Flash sale for my Birthday--Today only!!!

Today is my birthday and I'm having a Flash sale just for today to celebrate!  Use coupon code FLASH15 in my online etsy store to save 15% off any purchase! I am going to have a happy day, and I hope that you will too! Its a good day for a treat! Thank you again for all your loyal support!

Road to Health.....

I have not blogged in a long time, because I have been very ill.  After a year and a half of suffering, I finally figured out what caused me to have a variety of mysterious symptoms like: vertigo, joint pain, crushing headaches, memory loss, word retrial loss, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, loss of use of my right arm, loss of strength, tingling in my fingers and toes, loss of feeling in my fingers and toes, partial blindness, and fatigue so complete I could barely do anything.  I was chronically tired, in chronic pain, and my memory was like early onset dementia.  All this from a tiny tick bite that I had on the back of my neck.  It is Lyme Disease.  I have been treating my illness for 15 months now alternating between western and eastern protocols.  I am working full time again, although I do get tired more easily than I used to pre-Lyme.

I have had to adopt some very healthy habits too.  I now eat an anti-inflammatory diet (no wheat, no dairy, and no sugar), practice yoga, and meditate.  I eat organic fruits and veggies, use natural soaps and shampoos, and I am learning about essential oils. I have learned to take better care of myself and to listen to my body. Its startling to see photos of myself from the blog, because my treatment and commitment to health has allowed me to drop over 40 lbs.

I'm excited about participating in a project started by Victoria Takahashi, who challenged jewelers from all over the globe to make one earring a day.  I've made over 80 single earrings already! It has been quite challenging to make an earring a day and then list it on etsy.  Sometimes I have to do them in groups because some days I just do not have studio time!

You can see some great earrings on this pinterest board!


Visit my Etsy shop for single Earring a Day earrings, or put "EAD2015" into the Etsy search bar to see all of my colleagues' fine single earrings! Mix and match and be the artist who designs the pair!  

Next blog, I'll introduce you to my new "Guardian" series.... :D Stay healthy!

"Shaping the Forms of Life" Magazine Feature by Cece Nunn

I was thrilled to have freelance writer Cece Nunn write an article about my life and work for the new Wilmington Magazine, "Edge of the Carolinas".  This photo was taken while I was trying to work during the photoshoot for the article!  Orange Slice, our sun conure, was trying to get a better look and used my hair as a ladder.  Although silly, this photo is my favorite image from the article! I've had a few years that have been full of difficulty and now I'm looking forward to making new work!

byzantium brooch by Sara Westermark, 2011

Click on the link below to read the full article:

http://edgeofthecarolinas.com/articles/shaping-the-forms-of-life/

 

Sara in the studio with Jasper (green cheek), Orange Slice (sun) and Lemon Head (jenday)

Shop anytime online for my work at my Etsy Store:

making wedding bands from wire

I love the process of turning a length of wire into a wedding ring. 

Here's a brief tour.....

cut length of wires according to the size of band

hammered, formed and ready to solder

after soldering, the rings need lots of filing and sanding

finished rings have a polished interior for comfort and patina

Right now I'm having a sale on my custom handmade wedding bands in my Etsy Store!  I can also sell them individually if you would like just one.  As always thanks for reading!

Medieval Rings and Moon Rings

Today I'll be listing some rings in my Etsy store!  The light was perfect in my studio this morning, so I took photos.  The medieval rings have the barbells through them while the moon rings have the wide bands with holes.

L-R: Tapered Moon Ring with London Blue Topaz, Big Bang Moon Ring with Citrine, Medieval Ring with pink tourmaline, Twin Moon Ring with London Blue and Blue Topaz, Medieval Ring with London Blue Topaz, Aquamarine and green Tourmaline, and Big Bang Moon Ring with Prasiolite.

Don't forget to use coupon code SAVE20 to get your 20% off a purchase of $50 or more!

Save 20% when you spend $50+ at my Etsy store!

Thank you all for being the best customers!  Here's a coupon code to thank you for your continued support of my work. Click here for my Etsy Store or go to http://www.sarawestermark.etsy.com.  Use coupon code SAVE20.

Wedding Season is Here! Come celebrate it with me!

