I am a very busy girl, with all the projects I am working on right now.  And, there are days like today, when I realize that I have not shared many aspects of what I do, with you.  I have eluded to the fact that I make jewelry.  But, I have not shared much jewelry online just yet.  My jewelry story is long, but I'll just sum it up real quick.

      

The reason I have not shared jewel love, is that I carry my jewelry in a local boutique salon, and I also have to have it handy for the regular phone calls I get from local customers.  I have been making jewelry since I was 16 years old ( I have done more exhausting trunk shows than I can count...).  I have taught myself everything I know about jewelry making, stones & soldering.  I have never taken a class.  Sometimes, I can't believe all the information I have to store in my wee brain.  No wonder, I forget things so easily.  My brain is on overload :)

The truth is, stones, jewels, metals, they are pure magic.  I search the ends of the earth for some of the stones and pieces I work with.  I have become knowledgable in the last 14 years, about stones and values.  About where to get them, their history, where they come from, about what to look for at gem shows.  What vendors I trust.  I started off at 18 years old, a tiny bit of money in my pocket and a couple strands of stones here and there and a few pieces of sterling.

      

That has grown into me negotiating pounds of silver, carrying a wheely case, and never forgetting my own gram scale when on buying trips... 

      

I can't even explain to you what it is all like, but I am sure if you attend gem shows and go on buying trips, you know what insane havoc it is like...  It is a whooooole other world.

      

Needless to say, I am working on some new pieces, and am right around the corner from sharing some delicious treats with you.  In the mean time, I thought I might share some jewel things that make me happy.  Do jewels make you happy?

I loooove charms.  It is so hard to part with them.  Most of the time I hang several on bracelets.  Many, if not all of the ones I use, come from Mexico and Peru.  Most are vintage...

      

I adooore cool (tone) stones, they feel so good to wear.  Such as Chalcedony & blue topaz...

              

All the blues are just lovely.  Do you enjoy the blues?

      

And, when Spring and Summer visit, there is nothing quite like bold and bright hot pink...

      

I carry a lot of semi-precious stones, but I also adore German vintage glass, Czech glass, Vintage and new Swarovski crystals, and more.  I am drawn to good quality stones and such, they make all the difference, they truly do.

Oh, and can you like me, always be bribed with the yellow stones? They are so versatile to wear, and to couple with other stones... From lemonade tones to darker golden tones, I really enjoy them.

      

Oh, but the browns are sooo goood too!!  I love smokey quartz!!

      

I think I just love jewelry too much.  And, I love all different styles.  I am not bound to one style.  I think I am like that in all of my art.  I like so much of everything, that I can't be bound to just one style.  I really don't think any of us should feel like we have to find our style and stick to it.  I think we should dabble in anything that makes us happy and intrigues us...

I always enjoy Turquoise.  I just love the veins of darkness that run through Turquoise.  It is pure wonderfulness.  Don't you think?  I also adoooooore vintage Squash blossoms (Mr. Lovee gave me an amazing one several years ago).  And, I am mad for vintage Navajo jewelry art pieces. 

      

Sometimes I sneak into this little building (Mr. Lovee's workshop)...

        

And I do fun things, making sure I wear shoes, so these splatters that land on the floor, won't burn my toes off...

      

Then I close up, so there isn't a real huge sign that I was in there :)

      

All in the name of soldering.  Oh yes, soldering is such goodness.  Not easy, but soooooo much fun!

      

Now, if only I could organize my four trays of pure goodness that are out of control (here's a peek)...  Must do that next...

      

So that they can go live in the happy place...

      

In my nicely organized closet.  I just loooove the organization in there.  One of the few places :)  Before I add those treasures to the cases, I must go play with the stones that have bewitched me...

      

You see, sometimes, if you are not "strong"  you can be mesmerized into handing over months worth of clams, simply to possess the most exquisite onyx and...

The most perfect Crystal Quartz...  oops!

      

So, what do you think about jewels??  Do you like them?  Do you love stones and metals, and vintage dangles???  Tell me, tell me!!

PS:  I am sorry I am a little scarce in visits lately. But I am working on some projects that are going to make you want to dance, and have a cake and tea party.  I promise!!!!  xxo, V

Comments

[Annette]

Wait, what? Am I the FIRST to comment on this luscious post? Oh, my goodness, I feel so, so, so... Well, I don't know but I'd better get on with it. I LOVE stones and necklaces and whatnot... I don't make them myself but friends of mine do, and I happily buy their wares quite often. My favorites are amethyst, hematite, and fluorite -- although so many others are special to me as well! You have such a creative, busy life...I thank you sincerely for sharing with us!

