Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Hinged Bamboo Cuff

Yes, I've talked this one up so much it's about time I made good on all the promises! I think you'll agree though, this new design was well worth the wait! As many of you have found, bangles are generally tough to fit properly. Too tight to fit over the knuckle...too loose once it's on. But that problem is in the past now. Because of our new spring hinge design, putting on this new bangle is easy and pain free!

This new coil design is cast in Sterling Silver with my signature bamboo leaf accents in 14K yellow gold. Truly an elegant design that's also comfortable to wear!

Event Highlights

The Coconut Grove Arts Festival 2010 was another Coconut Grove landmark event! As a very well established event in an area of South Florida that really appreciates art, this show seems to continually break records in both attendance and quality of artists!

We were proud to be one of the 360 artists participating!

Men's RingOne of the highlights of the show was the sale of my first men's ring. This ring featured a 16mm Blue Star Sapphire in a Sterling Silver and 14K Gold setting. Our customer was so pleased to find a replacement
for a Star Sapphire ring he owned years ago!


One of our neighboring artists at the show was David David BergerBerger. At set-up time, we discovered a nest of Africanized bees in a tree directly behind our booths! Long story short...the bees took particular dislike of David, making his set-up particularly challenging...and painful. As you can see by the attached picture, David is a very talented artist working in oils...and a very nice guy to talk to (don't know what it is about the bees). I hope you'll look for him at future shows. www.bergerartstudio.com

Linda Cathcart was a vendor at the show too. She is the Lindaowner of Tropiflora Nurseries of Sarasota. Turns out she's from Lincolnton, NC...only a few miles from where I grew up in Cornelius, NC. It was fun visiting with her and talking about her beautiful tropical plants! www.tropifloral.com






Larry and Sherry Paulsen were also
participants at the Coconut Grove Arts Festival. Larry and Sherry have a Larry & Sherryunique line of art prints illustrating points of interest in the local area in which they are showing. For instance, at the Coconut Grove Arts Festival they were showing a collection of art prints that included the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Viscaya Mansion, and the Coconut Grove Playhouse. If you have a favorite landmark in your local area, you might check their website at www.cityartmarket.com They just might have it!

Ronnie
Ronnie Hughes, one more notable artist from Coconut Grove works in glass. His botanical designs are amazing, including many exotic orchids. Now you know what attracted me to his display.
www.hughesglass.net
With all the visiting going on with all our fellow festival participants you'd think I didn't have time to sell anything. But believe me this was a wonderfully successful show. Thanks so much to all of you who made the Coconut Grove Arts Festival one of our most successful ever!

Events: Mount Dora Festival

It was a Mount Dora Posterstormy night for set-up at our first showing in Mount Dora. That combined with being located on a sloping booth space made for a challenging set-up.
But come Saturday morning it was all behind us, and even though we had a few sprinkles here and there, the show was on and the streets were full of smiling faces!...though some were bundled up just a bit.
As those of you who visited us there will attest, the show was an exciting place to be, and the level of art on display was exemplary!
Mount Dora is a beautiful town, with tree lined streets, old Craftsmen style homes, in view of a picturesque lake to the west of town. The downtown area is brimming with interesting shops, bakeries, and restaurants. A place we'd like to visit some time when we can take it all in...a little at a time.

Calla Lily Collection

The Calla Lily has long been a favorite of mine and I've been working lately on a new group of pieces featuring these amazingly beautiful blooms. This newest Calla Lily design is big and bold, with the flower lip extending out over adjacent fingers. It's available in all Sterling Silver, Sterling Silver with 14K Gold pistol, and in Sterling Silver with 14K Gold pistol and Ruby, Sapphire or Diamond set in the tip. Having shown this new ring now at our last two shows, one customer commented that it's beautiful, but just not large enough for her...! So she paired up two of them on one finger, and we were both amazed at the result! The two flowers fit together like they were made that way. I think you'll agree, the new Calla Lily Ring is a great addition to our line...and if you like the ring, you're going to love the necklace coming soon!

Baroque Pearl Pendant


If you like unique pieces of art, you're going to love this new pearl pendant. Formed around a very large baroque pearl with pronounced nodelles, I have designed a setting of fan coral and plate coral in both Sterling Silver and 14K Yellow Gold. And, to keep this piece looking shiny and new, I've added a Rhodium Plating to the Sterling Silver. It's designed to accept a medium to large width Omega Chain, or a conventional chain up to 4.5 mm in diameter. Because of the unique shape of each baroque pearl, this piece is one of a kind.