From Evolution to REVOLUTION...

Jewelry has always been my passion, even as a young child.  I went to arts and crafts camp and made rings and bracelets out of telephone wire and glass seed beads, made chains of pull tabs (like anyone remembers what THOSE are anymore!) and thought Mom's jewelry box was the coolest thing on the planet.  When I was 9 we visited D.C. and the Smitsonian and the Gems and Minerals exhibit and that was IT.  I was hooked!

After a rather long career in the cosmetology field during which I got to see some unbelievably gorgeous jewelry I knew I had to follow my star (or at least the sparkly things here on terra firma!) and I went through the GIA Graduate Gemologist/Accredited Jewelry Professional course (already had a pretty good base from all the studying I'd done over the years) and started dealing in fine jewelry, usually vintage.  Then came the day that I purchased a scrap lot for a couple of the good jewelry pieces, one of which was an ear cuff... and I thought, "I can DO that!"

I purchased some wire and beads and began practicing my art when I came across lampwork beads - my EarThings are still a great love but making jewelry with lampwork glass beads is just my Nirvana in terms of career choices.  Kind of like the Tim McGraw song... "I like it, I love it, I want some mo' of it..." 

At first I purchased beads that appealed to me, then I started focusing on particular bead artists whose work I particularly admired.  I still work with these amazing artists today and hope that my jewelry does their incredible beads justice.

I hope you will all feel free to use the comments system to offer suggestions - I am always open to constructive criticism!