Thanks for Blog Hopping In! My Love Affair with Jewelry is Blossoming RIGHT NOW!

FIRST THINGS FIRST:

 

--->>   This is the Very First Blog Hop of the Very First B'sue Boutiques Build A Line Design Challenge!
--->>   At the very end of this post you will find the Full List of Participating Designers and all of our Blogs.

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Now to introduce myself:

I'm Jennifer Merrill Williams, Jewelry Designer and Lifelong Artist.

This luscious photo I concocted for my Etsy shop, LoveBeadz,  illustrates my love of jewelry design and vintage  treasures.

My earliest memory of jewelry is spending hours at age six or so, sorting through a small travel case filled with tangled 1960's plastic multistrand beaded necklaces. I was in the  Zone!
 
As I grew up, my Mom took me along when she volunteered at thrift shops, instilling in me an appreciation of vintage costume jewelry. (Some salvaged bracelet components from those days still live in my stash.)

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Mom lived in Baltimore, where I got my first taste of ancient and antique jewelry, visiting with her at The Walters Art Museum. I've since spent hours in the Museum's online Gold, Silver and Jewelry Collection. (Above: Lalique's "La Source" Pendant and Necklace, circa 1902, from the Museum's collection.)

 

Through the years, I added to my vintage jewelry collection, first for personal use and more recently for resale or redesign. Living in New York City, I found my treasures in thrift shops and flea markets. Once I even bought a fabulous Weiss pink rhinestone brooch from a man who walked up to me on the sidewalk! (At the time I knew nothing of designers, I just knew it was a must-have!) A roommate snapped the above photo of me styling in my collection. Below is some of my collection of beaded necklaces on display for sale.

 

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I was fascinated by the wide variety of handmade jewelry sold by New York City street vendors. Of course I couldn't buy everything I fell in love with! One fateful day, a vendor who was a Viet Nam veteran showed me how to make beaded earrings. Immediately I was hooked.

Since then, I've collected a zillion beads, tools and jewelry components. I've taken courses in metal working, enameling, fabricating jewelry using ancient techniques, and creating with precious metal clay. I've sold my both my own creations and vintage pieces through direct sales, commissions, street fairs, parties, co-op stores and online.

My vintage costume jewelry collection has grown around certain themes such as multi-strand beaded necklaces made in Japan, Hong Kong and West Germany. But I have never developed my identity as a jewelry designer in such an organized manner.
 

 My LoveBeadz jewelry designs tend to be one-of-a-kind, with the occasional series of pieces using similar colors and materials, such as the Valentine's Day earrings above. When displayed together, the variety of styles and colors can feel chaotic. 

When Brenda Sue Landsdowne announced B'sue Boutiques Build A Line Design Challenge, it was a LIGHT BULB MOMENT!  I am now on a mission to design and create my first official LoveBeadz jewelry line - a cohesive collection large enough for a customer to browse  for just the right style, size and color among similar-themed pieces. The Build A Line Challenge is incubating LoveBeads' very first Spring Collection.

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So What's My Line Already?
 

This blog post will not reveal exactly what I am developing for my first LoveBeadz jewelry line, but here are my inspirations and a sneak peek at some key design elements.

Ok, I'll give you a freebie: I'm kicking off my line with NECKLACES!

(No I did not make these.) 

I'm inspired by.....the style and elegance of vintage multi-strand beaded necklaces...

... with their multiple colors and materials in a harmonious color range.

 

 Fabulous high-quality metal filigree adding richness, depth and detail to the designs. Now filigree is gorgeous - one of my favorite inspirations - but here's a hint: My line won't use this much!  I'm carefully choosing from B'sue Boutiques' rich variety of filigree beads and components  in the sizes, color and finishes to complement my bead designs.

Finally, I looked at my personal jewelry collection. I keep the necklaces that I actually wear displayed in my room on this bulletin board that I painted with acrylics. I asked myself, what costume jewelry do I wear the most? When do I wear it? For what purpose am I most likely to buy a piece of jewelry for myself?

At that moment, my design focus switched from myself to my customer! For me, that 's what  B'sue Boutiques Build A Line Design Challenge is all about.

Now, Dear Reader, after all these  tantalizing hints, I wonder what image of LoveBeadz' new jewelry line you are developing? I'd love to hear from you!

Stay tuned - follow this Blog - I promise you 

More will be revealed!
 

Thank you again from Moi!

