Where the Ocean Meets the Sand - A custom necklace inspired by Florida

Your walking along the shore.  You feel the wet sand under you feet.  Glancing back, you see your footprints leading the way back to where you've been.  Looking ahead all you see is possibilities.  You can go anywhere and your options are endless.  But you're called back to the water...

For my first custom design for Cousin Corporation, our assignment was to create something inspired by Florida because their company is based in Largo, FL.  We could choose anything at all about Florida to use as inspiration, but we had to use only Cousin beads in our creations.  Whether it was flamingos, citrus fruits, Disney, palm trees or something else all together.  I always chose the "something else" path less traveled. 

I created this custom beaded necklace I call Where the Ocean Meets the Sand. I started by laying out everything under the sun that might go into this necklace.  Initially I wasn't sure where my inspiration would take me... but here's what I started to play with.

Personally, I've always been drawn to water.  Sunrise, sunset, walks on the beach... and let's be honest, Florida being a peninsula has a LOT of beaches.  So I thought it was appropriate that my Florida inspired necklace feature the beautiful ocean and beaches.

As a focal, I selected an amber and teal colored geode slice. It's almost the shape of Florida (it's just missing the panhandle).  It paired perfectly with the teal seed bead mix and the amber seed bead mix from Cousin.  The mixes have a combination of bugle beads, 11/0 and 8/0 that worked to give this an organic, funky flow.  To finish the necklace I pulled in beautiful copper accents in bead caps and the toggle clasp, some amber gemstone nuggets and acrylic faceted beads.

This is one of those pieces that will go perfectly with turquoise outfits all summer and will blend marvelously into the fall earthy tones.  It's artistic and fun.  It's asymmetrical and still balanced.  I think I nailed Florida so perfectly that this piece should take a trip to Florida just for good measures! ;)

And because I needed some instant gratification in the sea of seed beads and all the looping to make this necklace, I created a pair of matching earrings.  The kidney ear wires and copper charms with crystal accents are both Cousin products.  The lampwork glass beads are from Juli Cannon of StudioJuls.  Yet another staple in my array of turquoise and copper... can you say LOVE?!?! 

Angelic Ethreal Pearl Jewelry

When we see pearls, we admire their soft finish, their beautiful luminescence and their elegant look.  Combined with Swarovski crystal, those pearls magnify their divine feeling. 

Sometimes the most elegant design speaks to the heart, on a soul level.  Earlier this summer, I took my jewelry to display at a really special event in Scottsdale, AZ.  There I met a woman that just embodies living your purpose and your passion.  She and I discussed having a necklace custom designed.  The colors that best suit her are warm, amber tones, earth tones, olive greens, terracotta and the like.

I had one necklace on my table that was made from beautiful white pearls and crystals.  It had a touch of silver, but was very elegant in contrast with such a vibrant pop of color.  The necklace sold to another client, but the original vision stuck in the mind of this amazing woman.  You see, she's living her passion and helping people to heal from the darkest of places in their lives.  She's lifting people up and helping them work through their addictions, take control of their actions and rise above their vices.

The way this pearl and crystal necklace spoke to her was like hearing angels singing.  The light, white balance of the necklace felt ethereal to her, so much like the work she's doing to help others.

I re-created a necklace very similarly with a tiny tweak to make it an original, one-of-a-kind design with the same ethereal feel.  Each piece I make is truly special, but when I have the ability to infuse love in the process that ultimately will be worn by a healer, I am the one who feels so richly blessed.

Thank you, Janet, for giving me the privilege of designing something so special for you!  I know you will wear the necklace beautifully and help so many women find their light!

{Hugs!}
Dawn

Classic Pearl Earrings add the nicest touch!

P.S.  Because I'm so excited and have a hard time keeping really fun things to myself, I wanted to give you a sneak peak into the project I'm working on for Cousin as my August project.  I'm not going to give you any hints (yet, until my dogs sit on me and make me do it) but I will show you the array of beads and components I'm working with to Rock the Casbah on my very first assignment.  Are you drooling yet?

