I was wondering where to begin blogging and thought that since quality is important to me as a consumer and as the creator of a product, that I would share my ideas on it with you. I’m hoping that through this blog you’ll get a better understanding of what you’re purchasing and from whom.
First of all, it is important to note that while I am an artist (and everyone knows artists are a little loopy but we technically are in our “right minds” according to brain dominance studies,) that I am also very detailed and methodical, traits which, when combined, create something glorious: beauty that lasts.
The Oxford dictionary defines the noun, quality, as “The standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something.” I happen to really like excellence. I can joke about Bill and Ted and their excellence, but seriously, excellence is important.
In my living room sits a mahogany wardrobe that belonged to my great-grandparents. It’s well over a hundred years old. In today’s throw-away world, there doesn’t seem to be as many products made with “excellence” in mind. Like my handed-down wardrobe, I would like the jewelry I make to be able to withstand the test of time. Sure, some of the pieces I make may follow a certain trend, but it will always be timeless.
As for the materials I use, I will touch briefly on these and explain more in future posts. Of course, number one on the list is stones. Precious, semi precious, natural, polished, faceted, I love them all. It’s amazing what colors have formed on our planet and how! While the stones often speak for themselves, one of the most important components in jewelry is the metals with which they are made. For silver jewelry, only sterling or fine silver is used; for gold, most is gold-filled allowing for the beauty of gold without the cost of solid gold but better wearing than plating. I for one, am not a fan of difficult jewelry clasps and therefore use the largest-practical lobster claw clasps on many necklaces. Bracelets are seldom a treat to put on oneself so I often use magnetic clasps that virtually close themselves. And yes, they are super-strong - strong enough to lift butter knives while you’re out to dinner!
Quality and excellence are important to me so I give them to you. Enjoy! ~Sheila