Browsing Tag

Necklaces

Design

Functional Fashion:
The Tulry Utility Necklace

October 9, 2017

 

“A lot of everyday products are designed with a male-centric audience in mind,” says designer Nate Barr. He admits that he hadn’t really thought about that until his wife, Bryn, challenged him to think from the perspective of people who aren’t always empowered to speak up. Bryn also inspired his latest invention, the Tulry Utility Necklace.

Bryn said she loved the functionality of Nate’s tools, like the Multi-Tool Box of Wonders, but had no way to carry them. “She pointed out that dresses don’t have pockets. Jeans pockets are too tight, and a purse is never big enough,” Nate explains.  She encouraged him to create a unique way to solve this problem. The result marries an elegant jewelry design with a highly functional piece.

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Maker Stories

This Just In-spiration: Meet Amy Pfaffman

December 15, 2016

Our makers never fail to motivate us, encourage our creativity, and fill us with inspiration. So, when a new design enters our assortment, we’re always excited to learn more about the people behind the product.

What gets an artist going and keeps them creating is certainly worth sharing, and every great connection starts with a simple introduction. Meet Amy Pfaffman, creator of our Color Me Wonderful Necklace and Knitting Needle Statement Necklace.

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Maker Stories

Precious Gem Chakra Balancing Necklace:
Rocking the Chakras With Erwin List Sanchez and Deborah Stotzky

March 30, 2016

Erwin List Sanchez and Deborah Stotzky

Jewelry artists and devoted yogis Erwin List Sanchez and Deborah Stotzky, makers of our new Precious Gem Chakra Balancing Necklace, believe in beautiful stones – and not just because they’re pretty. They keep carefully-chosen pieces of quartz crystals around their studio because of the power they hold.

In yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda, the term “chakra” (Sanskrit for wheel) refers to human energy centers. There are seven main chakras in the human body. It was probably inevitable that Erwin and Deborah would create a necklace that beautifully visualizes these powerful, invisible forces.

 

Precious Gem Chakra Balancing Necklace | UncommonGoods

Precious Gem Chakra Balancing Necklace | UncommonGoods
Gems, from top to bottom: Amethyst, Indigo Sapphire, Topaz, Emerald, Citrine, Orange Sapphire, Ruby. (Note: Image is highly magnified. See below for actual size image of pendant on model.)

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Maker Stories

Beach Glass Beauties: Jeanne Kollecker’s Marvelous Marble Pendants

February 11, 2016

It was a magazine article that drew Jeanne Kollecker to the arts. “About five years ago, I read an article on beach glass in Lake Erie Living,” she explains. Intrigued, the Chardon, Ohio resident decided to search for some herself on the shores of Lake Erie near her house. “I started hunting and it became an addiction. I knew right away I wanted to turn it into jewelry. You can find a piece and just say, ‘Wow, this would make a great pendant, or an earring,’” she says. She took classes on silversmithing at the local community college, and kept looking for beach glass (so named when it comes from fresh water; sea glass comes from salt water). “Then,” she says, “I found my first marble.”

The beach marble, to the uninitiated, is more or less the holy grail of lakeside treasures — made all the more desirable by the many legends of the object’s origins (more on that below). “They’re such a rare find that when you find one, you do a happy dance,” says Jeanne, who manages a veterinary office by day. “The mystery of them is so much fun.”

As a proud member of The North American Sea Glass Association, she never alters the state of the marbles she finds. “I just wash them with warm soap and water.” The various colors, sizes and finishes of the baubles make each of her pieces unique. “Everything is one-of-a-kind” she says. “No one else in the world is wearing the same piece.”

She takes us through her process — and behind the mystery of the marbles.

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Maker Stories

Penmanship Meets Pendant: BB Becker’s Your Story Necklace

February 3, 2016

Jo and BB Becker | UncommonGoods
Falling in love prompted BB Becker’s first attempt to make jewelry in the 1980s; he deconstructed and transformed found pieces into charming gifts for his future bride. Today, his work is a collaborative effort that marries BB’s lovingly-designed sterling silver pendants with his wife Josephine’s graceful handwriting.

Your Story Necklace | UncommonGoodsThis particularly pensive medallion bears a meditation on the bonds we share with family and friends. With one corner curled over as if turning a page on your personal story, each one is engraved with a quotation handwritten in delicate cursive that reads: “The only people who truly know your story are the ones who help you write it.” A recent conversation with BB revealed how ancient art, a meaningful sentiment, and the devoted characters who fill our personal stories inspired the creation of this writerly, wearable artwork.

