Summer – A Little Bold Chic or Traditional

Summer is here and with it new jewerly designs.......these are just a few of the newest additions from our studio and are perfect for the summer season! Bright, bold and somewhat a little more traditional they are both light-weight necklaces using a mixture of natural stone, ceramic & crystals beads and even a little bit of bone.

Boldly bright shades of green turquoise (stabilized) chips, creamy irregular rondelle bone beads, with a little splash of ‘bling’ in crystals. The necklace features a lovely smaller agate pendant from Brazil; it is almost clear with a center color of olive and slight crystallization. I have hand wire wrapped it in non-tarnish brass wire to bring out the more earthy tones.

Traditional and chic southwest style necklace featuring a beautiful turquoise (dyed) colored agate from Brazil; the pendant has natural citrine color with a few cream streaks and has been hand wire wrapped in non-tarnish silver wire. It is hung from strands of natural citrine chip/nuggets, a few ceramic Tibetan beads and blue Arizona turquoise (stabilized) and accenting metals.

Agates: Balancing physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energies; perceptiveness, strength, inspiration, awakening talents. 

Citrine: Intuition, comfort, protection, creativity, physical energy, wealth, mental awakening.

Turquoise: Spiritual attunement, cleansing, healing, protection, valor, soothing, peace of mind, guidance through the unknown, romantic spontaneity.

See more summer designs…..just browse and shop our artisan crafted jewelry collections at our Timeless Designs online store!

More Signs of Fall

These new designs are sure to take on the fall fever! Check out our online shop at Ruby Lane to browse the available collection designs for purchase!!

 Deep rich carnelian donut squares that have handcrafted double spiral coil beads in non-tarnish brass wire; accented with picasso jasper, faceted round crystals and corrugated gold tone pewter spacer beads.

Dramatic yet fun necklace starting with a yellow agate cabochon wire wrapped by hand in non-tarnish shiny gold wire; accented with cracked agate beads in yellow with very definite black veins and faceted crystals.

Turquoise Gone Charms

Blue and black are very striking colors and with the right combination of blue to black it can almost have a dramatic affect. The latest in my charmed necklace line is a mix of these two bold colors together and I really like how they turned out together. I just love this turquoise (stabilized) pendant with the deep color of blue and black veining hung by a gunmetal colored half-moon bail; it is the perfect focal to this necklace.


I paired it with the charms design that I’ve been doing for this fall collection. There are many hand-charms such as small chunks of white magnesite, black agate rounds, Swarovski crystals of blue, light topaz and cosmo. I also added signature swirl drops in teal blue non-tarnish wire with silver accents; however when I did the earrings, I did the base in black to match the necklace. It hangs stationary on a black 18” silk cord.

Turquoise: Spiritual attunement, cleansing, healing, protection, valor, soothing, peace of mind, guidance through the unknown, romantic spontaneity

Browse and purchase from our fall collections at our online Ruby Lane Timeless Designs shop!

Wired Earthy Agate Slice Pendants

In these designs I’ve started with focal pendant in beautiful agate slices. They are all naturally colored in shades of earthy fall – tan, green, gray-blue, rust, cream, white, and brown. The pendants are highly polished on both sides and the edges have been left slightly raw to rough; giving a true ‘earth’ look and feel to the pendants. The pendant is a free form wire wrap in shiny non-tarnish gold wire.

In this design (to the right) I’ve used the green agate slice and surrounded it with mosaic turquoise, toffee colored ceramic beads, gold tone spacers, and a touch of ivoryite for bold color. The pendant is wired in non-tarnish bronze wire.




This design (to the left) starts with a lovely focal pendant in an odd angular oval shape. The agate has more roughness to the edges is quite large, making it a perfect single pendant with matching swirl earrings. The wire is non-tarnish brass wire.


The last design (to the right) is a medium sized agate oval wired in non-tarnish brass wire. The base of the necklace is blue denim lapis, ivoryite, smooth brass rounds, and light blue-white lampwork beads.

Agates: Balancing physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energies; perceptiveness, strength, inspiration, awakening talents.

Browse our earthly jewelry collection at our online Ruby Lane shop!

Charms Are In Season

Who knew that charms are still the 'in thing' as a jewelry designs!!

I’m always looking for something new to try and keep with a trendy style for customers. This season I came up with something totally different, but seems to be hit so far! I took several different looks and created one design out of just a ‘thought’ for a new line of jewelry. What has gone from a ‘try and see’ has become a hit for this season!


The design incorporates many hand-charmed pieces; Swarovski crystals, freshwater cultured pearls, many natural stones, and wire work that then surrounds different types of pendants in natural stone, Murano glass, dichoric glass, and fossils.


