🌿 Rustic Italian Herb Chicken with Penne Rigate

Every piece of jewelry I create begins with nature.

A twig becomes a ring. A leaf becomes a pendant. I don't force the design—I let nature guide it.

Recently, I realized I cook exactly the same way.

This dinner didn't begin with a recipe book. It began with the herbs growing in my own gardens, both indoors and outdoors. Instead of asking, "What herbs should I buy?" I asked, "What is growing today?"

That simple question changed everything.

Fresh herbs from my gardens, a glass of chilled white wine, and a comforting bowl of Rustic Italian Herb Chicken with Penne Rigate. Together with ChatGPT, we built this recipe around the herbs I grow at home, creating one of the freshest and most flavorful Italian dinners I've ever made. Sometimes the simplest ingredients create the most memorable meals.

🌿 Fresh Herbs Make the Difference

For this Rustic Italian Herb Chicken with Penne Rigate, every herb came directly from my gardens.

Fresh basil.
Fresh parsley.
Fresh rosemary.
Fresh thyme.
Fresh oregano.

Together with ChatGPT, we built this recipe around those herbs instead of adding them as an afterthought.

The result was one of the most flavorful Italian dinners I've ever made.

🌱 My Indoor Herb Garden

My indoor herb garden isn't fancy.

It's a simple shelf beside my kitchen window where herbs continue to grow year-round. It isn't about creating the perfect display—it's about keeping fresh flavor within arm's reach every time I cook.

Those little pots have become one of the most important ingredients in my kitchen.

Fresh herbs don't just season food.

They inspire it.

🍷 From Garden to Table

After the herbs were picked, they became the heart of this meal.

Tender chicken.
Perfectly cooked penne rigate.
A splash of white wine.
Freshly grated Parmesan.
Garden basil and parsley scattered over the top.

Every bite reminded me why I love cooking with fresh herbs.

It's the same feeling I get when finishing a new jewelry design.

Nature always knows best.

❤️ A New Creative Journey

For over twenty years I've shared the stories behind my jewelry.

Now I'm discovering that recipes have stories too.

They begin in the garden...

grow in the kitchen...

and end around the table.

Just like my jewelry, every recipe starts with nature.

And that's exactly where the best creations begin.

When a Twig Becomes a Ring | From Wax Model to Sterling Silver Part 2

Every jewelry design begins with a vision, but the real magic happens when wax is transformed into precious metal. This updated wax model reveals how the branches naturally divide, rise, and gently cradle the gemstone before becoming a sterling silver ring.

Creating nature-inspired jewelry isn't about forcing a design—it's about allowing nature to guide the process.

As I refined this wax model, the trunk became more defined before dividing into two graceful branches. That simple change gave the ring exactly what I wanted: the feeling that the gemstone had been discovered growing within a living tree rather than being held by traditional prongs.

The branches aren't identical because nature isn't symmetrical. Each one follows its own path, twisting and growing as though shaped by years of wind, rain, and sunlight. Together they gently lift the Moss Agate, allowing the stone to become the focal point while the branches quietly support it.

Once the design is complete in soft wax, it will be cast in sterling silver, preserving every carved groove and every organic texture. A medium oxidation will deepen the bark-like details, creating contrast that makes the ring appear as though it has grown naturally over time.

This stage of the journey is one of my favorites because it captures the transition between imagination and reality. The wax is temporary, but the design it holds will soon become a lasting piece of jewelry meant to be worn, treasured, and eventually passed on.

Nature has always been my greatest designer.

I simply listen.

Jewelry that feels like it grew, not made.

— Dawn Vertrees Jewelry

 

Nature Designs the Prongs

A New Sterling Silver Ring Coming Soon

Sometimes, before a piece is cast in precious metal, I like to take a glimpse into the future.

The image you're seeing isn't the finished ring—it's an AI rendering created directly from my original hand-carved wax model. It allows me, and all of you, to see what the design will look like once it's cast in sterling silver.

For me, this is one of the most exciting parts of the creative process.

As I sculpted the wax, I watched a simple twig transform into a living tree. The trunk rises naturally from the band before dividing into two graceful branches. Instead of using traditional prongs, those branches become the setting itself, gently lifting and presenting the Moss Agate as though it had grown there naturally.

This is exactly how I imagine nature would design a ring.

The sterling silver version shown here is my vision of the finished piece—a preview of what's to come while the original wax model begins its journey through the casting process.