"My Dear Dawn,

There are no words to express my joy and support of you.  I admire that you are owning how significant and meaningful your jewelry is.  Your packaging, announcing the arrival of a future heirloom, reflects your ownership of your talent, positive energy and labor of love.

I will be honored to wear my angelic necklace; I pray that, our combined energies with the intent to serve and love others, will indeed reach those whose hearts are willing to receive it.

With huggs, cheers and gratitude!"

Believe - Jewelry with a Message

1. Accept (something) as true; feel sure of the truth of: "the superintendent believed Lancaster's story".
2. Accept the statement of (someone) as true.

It's interesting what grabs our attention, as we're listening to music, watching tv, scrolling through Facebook and Twitter. As I'm dancing around on Pinterest, I have one board set up for inspiring quotes.  As I'm looking at it, I see a pattern in the words that capture my attention... Love, Dream, Believe.  I think everything in life has a message for us as we are all connected by energy.  SO it's no wonder that when I design jewelry, often these same words will show up in my custom creations.

I recently finished a custom order for a woman who has faced her own life challenges head on, followed her dream and now she's helping other people every single day.  She's using her gifts and her knowledge to help other people live better lives and literally feel better from the inside out. 

When we choose to follow the path to our dreams, it's not all straight and full of white picket fences.  People will think you are crazy at times to give up _________ (fill in the blank from your own experiences) which is well paying, has great benefits, predictable future in lieu of fulfilling your passion.

It's at this point that you need to look in the mirror, smile at the person you see looking back at you and tell them YOU Believe in them.  From the tips of the toes to the top of your head, believe in your dreams and work to achieve them. 

Why work tirelessly for someone else's dreams when you can put your energy and love into creating your own!  Believe...

What words speak to you?  If you'd like to have a special piece of jewelry custom designed with your special message, contact me via.  I love designing exclusive pieces of jewelry that hold deep meaning.  My beaded jewelry designs are more than just jewelry - they become part of your legacy.  Show the world who you are and pass down your message for generations to come!

Selected as Cousin Creative Circle Brand Ambassador

First, can I tell you how hard secrets are for me... especially good secrets.  When something wonderful happens (or is about to happen) I'm bursting at the seams to share and yet I have to keep my lips zipped.  It's like when you find the perfect Christmas present for your sweetie... and you HAVE to tell someone because it's burning a hole in your head, and you're so excited to see his face on Christmas morning when you surprise him, but you can't keep it in because all that Christmasy goodness would cause one to explode... Yes, I'm THAT excited!

I am honored and thrilled to have been selected by a panel of esteemed judges at Cousin Corporation to be on their Creative Circle as a brand ambassador for the upcoming year. (Click Here to read the press release.)  Out of hundreds of applicants, I was one of 5 jewelry artists chosen.  I'm thrilled because I use beads in an unconventional way!  It makes me very proud to be able to bring my form of art jewelry to a larger audience and help people think outside of the box.

Cousin is a 4th generation, family-run company which is so special to me.  As my jewelry is designed to be a legacy from the matriarch of the family to future generations, so is this company for the Cousin family.  I value family so much and I'd do anything for my family.  So to be welcomed as an official "Cousin" is an honor and a privilege.  (Useless Trivia that won't get me on Jeopardy: Jeff Cousin, President of Cousin Corp. was born in Beloit, WI about 45 minutes from me)

"Our Creative Circle program has absolutely surpassed our expectations," said Jeff Cousin, President. “We want to keep the craft of jewelry making relevant and maintain it as a growing art. We are excited to expand the program so we can show even more people that jewelry making is accessible and rewarding, and also introduce them to the Cousin brand.”  As Cousin Ambassadors they will have a platform to share ideas with the product development team, create projects for publications in magazines and on various social media platforms, preview upcoming programs and provide feedback about products before they go to market.

