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ABOUT THE JEWELRY
 The whimsical cloisonné jewelry designs shown on this website are the items most often chosen by my patrons for gifts or for themselves.
In most pieces the base is either copper, or fine silver. Some enamel colors perform best on one metal or another.
Depending on the design, items may come either as a pin or a pendant. Silver based pieces have a soldered on pin catch. Copper pieces have a superior quality bar pin which is attached with epoxy.
Pendants have a tube which is soldered on the reverse side in a size that will carry a wire for beads. The clasps on the pendants are non-mechanical with a toggle fastening. The pendants are sized at about 22 inches long, which is a good size for the majority of people, but may be specially ordered in any length.
The use of beaded necklaces with the pendants is fairly recent. I believe it adds a colorful new dimension to the cloisonne´ work.
My long time friend, Mary Jo Stock, and I get take-out Chinese food and spend an evening now and then playing with my bead collection. Mary Jo has a great eye for color and arrangement--and the result is a wonderful asymmetrical melange of beads from all over the world. We have a great time.
So often studio time is solitary. I look forward to these times just having fun and stringing beads with my good friend. We often joke that we learned to string macaroni necklaces in kindergarten and when we reach the old age home we will still be stringing beads to maintain our motor skills.
Many of the jewelry pieces shown are on hand and may be ordered by telephone during business hours or by eMail. Allow 4-6 weeks to make up an item in special colors or with special details.
Some pieces are in their natural colors, others are colored at the whim of the artist and may be slightly different from those shown here.
Shipping for one jewelry item and a crush proof carton is generally about $1.50. Wisconsin residents must add 5.6% tax.
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ABOUT THE PATCHWORK BOXES:
Every winter, at the end of the art fair season, my attention turns to the fabric "stash" which has been accumulating throughout the year. With the basement wood stove roaring, I hibernate for weeks with my sewing machine and create new boxes for the coming year. The boxes are made in editions of five to ten of each design.
The subjects are determined by the fabrics available in that year. They may include anything from Amish colors to zebras. Some boxes may have fabric or patches that relate to things that grow: apples, leaves, strawberries, trees or vegetables. Animals are popular and may include birds or bird houses, bunnies, cats, dogs, fish, cows and chickens as well as whales, dolphins, dinosaurs, snakes, turtles and frogs. Insect life is another popular subject area so butterflies, dragonflies and lady bugs are used as a starting point.
Traditional quilt patch designs may feature hearts, fans, nine patches, pinwheels, baskets and stars. Other fabrics might suggest boxes with angels, babies, sailboats, lighthouses, folk art animals, floral designs and the most popular of all: Seminole strip pieced designs.
Often the fabrics seems to speak to me about what to do with the box. A lively bright colored cat fabric used for a lining may suggest a Seminole strip in intense primary colors with a companion fabric for the outside of the box. Other fabrics may lead to the color play in a traditional patchwork block. Still others may suggest a folk art design.
The cut and sewn box parts are then stored, leaving hand-sewn assembly for later. Enamel colors used in the cloisonne latch are coordinated to the colors of the box.
Boxes are available in three sizes: Square: 4 X. 4 X. 2 in. high, Oblong: 4 X. 6 X. 3 inches high, and Hexagon: 5.5 X. 3 inches high, though not all designs are available in all 3 sizes.
For a good selection, the best way to purchase a box is to attend an art fair
early in the day. Dropping me a note via eMail is a good way to check on what is currently in stock or ready to be made up and prices.
Completed boxes can be shipped by priority mail almost immediately. However, unfinished boxes may take several weeks to complete. In addition to choosing from my inventory, you may decide to use a decorator fabric that was used in your home, or search for a fabric that appeals to you. A box from your fabric requires a minimum of 1/4 yard of at least 50% cotton fabric. Please discuss this possibility by telephone or eMail before sending fabric. As with other special requests, four to six weeks are needed to complete the box and latch, and a quote that includes box price, carton, shipping and tax will be provided when inquiries are made. Payment by personal check or Visa/Mastercard is required before shipment.
There are amazing and beautiful fabrics out there just waiting to be made into a lovely box for you or someone special.
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