- Jennifer Merrill Williams, LoveBeadz Jewelry Designer -

 for hopping onto my Blog, Artists of All Stripes

 

 



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Participating Designers and their Blogs:

Brenda Sue Lansdowne
Jewelry Making Outside the Box
http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com/


Marcia Tuzzolino
Aurora Designs
http://auroradesignsjewelryblog.me./

Jann Tague
Clever Designs by Jann
https://janntague.wordpress.com/

Judy King
Apt To Wander Studio
https://apttowander.wordpress.com/

Linzi Alford
Magpie in the Sky, Spoil Heap Tales
http://magpieintheskyspoilheaptales.blogspot.co.uk/

Cynthia Wainscott
Exotic Peru
http://exoticperujewelry.blogspot.com

Carole Carlson
Beadsophisticate
https://beadsophisticate.wordpress.com

Lynn Stinten
Dragonzwench
http://www.dragonzwench.blogspot.com/

Marica Zammit
Bead Lovelies
http://www.beadlovelies.com

Catherine Shattuck
VRBrose
http://www.vrbrose.wordpress.com

Micheale Collie
The Vintage Gem
http://thevintagegem.blogspot.com

Mary Craig
Jewelry Alchemy
http://jewelryalchemy.wordpress.com

Lee Koopman
Strega Jewelry
http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com

Erin Whitacre
Shattered Time Jewelry
http://shatteredtimejewelry.wordpress.com

Monica Casady
MJCasady Copper Works
http://monica-casady.squarespace.com/blog/

Leila West
Leila Nicole Designs
http://leilanicoledesigns.blogspot.com/

Cindy Peterson
Howling Dog Jewelry
http://howlingdogjewelry.wordpress.com


Leila Belcher
Leila Bee Designs
http://leilabeedesigns.wordpress.com


Gloria Allen
Wings and Beads
http://www.wingsandbeads.blogspot.com/

Pamela Anger
Novegatti Designs
http://novegattidesigns.blogspot.com/

Tammy Adams
Paisley Lizard
http://www.paisleylizard.com/blog

Lynda O'Mara
Once Upon a Line
http://www.lomaracreative.com/Blog.php

Elizabeth Hildreth
Mad Scientists Designs
http://madscientistsdesigns.blogspot.com

Dana Hickey
Wind Dancer Studios
http://magpieapproved.blogspot.com

Janet Calardo
Jan Lea Designs
http://janleadesigns.blogspot.com/

Maria Clark
Sweet Willow Design
http://www.sweetwillowdesigns.blogspot.com

Lori Beekman
B.Accessorized
https://baccessorized.wordpress.com/

Jennifer Kroeger
Relic Charm
https://reliccharm.wordpress.com/

Amy Jorgensen
Hoarder's Corner
http://amemedesigns.wordpress.com

Robin Reed
Handcrafted Bead Designs
http://artistryhcbd.indiemade.com/

Ingrid Anderson
Lilis Gems
http://lilisgems.wordpress.com/

Louise O'Shields
Desire Divine Jewels
http://desiredivinejewels.blogspot.com/

Susan Killam
Killam Creative
http://www.KillamCreative.blogspot.com

Mary Katherine Deis
The Rose Sword: Artisan and Vintage Collectible Jewelry
http://theroseswordmdeis.blogspot.com

Nike Bottalico
Objects and Oddities
http://nikebottalico.com/

Susan Bowerman
Woodside Wireworks
www.woodsidewireworks.com

Kristy Le
Kristy Le Trendy Jewelry Designs
http://trendyjewelryle.blogspot.com/

Jan Peters
Stylized Vintage
http://stylizedvintage.blogspot.com

Mitzie Crider
Needful Luxuries Occasional Blog
http://needfulluxuries.blogspot.com/

Gina Hockett
Freestyle Elements
http://www.freestyleelements.blogspot.com

Linda Anderson
From the Bead Board
http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com

Alexandra Sefton
Imaginary Jewelry and Altered Art
http://wilywolverine.blogspot.com/

Melida Boman
The Journey of Pens and Things
http://thejourneyofpensandthings.blogspot.com

Teresa Schurter
TreeZ'S. Treasurs
http://treezstreazurs.com

Melissa Latimer
Smithed Up
http://smithedup.blogspot.com/

Renee Hong
Fine and Dandy Jewelry and Art
http://fineanddandyjewelry.blogspot.com

Nadine Edris
Moondance Jewelry
http://moondancejewelrymaine.blogspot.com

Lori Meyer
Parisienne Girl
https://parisiennegirldesign.wordpress.com/2015/01

Jennifer Merrill Williams
Artists of All Stripes
http://artistsofallstripes.blogspot.com

Denise Lussier Poirier
Jewelry By Denise
http://jewelrybydenise.wordpress.com

Renee Allen
Small Stuff Design
http://www.smallstuffdesign.com

Autumn Adams
Autumn Dawns
http://autumndawns.com/

Elizabeth Owens
1996 Shabby Lane
http://1996shabbylane.blogspot.com

Kat BarronMiller
Midnight Kat Productions Art Jewelry
http://mkpbeadart.blogspot.com

Sandra Ballard
Mama San's Mojo
http://mamasansmojo.blogspot.com/

Coral Law
http://abcoraldesign.blogspot.com