I have always loved weddings--and I have been to many weddings--some very traditional and some very non-traditional in which the bridesmaids dressed in their favorite comic character/heroine! For me the act of two people pledging their commitment, friendship, and love for each other is very moving and an enduring sign of hope.

I've been excited about the low prices of metal--so why not celebrate it during my wedding season with sales on my wedding bands!

photo by Ben Forster

This picture was taken at an Etsy customer's wedding by photographer Ben Forster.  What a wonderful photo of my square wedding rings.  These rings were created for my friends April and Mic, who are still blissfully married!

artist photo

At the Orange Street Arts Festival I met a sweet young couple who were both actors.  This was the wedding set created for Tia and Matt which reminded them of tree bark.

handmade round wedding bands, artist photo

Each set of bands are listed in my Etsy shop for $50 off regular prices.  I don't know how long this sale will last, so order soon!

Thanks again for reading!
Sara

Recent Rings!

Rose Cut Medieval Pink Sapphire Ring in  Sterling Silver

This past weekend was the first time in a long time that I have allowed myself  to play at my bench.  I wanted to work with these native cut gemstones that I bought a few years ago.  I love irregularly faceted stones. As things get more industrial and perfect, I find that I like to celebrate the things that look more natural. These "native cut" gemstones were cut just outside the mine. The stone cutter maximizes the amount of stone that can be cut by keeping as much material as possible--this also gives the stone its irregular shape. Each facet is cut by hand (using eyes without a machine to line up the facets) in which an experienced stone cutter uses slight angle variations while cutting to create a row of facets.

Rose Cut Medieval Prehnite Ring in Sterling Silver

It feels really good to be able to work!

Gratitude

Today my heart is filled with gratitude. I finally have received a reprieve from chronic nerve pain from my back injuries. I am still in some pain, but it is manageable. I am out of my neck collar from my last neck surgery! I am in the metal studio and getting back to work--albeit slowly--but I'm working. Thanks for all your patience. I've been feeling stuck and a bit blue from having to take time to heal from my December 21st cervical neck surgery.

Today, I noticed that all three of my Kiva Loans have been repaid, so I decided to use that money for new loans. Kiva is an organization that lends money to third world entrepreneurs to help them help themselves. It goes where the communities that are most impoverished by war, internal conflict with no government infrastructure. These people cannot get any aid--period. These loans are given in $25 increments by donors like you and me. Its much more than just a donation, these donations are loans that actually get repaid. For me its extending my hand to friends across the world who I just haven't met yet. With programs like these I hope to do my part to help out. I hope that you will consider lending $25 to help.

Here are some of the loans I've contributed to:
Saran from Sierra Leone
Margaret from Sierra Leone
Galeh from Sierra Leone (pictured above--her loan still needs funding)
I wanted to pick women from a region that has been so dreadfully torn about by the diamond trade. Since I'm a jeweler, I felt that this was a fitting place to begin. (Note: I use after-market diamonds in my work)

Another great way to spread Kiva is to purchase $25 gift cards in which the recipient picks their own loan recipient. After the loan is repaid, they can cash it out or reinvest it into another candidate. Thanks again for reading my post. I hope that you might be moved to do one small random act of kindness.

Custom Cross Pendant

I have been wanting to make a cross in my Byzantium style and yesterday I finally got the opportunity. It was my turn working as "shop girl" as my part of being a member of a Co-op gallery, Port City Pottery and Fine Crafts. After a long day of restocking my work, making sales and wrapping packages, a customer came in and asked if I made any crosses. I didn't, at least not yet.....

I have had one in mind for a long time, but custom orders tend to take priority over creating new work. So these crosses never got made. I tried to guide him to other jewelry shops in the Cotton Exchange, but they didn't have what he had in mind. I decided that this would force me to make a piece that I've been wanting to do for 2 years. So I asked his price range and I it was enough for what I had in mind. I sketched what I have been thinking about for so long and I was excited when he liked it too.

Tonight my customer picked it up and was thankful that I made it so quickly. It was just what I needed to get this piece out of my imagination. I got to meet his sister when he visited the Cotton Exchange and I loved talking to her about goats and kale. It is very rewarding to do something that is so meaningful. I just knew it was the right thing to do.

Holidays are nearly here!

