A Wise Woman Once Said...

...treat yo'self. 

Putting aside the trendiness of the phrase, there really is a lesson to be learned about knowing when to gift yourself a little something special. And I don't mean in a spoiled millennial consumer-happy "I deserve it" spending spree kind of way. You know, just a little something every now and then---maybe once a year, maybe more, maybe less. 

--- A "me-day" where you only do what you want to do, even if that means doing NOTHING. 

--- A nice bar of that fair-trade dark chocolate from Askinosie that you love. 

--- A new shift dress to show off those humble legs you've been working on shaping up.

It can be anything, and it doesn't have to have dollar signs attached to it. Sometimes the smallest, cheapest gifts can be the most meaningful.

For several years now, I've had a little box of stones that I have set aside for "me" pieces. Things that I knew I wanted to make for myself, given the time. Occasionally I'll come across a new cabochon that speaks to me and I'll gently place it in this little box. Promising that I'll get around to making myself something "some day". 

The other week I was noticing that this little box was close to overflowing---both with stones and with the best of intentions. Realizing it had been a while since I deliberately treated myself, I vowed to focus. 

These two sagenite spray agates were destined to be paired together in earrings. Mismatched but complementary, I love the movement of the spray in each. They remind me of tufts of black fox fur---primitive, animalistic, and in the dark neutral color palette that I've been loving lately. I set them both simply in sterling silver and hung them from hand-cast sterling silver studs so they can be worn as post earrings. 

When they were finished I squealed, thanked myself, and all was well in the world <3 

Happy Wednesday!
Nikki
LoveRoot on Etsy

Waterways

It's been a disturbingly warm winter here in southern Ohio. I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said we've had MAYBE three inches of snow total. I have daffodils and iris that are blooming all over the place...in February. Last week it was 70F and sunny...we had the doors and windows open, for god's sake. It's nice to not be snowed under, but it's also a little disorienting. 

While we've had very little snow, one thing we have had quite a bit of is rain. Truly, I can't remember a more soggy, rainy winter. Local rivers, including the Little Miami and the Ohio, have been swollen and angry--churning and channeling the muddy water as soon as it falls from the sky. One of my primary bike trails happens to run parallel to both of these rivers. And since it's been warmer, I've had more opportunities to go for rides. 

 









The other week I was flying along the trail on my way to downtown Cincinnati, and I had to pull over just to gawk at the near-flooded Ohio River. If you've ever observed a waterfall, a dam, angry waves, or whitewater rapids, you'll know what I mean when I say that the power of water is absolute. The roaring white noise fills your head--making it hard to think about anything else. Work anxieties, family squabbles, packed schedules--they all seem to fade into the background in these moments. 

I stood next to my bike, allowing myself to feel small, to feel humbled. All these waterways, acting like arteries and veins, transporting the planet's lifeblood. Washing, removing, renewing. It was a cathartic moment. Then I mounted back up and kept pedaling along. 

This week's earrings immediately brought rivers to mind, as they feature natural Royston ribbon turquoise mined in Nevada. Named for the bands of turquoise running through a brown matrix, this stone is incredibly natural and rustic. I picked up quite a few sets last year at the Tucson gem and mineral show and have been waiting for just the right moment to showcase them as a series. 

I fabricated these out of solid sterling silver, framed each bezel with gnarled, twisted roots, and hung them from cratered hand-cast silver granule studs. This style of earring is great if you have lobes that are stretched or can't handle traditional ear hooks--you get to rock the dangly look with the security of posts/backs. 

Happy Wednesday!
Nikki 
LoveRoot on Etsy

Crocus, Anyone?

This morning I was admiring the recent posts here on the EE blog and was struck by the color palette--we all seem to be in the mood for spring pastels, including me, for once. I'm usually not one for pastels, as I prefer bold earthy darker hues. But the recent warmer weather, sunshine, and brisk breezes have me in the mood for crocus purple, anemone blue, and hyacinth pink. 

At Tucson this year I snagged a handful of matched agate drusy earring pairs in beautifully muted pastel hues. The adjective "glam" is not a word I would typically use to describe my jewelry, but when I saw these soft little drusies I was struck with a vision of sparkle. And so the past week I've been working on a series of metalworked post and drop earrings featuring these wondrous little miracles of nature.

This particular pair features a beautiful pair of amethyst drusies in soft lilac purple with a warm amber tinge. I created simple sterling silver bezels and then accented the shapes of the stones using some of my beloved cratered hand-cast granules. I wanted to design these post/stud earrings so that when worn, the shape and sparkle would really light up the curve of your lobes.


I'm still working my way through all 10 pairs of these, so stay tuned in about a week to see the results! 

