General Information


Thank you so much for visiting my jewelry web site. I hope you enjoyed the trip and are considering a purchase. The info presented here may answer questions you have on your mind.

If you see something you want to order, please order it ASAP because I do sell at Art Fairs and people's homes. I will remove items as soon as possible once they are sold. You will not see another piece the same and I do not take orders for multiple items that are the same. I do some custom work. Email or call me to discuss this if you have an idea.

Design and construction info:
All of my jewelry is designed and made by hand by me in my little shop in rural Minnesota. Each piece is made start to finish with no assembly line techniques. The process begins with a concept, moves to graph paper, and then to the silver. During this creative process many times the design takes an unexpected turn.

I use sterling silver or fine silver in all of my construction. Fine silver is .999% solid silver while sterling is .925% solid silver. The cabochons I buy are selected one by one for their size characteristics and color. I am able to choose freeform style cabs because I make my bezels by hand. I use hard solder in all of my jewelry for every step. I am sure you are wondering why that should matter to you. It matters because a more seamless solder line can be obtained and since hard solder is as close to sterling as possible, it will age and oxidize at almost the same rate and color.

I do not use artificial stones, man made stones, or base metal in my construction. Beaded pieces that are gold in color are vermeil not gold plated. Vermeil is sterling silver with a wash of 14K gold over the top.

As with all hand made art, there may be signs of the workers hands and tools. My jewelry is no exception. While I strive for perfection with each piece, human work is not perfect. You may see evidence of this in your purchases. You will surely know that your one of a kind item was not made by machine.

Pricing
One of a kind work is all that I make at this time. I do not sell wholesale and I do not exhibit in shops that jack prices up. When you buy from me you are getting what I consider the lowest price I can sell for. I base my pricing on the current silver market, design time and work time. Many times when you see a pendant that is considerably higher than the other it is due to the stone used and the silver weight. Silver has skyrocketed in the last year. The good part of that is that each piece you buy is a lifetime investment piece that will have permanent value.

Chains
At this time I am still able to include a chain with each pendant. I search high and low for the most reasonably priced chains that are still substantial and beautiful. I choose a chain that I feel enhances the pendant design. All of the chains I use can be switched to other chains you see displayed on this web site. Most of the time the switch will not involve extra $$. The heavier a pendant is, the heavier the chain I include with it and this is reflected in the price.

Sterling care
You can wash your item with warm soapy water and dry it with a clean very soft towel. If possible store your sterling in a dark place like a jewelry box or dresser drawer. Daylight and oxygen tarnish silver. I use polishing cloths often if the luster seems dull. Do not use dipping cleaners. They are very hard on the surface of the silver and will totally ruin most stones.