1. I have a heart full of gratitude and joy as I pack up three sets of wedding rings ready in time for Christmas. I am so grateful for my customers--that you trust me to make rings for your special day. I am excited to complete two more custom orders to arrive in time for Christmas-each one of these are pieces that I will enjoy making.

I go on and on about this because on December 21st I'm going to have surgery. I have another herniated disk--this time in my neck. I will be so relieved to be out of the intense pain that I've been suffering with for the past 2 months. I have been able to work due to the double blessing and curse of strong painkillers. Apparently this is a common injury for someone who hunches over a workbench. (Insert here a plug for good posture! ha!).


This injury has forced me to do things differently. I need to learn to take time for myself and to not push myself. I will have to change the way I run my business and I might have to rely more on online and custom orders. I do love to do retail, because I love to meet and talk to my customers. All of this thinking has made me realize how grateful I am for my loyal customers. I really do have the best customers in the whole world. To all my customers, I thank you for a wonderful year and I look forward to a beautiful New Year!

Home for a few weeks...

I am home for a few weeks after an intense marathon of doing four back to back Art Shows. I do enjoy meeting all my customers and seeing their faces light up when they find the right piece.

ART SHOW Highlights:

At TACA in Nashville, Tennessee I met a woman who commissioned me to work with her on designing her wedding band with diamonds from her family. We decided on a tidal pool type of ring with a wide band with the diamonds set in rose gold. I am so excited to begin work on this.

At the St. James 4th Street Art show in Louisville (where I won an honorable mention prize), I met a lovely woman and cancer survivor and who unbeknownst to her just happens to be my new muse. (insert a smile here) She has incredible creative energy and I immediately connected with her and her daughter. She bought a hammered organic circle pendant with a champagne diamond in an 18k gold bezel. My mother and sister live in Louisville, so it was nice to get to visit them.

In Waynesboro, VA at the Fall Foliage Art Show I was thrilled to win 1st prize in the jewelry category. Its wonderful validation when your work gets recognized in a public way. Plus prize money is always a bonus! I don't know who does it, but the kettle corn popcorn at the show was the biggest and fluffiest I have ever tasted.

Stockley Gardens Art Show in Norfolk, VA was a great show and I got to room with fellow jeweler, Dolores Fawkes and her sister Pauline, who specializes in lampwork beads. The Virginia shows are closer for me to do than the Asheville NC shows, so I'll be looking for more shows in that area.

Now that I am home, I have taken my art show pieces and have them for sale at Port City Pottery and Fine Crafts located in the Cotton Exchange, Wilmington, NC. If you are in the area, stop by to see my larger pieces of work. On Tuesdays, I work in the gallery as well--so feel free to come by and say hello! Now I will have to get to work on my commissions. :D

Ring A Day Book by Lark Books!

I just got back from doing two back to back art shows, and was so thrilled to open a package with my "Ring a Day" book inside! "Ring a Day" is a beautiful book full of images from cover to cover. With its field guide type of feel, this book is brilliantly edited by Marthe Le Van and demonstrates the project's breadth and endless variety of rings. Some rings are novel, some are funny, some beautiful, some challenge practical notions of what is a ring.

For the reader--it is a book of inspiration, imagination, and a visual snap shot of the creative process. For me, it is eye candy. I have several rings in the books as well--so I'm slightly inclined to be in love with this book!!! Enjoy and be inspired!

Fall Shows!

I have updated my

2011 Fall Show Schedule:

September 23-25

TACA Art Show, Nashville, TN

September 30-October 2

St. James Court Art Show, Louisville KY (booth number FS-729)

October 15-16

Stockley Gardens in Norfolk, VA

November 25-26

Wilmington Art & Craft Show, Wilmington, NC

December 2-4

Columbus Winterfair in Columbus, OH

"Roman Ruins Necklace" photo by Larry Sanders

"unconventional" engagement ring

Custom Wedding Ring, a photo by sarawestermark on Flickr.

Another custom piece that I made for a bride-to-be. I liked it so much, that I made one for me too!

Mother's Necklace

Mother's Necklace, a photo by sarawestermark on Flickr.

