Heartful Handmade Blog

new melissa joy manning shopping page

There's a new Melissa Joy Manning shopping page at Heartful Village, with loads of beautiful new earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings by this talented designer.  There are even some Melissa Joy Manning cufflinks and jewelry boxes.  All told, there are over 300 new pieces.  There's something in this collection for everyone, with many pieces under $100.

Triple Drop Earrings - Aquamarine, Chrysacolla & Stalgtite

Melissa Joy Manning is a "green" designer whose jewelry is  made from conflict-free stones and recyled gold and silver.   As you would expect, Manning's respect for the earth is reflected in her choice of materials and in her production practices.  But her love of mother earth is also reflected in Manning's design aesthetic.  When you browse the extensive Melissa Joy Manning collection of sustainable jewelry, you'll see that many of her designs make use of such interesting natural elements as fossils, petrified wood, and stones in their raw natural state.  Take these Triple Drop Earrings for example.   They're constructed (from top to bottom) of freeform raw pale aquamarine stones, cabochons of free form chrysocolla, and slices of stalagtite.  They're a beautiful wearable mineral show, and a very real connection to nature and to the natural history of our planet.

Many of the pieces in this collection are one-of-a-kind or limited edition, so click on over now and check out the Melissa Joy Manning Shopping Page.

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handmade fabric bead jewelry by christine kangas

When I checked-in today on Christine Kangas (her website came up for a routine review) these earrings jumped off the bottom row of her storefront and hit me smack in the face, metaphorically speaking, of course.  I was so taken aback that I actually laughed out loud.  Because, as you can see, they are gray, red, and aqua.  That's a somewhat unusual, although pretty, color combination.  But that's not why they got my attention and that's not why I laughed.  It was because those are exactly the colors of the tops that I featured in my Heartful Fashion Week posts yesterday and the day before.   So it was obvious that these earrings had to be included in the line-up.  And, as magical as the selection process may have been, I couldn't agree with it more.  Because Christine Kangas makes very cool jewelry that should definitely be included in my Fashion Week picks.

Summer Handmade Fabric Earrings

Christine Kangas jewelry is entirely hand fabricated from the bead up.  She combines fabric, texture, and color in unusual and interesting ways.  Sometimes her handmade fabric beads are combined with silver findings only, and sometimes she mixes in wooden beads or  crystals or buttons.  The beads may be uniformly sized and evenly placed, as with the dramatic earrings above that picked themselves.

Re-Purposed Fabric and Vintage Glass Bracelet

Or they may be nestled together in clusters of contrasting elements, as in this charming bracelet that I picked.  Christine's jewelry is light in weight, but it's definitely loaded down with artistic appeal, visual interest, and beauty. And her shop is loaded with lots more beautiful earrings, necklaces, and bracelets to choose from.  So click on over and check out Christine Kangas for yourself. This is Heartful Fashion Week post #3.

silver and pearl dream flower earrings by parul

Parul is a self-taught jewelry designer who got her start helping her jewelry designer husband with "a style or two".  But, in the process, Parul found her own voice, so so speak, and now works with several experienced silversmiths who bring her designs into beautiful reality.   Although her work is inspired by traditional Indian styles, Parul's designs add a modern touch that's all her own.  She hopes to open her own boutique some day, and I think she will.  But I hope she continues to sell through Novica, too.

Pearl Dangle Earrings, 'Dream Flower'

These silver and freshwater pearl earrings by Parul are beautiful examples of her classic styling.  They're a little over an inch long, with tiny cascading leaves of silver that has been rhodium-plated, so it will stay shiny and tarnish-free for years.  And these lovely earrings are 24% off if you buy them today.

distinctive dori csengeri hand embroidered earrings

Dori Csengeri designs beautiful hand embroidered statement earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.  Glass cabochons, faceted beads, Swarovski crystals, and silk cord are magically combined to create intricate intertwining motifs.  Her jewelry is built on leather backings, making it both lightweight and durable.  Dori Csengeri designs are distinctive, unique, and recognized all over the world.  And I have found a few of her signature pieces on sale and ready to ship.

