This narrative brooch redesign is from my "Flash Fiction" series. I create a design and then on the back I add a few words that I hope will conjure a compelling storyline in the mind of the viewer, this one deals with my obsession/fascination with bears.
Showing posts with label Narrative Jewelry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Narrative Jewelry. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Monday, October 17, 2016
Narrative Jewelry
This brooch is one from my "Mermaid's Tears" series and was easy to transform into a necklace. The base is a gorgeous gnarly shell topped with vintage crystals and pearls. The new necklace is just a variety of different chains.
Labels:
Narrative Jewelry
Friday, September 30, 2016
Jewelry Donation for Oktoberfest
I donated one of my "Mermaids Tears" necklaces for the benefit auction at Delaware Technical Community College where I am employed. I used an ancient little gift card that I was given years ago to identify who created the jewelry since I don't use my old business name of White Rhino Graphics anymore.
Labels:
About Me,
Mermaids Tears,
Narrative Jewelry
Friday, September 23, 2016
Tattoo You
I'll likely never get a tattoo. Piercings I'm good with, tattoos not so much. But I admire the artwork and skill of great tattoo artists, and I'm particularly smitten with the work of Sailor Jerry.
So this bracelet is my homage to him. I just finished it last night and I'm eager to wear it and see what my real tattooed friends think of it.
More on Sailor Jerry courtesy Wikipedia:
Norman Keith Collins (January 14, 1911 – June 12, 1973) was a prominent American tattoo artist, famous for his tattooing of sailors; he was also known as "Sailor Jerry".[1]
An annual event now takes place in Hawaii called the "Sailor Jerry Festival" and aims to honor Collins's global influence, his many achievements, and his local ties.
Labels:
Art,
Narrative Jewelry
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Friday, September 26, 2014
My Jewelry Designs: Before and Better After 5
Labels:
Narrative Jewelry
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Monday, September 22, 2014
My Jewelry Designs: Before and Better After 1
Labels:
Narrative Jewelry
Friday, April 12, 2013
Another Jewelry Tutorial
I saw this necklace design on Pinterest months ago and finally got around to making myself one. The large elements are, hold on, you won't believe this, from Home Depot and are normally used as decorative molding.
I wanted the necklace to go with this skirt.
Drilled holes, sanded, painted black, and then a overcoat of beige.
Quickly wipe off the beige before it dries to get a nice antigued look.
(Soory, didn't have time to rotate) the finished necklace.
Labels:
Narrative Jewelry,
Tutorial
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Favorite Photos, Part 5
I'm including this photo as part of this "Favorite Photo Series" because of it's importance to me.
Some background: for about the first 20 years of my marriage, in addition to working full time, I had a graphic design business. I had some very good clients, but obviously I did it for the extra income. Which meant I pretty much worked all the time.
The day finally came when we didn't need that extra income, and I closed the business and began making jewelry. I'd taken a couple of semesters of jewelry making with an incredibly talented and inspiring art professor, Anne Graham, at UD. So, after closing the graphic design business I began making jewelry again.
About 2 years later this photo of my work was published in Belle Armoire Magazine, a publication that showcases wearable art. The day that magazine showed up in my mailbox -- well, it felt really, really good. The brooch in the bottom of the photo was also a milestone piece for me- it was with this piece that I developed my concept of merging story-telling with jewelry making and it set me on the path of creating narrative jewelry- a path I'm still exploring today.
Labels:
Narrative Jewelry
Friday, March 16, 2012
More new work...
Over the winter I've been developing a new product line, working on rebranding my blog and creating an ETSY store. I'm close, ever so close, to rolling it all out. So, before that happens, here's another sneak peak at the new stuff Ill be making : )
Labels:
Narrative Jewelry
Thursday, February 16, 2012
My new line of jewelry
I'm working on a new line of jewelry for my yet-to-be-launched-but-in-the-works ETSY Shop...the design is based on my short story "Mermaid's Tears." (Which in turn, is based on characters from my novel, "The Fourth Storm.")