In approximately 3 to 4 weeks, this design will become a real sterling silver ring, handcrafted from the original wax sculpture shown above.

Nature Designs the Prongs

"Only one hour into carving, and the branches are already finding their way around the Moss Agate. Nature has a beautiful way of designing the prongs. 🌿✨"

Nature Designs the Prongs...

Sometimes the best jewelry designs don't begin with a drawing—they begin with listening to nature.

Today, only one hour into carving this new ring in blue wax, the design is already beginning to tell its own story. Rather than forcing traditional prongs around the gemstone, I allowed the branches to grow naturally, wrapping around a 10 x 8 mm oval Moss Agate cabochon as though the stone had always belonged there.

The beauty of working in wax is that every curve can evolve organically. One branch becomes two. A gentle twist becomes the beginning of a tree. Before long, the prongs disappear, replaced by something that feels alive.

There are still many hours of carving ahead before the bark texture, flowing lines, and final details emerge, but this early stage is often my favorite. It's the moment when an idea first takes root.

Sometimes, nature designs the prongs better than we ever could.

Materials

• Sterling Silver
• Oxidized Finish
• 10 × 8 mm Oval Moss Agate Cabochon
• Hand carved in wax using the lost wax casting process

 

Nature Designs the Prongs... I Simply Follow

 

Tree branches growing vertically, naturally forming twig-like prongs that inspired Dawn Vertrees' floating gemstone jewelry designs and handcrafted lost wax jewelry.

Horizontal tree branch resembling an organic gemstone setting with natural twig prongs, inspiring Dawn Vertrees' nature-inspired engagement ring designs.

Nature Designs the Prongs... I Simply Follow

When a Tree Teaches a Jeweler

There are moments when inspiration doesn't come from a jewelry store, a design book, or a sketch on paper.

Sometimes it comes from standing beneath a tree.

Recently, I found myself looking up into a canopy of branches. Most people would have seen beautiful leaves, twisting limbs, and filtered sunlight. I saw something different.

I saw prongs.

Not the manufactured, perfectly symmetrical prongs found in traditional jewelry, but something far more elegant. Nature doesn't force balance—it creates harmony. Every branch grows with purpose, supporting the next until something beautiful is lifted toward the light.

That is exactly how I have designed jewelry for years.

Nature Never Uses Four Identical Prongs

When I sculpt in soft wax, I don't begin by asking, "Where do the prongs go?"

Instead, I ask,

"How would nature hold this gemstone?"

A tree doesn't grow identical branches around a leaf. A vine doesn't wrap perfectly around a flower. Every curve has movement, every twig has a purpose, and every branch supports the life growing from it.

That philosophy has become the foundation of my jewelry.

A gemstone shouldn't look trapped.

It should look as though it has grown there.

The Floating Gemstone

One of the signatures of my designs is what I call my Floating Diamond Collection.

Rather than forcing a diamond into a traditional setting, I allow graceful twigs and branches to rise naturally beneath the stone, gently lifting it as if presenting a gift from the forest itself.

The result is light.

Air.

Movement.

The gemstone appears to float while remaining securely held by nature-inspired forms.

Nature Solves the Engineering

As I studied these branches, I realized something that made me smile.

Nature had already solved the hardest part.

Every twist and intersection creates incredible strength without looking heavy. The branches divide naturally, creating support points that are both beautiful and functional.

As a jeweler, my job isn't to improve upon nature.

My job is simply to listen.

More Than Jewelry

Every ring, pendant, and pair of earrings I create begins with observation.

A walk beneath the trees.

A winding root.

A tiny twig reaching toward the sunlight.

These quiet moments become precious metals, gemstones, and heirlooms that carry the spirit of the forest into everyday life.

When someone wears one of my designs, I hope they feel more than beauty.

I hope they feel connected to something timeless.

To growth.

To strength.

To nature itself.

Because sometimes the greatest designer has always been standing silently in the forest.

And I'm simply grateful to translate its work into jewelry.

---

❤️ Dawn Vertrees
Master Lost Wax Artist | Nature-Inspired Jewelry Designer

"Nature designs the prongs... I simply follow." 🌿💎

The Floating Diamond Bridal Set Grows: Sculpting the Companion Ring in Wax

Every bridal set begins with a vision. Today, that vision grows as the companion wedding band is sculpted by hand in wax. Designed to flow naturally around the floating diamond engagement ring, each twig is carefully shaped to look as though it grew together in nature—creating a bridal set that celebrates love, craftsmanship, and the beauty of the forest.