Mezzanote Earrings, $220   $154

These earrings are from Csengeri's Mezzanote line.  They are 2-1/2 inches long, an impressive size that the view below does a better job of conveying.

Click the images to see these and more Dori Csengeri jewelry on sale.  But don't dally, because they won't be there forever.

carly wright enamel and silver pendants inspired by nature

I hike with my dog most days at Shelby Farms, a big urban wilderness in Memphis.  I especially enjoy the Wolf River trails with their backdrop of chirping song birds and critters rustling in the underbrush.  It was on yesterday's walk that I decided to feature Carly Wright today.  I had updated her shopping page earlier in the day when I noticed she had added some new pieces to her collection.  And those pieces came to mind on my peaceful walk by the river.  Carly Wright says her jewelry is "inspired by ancient strata of exposed rock", but I see much more of nature in her work.  I see woods and rivers and skies, both blue and cloudy.  I see trees and foliage and grasses and, yes, I also see rock.

Waterfall Pendant No. 416

Wright hand fabricates her jewelry from sterling silver to which she applies enamel, using the champleve technique.  This involves filling recessed areas in the silver with fine granules of glass and kiln firing them at very high heat until the glass melts and melds with the metal.  Wright repeats this process from three to 30 times per piece, dependining on the desired effect.  And the piece must be hand polished between each firing.

Rock Layers Pendant No. 425

So it's easy to see why this very involved ancient process is not commonly used today.  It takes time and effort and skill.  But Carly Wright proves that, when done right, the payoff can be exquisite.  She oxidizes the silver and finishes her pieces by steel brushing them to create an etched surface that has soft lustre and a rich organic quality  The three pieces featured here illustrate my point beautifully.

Tower Window Pendant No. 418

All of the pendants shown above come with an 18 inch sterling silver snake chain. There's much more Carly Wright jewelry to choose from.  Besides pendants, she has earrings, and necklaces, and bracelets.  So click on over and check out more enamel and silver jewelry by Carly Wright.

chihiro makio jewelry: precious little artworks you can wear

Chihiro Makio is an artist who chose to make her canvas sterling silver  That's the way her jewelry feels.  She constructs what she calls "precious little things" using silver and tiny glass beads she somehow sews onto and into the silver, creating texture and interesting surfaces on the metal.  One of her signature forms is a metal bead she calls a flora.  She solders together triangular pieces of silver, creating a an origami-like globe that is open to the inside.  But why am I sitting here trying to explain this to you when I can just show you instead?

Large Flora Gold, Silver & Pearl Earrings, $240

These large flora earrings let you see what I was trying to explain.  See how the silver is folded and curled?  This pair combines oxidized with 24k gold plated silver.  The olive color freshwater pearls provide a nice contrast in texture and are a perfect finishing touch.  These beautiful wearable sculptures are 1-3/4 inches long by 3/4 of an inch wide.  And check out these sparkling 24k gold plated flora earrings.

Lotus On Wire Earrings, $180

These earrings, from Makio's Lotus collection, are hand cut oxidized sterling silver.  Tiny glass beads are sewn onto the pierced edges.  I love the way the earrings seem to mirror each other.  They're 1-1/2 inches long by 1 inch wide. These are two examples from this artist's diverse portfolio of wearable art earrings and necklaces.  So click on over and check them all out on the Chihiro Makio shopping page.

birds and flowers and spring and art and tami rodrig jewelry

No matter how chilly the weather may be right now (it's 36 degrees in Memphis today), the reality is that spring is just around the corner.  It will be official in just three short weeks.  And I got a spring preview today when I checked in on Tami Rodrig, because her Happy Art Studio feels like a bright spring day.  It's festive and filled with flowers and birds and color and sunshine.  And, since I last featured Tami Rodrig, she's opened an Etsy shop.  And that's where I discovered the pieces I'm featuring today.