 




Happy Wednesday and Happy Spring!

Nikki
LoveRoot on Etsy

Nautical, Dude

If my feet were put to the fire and you forced me to choose the most popular colors when it comes to my jewelry, I'd have to say blues and greens. Perhaps I'm biased (ok, I am) - I tend to design more with these colors, so I suppose it's natural that they sell more. But in general, the cool organic lushness of these hues tends to attract very devoted followers. 

A couple weeks ago I was scrolling through my shop and realized it was really starting to lack in the blue/green department. Blasphemy! I started to paw through my (ever growing) stone cabochon hoard, looking for inspiration. I tend to design in series, and this was the perfect opportunity to do an earrings series featuring blue/green stones set in sterling silver. 

Originally I was planning on creating three pairs...that soon grew to five...and ultimately ballooned to a total of eight pairs (clockwise from top left): blue opal, Sonora sunrise, chrysocolla, Royston ribbon turquoise, natural turquoise, chrysoprase, imperial jasper, and plasma agate. I mean, how can you stop yourself when you're surrounded by such pretty rocks?! 

One of my favorites of the series is a pair of minty green chrysocolla stones, nestled in a symmetrical setting that reminds me of a compass or some type of nautical instrument. The dark negative "splatter" space at the center of each stone really sets them off, while thin webby veins of blue azurite add extra visual appeal.

 
So now that I've exhausted my supply of blue green stones, that can only mean one thing: it's time to go rock shopping. Eh? EH???!!

Happy Wednesday!
 
Nikki
LoveRoot on Etsy

More Precious Than Gold

Think, for a moment, about how many beads, stones, and findings there are out there. Go ahead, I can wait...







...








OK, since this could take a spell, let's just summarize by saying that there are a TON of beads, stones, and findings out there. If you've ever been to any kind of bead show, you'll know what I mean. Now take those hundreds of tables filled with strands and baskets and multiply that by hundreds of thousands. Similarly, one of the beauties of the internet is that each of us in our own little corners of the world can shop for beads and stones from all over the globe. Our taste for supplies is limited only by the girth of our wallet.

All this to say: it can get overwhelming. So many good beads, cool beads, rare beads, stimulating exciting never-before-been-seen beads - how to focus?!

I experienced this shellshocked feeling the first time I went to the Tucson Gem & Mineral show with my dear friend Kimberly Rogers of NuminosityBeads fame. The sheer quantity of product, the teeming masses of people, the sky-high tents, the dollars changing hands hot and fast. Mercy.

That was two years ago. This year I didn't get quite so overwhelmed. I was a highly attuned hunter, knowing the type of thing I wanted and drilling down on it. I purchased with abandon, letting my creative "what if" juices flow. I walked up to booths and already had finished pieces designed in my head before even paying the vendor. 

The very best example of this involves a treasure trove of petrified wood slabs that I found. They were matched pairs, about 1" across, had a polished face yet a natural grained edge, and came in all the earth-toned colors of the rainbow: rust, salmon, fawn, cocoa, sable, charcoal, dove, ivory, and cream. I saw them and immediately melted. The crunchy semi-feral wicked earth goddess in me envisioned an edgy metalworked bracelet featuring a handful of these slabs. I knew in my head that it would be a lot of work. But if executed right, it would be worth it. So I bought 15 or so pairs.

Flash forward about four months and the idea had finally marinated enough - it was time for fruition. I sat down a couple weeks ago and created a whole line of petrified wood pieces, all set in gnarly sterling silver pronged open-back bezels. That includes this pair of earrings. Deceptively simple, humble, yet soulful. These slices use to be alive - think about that! I've been smitten and fighting the urge to jealously hoard the rest of them to myself.

So, all of this extended rambling to say, every now and then while swimming through the vast sea of components out there, you will find a special something that speaks volumes. It may only speak to you; it may speak to many. But when you find those special somethings, they can be more precious than gold. 

Happy Wednesday!
Nikki
LoveRoot on Etsy

It's the Small Things In Life

What is it about small things that makes us all warm and fuzzy and squealy inside? A fuzzy mewy kitten? A wee bud vase only big enough for one flower? A small shell found on the beach. Baby toes? 

See, you're smiling. 

As much as I love long dangly earrings, I'm also learning to appreciate the beauty of post earrings. It's harder to fit what you want to say into a smaller package, but if executed right, they can be deliciously wearable without sacrificing statement. 
 
Several weeks ago I had a free weekend---rare and choice---and spent it in the studio making a quartet of fossil post earrings in sterling silver. I had been saving these little fossilized sea urchins since my trip to Austin earlier this year. As an aside, if you're ever there, hit up Nature's Treasures for some serious rock candy. 

