When a Simple Berry Tells the Story...

The first glimpse of the Leaf & Berry Twig Ring. A little red berry inspired what would become the beginning of the Berry Collection.

Front view showing the intertwined branches rising to offer the center stone, a guiding principle behind my nature-inspired jewelry designs.

Side profile highlighting the bark texture, leaf detail, and substantial branch structure that form the foundation of the design.

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Every design has a beginning.

Sometimes it starts with a gemstone.
Sometimes it starts with a sketch.
And sometimes it starts with something so small that most people would overlook it.

For me, it started with a simple little red dot.

That tiny berry became the spark that inspired what is now growing into the Leaf & Berry Collection.

The ring shown here represents the earliest stage of that journey. At this point, the design is only about 30% complete. Like the vines and branches that inspire my work, it will continue to grow, change, and evolve as new ideas emerge and future versions are created.

The foundation begins with intertwined twig structures that naturally weave around the finger. Small leaves emerge from the branches while tiny berries appear throughout the design, creating the feeling of a living woodland vine rather than a traditional jewelry setting.

At the center, the branches rise upward and gently offer the stone. This reflects one of the guiding principles behind my work: gemstones should feel lifted and presented by nature, not simply held in place. The stone becomes a gift offered by the branches that grew around it.

The berries may be one of the smallest details in the design, yet they carry the greatest meaning. They serve as a reminder that inspiration can come from the simplest things. A single berry became the seed from which an entire collection began to grow.

This blog will follow the development of the Leaf & Berry Twig Ring as the design progresses from wax model to finished jewelry. Future updates will document design refinements, castings, gemstone variations, finished pieces, and new additions to the Berry Collection.

Today, it begins with a single berry.

Tomorrow, we'll see where it grows.

— Dawn Vertrees

Updated Wax Model & 14k Rose Gold Visualization

"Every design goes through a period of growth. After studying the original wax model, I refined the branch tips so they embrace the diamond more naturally, strengthening the feeling that the stone is being lifted and offered by the surrounding twigs. The updated wax model allowed me to fine-tune these small details before casting."

"Seeing the design visualized in 14k rose gold revealed details that are difficult to see in colored wax. The soft oxidation settles into the bark texture while the polished berries catch the light, creating contrast and bringing the organic elements to life. Comparing the wax model to the rose gold version helps me evaluate the flow, balance, and overall emotion of the piece."

"Sometimes a simple berry tells the story. What begins as a small accent becomes part of a larger journey, guiding the eye through the design and connecting every branch, leaf, and detail to the center stone. Each refinement brings the ring closer to my vision of nature gently presenting a precious gift."

From Story to Wax

Every custom piece begins with a conversation.

My client described her vision as delicate tree branches entwined together, with the season's first snowflakes settling on sparse leaves. Because her engagement ring needed to remain delicate to fit her size 4.5 finger, we chose to carry more of the story into the matching ring holder pendant.

The pendant became a place where nature, memory, and function could come together. Twisting branches form the structure, leaves represent life and growth, and a snowflake rests within the design. Surrounding it are tiny white gold spheres, capturing the feeling of snow flurries drifting through the winter air.

These photos show the journey from the original sketch to the developing wax model, where a client's vision slowly becomes a wearable piece of art.

Every piece begins with a story.

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Original concept sketch showing the client's vision for a nature-inspired ring holder pendant featuring entwined branches, leaves, and a snowflake motif.

Determining the size and proportions of the ring holder pendant before carving begins.

Keeping the soft wax aligned while building the framework of the ring holder pendant.

The ring holder pendant begins to take shape as the branches, leaves, and snowflake elements are refined in wax.

A digital visualization created from the wax model to help the client imagine the finished pendant.

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While wax models allow me to create and refine every detail of a design, they can sometimes be difficult for clients to visualize as finished jewelry.

Using AI-assisted imaging, I can create a digital representation of how a wax model may appear when cast and polished in precious metal. This helps bridge the gap between the wax stage and the finished piece, allowing clients to better understand the design before casting begins.

The design itself remains my original work. AI is simply being used as a visualization tool to help bring the concept to life.

