Saturday Sparkle: Tellurus

Today on Saturday Sparkle: Tellurus

In Peru and Bolivia, local potato farmers gaze up at the Pleiades star cluster on midwinter nights. They've done it for centuries. And, if the Pleiades are big and bright, they know that the rains yet to come are a forecast of abundant harvest. Interestingly enough, the folks at American Scientist (Volume 90: No: 5 Page: 428) have discovered that this belief isn't just superstition. When the Pleiades are big and bright, the El Nino conditions over the Pacific do bring rain, and glorious bounty.

And speaking of glorious bounty, do you have any idea why after all of the storms we've had in California this week, I might be happier than a potato farmer on Harvest day? Well, after seeing the sparkle on these earrings over at the Handmade Jewelry: Saturday Sparkle group on Flickr, I couldn't believe they were named the PLEIADES. What a perfect name for these earrings!

Today's gorgeous pearl and stone earrings were designed and handcrafted by independent artist, Jasmin Lee. Jasmin's business, Tellurus, is based in Singapore. Like the Pleiades, Jasmin's earrings feature big and bright faceted crystal quartz marquises and are topped with silver and silver-grey freshwater pearls accents. The ear wires are handcrafted from sterling silver, and the whole combination really gets the out-of-this-world gleam factor going. I just love them.

Like many jewelry designers, Jasmin started out addicted to beads and gems. She remembers being drawn to all the delicious colors, shapes and textures. After amassing a small stash of beads, she started making jewelry just so she could justify her habit of buying more. She started out giving accessory gifts to families and friends (but, her secret ambition was to start selling them). One day, a friend validated her ambition and suggested that she try selling, and that is how her business, Tellurus, began.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Jasmin about her love for handcrafting jewelry this week, and here is what she shared with us:

Jasmin, in what areas of jewelry do you specialize?

I do not mass produce or design around product lines; very often, I make only one or at most two pieces of a particular design, because I like to get unusual supplies in small quantities. I also try to make my work look cohesive in terms of colour compatibility and overall theme, but I love to mix up different shapes and textures. You might also say that bracelets are my specialty - out of all types of jewellery, I love to create these the most, and they seem to do well.

What are your top three sources of inspiration when creating your jewelry designs?

Colours in nature, places I've been to or seen, and different seasons. I guess I subconsciously try to re-create them or the moods they establish. This is reflected in my choice of natural gemstones, or should I say, it is also these wonderfully unique rocks that inspire me a lot.

Who is your greatest source of support when it comes to your jewelry business?
It would have to be my husband. He lets me indulge in my creative whims, doesn't complain if I sometimes work late nights or weekends, and hasn't nagged at me to get a "real job."That's all I could ask for, really.

I'd like to thank Jasmin from Tellurus for sharing her story as well has her beautiful PLEIADES earrings with us today. As Jasmin likes to say humbly, she's just a girl and her rocks. So, without taking offense to my next suggestion, perhaps I might be able to encourage you to get off yours today, if only to visit her wonderful websites and shop! I promise won't be sorry, the jewelry from Jasmin Lee at Tellurus is amazing:

Tellurus
Website: http://www.tellurus.com
Blog: http://peanutbutterfly.blogspot.com
Shop: http://beakee.etsy.com