Over the next year, I'll be working with an incredible group of women to share our love of jewelry design.  We all have unique styles and bring something special to the Creative Circle.  We'll be working with the designers at Cousin to help test and try new products and give feedback to help enhance the art of jewelry design.

Designed for Tony Romo's Wife at the suggestion of my brother - Chain by Cousin

As my journey into the art of jewelry designs embraces this new adventure.  I have so many people to thank for inspiring me, teaching me and helping me to become ME!  My grandma taught me to crochet at a really young age, which translated into a few wire crochet jewelry pieces.  My mom taught me to sew and quilt which has been exponential helpful in creating the style of jewelry I create today, bead embroidery.  My mother-in-law who encouraged me that "surely you have a talent darling" and that I needed to "bling it up a bit."  My dear brother, Greg who has become an integral part of my business as an inspiration, an idea generator and over all quality control.  I'm so lucky he's so interested and passionate about that which I love doing so much.  My sisters Amy & Brenda, thank you both for appreciating my jewelry and allowing me to create special YOU-inspired designs.  Amy your wedding was such a joy to be able to create for. My numerous business mentors for believing in me, wearing my pieces, sharing my name and helping me to make good business decisions to grow the business I have built.

Finally, I have to thank Chris.  You're my soul mate and my best friend.  I thank you for allowing me to explore my creative side and find what my true calling is.  It gives me such joy to create pieces of jewelry for women I know love them and are going to pass them down to their daughters and granddaughters.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming year of sharing my creativity with the Cousin team and fellow members of the Cousin Creative Circle!  I'm honored and excited to embrace the possibilities!

Opening Night on Broadway - A Performance in Black and White

A journey blending opposing colors in an elegant jewelry design! 

Black & White

Yin & Yang

Darkness & Light

Off & On

As she sashays down the winding staircase, her heels click, click, click on the marble.  Her hand glides down the bannister and at last, she appears.  The woman of the night is here.  All heads turn, the room gets quiet.  Her sheer presence commands respect.

She's a vision adorned in black lace.  Pearls dangle from her ears and drape softly around her neck.  And on her wrist, she models an exclusive work of art.  Custom crafted beadwork all in black.  Accents in Swarovski crystal and pearls.  Women whisper, "I wonder where she got it?"  "I've never seen something so unique."  "That's so perfect for her!" 

The men smile ever so slightly, they know they'll be commissioning one-of-a-kind art for their wives too.  Maybe for a birthday, maybe for an anniversary.  A romantic dinner, flowers and the gift of jewelry will surprise her on a Tuesday night.  One thing is certain, you can win her heart with love and jewelry.

I want to thank Sally Russick for inspiring a group of creative souls to design in Black & White for this amazing challenge.  You can visit Sally and see the other incredible creations for this Black & White Challenge.

Druzy Jewelry for A Special Day of "I Do's"

Creating custom jewelry is an absolute passion of mine.  When I meet a client and get to know the woman, I can incorporate her personality, her tastes and her style into a one-of-a-kind piece of wearable art.  The process with which I get to know my clients is really special.  It's like dating... and it's ALL flowers and chocolates.  It's all about the mush love stuff and none of the awkward silence!

Why?  Because each piece of jewelry I design is exclusively custom made for a really special woman!

When I'm creating a unique design, I'm thinking about how the piece will be worn.  Is it for a special occasion, does it represent a family lineage, is it reflecting the personality of the woman I'm creating for?  Many times, I'm creating a piece of jewelry to accessorize a specific outfit.  The best way to design the piece is to see the outfit on my client!  With the help of Skype we can actually visit, you can show me how the outfit fits and I'll get a better feel for the piece of jewelry that would best compliment it.

Recently I was privileged to create jewelry for a very dear friend of mine.  Her daughter was getting married and she had an amazing dress as the Mother of the Bride.  It was spectacular, vibrant and truly showcased her sparkly personality to a 'T'!  I knew the jewelry had to compliment the dress AND absolutely had to show off her sparkly personality! 

