ORANGE-A New Favorite

Lately I have been attracted to Orange Gemstones-as well as clothing and stuff.
Why? All of a sudden everything I want is Orange.
Could it be that a couple of months ago while cleaning my Rings I accidentally threw away my Mexican Fire Opal Ring? Still makes me sick to think about it.


So I started thinking about what the color Orange may say about a person.
And seeing how it is a new-ish attraction, I was curious to see if maybe my subconscious was trying to tell me something...Maybe?

Orane People tend to be...
Fearless-So long as there are no snakes around
Curious-YEP
Restless-YEP
Fickle-Sometimes
Good Natured and Popular-I like to think so
Flamboyant and Fun Loving-No and YES
Need to Socialize-I do enjoy my “ME” time a lot
Free Spirit/Follow One's Gut-OH YEAH!!

Maybe the Universe is telling me to get out more...OR have more Events in the Studio.
Come by next Friday evening. Bring a Friend.

Mother’s Day Happy Hour, 3-May

Cultured Diamonds

Or Lab-Created Diamonds...

Socially and environmentally ethical.
Chemically identical.
Physically identical.
Optically identical.

Eureka Diamond. Natural Diamond

Cultured Diamonds are “grown” from carbon and seeds of preexisting diamonds, and then undergoing Man-created high pressures, high temperatures, and Chemical Vapor Dispersion (CVD)...Similar to what would take years-MILLIONS of them.

Alright, that is all too technical for me. It is enough to know that these are NOT Simulants, or replacements.  They are for all technical purposes REAL. They are not CZs. They are not replacement stones.

I have been hearing about these lab-created gems for quite awhile now. Gems that are virtually indistinguishable from the “REAL” thing. The Cultured Diamonds are a recent discovery for me, although they have been around for a very long time-as early as 1879 when the first diamond was created, documented but not confirmed.

Recently, “Memorial Diamonds” have caught my attention...
We have all lost a Loved One. Someone that meant so much that we could not bear being apart from them.  Now there is a way to keep them with you at all times. By using a lock of their hair, or cremated ashes.  There is enough carbon available to create a piece of Jewelry that you will never want to take off. Something that becomes a Family Heirloom.

Just Me

I am going to take the easy way out of writing this one...
Just a video of Me talking about my two Favorite subjects-My Jewelry and Me.

This video was shot in my Studio by a good Friend Joe. Hopefully there will be more, but schedules get in the way sometimes...Again. all about finding Balance.

Going Live

The other day at the restaurant, one of my co-workers came up to me and said that she had been looking at my Facebook Fan Page. She mentioned that the pictures that I post of my Jewelry are-in her opinion-pretty good, but there are not many pictures of people WEARING the Jewelry.

Turquoise & FineSilver Necklace

She is a photographer-I think I forgot to mention that-and offered to set up a photo shoot with actual Live models.

It is true. I do realize my mannequin, Esmeralda, does not count. She tends to outshine the Jewelry.

I will take her up on the offer. It will be great to see what my Work looks like on-in the “REAL” World.


I am one of those Designers that will do something that, in my head, looks great. Will photograph well. YET, until I get to see it on someone, I do not know realize the FULL Vision-I love it when my Sister visits because she is willing to try on every new piece in the Studio, even the ones that are not her Favorites...Mostly because she knows that I may not have seen it on.

I have also started taking videos of my pieces as well.  I guess that a YouTube Channel is in the near future as well.

Inspiration’s Birthday

Well, today is the Birthday of my Niece.

Ordinarily I would not tell Y’all that, but she is a big part of the reason that I am here today.
Without her crawling onto my lap about 5 years ago asking,

Micro-Cascading Swarovski 

“Will you make me a piece of Jewelry?”
“Sure, what do you want?”
“I don’t care”
DeAndreaDesigns would probably would not have gotten out off the Dining Room table.


I cannot imagine ever saying,  “No” to that little girl, who is not so little anymore.

She truly does inspire many of the pieces I do. Even the Larger Bolder Pieces-they are just grown up versions of what I would do for her, or Pieces that I see her wearing once she is Older.
I have even had to grow DOWN some Designs for her.

Waiting for Spring

Waiting for Spring Sale

I am going to try it again. The “Waiting for Spring Sale” will happen on Sunday the 3rd of March. So if you are going to be in the Pittsburgh area that day between 12 and 3pm, please stop by and say, “HEY”

I mentioned that I have been having smaller events-Happy Hour Sales and Brunch Sales-here in store.
Most of the time they are extremely successful, but not all. The weather in Pittsburgh is fickle to say the least. And it just gets more fickle in winter. We can go from 60 degrees one day to 6-8 inches of snow the next.  But the opportunity to get together with Friends hanging out talking, laughing, eating and drinking, is ALWAYS worth the risk.

Mother Nature must have had plans for the 2 previous Events. She sent Snow to both-AND LOTS OF IT-keeping almost everyone at home.

Hopefully, not this time. I am getting lonely.

Here are some pictures of previous Events...

2nd Anniversary

I just realized that yesterday was my 2 year Anniversary of having my own Studio/Store. It is AMAZING at just how quickly time flies by.

I still remember being SO frustrated waiting to hear from the Landlord as to when I could get the keys. Waiting for the electricity to be turned on.
Waiting.
Waiting.
Waiting.
AND then waiting again for the new space to be completed.

New Designs continue to come in the middle of the night.
Ruby Rough and Ruby Quartz.

I still struggle. Trying to juggle everything that needs to be done.
The easy part is DeAndreaDesigns.
I still look forward to days in the Studio-Creating is what I LOVE!!!


I am still waiting tables to ensure that the bills get paid. I look forward to the day I do not HAVE to do this any longer, although I do still enjoy it.
I have had to find creative ways to spend time with Friends and Family.  I throw "Happy Hour Sales" and “Brunch Sales” here to get my Friends, New and LongTerm-never OLD, together.

I have learned that I need to ALWAYS be ON. Ready to talk about my Designs. Ready to whip out the business cards. Ready to talk.  This has probably been the most difficult part-Marketing Myself.

Now, I just signed the lease for yet one more year.

The lessons and learning continue, but I think if you ever get to a point of knowing EVERYTHING it is time to start something new.
I have too much to learn yet.