June 2015 Update

Its been awhile since I posted a weekly or monthly update. Lots of new exciting projects going on in the studio as well as life events!

This year has gone by so fast, as we approach almost the halfway mark in the year I tend to reevaluate goals, products, and many other business ventures. Sometimes we set out to do so much and before you know it the holidays are here, leaving little room to implement new ideas for that calendar year.

During the winter months this year (which felt like forever) I went to a lot of hockey games with my boyfriend. I really really enjoy the high energy anxiety ridden feeling of a live game. Seems to be if you are living in New York you are either a die hard Islander fan (me) or a Ranger fan.

 My thirty seconds of fame lol! Caught myself on the T.V. ok we really taped the game we went to and rewatched lol!

I had oodles of scrap sterling silver that needed to be recycled. I have been accumulating this since I first started metalsmithing. I acquire metal a lot quicker now so I figured there is no time like the present. I cashed in over 25 ounces, it was kind of cool seeing certain pieces that I had scrapped from the beginning of my metalsmithing journey.

As the warmer weather approached I started frequenting the beach. This is one thing I really miss in the winter. Sure its there to look at but its just not practical to sit and really enjoy. I bought a bike and have been enjoying strolling around with my love on nice days.

Letting my feet hang, this is a beautiful look out point at the park. Lots of Bike trails, and nature nooks.

With all the warm weather we need to make some ice pops. I tried a recipe on pinterest, click here for the link.  They were pineapple jalapeño ice pops. Interesting is all I will say. I would recommend finely chopping or blending together with the fresh pineapple or pineapple juice.

This guy makes everyday great, Cooper is a boxer: 80lbs of love. He loves car rides, puppies, hiking, swimming, and the dog park.

My best friends recently moved in together, they have a nice view of Manhattan. 

My wonderful best friends who make my life lovely. 

Sunny Selfie!

I love me some beets, I roast them little salt and pepper and that is my afternoon snack.  I roast my beets like so click here for more info.

I had a meeting this day with a local shop owner of Lotus Vintage to drop off some new MeShe pieces for her store. She is a fellow Etsy seller, and has a brick and mortar shop. Click here for her Etsy store. She has pristine vintage clothes, shoes and accessories, she is a power seller and ships really quick. 

These were some of the pieces I dropped at Lotus Vintage, this was mid polishing. Hence the polishing compound all over my hands.

After my meeting Cooper enjoyed a nice day at the park!

Took the kayaks out for the first time of the season. I really missed being out on the water. Such a relaxing activity, we paddled hard that day to the beach and back.

Off to a friends wedding, the three amigos!

Have you guessed it by now Im in the love with this mush!

Right before our hike! This pup can go go go, he goes miles with us as we hike.

For Memorial Day we spent the day at Fire Island Cherry Grove. Such a great time with friends and my love. One more thing about NY, I love is the acceptance.

A cheers for my Dads birthday!

This weekend me and a bunch of girls spent it out in East Hampton for her bachlorette party. It was such a nice place to stay and lots of laughs. We couldn't have had better weather!

All the girls and the bride for her wedding day the following weekend! It was such a beautiful easy breezy wedding. No stress just love, dancing, drinks, and fun!

The gorgeous bride!

And the following weekend another Bridal Shower, both my best friend and I are in the wedding party. Her sister and practically mine as well is getting married this September! 

Ok so now that I updated you with massive amounts of personal events and doggie pictures. What is to come with MeShe Designs.

Im going to be adding new various gemstone rings for made to order sizing, along with other one of a kind stones. I really like the sideways oval rings, they are comfortable, everyday, and classic. Shown above is a peach tourmaline in a size 7.75.

I am going to be adding more cuffs in the near future but specifically these open ended cuff bangles with various gemstones such as amethyst, moonstone, garnet and more. If there is a stone you would like to see please let me know!

New smokey quartz ring made to order in your size! 

Along with all of these projects and many many more in brain :)  I will be offering more wholesale to various boutiques and galleries around the country. I have been working really hard on pricing, and product strategies. I am currently amping up my line sheet for retail buyers to be able to easily place orders for MeShe Designs products to be carried at there stores.  This week I got accepted into the Etsy Wholesale program. I am really excited as this is a great door that will hopefully open additional business for MeShe!

I hope everyone is well and thanks so much for all your love and support.  I will try and make another blog post soon :)

Michelle xx

The Smithery Shopping Haul!

The Smithery Haul!

I have the pleasure of knowing two brave independent artisan women named Jen and Anne. These two ladies had won me over with there good humor and kindness long before they opened up there own brick and mortar gallery boutique for handmade goods. MeShe Designs will not only be carried in there gorgeous gallery this coming holiday season in Columbus Ohio but I just purchased a few goodies from there wide selection of artisan pieces.  

http://shopthesmithery.com

I fell in love with a beautiful hand spun silk scarf they shared on there Facebook page The Smithery . I immediately contacted them to find out more information such as dimensions and pricing and I had a nice chat with Jen and Anne about some goodies I was interested in purchasing. Not only do they treat there friends, artists, and customers like gold they themselves are kind hearted women looking to support there network. This makes me want to buy from other makers as a consumer.

