Be The Cat's Meow!

I have been learning, creating, and designing jewelry for several years. Lately I have been working with mixing different metals, using my own patinas, and playing with enamel. All of these add up to a fun, quirky, unexpected line of jewelry. The designs and inspiration change every year, so there is always something new to see. Every art jewelry necklace has its own unique name and design. The cabochon/stone will dictate the design and name.

I tend to play with color, texture, and light in my designs--to me designing is like creating a piece of art to wear--just one little change or addition can make the piece that much more special. Some are quirky, some more traditional, but all are unique! When you wear one of my pieces, you are the 'cat's meow'.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cathy

Here's a DYI and some Fun Facts

Valentine's Day Earring Tutorial

Supplies:

2 -24 or 26 gauge head pins

2- 4mm stainless steel or sterling bead caps

2- 6mm beads of your choice

2- 8mm beads of your choice

2- 4mm Swarovski or other brand squaredells

2- sterling silver ear wires of your choice

1 pair round nose pliers and 1 pair flush cutters

Watch the video below.

The choice of beads is not as important as seeing and understanding the technique!

Earring Video Tutorial

Supply option websites:

https://www.limabeads.com

https://www.venetianbeadshop.com

https://www.firemountaingems.com

https://www.bsueboutiques.com

What Do Gold Plated And Gold Filled Mean?

Gold Plated and Gold Filled Definitions

With precious metal prices at an all-time high, I would like to explain the difference between gold filled vs. gold plated.

Gold Plate

What is Gold Plate? – Gold plating is a minuscule layer of solid gold applied to a brass base. How miniscule? With jewelry, we’re dealing with microns. For comparison’s sake, the standard sheet of paper is 100 microns thick, while a piece that’s gold plated can have just 1 micron’s worth of gold on top. The plating does not compose any measurable proportion of the products total weight. It is estimated to be 0.05% or less of the metal product. Gold plating will generally wear off rather quickly and expose the brass base product. DO NOT wear your gold plated jewelry in the shower or hot tub.

Gold Filled

Gold Filled is constructed in two or three layers. The core metal is jewelers’ brass. A gold alloy is then bonded to one or both surfaces of the brass core with heat and pressure. Unlike plated (aka electroplated or "dipped") metals, Gold-filled is legally required to contain 5% or 1/20 gold by weight. This 5% is then described by the karatage of the gold alloy.

The difference between gold plated and gold filled jewelry is that gold filled has a thicker layer of gold, with a stronger bond between the gold and the base metal thanks to a production process that includes heat and pressure. This bond with the base means the finish is less prone to tarnishing and wear.