[sue b]

i have several pieces of vintage moroccan jewelry and then some navaho pawn and a wonderful mexican silver bracelet and some earrings that were hand woven from gold by a local artist. I guess silver plus turquoise, coral, onyx, lapis are some of my favorites rather than the precious stones or crystal. i love to collect pebbles from streams and think about how they'd look if i polished them. maybe i will.

[Edgar and Edgar]

You are amazing!!!!!! Soooo talented. Do you ever sleep????

XOXO....Kimberlee

[stacie]

Of COURSE I love jewels...and soldering...soldering is just the best!!!!!!
I had no idea...the freedom...the love of watching the solder flow...bliss...bliss...
thank you for the tour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[flutter]

ohhh those pinks make me swoooooon

[Nancy]

Miss Vanessa! I have been waiting forever and 2 days for you to share with us a glimpse of your jewelry! I am SO happy that you finally have! Blue, purple, aqua...cool tones for me. Love the sparkle of vintage crystal pieces....but cool tone stones are my bliss!

And I do indeed envy the gal that can wield the soldering iron to fashion jewelry! Myself? Yeah, the local fire department would be on 24 hour call if I ever picked up one of those things! But I do LOVE those little sterling silver soldered photo charms! Major girl sigh.... ;-)

[JbaskArts]

Yes! Yes! Yes! I love jewels too!!! Your closet looks a lot like mine and oh the many colors...Swoon,Swoon,Swoon.
You are one very talented lady :)

[rochambeau]

I love your jewels. The necklace with the heart is so pretty. You're the best! Hope all is well and that you are having FUN. Hi to Lovee and the gang.

xo
Constance

[Lisa-Vet]

Vanessa, when I grow up. I want to be just like you.!!!!!!!!!! :)

[melissa @ the inspired room]

Oh, dear, Your talents never cease to amaze! Jewelry goodness and artistic talents abound around this blog let me tell YOU. Yes indeed. I love your nifty tools and jewels. And really really love your organized closet!

Haaaaapppppppeeeeeeeee dayyyyyyy!

xxxxxxoooooooo

[Bari]

Oh My Goodness! The jewels you have! Oh, I just can't wait to see what more you come up with!

[Pasha Grant]

oooh, pretty! I don't have a preference for a type of stone--if the piece is good then I like it (that is a little problematic on the pocketbook!)

LOVE that closet--I am a total sucker for organization with beads and buttons--I could sort them for hours. Sometimes I do that to relax.

[ellen Crimi-Trent]

wow look at all of those boxes full of goodies!!! I would get so overwhelmed I wouldn't know where to begin.

You are also way more organized than moi I am a mess with organization which is why I am an artist and not a neat freak!!

Ellen

[Alexa Lett]

Loved the post!! Completely understand your passion for the jewelry making craft...love it too!

[michelle]

I love, love, love jewels! I have been making jewelry for a couple of years now, not on the scale you do. But miss Tif got me into it and it is soooo much fun! I love having stuff no one else has. I love blue and pink--isn't it hard to find good pinks sometimes? Oh, and black because I wear it with everything. Funny I have been looking in the local (lame) shops around here today for some little fresh water pearls to make a couple of necklaces for my neices for Easter! So thanks for the inspiration, going to go check and see if etsy has any big pearls for big girls like me! Oh and I can hardly wait to see what is coming next!

[shelbi]

oh! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE them. they are right up there with chocolate, my babies and hubs.

muah! i love you too!
xoxo
shelbi

[risa]

i loooooooooooooooooooooooove all of those beads. i would love to help you organize them.
and wear.
they would look lovely with my ruffled bathing suit and flowered mumu!

[Colette]

I love Navajo jewelry, and own a couple of antique pieces. I also have a small collection of Yemeni silver jewelry, also very old. And yes, I love the blues! I make my own necklaces combining old bits and pieces because I just love them, mixing the old with a little new, reinventing and so on. Somehow I'm not surprised you make jewelry. No, not at all. Thanks you for showing us your magic jewelry atelier. xoxo

[Donna O.]

For my graduation gift from high school, all I wanted was this fabulous bracelet made fron Egyptian mummy beads. Is there such a thing? My parents bought it for me instead of luggage. I loved them for that. Sadly, I misplaced it somewhere along my life. But seeing all of your fantastic jewelry made me remember it again.
You are not semi-precious...just precious!!
D.