I was thrilled to do a commission for my dear friend for a "Mother's Necklace". I really wanted to work in a silver/blue palate. I used the birthstones for each month of all the children. The top gemstone is an Australian bi-color Sapphire for September--it looks like aqua with some flashes of green. Small bi-color stones when they are set typically flash back one color with lively flashes of the other color. The square middle stone is a raw diamond for the month of April. I was thrilled to use cut and raw stones in this piece. The bright blue cabochon on the bottom is a Boulder Opal for October.

The silver is hand cut with a jeweler's saw and is from my Roman Ruins collection. This was one of my first ideas that I continue to explore. I didn't have words when I first did it, but one day I was describing it to a customer and then I realized how personal this design was.

My life so far has not gone in the direction that I planned after graduation from my Master's Program in Voice Performance. I had planned on making a career by singing art song and opera. I got married just after graduation, and truth be told for many of the wrong reasons, but mostly because I was scared to be on my own. After 4 years my marriage dissolved--but I have a beautiful daughter from it who is the love of my life.

I was 30 and a divorced single mother. Not the way I had planned it at all! I had no singing career and was working 3 part time jobs to make ends meet. As fate would have it, I met my current husband and soul mate not long after my divorce.

We married and I began to work at the community college teaching voice lessons. I began to dabble in making jewelry as a hobby. In a year we had a new baby boy and adopted my 10 year old niece. So my family went from 3 to 5 nearly overnight. I took the next big leap and decided to stay at home with my son and make extra income by making jewelry. I just kept on making and making and working the business.

Six years later, I am incredibly blessed with 3 children, a loving and supportive husband and a career.

For me this piece is about celebrating beauty in our brokenness, wrong turns, and twisted paths. It is about acceptance and trusting in my higher power. I am on a path to live as beautifully as I can. At moments I get glimpses of incredible love, beauty and peace. This would have not been possible if I had not made my "wrong turns". So I celebrate the duality of my life--the good and the bad. It is through being a jeweler that I became a whole person again.

Men's Jewelry

Mens Square Wedding band with Diamond, a photo by sarawestermark on Flickr.

I have been busy making custom pieces this week. This square band is typically part of my wedding set, but I wanted to add a champagne diamond to make it stand alone.

It makes me think about making more jewelry for Men. It is very heavy with a hammered and brushed texture.

Bottom Left: Men's Link Bracelet

Fabricated by hand out of sterling silver. Its got a nice heavy weight to it. Each link is 6x2mm in height and depth.

Project Runway 9-2 Ceylon Necklace

Project Runway 9-2 Ceylon Necklace, a photo by sarawestermark on Flickr.

This weeks Project Runway challenge was the Pet store challenge. Initially I have to confess that I was not excited about it--sometimes I doubt my ability to manipulate unusual materials. When I saw this dog bone--then I was excited! I was thrilled with how it turned out! I took a rubber dog bone and cut it with my jewelers saw. I connected them with a rust resistant steel wire I got at Harbor Freight. (I bought a pound of it for $5--that's how it was packaged too!)

I may even keep this piece. I made earrings to match--but its a bit busy with the necklace. They touch.

If you want to play, come and check out the EtsyMetal Blog for details!

Project Runway 9 "Come as You Are" Episode 1

Project Runway 9-1, a photo by sarawestermark on Flickr.

"Shard"
5cm x 4cm x 3cm
sterling silver, repurposed

I took this Project Runway Challenge as an opportunity to examine my bench--which is quite messy at the best of times. As I searched for scrap silver on my bench, I cleaned as I went along. Once I found enough silver, I melted the scrap and then rolled it out in my rolling mill. I loved how my blob of cooled molten silver turned into an organic freeform shape. I knew what I wanted to do next. I heated the surface to produce a partial reticulation, which in turn created texture. The hole in the middle naturally formed when I rolled it out.

Art Fair on the Square

I am absolutely thrilled to be invited to be a part of Art Fair on the Square in Madison, WI this coming weekend. (July 9-10) Its a far drive, but I think that the trip will be worth it. I have never been to Madison, and I'm anxious to visit. I hope that if you live nearby that you will stop by and see my work! I'm booth 351, just in case.

Tonight I'm in the studio finishing up some custom pieces. I always get nervous before a show and the best way I know to combat my nerves is to keep busy. Its quiet in the house and everyone is asleep. Pretty soon, I'll sleep too.

I feel such joy and hope when I think about this show. I'm excited to see what adventures lie ahead! See you at the Fair!