I've done a line of brooches based on Mermaid's Tears....but I realized that since suits are no longer chic wear to work grab (I'd be in heaven if I could just wear jeans everyday!) that I've not been wearing my brooches very much. What I have been wearing are a lot of choker length pendents, thus the new line are all pendents. I'm using my favorite materials- mother of pearl, wood, brass, and my most favorite of all- vintage rhinestones. Here is one of my first pieces in this line.
I've done a line of brooches based on Mermaid's Tears....but I realized that since suits are no longer chic wear to work grab (I'd be in heaven if I could just wear jeans everyday!) that I've not been wearing my brooches very much. What I have been wearing are a lot of choker length pendents, thus the new line are all pendents. I'm using my favorite materials- mother of pearl, wood, brass, and my most favorite of all- vintage rhinestones. Here is one of my first pieces in this line.
Labels:
Books,
Narrative Jewelry,
The Fourth Storm
Friday, November 19, 2010
Frugal Friday
I make jewelry. Years ago I did it to make extra money. At one point my jewelry was in 17 stores in 3 states; and I attended 8-10 craft shows a year. I made money but it wasn't fun. Anyone who has done the craft show circuit will back me up when I say there is no greater hell than spending 16 hours setting up, manning and breaking down a show booth and having no sales to show for it. Those perfect shows, where the weather is right and your buyers show up in droves are few and far apart. The stores had their own special set of challenges, most especially poor record keeping.
These days I make jewelry for myself and to give as gifts. I especially enjoy taking apart old jewelry and reinventing it into something modern. It's a frugal way to give myself a present while only spending time.
Case in point is these necklace. The clasp came off a ugly, broken cast-off, the jet beads are from a necklace that was my grandmothers, I purchased the 3 lampworked beads from their maker, Kate Fowl, who I studied glass bead with, the rest of the beads are various cast-off, and leftovers from other projects. And if in a few years this necklace no longer suits me, then I'll take it apart and design something else.
These days I make jewelry for myself and to give as gifts. I especially enjoy taking apart old jewelry and reinventing it into something modern. It's a frugal way to give myself a present while only spending time.
Case in point is these necklace. The clasp came off a ugly, broken cast-off, the jet beads are from a necklace that was my grandmothers, I purchased the 3 lampworked beads from their maker, Kate Fowl, who I studied glass bead with, the rest of the beads are various cast-off, and leftovers from other projects. And if in a few years this necklace no longer suits me, then I'll take it apart and design something else.
Labels:
Frugal Tip,
Narrative Jewelry
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Flash Fiction Brooches


For almost a decade now I’ve been blending my love for writing and creating brooches into an art form that I call narrative jewelry. The concept is that I create a brooch that is not only a functional piece of jewelry but also a three dimensional illustration to a written story that comes packaged with the brooch. These narratives take the form of a miniature storybook, letter, diary entry, or postcard. Within these narratives I expand facets of characters or plotlines which I pull from my novel, “The Fourth Storm.”
Last year I was inspired to shorten my narrative for a new series of brooches when I read about a new creative writing art form called “flash fiction.” I immediately fell in love with the idea of conveying the essence of a story in under 1,000 words – or in my version of flash fiction, just a few words! Within days I began a new series of brooches; on the back of each I placed a short line of text that was inspired by the collaged imagery on the front.
These brooches are also a great way to incorporate those bits and piece, beads and baubles that have been lying around your studio waiting for a job to do.
My goal is that the wearer of each brooch will embark on a creative journey with me; that my variation of flash fiction will be the catalyst their imaginations need to develop the rest of the story.
Last year I was inspired to shorten my narrative for a new series of brooches when I read about a new creative writing art form called “flash fiction.” I immediately fell in love with the idea of conveying the essence of a story in under 1,000 words – or in my version of flash fiction, just a few words! Within days I began a new series of brooches; on the back of each I placed a short line of text that was inspired by the collaged imagery on the front.
These brooches are also a great way to incorporate those bits and piece, beads and baubles that have been lying around your studio waiting for a job to do.
My goal is that the wearer of each brooch will embark on a creative journey with me; that my variation of flash fiction will be the catalyst their imaginations need to develop the rest of the story.

Labels:
About Me,
Narrative Jewelry,
The Fourth Storm
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