Where Vines Hold Light — Forest Design Collection

It started with a feeling I couldn’t ignore.

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A deep blue sapphire lifted by flowing vine-like gold
—where nature’s movement meets quiet strength.

The first image captures that moment when everything begins to settle into place—soft movement, natural curves, and a stone that feels alive within the design. The rose gold carries warmth, while the sapphire draws you inward, like something discovered rather than set.

A closer look at the flow
—each vine wraps with intention,
lifting the sapphire as if grown into place.

As you move to the next, the perspective shifts. The structure reveals itself more clearly—the way each vine wraps, not to confine, but to support. There’s intention in every line, yet nothing feels forced. It grows the way nature does—quietly, organically.

The same form, reimagined in light
—where a diamond is lifted and offered within flowing gold.

Then the story changes slightly.

A diamond takes the place of color, and suddenly the design speaks in light instead of depth. The form remains the same, but the emotion shifts—cleaner, brighter, yet still grounded in that same flowing structure.

In white gold, the movement sharpens
—cool tones revealing every ridge, every shadow,
every line that carries the stone forward.

In white gold, the piece becomes something else again. Cooler, more refined, the textures stand out differently. The contrast between light and shadow deepens, and the organic lines feel almost sculptural.

The full expression—two rings grown from the same form,
flowing together as one continuous movement, lifting the stone in quiet harmony.

And finally, the full composition.

The wedding set brings everything together. The curves extend, the movement continues, and the design feels complete—not as a single piece, but as something that belongs together. Each ring flows into the next, like branches from the same root.

This collection was never about holding a stone in place.

It was about lifting it.

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Letting it exist within something that feels grown, not made—so that when it’s worn, it carries more than beauty.

It carries feeling.

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The Beginning of the Oakwood Twig Collection

Oakwood Twig Collection — where growth becomes form.

Oakwood Twig Collection

Inspired by Growth. Made with Meaning.

There are moments in the creative process where everything begins to align—where an idea stops being a thought and starts becoming something real.

This is one of those moments.

The oak leaf—strength,
structure, and naturally guided form.

At the center of this collection is the first ring.

This is where it begins.

I will be starting this piece in wax, shaping it by hand—allowing the form to develop the same way branches do: not forced, but guided. The stone is not simply set; it is lifted and offered, held by the structure like a gift formed by the earth itself.

This is the foundation piece. Everything else grows from here.

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The acorn—small, grounded, and full of potential.
Where growth begins.

Nature doesn’t rush, and it doesn’t repeat itself perfectly—and that’s the point.

The oak leaf carries strength and identity. The acorn represents beginnings—small, grounded, and full of potential. Together, they tell a story of growth, endurance, and quiet power.

That story is what this collection is built on.

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The first ring now begins in wax—
where each curve will be shaped by hand,
guided by the same natural movement that inspired it.

 

Oakwood Twig Collection Sketch Designs

Oakwood Twig Collection Sketch Designs

The Oakwood Twig Collection

The Oakwood Twig Collection begins here—where nature wraps, lifts, and offers each piece like a gift.

You don’t design in straight lines—and this collection doesn’t either.

It grew the same way branches do—naturally, without force, each curve finding its place. Every twig wraps with intention, every leaf settles where it belongs, and every detail is built to feel like it was always meant to be there.

These pieces aren’t just inspired by nature…
They’re guided by it.

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Where It Began

The rings are where this collection first took root.

Twigs wrap around the band like growing branches, forming structure without feeling rigid. Oak leaves layer gently into the design, creating a sense of protection and movement at the same time.

Crafted in sterling silver with 14K rose gold leaves, finished with soft oxidation in the recesses and a gentle polish, these pieces balance contrast and warmth in a way that feels natural and effortless.

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The Collection Grows

From there, the collection began to expand.

A sterling silver pendant lifts and presents a moss agate stone, wrapped in flowing twig forms and accented with oak leaves—never held tightly, always offered.

The earrings carry that same movement—light, organic, and alive—formed from oxidized sterling silver branches with oak leaves and acorns that feel as if they’ve grown into place.

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A Natural Pairing

The collection also moves into more personal pieces.