[kate]

Oooh I loooove jewellery and pretty stones and beads and charms. When I saw that picture of your cupboard of jewels I had to go chasing after my eyeballs, which rolled across the room after falling out of my head in awe! Now my eyes are dusty, perhaps I should vacuum under my bed more. :-P

Sadly my own bead stash has not the grandeur of yours. Nor do I have access to such things as soldering tools, although I'd be too scared to use them if I did- I'm talented enough at injuring myself with pliers. I do love making jewellery though. I also love just pulling out my boxes of beads and running my fingers through them, and looking at them, and organising them. There's something very therapeutic about sorting out beads.

[the pesky bombolino]

I can't believe you've been keeping all this goodness from us! I love the photos of your stones, they're so very beautiful, especially the blues.

[DeeLight]

Dancing? Cake and Tea Party? Oh I wonder what goodness you will have to share!?!

Love jewels! Your photos make me think of a pirates treasure chest filled with goodies.

[Erin Kleider]

We just have so much in common. I love beads and stones as well. AND I prefer exactly the same things. In fact, while I don't have the same amount of stones, I have some of the same ones.

[suzy]

That was quite an adventure! I am drooling and drooling over all your fabulous stones. I LOVE jewelry and I love ALL jewelry, especially vintage pieces and components. I can see that you have an extraordinary eye and I am so looking forward to your creations that you are going to share. xo, suzy

[Martha]

OOOOH! Love that organized closet! The jewels are splendid! Pink's my favorite. I have a collection (ever growing) of 14k charm bracelets...It's getting harder to do , as the prices go up and up, but oh, I love the jingle...and the memories each charm holds for me!!!
Please don't apologize any more for being "scarce"!!! Each post is a GIFT to your readers.

[Beth]

Oh turquoise!! I love turquoise!! But, I think malachite is definitely my favorite!

[marjorie]

Oh!! You hold so many magic secrets and hidden talents!! :) What lovely jewels!!

I must admit...I rarely wear any jewelry...accept for my wedding ring and perhaps a pendant or brooch.....I never wear earrings...even though I have pierced ears. I'm not sure why.....I love seeing it on others and I always oogle over all the pretty things on Etsy (and all the lovelies up there you've got going on...so many pretty stones and metals!!) I should try to start wearing it more!! :)

I can't wait to see what else you've been up to!! What fun!!

[Mo'a]

Wow!!!you have so many sides to your art personality...and I agree with you that one should go in the direction that makes us happy. I myself is all over the place...I have also done jewelry. So let's see ceramics...I loved throwing pots :), jewelry, doll making...cloth and sculpted in many mediums...drawing and painting...sewing pillows, curtains etc.,etc. I sometimes feel that I need to focus...then I see something else I would like to do...so I go on another tangent.
I love vintage jewelry...I have a gorgeous Squash Blossom necklace that my husband gave me 20 years ago...and many other lovely South West Jewelry pieces :)
I am not much into small colored stone jewelry...I like my pieces large. My signature piece is a large crystal heart on a thick silver wire.

[tiffany]

What a fun post! I don't know how you accomplish all that you do in a day Miss Vanessa. What a lovely post, with such lovely color! I love the blue, the hot pinks and the turquise best of all! Love it!

I have charm that big C brought back to me from Peru that is my favorite. It has 3 little stars on it.

[kristen robinson]

More peeks into the incredible life of an incredible artist. A lovely and inspiring post Vanessa my friend!!!!!!
XOX
Kristen

[Betty @ She's Sew Pretty]

Oh my gosh!! Wait..I have to wipe the drool off my keyboard. That onyx just about did me in! Beautiful bling!!

[Paris Parfait]

Well this is all too much fabulousness for me - love all the stones. I used to go to gem and mineral shows in San Francisco quite often and have the gems to prove it. But yours are exquisite, especially the last photo. You are so amazingly talented, in so many areas! And self-taught! Wow, preciosa, you are gifted. Can't wait to see all your delicious new creations. xoxox

[stephanie]

Your color palettes of jewels....sooooo deLIGHTful!

I too love BEADS and charms!! yes, from Mexico and I picked up some beauties on Spain!!! AND a lovely turquoise sand cast bracelet that my grandmother gave me at high school graduation....you have reminded me....must go bring it out and put it on!

[saraH]

I can't wait to see what you're making!! Your jewels are amazing...I want to run my fingers through them lol!
I LOVE your organized closet, it looks so fresh!