Lets get into the goodies shall we? I purchased three items. One the NV London Calcutta and Rob Ryan collaboration Scarf. Two a pair of Kristin Perkins glass blown post earrings, and the third item is my every growing collection of Jen Townsend stud earrings.

A beautiful card with lots of funnies written on it from my dear friends. They included the sweetest note inside which made me smile.

Here are some of the business cards included, Anne and Jen which own the The Smithery, and Kristin Perkins which makes the red glass blown earrings. They packaged everything so it felt like Christmas for me. Every bow and paper I unwrapped like Carrie Bradshaw and her Manolo Blahniks.

I was most excited for this scarf to arrive. Jen and Anne educated me on the history and background of the Artist Rob Ryan. This scarf was a collaboration piece with NV London Calcutta and Rob Ryan.  First off the packaging all together was luxe, I felt like I just went shopping at a Soho gallery. The scarf came in this beautiful blue box with information cards and the details on this particular line. Contact them for pricing and shipping.

Talk about attention to detail, this is why i love buying from artists. They want you to know the process like any well made item. It makes you feel like you are purchasing something special, cared for and loved.

I was immediately drawn to a few things on this scarf. The print: its like a wintery mix of wonderland with a beautiful quote that reads 'Look closer and closer and look further and further and listen harder and harder to the noise of the earth and the silence of the stars and what you will hear is a small voice that whispers -Don't try to get try to give'. This to me reminds me of the winter season ahead, it feels cozy and reminds me of Whoville from The Grinch. I especially was drawn to the man looking out the telescope. Overall this piece is unique, wearable, a true piece of art. The size is perfect, not too big or too small perfect to wrap around you, and your not swallowed in the scarf.

I love that you can see the print when worn. I have no words other than I am in love. I don't think I ever gravitated to an accessory quite like this one.

Now to the jewelry, which was packaged in tissue paper and a box. Look at those stickers yes I love it and yes I want it lol!

Each pair of earrings came in a jewelry box and a ribbon. I loved unwrapping there items start to finish it was a fun exciting experience. I am a sucker for good packaging.

These are the Kristin Perkins Circle Studs which are beautiful hand blown glass with a sterling dot in the middle and sterling earring post. Simple, everyday, and RED my favorite color. I was concerned that these would droop like some heavier post earrings. But Jen and Anne assured me they would just float on the ears. And that they do, they are ultra comfortable and don't sag. The glass looks like candy, blown to perfection. These are a must in my book.

Another shot of these beauties.

My Jen Townsend earrings, I already own three or four other earrings from Jen and I love love love them. Hence the reason I needed another pair. These are her classic pebble studs, which are enameled copper with a sterling silver post. They are so lightweight, everyday and dapped for dimension. I have these in two other colors. These are a total hit whenever I wear them, my best friend always expresses how much she loves them. I guess its time to buy her a pair as well :)

 Both of the earrings together

 Jen Townsend Earrings off the earring card.

 Another shot of the Kristin Perkins earrings on!

That wraps up my blogpost for The Smithery. I am beyond pleased with the entire experience shopping with Jen and Anne. I truly felt like I was in the store buying from them. Be sure to check them out if you are local and if you aren't feel free to visit there website http://shopthesmithery.com or call (614) 867-5780.

Weekly Update 8/11/2014

As always lots of new going on in the studio the last few weeks. I can't believe its already August! It makes me sad summer only lasts a few months here in New York!  I love the warm weather, laying out on the deck, soaking up the sun. How can you have a bad day when its beautiful out!

Here are some of the quartz points I shared last update all finished. I have two stone choices, labradorite and tigers eye.

My best friends dog Bailey. She is a little seal baby water pup. I love her she likes to go swimming everyday if she could.

A glimpse of different made to order rings all available for purchase.  Also I just ordered 14mm trillion cut (like the labradorite above) pink amethyst stones :)

Garnet Gallery Ring, Pink Tourmaline in Gold/Silver, Garnet Posts, Labradorite Stackers

A bunch of new made to order and customs on the bench. This is the first step of making a piece. Creating a fitted bezel.

A little progress in this shot, the bezels have been created, and matching ring shanks. Freshly pickled in acid to remove any fire scale.

My hair has been growing for months after getting a pixie cut last year. Im finally at a very short bob stage yay! Thinking about doing a blogpost on cutting your hair into a pixie and then growing it out.

A custom pendant and earring set I recently made. This stone is peruvian amazonite. I have rings made to order on my site. I may launch more earrings like this that dangle with the ear wire attached to the bezel.