💚

Every collection has its quiet moments of growth. Today, I’m sharing the next chapter in the Floating Diamond Collection—the companion ring that completes the story.

Nature’s Continuing Embrace

The original Floating Diamond ring asks the eye to linger on the stone gently lifted by two sculpted leaves. This matching band (or second engagement option in the set) weaves the narrative further. Twigs flow organically around the finger while additional leaves rise to support and frame the design, creating a harmonious set that feels like it grew together.

In the wax stage shown here, you can see the hand-sculpted details: the flowing band with bark-like texture, the varied leaves that echo the engagement ring, and the way the structure cradles the diamond with lightness rather than heavy prongs.

From Wax to 14k Rose Gold

In about two weeks, this wax model will be cast in 14k rose gold. I envision a light oxidation to highlight the organic textures—the bark will catch subtle depth, while the polished leaves and diamond will shine in contrast. The warm rose tones will beautifully complement the green-to-purple hues often seen in the wax, bringing the piece fully to life.

The Full Set Vision

Worn together, the engagement ring and companion create a cohesive woodland-inspired bridal set. Each element supports the other, much like branches and leaves in nature. This design is ideal for those seeking something unique, meaningful, and free from traditional prong-heavy settings.

I’ll share casting updates, the finished metal version, and more process photos as this piece moves forward. Custom options are available—reach out if you’d like your own variation with different stones or details.

— Dawn

From Wax to Gold: The Artist Behind the Floating Leaf Ring

Creating the Floating Leaf Ring by Hand

🙑

The Tool Is Not the Artist

As I worked on my Floating Leaf Ring today, I realized something.

I use my wax pen much like a painter uses a fine brush. The tip of the pen is heated to nearly 500 degrees, and I guide molten wax exactly where I want it to flow.

My father was a painter. He was passionate about his art, and I understand that passion now more than ever.

He worked with color.

I work with wax.

He built images one brushstroke at a time.

I build jewelry one drop of wax at a time.

But the jewelry itself still begins the same way it always has—with an artist's vision and a pair of hands.

Every curve of a twig, every texture on a leaf, every adjustment made to create the illusion of a floating gemstone is sculpted by hand in wax before it ever becomes gold.

Technology is a tool.

The artist is the one who brings the design to life.

Today, as I held my wax pen and worked on the Floating Leaf Ring, I thought about my father and his paintbrush.

Different tools.

Different mediums.

The same passion to create.

— Dawn

 

Introducing the Floating Diamond Collection: Where Nature Lifts Light

Introducing the Floating Diamond Collection: Where Nature Lifts Light

 

Introducing the Floating Diamond Collection

Where Nature Lifts Light

For years, I have created nature-inspired jewelry featuring twigs, leaves, vines, and gemstones sculpted entirely by hand in wax.

Many of my designs begin the same way—with a simple question.

This collection began with one:

How can a diamond appear to float between two leaves?

As the jewelry world evolves, more people are discovering the beauty of lab-grown diamonds and gemstones. I wanted to create a design that embraced this new chapter while remaining true to the artistic style that has defined my work for years.

The result is the Floating Diamond Collection.

This ring features a diamond gently lifted and supported by two sculpted leaves emerging from a natural twig band. Rather than relying on traditional prongs as the visual focus, the leaves become part of the story—offering and protecting the gemstone while creating the illusion that it is suspended between them.

Every detail began as a hand-carved wax model. The bark texture, the shape of the leaves, and the flowing lines of the band were sculpted one cut at a time, allowing the design to grow naturally rather than forcing it into perfect symmetry.

Nature rarely grows in straight lines.

A branch twists.
A leaf bends.
A vine follows its own path.

I believe jewelry should do the same.

The Floating Diamond Collection combines the beauty of nature-inspired design with the brilliance of modern gemstones, creating pieces that feel as though they have grown around the stone rather than simply holding it in place.

This photograph shows the ring resting on a jeweler's mandrel—a fitting reminder that every finished piece begins at the workbench, where an idea slowly takes shape in wax before becoming jewelry.

This is the beginning of a new collection.

And like every collection before it, it begins with a sketch, a carving tool, and a love of nature.

