I came into jewelry making quite by accident. I spent many years in school getting a BS, MSc, and PhD in Zoology. One day I took a jewelry making class and fell in love. Soon I started making items for friends and family. Many more classes followed, introducing me to new techniques and styles. In not too long, I realized I loved doing it so much that I wanted to sell my creations and share them with the world. Soon jewelry making took over my life. I find it incredibly rewarding to create beautiful things for others to love and wear. In 2019 I decided to go back to school, and I recently completed a 2 year a Jewelry Design and Bronze Sculpture program at Selkirk College in Nelson British Columbia.

Some of the techniques I enjoy the most are silversmithing, wax and clay model making, wire wrapping, stringing, and making my own charms, rings, and other things from sterling silver, copper and precious metal clay. Precious metal clay is made from finely ground pure silver and organic binders. When you fire your silver clay creations in a kiln, the organic binders burn off and you are left with pure silver. Its a lot of fun to create new designs using this material. I also enjoy searching for the right combination of charms and gemstones to make meaningful items. My designs tend towards the simple, because I feel that you should be able to wear most jewelry all the time without needing a special occasion. However, I also enjoy creating pieces that really stand out for those times when you do need something gorgeous and unique.

Most of the pieces in this shop are designed around my love of nature, and on concepts and symbols from ancient religions & cultures, including those from Zen Buddhism, Yoga, Ancient Celts & Pagans - including Celtic knots and Viking & Nordic runes, Greek & Roman mythology, and Christian, Middle Eastern & Egyptian cultures. In addition, I love Fantasy literature, so you will also see designs here inspired by other worlds, such as found in The Lord of the Rings. I also love to make beautiful gemstone creations with healing or inspiring gemstones and color combinations.

I have two other Etsy shops in which I sell designs that fall outside this design theme. These shops include CuteAndFun, which is full of fun and sometimes silly things - to feed the whimsical side of my soul and WinterberryJewelry, which features simple, modern designs based on nature and the things people love - such as sports, careers, and family. Check out these shops to see more of my designs.
http://www.cuteandfun.etsy.com
http://www.winterberryjewelry.etsy.com