Capitola Girl Jewelry Blog: Saturday Sparkle: 57 Design Studio

Who Sparkled This Saturday?

'57 Design Studio

Today for Saturday Sparkle, I have the privilege of showcasing a wonderful necklace titled Malachite Splendor, it come to us from Etsy seller Hilary at ’57 Design Studio. Hilary was taught the craft from Michele Busch of Michele Busch Jewelry (www.michelebusch.com). After a few weeks of continuous practice, she was a natural.

’57 Design Studio designs and handcrafts beautiful and complex pieces, with a distinctive high-end look. If I had to describe today’s featured necklace in one word, the word I would choose is resplendent. But since I can choose more than one, I’d also say this Malachite and gold maille necklace is fit for a Queen and splendid.

’57 Design Studio, where did you learn the different techniques that you use, like chainmailling?

Stringing, wrapping and looping were all taught to me by Michele. Chaining was something I did on my own. It started with my seeing a necklace, “Foxtail Pearl Float” by Anne E. Mitchell in Wirework, a special issue magazine published by Bead and Button. I loved the look of that necklace and the “chainmaille-bug” bit me … hard! I bought the book, Chain Mail Jewelry by Terry Taylor and Dylon Whyte to learn more. I was thrilled to find Dylon Whyte is also an Etsy seller (http://dylonwhyte.etsy.com), so I have a couple of his tutorials using complex weaves bookmarked!

When creating a design, what are your top 3 sources of inspiration?

First, I’m inspired by the materials themselves. I see things; they “speak” to me and a piece is born. Sometimes, items end up lying side-by-side on my studio table (in the chaotic mess all jewelry designers know), and I’ll get an idea, often with things I wouldn’t have thought to combine.

Second, fashion magazines. InStyle and Elle are my favorites. I used to design to Vogue, but found my pieces were a whole year ahead of the colors women were wearing. Off-the-rack lags behind haute by one year. When going through the magazines, I’m not looking at the jewelry, but the clothing. I design pieces to go with the clothing. I found Elle.com puts up pictures of all the designers’ shows as they happen, so sometimes I’ll spend hours going through the ready-to-wear runways and catwalks, piece by piece, looking for outfits I like.

Third, I’m inspired by pictures of antique jewelry. One of my favorite pieces, one I kept for myself, was inspired by a necklace I saw on a painting of Queen Elizabeth I.

Who has provided you with the greatest amount of support for your jewelry business?

My husband. He had his doubts at first, but when I started selling to people not known to me, he became convinced that I could do this. Because of his hard work, I’m able to devote myself to growing my business full-time.

If you had advice for a newbie who wanted to take his/her wire wrap skills to the next level by moving to chainmailling with harder metals, what would it be?

Go for it! Go check out Dylon Whyte’s Etsy shop. Chainmaille is relaxing. I find it as relaxing as crochet and cross-stitch. It’s not hard. There are some complex weaves, but once you’ve got the system to putting them together, they aren’t hard. But they are time-consuming. So if you have even an ounce of attention deficit, stay away from the big projects!