Dutch Long Vine Earrings, $220

You cannot wear these earrings and not smile.  And you'll get a smile in return from everyone you meet.  These hand painted sterling silver earrings are two inches long and delightfully mismatched.  These are handmade one-of-a-kind earrings and yours will vary from the picture.  Here's another similar pair.

Mix and Match Earrings, $55

You decide yourself how to pair up these lovely bird earrings.  I suggest you get a flock of four to increase your color matching options.

Flower Necklace, $90

This bright and happy hand painted silver necklace has tiny "pollen" beads in the center.  It measures one inch across and hangs on a 16 inch silver snake chain.  This necklace will look great whether against your bare skin or resting over a contrasting top.

These are just a few happy art examples.  There are lots more to see.  So click on over and check out the collection at Tami Rodrig's shop.

graceful artful joanna harrill jewelry

All of the pieces shown below were made by the same creative spirit.  Joanne Harrill, through her muse and alter ego, JoJoBell, creates lovely artisan jewelry and leather accessories.  And while at first glance these three pieces may seem very different, a closer look reveals an essential quality that unites them.  They are all little artworks built on a foundation of artful shapes and graceful form.  They weave an intricate path through elegant simplicity.  And they flow and bend in interesting ways that engage the mind the way good artwork should.

Sterling Silver and Copper Swirl Earrings, $48

These sterling silver and copper earrings are 2-1/4 inches long and 1-1/4 inches wide, and they are ready to ship.

Leather Cuff Bracelet, $45

This Lotus Petal Leather Cuff Bracelet comes in four sizes, from small to large, or any custom size you specify.

Sterling Silver Swirl Ring, $28

This beautiful shiny silver ring is 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide, and is adjustible from sizes 6 through 8-1/2.

I last wrote about Joanne Harrill over two years ago.  And although the pendant I wrote about then is long gone, viewing it now gives you more perspective on the depth and range of her work.

colorful hand painted monarch butterfly earrings

Monarch butterflies were a beautiful part of the backyard critter population in my Los Angeles childhood home.  I don't remember hearing talk then of them being endangered or becoming scarce.  But I do remember my mother scolding me for sneaking up and catching them.  She said that handling their fragile wings, even though I always let them go, weakened them and made flight difficult.  When it later became clear that Monarch populations were declining, I felt guilty thankfulness that my mom had set me straight.  Then, years later, when I lived near Pacifc Grove, a California town that maintains habitats and hosts a yearly Monarch festival. I was happy to again enjoy these graceful lovelies.  

So when these beautiful Monarch earrings fluttered into my visual space, they took me back in time to all of that.  But you can handle these, and you can wear them.  Hand painted enamel on copper, they're 1-3/4" long by 1-1/4" wide.  When you count the silver ear wires, they dangle a dramatic 2-1/2 inches from your ears, fluttering gracefully with every move.  Patsy Oxley's Ox Art Jewelry shop is where you'll find them, along with an impressive collection of other handmade jewelry pieces.  These Monarch butterfly earrings are $53.

beautiful silver jewelry by hill tribe artisans

Achara lives in Thailand and has been designing and crafting silver jewelry for over 20 years.  But she and her husband, who is also a silversmith, have found a way to increase their output while also helping others.  They work with talented hill tribe artisans in northern Thailand who, in spite of their skills as silversmiths, often had trouble selling their products.  So Achara and her family teamed up to help them with both production methods and marketing.  This has allowed these people to earn a good living and gain stability in their lives.  At the same time, they are preserving and promoting their culture on a worldwide basis through their work.  It's win-win for all, including the lucky customers who find their great designs.  I selected these beautiful sterling silver dangle earrings for this post, but making a choice was not easy because Achara has an enormous assortment to choose from.  And I've set things up so you can shop her offerings directly from Heartful Village.

So click on over to Heartful Village now and check out all the silver jewelry by Achara and the hill tribe artisans.