RELIEF: what people feel most when I melt their old jewellery into something new. Why? Because people are usually overwhelmed by the pile of jewellery they bring me to melt. Not just by the fact that they don't know what to do with all of it, but also by all the memories that flood them while they explain each piece to me.
They feel relief when they no longer have a pile of jewellery they don't like or use taking up space in their jewellery box (Marie Kondo anyone?)
They feel relief knowing that their beloved memories are still alive in their new piece of jewellery they are excited to wear.
They feel relief that the jewellery I made them is better than the mock-up I drew them.
They feel relief for no longer having to look at jewellery their ex gave them. And even more relief when I send them a video of me torching it.
They feel relief for finally having the courage to melt down that horrid ring from their parents.
I often feel like I'm reading someone's diary hearing about what each piece of jewellery makes them feel. It's a lot of feelings. And although I'm here for the feels, I also feel relieved wrapping it all up into something they can make new memories in.
Metamorphosis 45: Family Door Necklaces
Family door pendants: they can represent you, your home, or be a magical door into your own little world. I’m not sure what compelled me to make Ferin and her kids these little doors but I love them. (Hopefully she does too!)
At one point I wondered if I made the right choice (as I always do during these projects) but then Ferin posted a photo on her Instagram of these little gnome figurines she gifted her daughter. They move them around the house like elf on a shelf, resulting in endless joy when her daughter sees that they’ve moved. If they have little gnomes, these little doors have made it to the right home: one full of wonder and magic.
I first thought to make Ferin earrings but she already has quite the collection. She is a beadworker that makes beautiful earrings (see her Instagram here) and who avidly supports other makers of earrings . I settled on the idea of a necklace and from there landed on a door design inspired by cartouches (a cartouche is basically an ID made from Egyptian hieroglyphs). My idea for the cartouche came from some of the things Ferin explained to me about the significance of each piece of jewellery. Although this new-age iteration doesn’t spell her name like a standard version, I made it with the intention of representing who she is. Although our names identify us, it’s our experiences that shape our identities.
I wanted to incorporate another stone alongside the oval sapphire, but all of the stones she liked weren’t working with my ideas (insert panic). I searched for a stone that was a bit matchy matchy but also hit the earth tones she seemed drawn to. I picked a rustic sapphire that has a bit of browny gold that ties into the yellow gold elements of the pendant.
I normally only make one piece of jewellery for metamorphosis but I could clearly envision using her pear-shape sapphires in mini doors for her kids. Plus, the pear-shape sapphires were a gift from her husband and the yellow gold a gift from her grandparents, so it just seemed like the perfect way to pass down some family heirlooms to her kids who will one day carve their own paths, opening their own doors, whilst on their own adventures.
Small but mighty makeover!
Do you have a piece of jewellery you don’t or can’t wear but you’re sad to melt it down?
My customer had her dad’s ring. She was really close to her dad and was on the fence about melting his ring but she couldn’t wear it because it was way too big and hard to size down because of the design. I suggested melting down the band but keeping the face of the ring and turning it into a pendant. That way she has the best of both worlds! She has the most important part of her dad’s old ring and she was able to make her and her daughter new rings using the leftover gold.
Not all makeovers are big. Some are small but mighty!
How about a Pearl jewellery makeover?
My friend Livian wanted to breath new life into her old pearl jewellery and since I love a good jewellery makeover, I couldn’t resist!
I swapped Livian's yellow gold for white and added some cubics and voila, something new and much more her style! And now to make something with a beautiful light purple amethyst she left me!
Need a mortgage broker? My friend Livian was voted one of the best Mortgage Brokers in the Tri-Cities! Get in touch with her at her website here.
PS- please excuse the sub par before photo on the right. I seem to be really good at deleting photos I need right before I delete them. So I used what I had on hand!