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Design

Stefanie Wolf’s Mosaic Necklace 7 Ways

January 15, 2016

We knew that jewelry designer Stefanie Wolf’s Mosaic Necklaces are beautiful, versatile pieces, but we didn’t know that just how many ways you can wear them until yesterday, when Stefanie sent us this great video showing seven ways. (We’ll admit, it’s three more than we’d thought of, and we LOVE the new suggestions.)

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Maker Stories

Inspirational Jewelry Artist Kathy Bransfield: Moved by Words Every Day of Her Life

October 6, 2015

Kathy Bransfield | UncommonGoods

When it comes to creating jewelry, Kathy Bransfield can’t stop, won’t stop. “My main drive is the fact that each piece has so many different meanings for its owner,” she says. “Whether it’s a piece with humor, a piece that can be a talisman of inner strength, a reminder of a precious friend or lover or a necklace that brings healing after a loss — this is what touches me the most and keeps my heart on fire.”

Bransfield, who works out of a studio three blocks from her home in Culver City, California — with her husband Eric and mother-in-law Rochelle — shared her off-the-chain story with us in a series of email exchanges.

When did you first know you wanted to be an artist?

As far back as I can remember! I loved to draw and do any type of craft project I could get my hands on. My dad told me I couldn’t refer to myself as an “artist” until I sold something. So when I was about 9 or 10, I would go door-to-door selling handmade Christmas tree ornaments. Later, I had the pleasure of painting alongside the ever so lovely Bob Ross (on his PBS show The Joy of Painting). I sold the oil paintings I did for $50 each — mainly to family, of course. I was 13 years old and felt I had proven dad wrong. Oddly, I still never refer to myself as an artist. Ha!

Nature is so integral to your work — and words, too. Why do you think that is?

As a kid I loved climbing trees so much that I would often sit on a specific high limb like a recliner and eat my lunch. I have always felt more connected to my own soul by being in nature. I’m also an avid scuba diver so a lot of my inspiration comes from under the sea as well as above. Seeing the shapes of the coral and the different types of grasses waving in the water is like being in a dream.

As for language, quotes have helped me through some of the most challenging times in my life. And they continue to aid me on a daily basis to keep things in perspective. They remind me about love, possibility and what’s important in life — how we should never give up on our dreams, never forget that dear loved one and, most importantly, never forget who we are.

KathySpace

What are your most essential tools?

By far, my vintage sets of letter stamps, my heart and my husband, Eric, who runs the business!

Is there a talisman you keep around you when you work?

Mostly, other artists’ work surrounds me in my studio — it reminds me of how much I want to strive to be more profound in my creative process. But I do display one thing I made in 1989 while living in Lake Tahoe. It hangs on the light of my bench and is made from an old pair of pants I had at the time, wooden and glass seed beads, vintage glass beads from the 1800s and amber teardrops. It’s filled with tiny treasures that have held meaning to me over my lifetime. The feather that sticks out represents my loving relationship with my husband.

Where do you typically draw inspiration for your pieces?

The obvious things make the list: hearing my children’s infectious laughter, traveling to beautiful places and engaging with great minds. I’m always trying to absorb the world around me with eyes wide open. I’ve found great quotes everywhere from a bathroom in a bar in Mexico to an inscription on a gravestone and everywhere in between. I love being moved by words every single day of my life.

Do you wear the pieces you make?

Never! I’ll be in conversation with someone that I’ve just met and they’ll ask me what I do. I tell them I make jewelry, and, immediately, they scan my empty neck and ears in confusion!

I'll Be There Necklace | UncommonGoods

Because sayings are so important in your jewelry, is there a quote or mantra that keeps you motivated?

There are probably too many, but I will try to restrain myself:
“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” —Oscar Wilde
“Wherever you go… there you are.”  (That’s me running in circles!)
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” —Marianne Williamson

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever gotten on one of your pieces?

Someone came to my booth at an arts and crafts show I did about 15 years ago. She showed me her necklace that she had bought from me years prior. It looked like it had been in a grease fire, and sat on by an elephant. A third of it consisted of her hair wound through it! I immediately offered to take it and clean it. She said absolutely not — she never ever took it off and never would. The story she told me of what it meant to her had me bowled over. She had only stopped by my booth to let me know and say thank you. It helped me to see my work and its meaning for others in a whole new light.

Best yet, Eric and I were up in the wine country in Northern California once. While standing in line to buy champagne, I noticed the couple behind us were wearing the matching Missing Piece Puzzle Necklaces. I awkwardly chatted them up asking where they had bought them. Their answer? UncommonGoods!

kathy1

See the Collection | UncommonGoods

Gift Guides

Elegant to Edgy: A Guide to Jewelry You’ll Love

July 30, 2015

See UncommonGoods' Jewelry Collection

As UncommonGoods’ Jewelry Buyer, I see a ton of the beautiful pieces that I bring into the assortment end up making fabulous gifts for stylish women. I love seeing my selections making people happy on birthdays and during the holidays, but I also enjoy thinking outside the gift box to find necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings that jewelry lovers will want to buy for themselves.