All of these dreamy blue labradorite were recently launched. These are top grade blue labradorite. One featuring a moon design the others with a beaded wire bezel.

A selection of new labradorite cabochons I recently received. That extra large on in my hand is going to be a big momma! Once I finish a few bridal orders, I am going to start that project.

I have mentioned before I am a huge makeup collector. I really love collecting limited edition releases as well as having a full selection of colors to work with for all seasons. I recently purchased a few goodies from MAC and Chanel. The MAC lipstick and lipliner are my favorite selections from this purchase. MAC Kinda Sexy Lipstick, MAC Whirl Lipliner, Chanel Lipstick In Boy, Chanel Les Beiges.  I find myself time and time again disappointed with Chanels Powders more often than not. I like this one it is beautiful great for a collector not a holy grail by any means.

All lined up for soldering

Empress rings all soldered ready to setting and polishing.

All set moonstone and labradorite Empress rings. The flash on these are beautiful and really pop against the oxidized setting.

I only have two left of these vintage crystal octopus necklaces. The crystals were found in a vintage warehouse.

I ordered this from Etsy seller Lauren Sumner Pottery. She makes these little cat ring trays in two sizes and they are so adorable. Anything Kitty :)

A bridal order I just completed for an old friend. 

Every summer by my house they hold a seafood dinner every Wednesday where they have live music at the beach.  Its a nice break midweek to enjoy family and friends and some good food. I even ran into my cousin. Small world, no just small town ha!

In the studio firing away at ring. 

A few rings at the door, bloodstone, garnet stacks, labradorite single stack, and labradorite trillion cut.

New vintage posts up. Set in brass with a sterling post. 

I shared these on my Facebook a few weeks ago.  I would like to add more gemstone options to the mix. What other stones would you like to see?

I am apart of a group of talented metal smiths who I am proud to call friends! Here are some of their pieces. Our group will start to hold charity auctions every month or so with one piece from each artist and we all will create based on a theme for each challenge. Like our Facebook Page to keep up to date with us (we are still working on the page).

New Om and Heart recycled earrings. 

New sterling Swarovski necklaces, Swarovski launched there new skull beads recently. I thought they were rad so I grabbed a few.

Norwegian Moonstone ring, this I may retire this stone/ring soon. Not sure yet. It has been a great seller but maybe time to feature other stones in this style.

Custom lapis and post earring set I made for a customer. Available made to order.

  More orders out the door. Swarovski on floral band, Green Amethyst Stacker, Mother Of Pearl (Custom request for scalloped bezel) and OOAK Jasper.

 I am so excited to launch my new packaging for all metal orders! Yay for branding!  I am very pleased so far with my upgrades. What do you guys think? All recycled paper, new stamped box, and ships in a box.  My vintage pieces will still ship in bubble mailers.

I have been working with a very established goldsmith in my area privately. I am acquiring new skills daily with his help.  Here is a wax carving I am working on for a 8x8mm trillion cut faceted London Blue Topaz, I will be offering in multiple colors soon!

In the works is this awesome large labradorite pendant with a hand pierced Brass Moon detail.  This will be the back of the necklace! I can't wait to finish :)

My best friends birthday just passed and I made him this custom Anchor necklace. I will be offering these soon in my shop on silver and brass. If you would like to preorder one just shoot me an email @ meshedesigns@yahoo.com

As mentioned above it was my best friends birthday, we went to a lovely rooftop dinner in Long Island City.  The view was breathtaking!

My best friends. My rocks. We celebrated in the Lower East Side later that night, which is our favorite place to go for a good night out. Casual and good crowds.

Kyanite and Amazonite out the door.  Will be retiring this amazonite only have a few stones left!

 Brand new turquoise rings in the shop ready to ship. I am going to source more stones like this.

 A few orders that shipped the other day, Blue Lace Agate, chrome diopside (retired, shape and size of stone no longer available) Peridot posts , garnet posts, and recycled sterling posts.

Brand new Lapis 14KT gold bezel ring. Love the contrast of gold and silver especially on the rich royal blue of lapis.

SUPER SALE - comment sold or email me which piece you are interested in meshedesigns@yahoo.com 

I have the Rose Quartz heart ring size 6 and putting at a super sale price of 30.00 shipped to any US Address for free. International is 10.00

 Tree Agate Size 7 super sale $50.00 shipped shipped to any US Address for free. International is $10.00

Ice Cream Jasper super sale size 7 $50.00 shipped shipped to any US Address for free. International is $10.00

Last super sale of the week, $40.00 shipped to any US Address for free. International is $10.00

Thanks again for stopping in and taking the time to read my blog posts. Every comment, like or share never goes unnoticed.  I have a lot of really exciting things coming up and a big announcement I will be sharing soon :)  Love you guys!

MeShe xx