Welcome to the Floating Diamond Collection.  — Dawn

Floating Leaf Collection Sketch – Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement Ring by Dawn Vertrees

 

Floating Leaf Collection
Sketch – Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement Ring by Dawn Vertrees

For years I have created nature-inspired jewelry featuring natural diamonds, rough gemstones, twigs, leaves, and organic forms sculpted by hand in wax.

As the jewelry world evolves, I wanted to create a design specifically for those who love the beauty of lab-grown diamonds and gemstones while still appreciating artistic craftsmanship and meaningful design.

This sketch marks the beginning of a new collection.

The Floating Leaf Engagement Ring was inspired by a simple question:

How can a gemstone appear to float between two leaves?

The design features a one-carat round faceted lab-grown diamond nestled between two sculpted leaves that rise gracefully from a textured twig band. Rather than relying on traditional jewelry styling, the leaves appear to lift and present the gemstone as if it had grown there naturally.

The result is a ring that feels organic, elegant, and timeless.

While this first design showcases a round lab-grown diamond, the setting is being developed to accommodate a variety of lab-grown gemstones, including:

• Lab-Grown Diamond
• Lab-Grown Emerald
• Lab-Grown Sapphire
• Lab-Grown Ruby

Each gemstone brings its own personality to the design while maintaining the same floating leaf concept.

This ring will eventually become part of a complete wedding set. The matching wedding band will feature a simple twig design that complements the engagement ring without competing with it. Together they create a harmonious woodland-inspired bridal set rooted in nature.

As with all Dawn Vertrees Jewelry designs, every detail begins as an idea, a sketch, and a hand-sculpted wax model before becoming a finished piece of jewelry.

The Floating Leaf Collection was inspired by a simple idea: a gemstone lifted and offered by nature.

Two sculpted leaves rise from an organic twig band, cradling a faceted gemstone so it appears to float between them. The design creates a sense of lightness and wonder, inviting the question, "How is the gemstone staying there?"

Available with lab-grown diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, and rubies, each piece celebrates beauty, craftsmanship, and the organic forms found in nature.

This is the first sketch.

The collection is still growing.

💗

Why the Original Always Matters

 

Why the Original Always Matters

Hand-sculpted twig engagement ring, an original design by Dawn Vertrees, featuring a brilliant rectangular center stone set in organic gold.

Twenty years ago, I began a journey into wax artistry, bringing the textures of the forest—twigs, leaves, and roots—to life in gold. When I brought my designs to Etsy in 2011, this organic, nature-inspired aesthetic was something I had pioneered.

An original hand-sculpted design by Dawn Vertrees in 14k rose gold with an antique finish, featuring a brilliant lab-created blue sapphire nestled in organic forest textures.

The Evolution of the Art

Today, you will see many manufacturers mass-producing "twig" and "leaf" rings using machines. They are chasing a trend; I am continuing a twenty-year tradition of hand-sculpted art.

A machine-made ring is a copy of a design. A Dawn Vertrees ring is an original piece of wearable art, hand-sculpted with the soul and intent that only an artist can provide.

An original hand-sculpted design by Dawn Vertrees, this 14k white gold wedding set features an oval lab-grown diamond and intricate organic leaf patterns.

A New Chapter: Lab-Grown Diamonds

I don't mind that the industry has followed my lead—it just proves that my vision for organic, non-traditional jewelry was right all along.

An original hand-sculpted engagement ring by Dawn Vertrees, featuring a brilliant lab-created stone set within a high-contrast, antiqued rose gold twig setting.

We are now pairing these signature, hand-sculpted settings with high-quality lab-grown diamonds. This combination offers you the perfect balance:

• The Original Vision: A design with the weight and texture of nature, perfected over two decades.

• Modern Brilliance: The ethical, durable, and breathtaking beauty of lab-grown stones.

If you want the piece that started the conversation, you are in the right place. Welcome to the next generation of Dawn Vertrees Designs.

An original, hand-sculpted Leaf & Berry engagement ring by Dawn Vertrees, masterfully crafted to capture the organic beauty of nature in fine metal.

Leaf & Berry Twig Ring

"This one-of-a-kind engagement ring features a 1ct center stone cradled by the organic, hand-sculpted textures of my signature leaf and berry motif. Every detail was meticulously shaped in wax by my own hands, ensuring that the final cast piece retains the authentic, tactile beauty of nature. This is not a mass-produced setting; it is an original work of art designed to celebrate the life and growth of your love story."