[Sharon (Glitterangel)]

Oh my goodness, what a lot of gorgeous goodies you have, and I was just as excited to see your organised closet. I am a bit of a freak about organising my things, and I have nearly as much fun organising my materials as I do playing with them! I think if I had all those gorgeous stones I would just spend hours looking at them and get nothing done!

[Marilyn]

You put my little supply collection to shame, observe: http://flickr.com/photos/phibesgirl/2310161911/ but you have been at this a lot longer than I have and I still have so much to learn. I would absolutely to see what you make. I'm still trying to find my nitch. You continue to be an inspiration. :)

[Joy]

YAY, you made the front page of Etsy in a Treasury! Check it out!

p.s. Loved this post, want to comment more but am already late!

Joy

[Dave]

Um... you are ridicuolous! Is there anything you DON'T do?

I doubt it.

I think turquoise is one of my very favorite stones, as well as green amber - though I love amber in general very very much.

Living in Lithuania, you could get amber exceedingly cheap - apparently something like 80% of the world's amber comes from the baltics (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia), and you could get a piece the size of one of those crystal quartzes you're holding in the picture for around $10. I'm no expert in terms of determining real amber from glass, but even in the expensive shops where they are certified real amber, you could get them much much cheaper (even set in a necklace or ring) than you can here. Trina has this great necklace we got, which is a dragonfly, and each of the four wings is a different type of amber.

I remember seeing Swarovski crystal shops all over Europe too.

Whee! Happy creating!!! Can't wait for dancing, cake and tea!!!

[Nerissa]

I commenting now that I've picked myself off the floor & wiped the puddles of drool! Seriously, is there anything you can't do :) What a wonderful post!

Thank you for sharing
Nerissa

[Erin Earls]

I have dabbled, I am trying to get the BigGuy to show me how to solder, and I am about 45 min from Fire Mountain Gems factory. I really LOVE Blue topaz. My birth stone is the brown, but I always ware blue! I am slowly learning about the stones that we find here in Oregon. Where I use to live we had the Rockhound Powwow. Lots to learn there! We do have a lot of volcanic rock and jems. You are so creative! Everything you do is not just lovely, it is inspireing!
Love Erin~

[suziesews]

Oh my what a treat for the eyes...such lovely lovely-ness (as ever)

[Valerie Parizeault]

OMG-OMG!!! Can you please come at my studio and arrange my beads and stones the way you did? :) hehe, I learn jewelry making also from scratch, did a lot of oups before I was able to being confortable selling my line (it's called Rose Flash, www.roseflash.ca). You have a lovely blog and you're a very talented lady! I would love to swap blog-links with you: http://pot-aux-roses.blogspot.com

cheers!

Valerie

[Tizzalicious]

Oh wow, you have so many supplies! I'm jealous!

[Tricia]

Holey guacamole!!! Those are alot of jewles you have there my dear lady! You have a whole store there!! I looooooove jewels and jewelry. I too make them, I started selling a few in my etsy shop, talkofthetown. I'm sooo behind these days, but i did make some new necklaces for my Mexico trip! Btw, i hope to score some new jewels there!! Maybe a nice big chunky silver ring. Last time in Mexico i scored a beautiul turqoise ring and a silver cuff bracelet.
I'm off tomorrow, can't wait!! I'll miss the party you're having though!!! Oh darn. Well try to save a little pastry for me, okay sweetie!! Seeeeee yaaaaa after my trip Miss V!!!

[Tricia]

oops!! Jewels!!! not jewles....sheeesh!

[Sherry]

wowee...baubles and beauties...so much goodness. Is there anything you can't/don't do Vanessa?!? You are one little dynamo of creative energy juice!!

[Artbrat]

Ooh, I love jems and crystals and shiny silver and just about anything unusual. My niece calls them her "pretties" and she steals them from me often. But you forgot the oranges that can go from subtle glows to fiery outlandishness!
I cant wait to see what you're working on.

[lou]

it is so obvious from your collages and paintings that you love jewellery, i am not shocked at all! you are the type who has multitudinous interests and talents, and the joy is that you can indulge them! i cannot wait to see what happens next:)

xxx

[Liz]

Oh my. I must confess I am NOT a jewelry person (there, it's in the open), but I love, love, love the stones, gems and beads. I don't need to wear them - I get thrills just holding and looking. I'd love to come and go through your closet, but I'd have to be carried out on a stretcher! Thank you so much for sharing. Your stash is incredible!

[Kelley]

Thank you for sharing-I'm new to this blog world and you are certainly an inspiration.I don't know how you sleep at night with all those wonderful ideas dancing in your head.