Amethyst Inspiration

Having recently sworn off purple as "not my color" I suddenly find myself being drawn to it everywhere I see shades of lilac, amethyst, heliotrope, grape, violet, plum, and orchid.


Most recently at the Denver Botanical Gardens while visiting to see the Chihuly art glass exhibit-- which was amazing! As if the plants and flowers weren't enough of a reason to visit, if you live in Colorado you should definitely make the trip to see this show while you can. The glass art is scattered in among the plants and each piece stands alone as its own composition. The curves and textures and colors and shapes are mind bending. This was my favorite piece, glass reeds reflecting in the water and contrasting the round shapes of the lilies around them. The perfect finishing touch is a nearby lotus of the same perfect purple.

Check out more of my pictures from the Denver Botanical Gardens on my Instagram stream.

My bedroom has been styled in purple and green for a few years now. It's like a blooming garden color scheme. The natural shades of green seem more alive with the punch of purple. My mom, Anne of Springleaf Studios, was sweet enough to let me borrow this quilt of hers called Cascade made with some of her favorite (and my favorite) fabric choices of Kaffe Fassett prints. My comforter is apple green and my sheets are orchid purple, so this quilt was the perfect accent for my wall. According to some ideas of color psychology green has a soothing effect, while purple excites the imagination. 

Even though I'm loving purple more than ever I still don't love wearing it-- only as jewelry for some reason. Amethyst has always been one of my favorite gemstones (I wish it was my birthstone) and I've finally started to work with some of the amethyst that I've collected over the years. Purple strikes me as a brave and wild color. Its vibrancy is hard to capture in a photograph. Amethyst often comes from Africa (a darker shade) or Brazil (a more lilac tone). 

These amethyst pieces are available on my Etsy shop. 

And below are some new works-in-progress using some druzy amethyst quartz chunks in combination with some of my favorite quotes. 

                 

 

These pieces are themed; the colors of stones are connected to the stamped images and messages on the back of the piece. I've really enjoyed creating these pendants, making bezels and adding granulation. Each piece will be a one-of-a-kind creation with an asymmetrical chain. More to follow this week as I finish these pieces.

Visit me at my next event at The French Nest market in Fort Collins on September 20th to see new work! 

Summer Firefly

I'm very excited to become a Firefly this summer and sell my jewelry at Firefly Handmade Market in Boulder this upcoming weekend! July 26th and 27th on the 29th Street Mall. 

I've been longing to see my own booth among the other creative makers of Firefly. Most vendors are local Boulderites making unique handcrafted goods. Some of my favorite regulars at market are:

• Flora Fauna ~ cute birdy creations
• Project Handmade ~ fun cloth items from skirts and pillows to more cute birds :)
• Cloth+Ink ~ pillows, scarves, and bags in modern prints

I've been hard at work on some new jewelry between markets. These are some of my favorite necklaces and I'll have them up for sale on Etsy by the end of the week.

I've been very focused on these circular designs for Emily Claire Studio. To me they speak of harmony and balance. The contrast of faceted gemstones against a smooth organic form makes each more beautiful in its own nature. It took me a long time to narrow down this design and technique. The strands of beads inside the circular form imply a continuous line from chain to chain. It's as if some detail is magnified inside the circle.

While I love these designs I also have been wanting to explore more, to use my metalsmithing skills and love for bezel setting and letter stamping. So these freshies just occurred to me one day and I'm very excited to have so much text and color in my line now. These are now available on Etsy.



It will be a sunny Colorado weekend and you want to get out and enjoy it!

 Come by the 29th Street Mall on Saturday (26th) from 10-5pm, or on Sunday (27th) from 11-4pm. See my newest work, some previews of my Fall line, and other cool vendors! 

I know there will be great food and ice cream too!
Thanks to the Firefly crew for allowing me to be part of this fun event :)

PS. I wish we had fireflies in Colorado. 

I miss catching them in the summers at grandma's house <3