These are all then captured onto coordinating silk cords or combination ribbon cords. The whole process takes several hours to complete just one necklace design; from design conception through labor development to completed necklace piece.

This is a new look that I’ll be doing this year for my collections; you can find them available for purchase at our online shop!

Fall Designs Arriving

Fall designs are arriving almost daily to our online shop! We’ve been busy and continue to create for the coming fall and winter season. Shop early for Christmas and don’t miss out getting your select piece of artisan crafted jewelry!

Mystic Artisan Collection Additions!
A little trendy with some chic mixed in for these new designs…..

Murano Glass Pendant Ceramic Beads Crystals Set (to the right)

Caged Black Agate Crystals Abalone/MOP Pendant Set (to the left)

New Additions at Southwest Flair Collection!
Turquoise is the staple for Southwestern designs and these are no exception!

Turquoise Nuggets Ivoryite Coral Silver Pendant Set (to the right)

Turquoise Carnelian FW Pearls Set (to the left)


Don’t miss out on when designs are added to our shop or specials! Subscribe to our online Ruby Lane shop today!

An Odd Mix of Old Stones

This necklace is a mix of some odd stones that I would have never thought to put together. At the base is an irregularly shaped Brazilian Oco Agate slice; coloring is beautiful with raw edges and swirling white around. It has been handcrafted in artistic non-tarnish brass wire. The necklace is strung in some old stones of faceted rectangular Antique Jade; colors ranging from an almost clear, olive, mixed coloring and some that are a hint of off mustard color. Between I’ve putt another old stone, smoothly polished elongated barrels of Turquoise; which has been heat treated and stabilized turning it a nice color of brown with deep dark veining. It is a nice dark contrast to the lightness of the antique jade.

Heat Treatment of Stones
Centuries ago, someone stumbled upon the magical effect of applying heat to gemstones. High heat, such as that from a charcoal fire, can make a bland looking gemstone change its color into something spectacular. If this fortunate technique were not discovered, there would be very few affordable gemstones of good color in the market.

This method of treating stone produces dramatic natural changes by the use of heat only, the dramatic changes being, deeper more brilliant colors, smoother texture, richer luster, and easier workability. This method first includes; Providing stone material, then with or without a sand bath, placing the stone material in a heat treating environment, increasing the temperature in specific increments until the effective heat treating temperature is reached, keeping the stone at that temperature until all the desired changes have occurred, the temperature is then decreased in specific increments until the material is at room temperature. Once the stone is treated and cooled, it is ready to be shaped, and or polished.

Treatments of Turquoise
Treated turquoise, frequently used in modern jewelry, has been altered from its original state by a process intended to improve the color and/or durability of the natural stone. There are a number of different ways that turquoise may be treated.

Treated turquoise has existed for centuries. The earliest kinds involved a fine application of oil or wax to the stone, making it shine and deepening the color. This type of treated turquoise tends to "sweat" when exposed to heat or sunlight and can become cloudy over the years; however, the treatment can sometimes be successfully reapplied.

Most American turquoise today is stabilized or bonded with a treatment of plastic, epoxy, or water glass. This type of treated turquoise retains its look and luster better than oil or wax treated turquoise, and the stabilization process can be used on turquoise that is too unstable to benefit from the oil or wax method. Epoxy stabilization was developed in the 1950s by Colbaugh Processing of Arizona.

Native American jewelers in the Southwestern United States strengthen thin pieces of high-grade turquoise through a process termed backing. The turquoise is glued to a stronger material to prevent its cracking. Early turquoise backings were made of car battery casings and records, while modern jewelers usually use epoxy steel resin.

Some turquoise is dyed to improve its color or make it more uniform. Prussian blue is the most common dye used in this treatment. Some people do not like dyed turquoise, as they feel it is artificial, and it sometimes leaves color on the skin or fades.

To Be or Not To Be – Lady Bug

Another new design in the charmed versions I’m doing. This one has been referred to as a “Lady Bug”; the center focal is a murano glass large puffy red heart with black pot-a-dots. All around are hand-charmed pieces in freshwater cultured button pearls, bicone Swarovski Fire Opal crystals that bring out the deep red of the crystal among the orange, black onyx smooth tube and round black agate stones.

Nestled among the pieces I done double twist coils in artistic non-tarnish wire; along with the stationary swirls at either end; with the nesting of the charms, you could wear this necklace either direction giving it two different looks.




I really enjoy making these new pendant necklaces; so watch out for more of these to hit our online shop soon!

Find adventure browsing through our wearable earth artisan crafted jewelry available for purchase!

A Different Type of Jasper

This pendant is a really different type of jasper from the United Kingdom, it is called snail jasper. The background is a shade of gray with some white mixed in; then ‘snail marks’ are the black lines throughout the pendant. It has been cut in a large round, with a smooth back and slopped sides with a high polish on both sides.

