2023 Spooky Drop

My last drop was on April Fools! That feels like forever ago but at the same time it feels like yesterday. There has been a lot that has happened since then!

In April, my husband and I found out that we are expecting our first kid together! This ultimately put a halt to my jewelry production. I was worried about the fumes, chemicals and other irritants that I expose myself too when I work on my bench at home. I also started working more hours in preparation for Gold Daughters— and when I wasn’t there, my husband and I would be playing disc golf!

This drop has been a long time coming. I have had all the stones lined up on my bench just begging to be picked up and made into something beautiful! So when season ended for Gold Daughters at the end of September— I ordered more natural alternatives to the chemicals I was previously using. I also got a heavy duty respirator and new safety goggles that would fit over the mask! After that, it was all a blur!

I decided to work on each piece in sections so I wouldn’t overwhelm myself. I started with the bezels for everything and then worked on each piece in categories. The earrings were first, then pendants and finally the rings!

Earrings are not something I have really done before. I made my first pair of custom hoops as a commission for a dear friends birthday and that ultimately made me want to try a few new designs! I also know that not everyone is a ring wearer, so I needed to incorporate more, “one size fits all” hoops, dangles and studs! These were so fun to make and I will definitely be doing more earrings in future drops!

The pendants were another, “one size fits all” type of jewelry I wanted to include. I had duplicate stones that were too big for earrings and I didn’t want to make two different style rings. That is why I created a ring and a pendant! Necklaces can be cute, dainty or statement pieces for any occasion. I would like to add more in the future. Also, if you guys want chains included just let me know and I can have those on hand for future drops!

The rings are by far my favorite part. It is so fun picking out the bezels, whether it is the simple or detailed! Then pairing it with a simple or custom ring shank to help complete the piece. I’ve been trying my hand at creating custom shapes with silver wire and fell in LOVE with the little mammoth I put on the latest ivory piece! I will definitely be making more little mammoths with custom ivory rings, earrings and pendants in the future. I also keep my eye out for new stones as well but I am open to suggestions as well for what you would like to see in the next drop.

As for the baby— he will be due in December! So I want to do another drop before then for sure. We don’t have any names yet (my goodness it is hard to name a child!). We are planning on announcing the name after birth just to make sure it fits him. We are so excited, nervous and ready for this next step in our lives!

I don’t know if baby Ladines will put a delay on getting back to my bench but I plan on being more present in 2024! I appreciate all those who continue to support me, inspire me and help me along this journey of being a small business owner. The possibilities are quite endless. So I hope you enjoy the drop! Happy Halloween and stay safe out there.

Where does the time go?

In a blink of an eye March has come and gone. I can hardly believe it! I had a few pieces designed and ready to go but basketball took over my life and my bench was out of sight for three weeks. I had women’s league, the last of the conference games, regionals 1A & 4A, NABT and Gold Medal.

I can tell you that once I made it home from Juneau I was beyond excited to get these pieces going again. I had so many stones to work with! Meteorite, mystic topaz, mammoth, amethyst, variscite, moonstone, simulated birthstone, Montana sapphire and mosaic opal. I did have some Arizona peridot—but things didn’t go as planned so that’ll be for the next drop!

Obviously, the meteorite was the piece that took the longest but it was hands down my favorite one to make. I wanted to craft it with a surprise factor, which is why I threw two alien friends on the bottom of the setting. I originally only had one— but they looked kind of lonely.

I love to create in an environment that is familiar— so I started rewatching a few TV shows that I watched in college. I can coast through my work when the show is going. Some days I find a good radio station on Pandora and I can really get to work! My cats really appreciate the mini concerts I put on for them. Bottom line is— this drop was created when I was at peace. I want to reflect that in my work.

Enjoy my April Fools drop! It was fun, peaceful and exciting.

Two weeks and 17 rings later...

How has it already been two weeks and some change since the first launch? You know, it was very nerve wracking. I told myself I couldn’t look at my computer until the end of the day and to my surprise I had a few orders! That was rewarding—that was what reassured me that this leap of faith can be worth it.

I have had about 10 rings halfway made from class and it was so exciting to pick those back up and finish what I started last March! I had a few other new ideas and that included entering my first ever piece into a Valentines contest. I even went on a wild moose hunt for it! You see, the company is called Turquoise Moose and the piece I entered was turquoise. So naturally, I needed to go find a moose to make my piece complete!

I drove 45 miles out the road and by rotten luck I found a moose bedded down under a tree. I wish I could say rotten luck but honestly I said a few prayers and asked for some help from my Grandma Carol. She always supported me in everything I chose to do, so I figured she could pull some strings for me this time. It was such a peaceful encounter but the silence had never been so loud. It was just me and the moose.

Yes, I talked to it. I told it how beautiful it was and how I was so glad I found it. I told the moose why I was there—so it could help me maybe swing a few votes with my first ever piece of jewelry that I entered online. I got the pictures I needed and packed up my camera. I said my goodbyes and headed back to my truck. That ride home was rewarding and reassuring that my Grandma is with me—always.

The rest of the pieces were made from start to finish at my bench! That is so fun to say— AT MY BENCH! I really enjoyed the creativity and freedom of going to and leaving my workspace when needed. Overall— there was blood, sweat and singed cat hair put into this drop. Oh, singed cat hair? That’s a story for another time.

The First Drop

The results of my last class at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

These pieces were created in a studio surrounded by my twelve classmates. That made getting time on the torches near impossible. Each move I made was strategic and well thought out—if I were to gain any progress on getting my ideas from paper to physical metal work, I had to work fast.

There were a few mistakes along the way, naturally. So what did I do? I melted them into a little metal button. That’s right, melted all those mistakes into a glob of new possibilities. It is quite therapeutic to hammer out all of your frustrations and there isn’t anything more satisfying than metal doing exactly what you want it to do.

Looking at the final results give me a sense of joy. Finally, being able to hold what was only sketches of lead on paper a few weeks prior! The colors so bright, the metal glimmering at every angel and a balance the two give one another.

Each week I will continue to bring my ideas to life and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. I plan on making a journal entry for each drop— for those of you who are interested in the story of how they came to be. Again, thank you for your support and following me on this new journey!