The dress was a vibrant fuchsia pink with a vibrant paisley print in purples, yellows and whites.  I found the perfect paisley shape druzy focal with the most magnificent sparkle!  It became the jumping off point for a total rockstar cuff!  Because the dress was sleeveless, the cuff was a necessary focal piece.  I created complimenting earrings inspired by a tutorial in Beadwork magazine.  I pulled in all the hues in the print of the dress and made jewelry that can be worn with SO many outfits!
Druzy + Swarovski + Pearls = Art for your Wrist

In trying to capture the sparkle of this cuff, there was just no way to show you just how much it glistened in the sun.  I was so excited when I saw my good friend Kathy recorded a video of the cuff so you can see how the sunlight dances with the crystals and frolics on the druzy!  It's a whole bunch of happiness all packed into a one-of-a-kind custom cuff!  Thank you Kathy for recording this!

Meeting Tony Romo - Jewelry for his Wife AND Making My Brother's Dream Come True.

Can I tell you how special my brother Greg is?  And can I tell you I'd do anything to make him laugh, see him smile and make his dreams come true?

I had the experience of a lifetime this week as I was able to arrange for my brother Greg to meet one of his football idols in person.  Greg has been a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan (not sure how as he was born & raised in Wisconsin, but then I'm a Bear fan so I'll leave that alone).  Greg and my Dad even had a road trip a few years ago to drive all the way to Canton, OH to the Football Hall of Fame to witness the induction of Deion Sanders into the Hall of Fame and get his autograph... that's how big of a fan Greg is.

JOKE of the day... so a Bears Fan, a Cowboys Fan, a Packer Fan and a 49ers fan get into a car... yep, that was Myself, Greg, my sister Brenda and my mom... we're still laughing at ourselves.

Anyhow the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Tony Romo grew up in Burlington, WI just down the road from where we grew up.  Once a summer, he returns to his hometown to host a football camp for young football players locally.  When I heard he was coming to town, I put my fingers to work and was able to contact someone who put me in touch with one of Tony's really close personal friends.

As a team, we were able to arrange a meeting so Greg could meet Tony in person and get his autograph.  We were also able to sit in on a live press conference, that was really cool.  I gained a lot of respect for Tony via the message he shared at his press conference.  He spoke of making the most of your opportunities when they present themselves.  He spoke of having a dream and following it.  He also talked about how important it is to give back - in his case to the community, to charities and to the fans that are behind him through great games and "not so great" games.  His sincerity was touching and the way he connected with Greg and I felt like he was an old friend, someone we could go grab a burger and a beer with.

What was more amazing though, Greg didn't know we were actually going to meet him.  Greg knew he was in town for the camp and thought we were going to head over there with hopes we could catch a glimpse of him.  I envision him saying "Dawn, there he is... can you run and get his autograph" then having me take off in my flip flops running down the football field in pouring rain trying to catch up to the 6'2" superstar quarterback.  Now THAT would have been something to catch on video for YouTube.  LOL

So even with the thought that we might see him, Greg is always looking out for his big sister.  His thought was, well if we do actually get to see him, you should make a piece of jewelry for him to give his wife.  I'm sure she'd love your jewelry.  Okay, BRILLIANT THOUGHT dear brother... and why it never crossed my mind I'm still puzzled over.  So I did a little research on Tony Romo's wife to get a feel for her personal style, tastes and created something that I think she'll be pleased to wear.  She'll be able to root for the Dallas Cowboys without sporting that ginormous star logo.  The custom designed necklace I made would allow her to be classy and elegant, allowing her support for the team an her natural beauty shine.

It was an amazing day and a great memory that we will all cherish forever!  And if Tony Romo and his wife want to come to our family BBQ anytime, we'd like to extend an open invitation.  Thank you for taking a sincere interest in making Greg's dream come true!

If you're looking for classy Dallas Cowboys jewelry or custom designed jewelry to support your favorite team, I'm happy to design something for you!  Making something exclusive and one-of-a-kind is my specialty and I'd be honored to help you support your favorite team and have a unique piece of jewelry you can pass down as your legacy!