I’ve mixed the pendant with smooth round black agates that are caged in silver wire; between are a mixture of black and clear faceted rondelle and bicone crystals. This is a lovely design in the fashion staple black/white mixed with grays; wear it to dress up that little black dress, an evening out or casually with any outfit.



Browse our artisan designed jewelry collections to find your next unique treasure to wear!

Jaspers: Protection, nurturing, joy, awareness; balancing of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energies.

Different Rainbow Pyrite Design

The highlight of this necklace is the large round rainbow pyrite pendant! I’ve highlighted it with bright gold non-tarnish silver wire; nicely blending with the white/dark gray background with flecks of golden pyrite. The base of the necklace is made from faceted rondelle sandy jasper, daisy spacers, smooth green/black ceramic beads, and a few faceted rondelles olive colored crystals. A nice round cut rainbow pyrite pendant that is accented with non-tarnish bright gold wire swirls.

Pyrite: Defense, prevention, protection from negativity, physical wholeness, memory.
Jaspers: Protection, nurturing, joy, awareness; balancing of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energies.

Browse our jewelry collections for many other uniquely artisan crafted pieces!

Fun In Bones Fossil Design

When I came across these lampwork beads in Tucson this year, I just new I had to have them. The creative look of a bone would really be a great design with some of my fossils. I kept creating until yesterday I came up with this latest creation using the lampwork bones.

The necklace focal is an button ammonite fossil pendant that has a toffee colored background with the fossil in black and off-white, showing just a hint of crystallization. It is polished on one side and left semi-raw on the backside. The pendant is set with supporting and coil wires in artistic non-tarnish brass wire.



The base of the necklace is the fun irregular lampwork bone beads! The colors of the bones are a begie/cream with some being slightly darker than others; I’ve accented some of them with freeform wire wrapping. Between the bones are rough cut rondelles in red star jasper, small black jet disks and round gold-tone spacers.

Find your next ‘bone’ treasure among our artisan designed jewelry!

Dichroic Glass Pendant Wonders

Dichroic glass is glass containing multiple micro-layers of metal oxides which give the glass dichroic optical properties. The invention of dichroic glass is often erroneously attributed to NASA and its contractors, who developed it for use in dichroic filters. Dichroic glass dates back to at least the 4th century AD as seen in the Lycurgus cup.

Multiple ultra-thin layers of different metals (gold, silver), metal oxides (titanium, chromium, aluminum, zirconium, magnesium) and silica are vaporized by an electron beam in a vacuum chamber. The vapor then condenses on the surface of the glass in the form of a crystal structure. This is sometimes followed by a protective layer of quartz crystal. The finished glass can have as many as 30 to 50 layers of these materials yet the thickness of the total coating is approximately 30 to 35 millionths of an inch (about 760 to 890 nm). The coating that is created is very similar to a gemstone and, by careful control of thickness, different colors are obtained.

I love working with dichroic glass, just not really good at making any beads or pendants; however I’m in luck! A very good friend and fellow artisan Anna is a premier glass designer here in San Antonio, Texas. She makes some of the most incredible, gorgeous dichroic one-of-kind pieces (I know, I personally have quite a few of her pendant sets!). I buy her pendants and incorporate them into my own creative designs; accenting with wire, metals, crystals, or natural stones; drawing on the colors of the pendant to develop the jewelry.

These two designs are using Anna’s pendants as a focal and then using the different wire and charm techniques to showcase the beauty found within each individual pendant.

In the first design, I use a free form shaped pendant that is hung below the crystals from non-tarnish brass wire as a bail. I’ve then accented with individual hand-charmed pieces in black agate, beige freshwater cultured pearl nuggets, creamy white glass pearls, and faceted swarovski crystals in erinite and indicolite. The creation hangs from an eggshell colored silk cord in a stationary position. There are little hints of wire in hanging swirls also handcrafted in non-tarnish brass wire.

The second piece I chose a nice almost arrowhead shaped pendant with accenting designs in gold, green and hint of blue against a black background. Surrounding it again are hand-charmed pieces in faceted swarvoski crystals indicolite, cosmo black, gold/black Diablo, gold, citrine, ab smoky topaz, and metallic green-blue. The all are braided on a 6 strand ribbon cord necklace; I left them a little lose as this fit better to this type of a design, you can twist the crystals around to change the colors slightly. Hidden among the crystals are a few handmade wire spirals in non-tarnish brass wire.

Find these and many other uniquely artisan crafted designs at our online shop!

*Research from various websites.

Wired Up Coral Mix

A wired up mess of balls are the focal of this necklace! Tightly wound balls of wire in antique brass are set along with a chunky sponge coral pendant accented with multiple layers of gold-tone cone bead caps.

