thanks, mom

Exactly two months ago, my mom passed away after a 2 1/2 year battle with ovarian cancer. Two months feels like an eternity and an instant at the same time. I haven’t spoken much about my mother’s death online for a million reasons, but with Mother’s Day this weekend, it seems only appropriate to share.

These are the words I spoke at her funeral:

Today I’m here not to say goodbye to an amazing and inspiring woman, but to say thank you.

The older I get, the more I realize what an amazing gift it is to have parents who believe you can be anything you want to be. And not only did my mom believe that, but she made sure that Melissa, Timmy, Jordan, and I had every opportunity we could to become whatever we wanted to be.

Growing up, my mom took us to everything. Swimming. Gymnastics and dance. (Even the boys.) Sports. Games, practices, meets. She even occasionally let me skip school to go to painting class with her. She always put our interests, hopes, and dreams before her own.

And it wasn’t just us. I can’t tell you how many other kids my mom drove to and from practices and events, because she believed that every kid needed love, support, and encouragement.

And it didn’t stop when we grew up. A few years ago when I had a stress fracture in my foot, my mom drove me to Ohio to help deliver my art to an exhibition. And she drove me to countless shows and sales too.

What amazes me most is how capable my mom was of still pursuing her own life and interests while supporting us kids in a growing list of endeavors.

My Mom’s passions were many, and she taught us to love and respect them, but didn’t force us into them. As a result, we all developed a diverse group of interests that are distinctly our own, but can all be traced back to our mother.

My mom was equally at home in a museum or a painting studio as she was watching a soccer or basketball game, as comfortable traveling in the city as she was bird watching at the beach.. As a result, she instilled in us the ability to not only adapt to our surroundings, but to fully immerse ourselves in whatever and wherever we were at the moment.

The most important gift my mom gave us was not a love for her many passions, but an glowing a example of the kind of person we should be. My mom was stubborn, direct, passionate, and never afraid to be herself. My mom was the ultimate model of how to be a strong, confident person, and for that I am truly grateful.

And so today, I’m not here to say goodbye to my mon, but thank you. Thank you, mom, for always supporting us, and for being the ultimate model of how to live life. I won’t say goodbye, because I know you live on in every person in this room, but especially in Melissa, Timmy, Jordan, and me.

new Maya necklaces now available

A few months ago, I started experimenting with bronze wire in addition to the steel. And the result is my new shift collection. After test wearing (and LOVING) these pieces for months, I’m excited to make them available to you!

First up is the Maya necklace! (Click on any image to be taken to the shop.)

Both necklaces are now available in the shop! (And more shift collection pieces coming soon!)

Pin It

more new necklaces

After another furious few days in the studio, I finished two new necklaces (and tweaked one of the originals) for my newest collection, fringe. These necklaces are on their way to Arizona to be part of an exhibition at the Mesa Arts Center.

Pin It

shots from the studio

A few shots from the last week in the studio, as I worked to finish a few new necklaces:

Pin It

new droplet rings

What do you get when you take my signature leaf shape, make it a little more round, and make it out of thick gauge gold-filled wire?

You get the swoon-worthy new droplet rings!

I’ve been dreaming of a ring this shape for a while now, and when I accidentally ordered the wrong size gold-filled wire, it seemed like fate was telling me it was finally time.

I’ve been wearing a stack of three of these rings ever since, and they are a joy to wear. The little point adds visual interest without being too, well, pointy. The thick material makes them incredibly comfortable (and you won’t have to worry about distorting the shape). And every person who’s seen them immediately asks for some of their own!

The droplet ring is also incredibly versatile – you can wear it alone, stack it with rings you already have, or do what I’ve been doing and wear a stack of three!

Now available in my online shop!

Pin It

first looks, fall 2012

After a lot of looking (mostly at details in fashion and textiles) and thinking, and a furious few days in the studio, I finally put together my first few ideas for my new fall collection:

Pin It

pleasure gardens

Yesterday I arrived in London, and today we went to the Museum of London. This gem of a museum tells the history of the city (starting from pre-history and heading up to the present day) through artifacts. While there, I became OBSESSED with the Pleasure Gardens, a room featuring fashion from the 18th century. I love seeing 18th century fashion in person (you can’t beat that kind of opulence) but what pushed this exhibition over the top was when I realized that the hair on all the mannequins was made of WIRE! 18th century fashion + beautiful forms in wire – I could have stayed there all day!

Pin It

a typical Wednesday

On Wednesdays, I drive to Maryland to teach an Intro to Metals and Jewelry class at Towson University. This is what my typical Wednesday looks like, complete with lots of rain. (Why must it always rain on Wednesdays?!?)

This video was also a chance to test out my new camera before I leave for London. It has an interesting feature where you can set it to shoot a short video every time you take a picture, and that’s how I made this video.

{Part of the Video a Day Challenge}

Pin It

Dia Frampton, in concert

Pin It

Buyers Market booth

One of the best parts of doing a trade show is getting to see your entire collection on display! Here’s what mine looked like at the Buyers Market of America Craft last week:

{Part of the Video a Day Challenge}

Pin It