A solitaire engagement ring with a 1ct round diamond pairs with a coordinating oak leaf band, bringing structure and symbolism together. The design allows the stone to feel lifted and presented, while the band continues the language of natural growth.

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Still Growing

This collection is not finished—and it’s not meant to be.

Some pieces will remain simple and quiet. Others will grow more detailed and layered. But every design will follow the same path—guided by nature, shaped with intention, and created to be felt as much as seen.

These pieces already exist—just not in metal yet.
They’ve taken shape here first.

And I can’t wait to show you what they become.

Three Mushrooms, One Journey

 

Three Mushrooms, One Journey

  

Beneath the surface, where life quietly forms, three mushrooms rise.

The Explorer. The Watcher. The Newcomer.

Each one carries a different moment in the same journey.

Where the Story Begins

A single branch rises, holding three lives at different stages.

This ring wasn’t designed—it grew.
The branches formed first, and the mushrooms followed, each finding its place naturally within the structure.

Three Paths, One Form

Three forms, each moving in its own direction.

If you look closely, no two mushrooms move the same way.

One reaches outward, one remains still, and one is just beginning to emerge.

The Explorer

The Explorer leans away from the others—drawn outward.

It represents the part of us that moves forward without certainty…

simply because something inside says go.

The Watcher

The Watcher stands steady at the center.

Not everything needs to move to grow.
Some things deepen by simply being present.

The Newcomer

Held by the forest

The branches wrap and support each form, not forcing direction—only holding space.

Every line, every texture was left intentionally, so when oxidation settles in, the depth reveals itself—just like bark on a tree.

This piece isn’t just worn… it’s felt.

Forest Forms: Mushroom Earrings in Motion

Grown from quiet places—where the forest holds its breath and life begins again.

 

These earrings were not designed—they were grown.

Each curve follows the quiet logic of the forest, where vines twist without force and mushrooms emerge in their own time. The branches wrap and reach as if guided by something unseen, holding small mushroom forms that feel discovered rather than placed.

There is a softness in their movement, a natural rhythm that resists symmetry and embraces life. No two lines feel rigid—everything flows, like growth finding its way through light and shadow.

Rooted in nature, refined by hand—where wild growth meets quiet elegance.

When worn, they don’t just decorate—they carry a feeling. A memory of walking through woods after rain. The stillness. The quiet presence of something ancient and alive.

Every line, every texture—shaped to feel like it grew this way.

This is what I felt while creating them.

And now, they carry that feeling forward.

The Explorer, The Watcher & The Newcomer: A Mushroom Ring in Wax

This piece marks the beginning of something growing.

Not just a design, but a collection shaped by quiet moments in nature — where mushrooms rise, unseen, weaving life beneath the surface.

The Explorer, The Watcher, and The Newcomer are not just forms… they are stages of presence. Each one created in wax, guided by instinct, and brought to life in metal to be felt, not just worn.

These are not finished pieces.

They are thoughts.
Moments.
Decisions still being made.

Every curve is still alive… still changing.

The Newcomer begins to take shape in wax,
rising alongside the Explorer and the Watcher.

The Explorer, the Watcher, and the Newcomer rise together
—three forms growing from the same root in wax.

There are three.

Not placed. Not planned.

They found their way there… the way things in nature always do.

They grew between the twigs.

The first is the Explorer.

It reaches outward, leaning just a little further than the others.

Curious. Unafraid.

It doesn’t follow the line of the band—it follows something unseen.

The Explorer is movement.

The part of us that steps forward without knowing what comes next.

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The second is the Watcher.

It stays close, slightly tucked into the protection of the twigs.

Not hidden—just aware.

It sees everything.

The Watcher is stillness.

The quiet understanding that not everything needs to be rushed.

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And then… there is the Newcomer.

Smaller. Softer.

Just beginning to take its place among the others.

It hasn’t decided what it will become yet.

The Newcomer is possibility.

The beginning of something not yet defined.

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They do not compete.

They grow together.

Each one shaped by the same roots…

but each one becoming something entirely its own.

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The twigs are not just structure.

They are the forest.

The path.

The support.

They twist, split, and open—

creating the space where life emerges.

