Finished Product

This was only the first round... 9 hours straight

The Creative Process

The creative process is always different for me depending on where my inspiration comes from and is entirely driven by my muse. I don't have any control or say in the matter. My muse starts to crank like a well oiled machine and keeps me creating until I can't see straight anymore. It's an adrenaline rush like no other and it doesn't let up until all the materials are used and the Jewelry is finished.

I sometimes wish that the process was a little less intrusive, because there really is no telling when the idea's are going to come in... it can be at 3am or 4:45 am and I'm laying wide awake with images of designs running through my head like a picture show.

Since I made the move to Hawaii...across the great divide... the "Creative Process" is more intense. It could be the fact that I design in a home totally embraced by Makaha Valley and the energy is very powerful, It's alive and has a very strong pulse.

This is the first time I have documented my experience with the "Creative Process." I wanted to share it with my friends, family and clients. It is a gift that I am truly grateful for. I love what I do... nothing thrills me more than bringing a piece of jewelry to life. A very dear friend once told me that people love my jewelry because I take everything that is good about me and channel that into each piece that I make. I never thought about it like that before because it comes so naturally to me and has for many years...she was absolutely right.

Here is my most recent experience with my muse. Our inspiration is a vision of several mermaids surrounding a treasure chest, they are pulling gem stones and beads out of the chest, trying the jewelry on, admiring themselves in mirrors. Simply divine....

Vintage Aphrodite Jewelry

I came across these photo's last night and wanted to share. Most were taken in 2007.

Kerry Malouf

Thanks to my friend Kerry Malouf, Beauty Expert / Makeup Artist

Aphrodite Jewelry will be featured in the April issue of German InStyle Magazine.

Kerry also introduced me to my Rep Katy Howard. So excited about the changes in store for Aphrodite Jewelry in 2011!!!

This is me when I first started making jewels

And so the story goes... I was 7 years old when my best friend Kendra and I took a trip to a horrible wedding in Fresno with my family. She and I spent most of our time working on creative projects. We could spend hours, days, weeks...there was no end to our creative time. On this trip Kendra brought with her a bead kit and showed me how to bead string. From that moment on I was hooked and so was she. It's been a life long passion that never ends. I am always reminded of Kendra every time someone asks how I got started making jewelry .

One of a kind

Let's be honest, I LOVE designing one of a kind pieces of jewelry. I don't like feeling limited or confined to making the same piece more than once. However, there are several pieces that I have made hundreds of times and I'm not complaining when I see the order in my fax machine :) It's the one of a kind designs that show my range as a designer and give me pleasure in the process of putting it all together!!

Loyal Clients

It brings me great joy and satisfaction to see how excited my clients get about my new designs. I have had many customers over the years. Some remain very loyal and have massive collections of my creations. It's interesting for me to look back at pieces from years or even months ago and see how much my designs have changed and evolved. This image was taken by my very dear friend and client Shonna Kline "gasp...my happy place"