Charting the Path Future

As this year comes to an end, and I get ready to celebrate yet another birthday, I look toward the upcoming year and try to chart the path forward.

What exactly does that look like?

Well, first, let’s look back at this past year.

Every Friday at a Farmer’s Market during the Summer allowed me to meet many new artist friends. As well as, pay attention to WHO was purchasing/ interested in my Jewelry. The Farmer’s Market also allowed me to expand my audience by being invited to a variety of other Events.

Some NEW Designs.  

Some revisits to past Designs-while updating them. 

An expansion of products and materials-I am really enjoying the fun, whimsical home collection. I signed a lease, for only 3 months, as an experiment to see how well they would be received. 

A retail store has started carrying a selection of Gemstone Jewelry pieces-I am learning even more what is desired.

It has been a year of growth. As an Artist. As an individual.

I think that I know the path DeAndreaDesigns will be taking.

Retail-a shop within a shop. Where I do not have to be the face of DeAndreaDesigns, I can be the brain and the vision BEHIND DeAndreaDesigns. 

I have signed a lease for this upcoming year at just such a place. The hope/dream is that I am successful enough to have multiple locations in multiple cities. 

Finally becoming the Stay at home Puppy Daddy/Jewelry Designer that I have dreamed of. AND maybe a couple more dogs in the process.

“A Big Ole Honking Ring” Maybe

Today was another Event outside.

A Pop-Up Market Place in Lawrenceville, here in Pittsburgh. 

A GORGEOUS day. Not a cloud in the sky. 80-ish.

Enough sunshine to set the Gemstones dancing and singing in all their Glory.

If You know me, You KNOW I am definitely more of a Winter Person. BUT today was absolutely perfect.

Today, I was excited to show quite a few NEW pieces-ONE in particular.

THIS one, an 87 ct Tourmaline set in a bezel of braided .999 Silver, suspended from a chain of Biwa-style Pearls, in a lavender/gray color. With a ladder created with some extremely fine .925 Sterling Chain and Swarovski Crystal accents in PINK.

I have had this particular Gem in my collection for at least 2 years-One of those late night purchases during the Lockdown. So very early in the Pandemic-back when we had no idea just how long this crazy period in our lives was going to last. 

It was one of those pieces that I had NO CLUE what I would make out of it. 

BUT, HAD to have it.

2 years later, Insomnia hits-AGAIN. 

Little flashes of a finished product in those moments of fleeting sleep. 

A little more clear each night. 

Until the vision came complete a few nights ago. 

THEN, I hade to figure out how to actually make it happen.

JUST in time for this afternoon’s Marketplace

It is a TRUE Showpiece. 

That type of Statement Piece that I love to create. 

An essential to have Front and Center to attract attention to the set-up. EVEN if smaller earrings end up being the only thing on the shopping list.

It did exactly what I wanted it to do.

One lady who saw it from 2 booths away-Yes, I actually saw the attraction happen. 

She could not keep her eyes off the Tourmaline-not the finished piece, just the Gem. 

She told me that I should have made it into a “big Ole Honkin Ring” when I told her the story of how I didn’t know what to do with it for so long.

A ring really was my first impulse, but because of the size I thought twice about it-not knowing who would wear something that big. 

The Gem really is THAT HUGE.

“I would wear it” She said.

I told her to take a business card. If she is serious, I could/would rework the Gem for her.

We shall seeif she is serious.

I WILL rework it for her. 

IF she contacts me before it sells...

In the mean time here is the link to the website.

DeAndreaDesigns.com

Happy Shopping.

"Elevator Pitch” WHAT?

 The things that You learn in Your everyday job.

"Elevator Pitch”

I had never heard that term before-Although, everybody higher up assumed that we understood what it meant. Gladly, I was not the only one confused.

Apparently, when You meet someone new, it is how You describe what You do.

 QUICKLY. 

Assume that You are on an Elevator, and You only have until the next stop to tell Them about Your Work, Company, Art, YOURSELF.

So, for weeks, we worked on it-For someone else. It was a great learning experience.

THEN, I realize that I NEEDED one as well-ESPECIALLY when I am applying to different shows and events. They are always asking for something similar 

Having something prepared that can be used in any situation would definitely make Life easier.

It is A LOT more difficult than You would think.

                        ELEVATOR PITCH

Jewelry Design has been a long journey. 

Starting nearly 2 decades ago, until today, and beyond. 

Self taught, but guided by a few Amazing women. In the beginning.

The learning, growth, and the Journey continue. WITH unlimited potential.

Starting with .999 Fine silver wire.

It is Braided.

It is Twisted. 

It is Wrapped. 

Freshwater Pearls, Gemstones, or Swarovski Crystals are used to create a  piece of Art that You will be overjoyed to wear.

Diamond Planets? YES, Please

Planets made of Diamonds?

I have heard that they exist. 

I was intrigued. 

I starting researching-and quickly got distracted by how much it would be worth. I will, however, try to focus on the other facts that I discovered. Because they ARE fascinating.

There is one such planet in our "neighborhood”-in The Milky Way Galaxy. 

55 Cancri-e. 

It orbits the star Cancri, in the constellation of Cancer. 

At 40 Light Years away it is basically at the end the block. It is actually visible in the night sky, as would your neighbor’s Christmas Lights. 

55 Canci-e orbits its star in only 18 hours-making for a VERY fast Year-and we thought that the years flew by, the older we got. 