Scattered between are lampwork beads with light cream/yellow backgrounds and red swoosh marks. The length of the necklace is of red (dyed) coral flat disks and finished with a gold tone twisted toggle.





Coral: Diplomacy, quieting emotions, visualization

Uniquely artisan crafted jewelry from natural stones, minerals and fossils; browse our online shop to chose your next treasure!

Striking Mix of Bold Colors

Ok, I have to admit that this design in the bold colors of red, black, white and silver are extremely striking together. The design is new for me and I’ve taken a mix of different techniques to combine and put this piece together. And so far it’s begun to be a big hit and I’ve been asked to create more in different colors and styles!

The necklace focal center is designed to stay stationary on either a silk cord or a ribbon cord. I’ve used in this case a large chunk of coral (dyed) in a thick oval shape; then surrounded it in single coils. To accent the pendant, I’ve hand charmed 36 pieces different shapes of stones coral, freshwater cultured pearls, black agate, and Swarovski crystals; between I’ve added a couple of double spiral coils and then capped the entire piece into a stationary position with wired coils and swirls that becomes part of the design.

The whole piece is quite labor intensive taking quite a bit of time to design, mix/match colors and stones, then hand charm each one and either wire, bail or get creative with the pendant. The matching earrings are the same double coils and stones from the necklace – all wire is done in non-tarnish silver wire.




Keep watching as I’ll be doing many more of these inspirations from the many pendants, stones and metals that I have!

This design along with many other uniquely artisan crafted jewelry pieces are available at our online shop!

Agates: Balancing physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energies; perceptiveness, strength, inspiration, awakening talents.
Coral: Diplomacy, quieting emotions, visualization.

Pearl: Purity, faith, charity, innocence, integrity, focus, wisdom, spirituality, sincerity, fertility.

Redesigns Gone Wired

These two designs were ok at first but never really showed off the beauty of the crystals and stones with a little spark. To do them both justice and add a little spark, I added silver wire to one and re-designed the other.

A simple and casual design with coral fossil, Swarovski crystals and blue denim lapis; which has been accented with non-tarnish silver wire.

This one needed more than just crystal, this design I re-worked and to enhance the pendant I accented with black non-tarnish wire and onyx tubes; clusters of crystals pink and copper with black Swarovski cosmo crystals really sets off the Japanese artistic jasper pendant.

These designs and other wired, chic jewelry are available online at our shop!

Aventurine the Stone

Aventurine is the name given to a variety of quartz that has a spangled appearance due to sparkling internal reflections from uniformly oriented minute inclusions of other minerals. It is always massive; green aventurine is colored by green fuchsite mica; brown aventurine is colored by pyrite; and reddish-brown aventurine is due to hematite. Other inclusions can color the mineral orange, bluish-white, yellow, or bluish-green.

Aventurine feldspar or sunstone can be confused with orange and red aventurine quartzite, although the former is generally of a higher transparency. Aventurine is often banded and an overabundance of fuchsite may render it opaque, in which case it may be mistaken for malachite at first glance.

The name aventurine derives from the Italian "a ventura," meaning "by chance." This is an allusion to the chance discovery of aventurine glass or goldstone at some point in the 18th century. Although it was known first, goldstone is now a common imitation of aventurine and sunstone. Goldstone is distinguished visually from the latter two minerals by its coarse platelets of copper, dispersed within the glass in an unnaturally uniform manner. It is usually a golden brown, but may also be found in blue or green.

The majority of green and blue-green aventurine originates in India, particularly in the vicinity of Mysore and Madras, where it is employed by prolific artisans. Creamy white, gray and orange material is found in Chile, Spain and Russia.

Historically it is said that in ancient Greece aventurine was sewn into the clothes of men going to war to preserve their courage and optimism. It is said also enhance the sense of humor, cheerfulness, mental agility, peach, an open heart, motivation and promote leadership of those who wear it. It symbolizes tranquility and patience and gives the wearer inner equilibrium and stimulates dreaming.



This design is a hand-charmed cluster of aventurine surrounding a button fossil Ammonite.

Artisan crafted jewelry available on our online shop!








*Research from various mineral/rock books & websites

Wired Ceramic Crystal Clusters

This intriguing design is a mix of several different techniques. The first is the focal gray ceramic beads are wired with non-tarnish silver swirl accents; I did this to accent not only the bead to also play hide-n-seek with the black splattering on each bead and the fun part is the beads twist on the wire so you could wear some showing wire and some not or none at all!

Then I strung the design on double strands so the crystal clusters are more of a flowing cluster rather than heavily gathered, an interesting tid-bit about these crystals, some of them have been heat treated and will color change slightly when refracting different light. And finally, the earrings style I get asked to design, the long cluster charms.

See these and many other uniquely designed jewelry at our shop!