Please, please, try to suppress your squealing until this post is finished. 

Aren't they just so wee and cute? Plump little fossils with a bumpy geometric star pattern, naturally occurring thanks to Mother Nature. Did you know that fossilized sea urchins are also called sea biscuits? Think about that imagery in your mind - how appropriate? And I crafted two gnarled little prongs to reach out and hug each fossil. 

The warm neutrals of these make them suitable for any outfit - dress em up or dress em down. In fact, my good friend Staci of Staci Louise Originals is currently rocking this pair.

Alright, it's ok to squeal now...

Happy Wednesday!
Nikki
LoveRoot on Etsy

Change is a-Comin'

Let's face it, we all have a favorite season: 

...the quiet white introversion of winter...
...the unrestrained energetic rebirth of spring...
...the saturated free-wheelin' heat of summer...
...and then there's the spicy moody deliciousness of autumn...my favorite, the best.

Every time this year a little kernel of excitement starts to grow in me as I realize that fall is right around the corner. By the time the leaves have burst into flames and pumpkins are on every porch, I'm in full-blown heaven. And Halloween - oh, the mystery and the wickedness!

Lately I've subconsciously found myself gravitating to designs using the patron colors of autumn - burnt orange, rusty red, golden honey, warm brown, and faded sage green. It's as if even my design sense realizes that change is coming. 


One of nature's little miracles, Picasso jasper, happens to capture all of these hues perfectly in one stone. When I saw this pair, I knew that some angular primitive metalworked post earrings were in order. I bezel-set the stones in sterling silver and then soldered a few hammered bars on for a spray of movement. When worn just-so, the shape of these stones accentuates the ear perfectly. 

Get your sweaters ready as you walk through the crunchy sweet leaves, hear the din of late year cicadas and crickets, feel the nip of cool evenings on your nose, and warm yourself around a blazing bonfire with a mug of hot mulled cider.

Happy Wednesday :)
Nikki
LoveRoot on Etsy

You Stud, You

A little tongue-in-cheek homage to my first pair of stud/post earrings - what took me so long? 

I guess I have always gravitated to longer more dangly earrings because you can add so many bits and pieces to them - a small collection of parts that come together to make a provocative whole. Post earrings, however, are an exercise in minimalism that can go horribly boring if not executed well. Plus, I just hadn't taken the time with my metalworking to hone in on the details necessary to make a wearable set of posts. 

So last week when I was in Austin, Texas visiting my brother and sister-in-law, they took me to Nature's Treasures, a fantastical rock shop. I think we spent about three hours in the store - me working myself up into a frothy lather while pawing through bins of crystals, fossils, and rocks. It wasn't pretty, but my haul sure was. When I saw these little cross-section coins of petrified wood branches, I knew I had to have them. A split second later, I knew that I was going to have to make them into earring studs. As soon as we set foot back home, I made a beeline to the studio and worked these babies up. Who wants to unpack when there's art to be made?

Primitive organic post-punk wicked faux-gauge-looking little devils - these will serve as a prototype for many pairs to come. In the meantime, I think I'll keep them for myself - you know, for research's sake...*cough*

Hope everyone has a great week :)

Nikki
LoveRoot on Etsy

Designing for Yourself

One of the biggest perks of being a jewelry designer is the ability to create killer accessories for any outfit. If I see a dress that I'm dying over and can't stop daydreaming about, not only can I treat myself to it, but I can also create handmade one-of-a-kind jewelry to go with it. No need to shop around, find something that's in my style, compare prices, hem-and-haw...I can just sit down and make it myself. Your friends and family can all be jealous, it's ok.

 
Over the years, one of my favorite Etsy clothing designers has been Gaia Conceptions. Andrea makes "eco chic apparel for the global nomad" using "certified organic and sustainable fabrics which have inspired simple, timeless, and ethical designs rooted in comfort and multifunction". Love? Love. I've got quite a few of her skirts and dresses and find myself wearing them all the time, including this one.

I've been experimenting with creating bezel-set stone earrings in sterling silver lately. Up until now I've just been making rings, but I'm now starting to branch out and create these designs for ears, not just fingers.


 




These picasso jasper stones went perfectly with the rusty orange of my dress, plus added some summery sage green and magenta - they remind me of a sunset in the desert. Simple, organic, full of energy and color, yet not overwhelming. 

Sometimes I end up listing the jewelry I make for myself, and sometimes it ends up on the ~MINE~ jewelry stand. Hey, we've got to pay ourselves every now and then, right? :)

Happy Mid-week!
Nikki

LoveRoot on Etsy