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This ring is not about perfection.

It is about growth.

About where you’ve been…

where you stand…

and what is just beginning.

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Three mushrooms.

Three personalities.

One story.

“Roots & Origins” Collection: When a Tree Helped Me Finish a Ring

The first vision of the design — branches lifting the diamond as if offering it to the light.

In my previous post I shared the beginning of this ring design and the early stages of the wax sculpture.

But like many handmade pieces, there comes a moment when the design pauses. The diamond and the branches that would lift it were already forming, but when I reached the base of the ring, I couldn’t clearly see how it wanted to grow.

So I stepped away from the bench and went outside.

In the yard is a small Japanese maple tree. As I looked closely at the trunk and the way the branches move and divide, the answer suddenly appeared.

The twisting trunk showed me the movement for the base of the ring.
The branches showed me how the structure could naturally rise and support the stone.

Nature had already solved the problem.

Years ago when I lived in Florida, banyan trees first inspired my Leaf & Twig designs. Their roots and branches showed me how nature supports life and weight without forcing it.

This time, a Japanese maple helped finish the idea.

Sometimes the best design teacher is simply looking at the world around us.

The ring begins to take shape in wax, where twisting limbs grow upward to cradle the stone.

 

The Japanese maple that revealed the movement and structure for the base of the ring.

Held by the Twig Weave

 

Twig Weave rough diamond ring and pendant in sterling silver — organically formed twigs cradling ethically sourced Canadian rough diamonds.

Twig Weave is a continuation of that story.

Each piece cradles a natural, ethically sourced rough diamond from the Canadian mines — untouched, unpolished, and radiant in its raw truth. The ring holds an approximate 1.8ct rough diamond, while the pendant carries approximately 1.6ct. No two stones are ever alike. Each one forms its own presence within the weave.

The twigs are not prongs.

They are protectors.

They wrap and rise as though they have grown around something precious, holding the diamond in place the way nature would — gently, intentionally, organically.

The necklace has become one of our most loved designs in Sterling Silver and Gold. The ring is a new addition to the Twig Weave story, available in Sterling Silver and 14k Gold, made to order and crafted in your exact size.

These are one-of-a-kind pieces.

Raw. Rooted. Alive.

If one speaks to you, let it find you.

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The Palette of an Artist: The Artist's Palette and Nature's Signature

"This image perfectly illustrates my philosophy: the gold smear was created with a palette knife, treating precious metal just as a painter treats paint on a canvas. It is the signature of an artist inspired by nature."

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While I work with precious metals and gemstones, the traditional title of "jeweler" has never felt like the complete picture of what I do. When people see my work, like the piece in the image above, I explain that I see myself as an artist whose medium happens to be jewelry.

The image below the ring perfectly illustrates my philosophy. The gold smear, created with a painter's palette knife, symbolizes my sculptural approach to the craft. Just as a painter uses brushes to create a painting on canvas, I use carving tools to sculpt intricate details in wax. To me, that wax is simply my paint, and nature is my inspiration. 

My designs are different from the symmetrical, traditional pieces you often find in standard jewelry stores. They are wearable sculptures inspired by raw, untamed beauty.

Wearing a DV design is like wearing a tiny, intricate piece of art where you can see organic details that are unique to my hand-carved process.

The Dogwood Serenade

Dogwood Wax Model

Dogwood Necklace
Cast in Sterling Silver

When words failed, the North Carolina Dogwood spoke for me. This intricate wax design from January 2008 is a perfect example of my visual language.

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 This photo captures the very essence of my passion: the raw wax carving for the North Carolina Dogwood flower, created back in January 2008. This delicate shaping process is my true language.

Unlike the clamor of the hammer, the quiet, meticulous work of lost wax sculpting allowed my hands to perfectly translate the gentle curve of each petal and the smooth texture of the berries. It is a piece born directly from the peace and quiet poetry of the foothills.

Over a thousand wax designs have flowed from my fingers over twenty years, but this Dogwood remains a cherished sentence in my visual diary—a constant reminder of the gift I was given in the woods.

Which natural beauty from your childhood holds the deepest memory?

 — Dawn, Sculpting Stories Since 2004.

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