NOW, we know that Diamonds are created under intense pressure and intense heat. 

55 Cancri-e is PERFECT for Diamond production.

The planet is 3900 degrees F. 

It has a mass 8 times that of the Earth. A radius of 2 times ours. 

Officially, a Super-Earth. Not likely to have Life on the planet that would appreciate it being made of diamonds.

But WHY is it made of Diamonds? 

The atmosphere is made up primarily of Carbon-a key ingredient in diamonds that are the solidified version of carbon. Versus Hydrogen here-So Diamond and graphite instead of water and granite.

FINALLY, the Important question. 

        HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH?

$29 Nonillion-Seriously!!

I didn't know what a nonillion was either. 

It would be a “29” with 30 zeros following it! 

YES!! 

30 ZEROS!!!

$29,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

I cannot, JUST  CANNOT, even begin to fathom a dollar amount like that. Then again, I am a poor artist.

What DOES make me feel better about it is that not even Jeff Bezos could afford it, nor could he get a loan to purchase it. Nor could he use his little rocket to go pick it up.

NOW, back to work on DeAndreaDesigns.com so that someday I might be a not so poor artist

Opal vs Fire Opal

The biggest difference between an Opal and a Fire Opal?

The base color of the Gem.

Milky:                                         Orange-y                             

Opal Pendant

Fire Opal Lariat

          

Both have flashes of color from within the Gem.

An Opal, whether from Australia, Ethiopia, or Brazil will show flashes of all colors of the Rainbow.

A Fire Opal, whether from Mexico, Central America, or US, will show flashes of predominantly Reds, Yellows, and Oranges.

OPAL                                              FIRE OPAL

Enhance Creativity                         Awaken Inner Fire

Release Anger                                Release of Bottled Up Emotions-quickly, possibly

Claim Self Worth                           Increases Self-Confidence

Helps Express TRUE Self             Revitalize and Reenergize

Release Inhibitions                        Helps Heal Traumas of Past

Intensify Emotions                        Amplifies Energy

Helps Find Love                            Attracts Money and Customers  

Both are Fragile. Softer Gemstones that require a little extra caution and care. 

Avoidance of high heat, drying out, and bumping against hard surfaces. Simple damp cloth for polishing.

BUT, the Beauty of the Gem makes the precautions well worth the effort.

 

Simple Photographs of Opal are difficult, because the Beauty of the Gem is in the Colorplay. Colorplay that is usually only visible while viewing from multiple angles. SO video is my go to.

Why All the Spirals?

The other day at one of the Art/Craft Fairs that I have been doing, someone that has been following me for a while, asked me if there was a reason for all the spirals in many of the newer designs?

Without missing a beat, I told a story of when I am creating a Spiral, I start with an end of my wire-my center-and start wrapping, or Spiraling Out. 

Around and around. 

Each twist-no matter how wonky, crooked, or perfect-takes me one step further in my growth as an Artist/Person. Culminating in a finished piece of Art-and Personal Growth.

This flowed out without even a thought of why I was saying what I was saying. I was just speaking from My Heart-My Core.

As an Artist, I do what fells NATURAL at the time.

Yet, that had gotten me thinking about the WHY. 

Why the Spirals? 

And why All of a sudden-although, I have often used this motif in the past, but never SO MUCH?

So I did what everyone seems to do, a quick Internet search...

I  discovered that Spirals-such a simple design-have represented such concepts such as EVOLUTION, LIFE, CREATION...Anything but simple.

Artists in past civilizations, Celtic in particular, have used this symbol to represent/facilitate the creative process. Helping to release the creative process. Allowing them to tap into that part of their mind where Dreams and Intuition dominate. 

Bringing them into the Physical World.

So, without realizing it, I have been tapping into a part of my psyche that lies dormant-BUT NOT VERY DORMANT-and kinda restless. 

My Journey as an Artist has been series of Starts and Stops. Ups and Downs.

BUT I have never quit, even when roadblocks-Real or Imagined-have shown up, I have always sensed my path. 

Those “stops and starts”, I now realize were those “wonky or crooked twists”.

I have never given up the Dream. 

I have recently given That Dream a name.

#OperationStayatHomePuppyDaddy 

I still have to fight to stay on that path, in order to see just WHERE it will lead, but at least I KNOW that I am on the RIGHT Path.

Every Wonky, Crooked, or Perfect twist is one step closer to the realization of ME.

It is part of my Journey as an Artist. 

NEVER ALONE

Recently, for whatever reasons, I have been thinking about certain elements that have made themselves VERY apparent in my Jewelry Designs.
Specifically, BRAIDS. 
They have been present a lot more in recent designs. AND double braids particular.

Blue Topaz Satellite Pendant

I

began 
to 
wonder 
why.




It came to me when a coworker had to realize the consequences to some of their actions.
Nothing dire.
Basically, just what it means to be an Adult.

Those doubled strands of Silver are always on the same path. Going in the same direction.


Never 

Braided Silver Bangle Bracelet

alone

There may be twists and turns, sometimes not perfectly smooth or expected, BUT always there is the other present.

Fire Opal Pendant

It made me think that in Life, We are never alone.
There is always a guiding force-A Husband, A Wife, Our Parents, A Friend, Your Personal Goals, A Higher Power-guiding our way.
No matter the direction we are heading, we are aways heading somewhere.
Every path is leading us Home-back to Ourselves.
Sometimes We realize it, sometimes We feel like We are floundering. Meandering.



BUT We are always heading towards something.