I hand-picked these pieces not only because they make me smile, but also because they span a variety of styles–classic, contemporary, elegant, edgy, and even eclectic.  Each design is special, unique, and totally unexpected, and I personally want them all for my own collection. (And I think you will too!)

3 Stone Sea Glass Necklace | Courtney Gillen | UncommonGoods

What is more nostalgic than sea glass? Courtney Gillen uses gorgeous real sea glass to make this necklace. It can be a wearable reminder of childhood days spent collecting rocks and shells at the beach or a tribute to a bygone seaside vacation. No matter why you wear it, it’s an easy way to keep the ocean close without going overboard with the nautical theme. | 3 Stone Sea Glass Necklace

Stalactite Slice Ring | Emilie Shapiro | UncommonGoodsThis statement ring truly does make a statement. Artist Emilie Shapiro is known for her use of gorgeous raw stones, and in this case, she goes all out. The eye-catching gem is actually a stalactite, formed over millions of years. One word: WOW. | Stalactite Slice Ring

 

Sterling Silver Wings Bangle | UncommonGoodsIt can be hard to take a chance when you don’t know what the outcome will be. The artist behind this beautiful bangle, Christine Street, uses the messaging “she took the leap and built her wings on the way down” to say it’s OK to take a chance and pursue a dream. | Sterling Silver Wings Bangle 

Tibetan Bell Necklace | Jen Pleasants | UncommonGoods

Inspired by meditative Tibetan bells, this handcrafted necklace makes a soft, soothing sound. As if the gentle tone wasn’t enough to bring on a serene smile, artist Jen Pleasants  finishes each bell clapper with a personal touch, a hanging heart. | Tibetan Bell Necklace

 

Mixed Metal Earrings | UncommonGoods

 

Fernanda Sibilia creates a rustic feel by hand-hammering these mixed metal circles and letting oxidation add its own special touch, a unique patina. No two earrings are the same, but those intentional imperfections make each set a perfect pair. | Trio Mixed Metal Earrings

 

Personalized Birch Cuff | Nancy Nelson | UncommonGoods

 

Nancy Nelson gets her inspiration, and materials, from nature. The bark that created the cast for this brass cuff is the perfect backdrop for Nancy to carve your initials. The little heart cutout is an extra drop of  sweetness. | Personalized Love Birch Cuff

 

Sky Glimmer Necklace | UncommonGoods

The artist behind this piece, Eileen Baumeister McIntyre, captures the feel of the sky as dawn breaks by adding glossy glass enamel to fine silver. The finished “petal” has a subtle, shimmery ombre effect that’s simple and sophisticated. | Sky Glimmer Necklace 

Hydrangea Gold Dipped Lace Necklace | UncommonGoods
Inspired by pre-Columbian jewelry, Tulianna Garces, takes lovely pieces of vintage-inspired lace and transforms them into gilded necklaces. The lace is dipped in 24kt gold and then meticulously cleaned by hand so the detail comes through, creating a special piece that isn’t easily replicated. | Hydrangea Gold Dipped Lace Necklace

Precious Dipped Lace Heart Necklace | UncomonGoods

The floral motif isn’t the only style that shines in dipped lace. The delicate fabric is the perfect starting point for Tulianna’s heart-shaped creations as well. | Precious Dipped Lace Heart Necklace & Mini Gold Dipped Lace Heart Earrings.

Penny for Your Thoughts Necklace | Trudy James | UncommonGoods

This whimsical necklace features an adorable mini penny!  Trudy James creates a teeny-tiny replica of a penny with perfect detail and places it in each pendant, so you won’t have to offer your spare change to get folks to tell you they think of this charming piece. They’ll pay you compliments unprompted. | A Penny for Your Thoughts Necklace

 

Golden Slice Agate Necklace | UncommonGoodsThe raw look of this shimmering stone is earthy, yet glamorous.  The designer, Lucy Dalton, hand selects each agate and then accents the chain with little gold nuggets to create a perfectly pretty piece with just the right amount of edge. | Golden Slice Agate Necklace

Anatomical Heart Pendant | UncommonGoods

Whether you love edgy jewelry, want to show off your interested in biology or anatomy, or just want a necklace that stands out, this piece by Justine Brooks is a great way to show that you march to the beat of your own heart.   | Anatomical Heart Pendant

 

Jewelry for Every Style | UncommonGoods