NEW COLLECTION

NEW BIG BEAD AND TASSEL EARRINGS

Alex remaking her old jewelry

Here's Alex at my workbench. We started by melting down her old gold rings and bracelets, and pulling that metal into round and half-round wire.

With that gold wire, we made some simple ring bands, a cute heart ring, some bangle bracelets, and the big cuff. Alex decided what she wanted to make, an slowly we worked through the projects.

She learned to saw, file, bend, sand and do some basic soldering. Of course, I'm there to help her along the way.

I love doing the one-on-one teaching. the student gets to make what she wants and learn some basic metal smithing techniques.

If you're in Noumea and you want to remake some of your old jewelry, just leave a comment, and we'll get in touch.

BIG NEWS!

I finally opened my own ETSY Shop

Check out my new collection 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/BigIslandBijoux?ref=si_shop

New ideas!

Just starting to get some new ideas. Thinking about adding some black pearls???

Everyone around here loves them...

Upcycle, recycle,or repurpose your old jewelry!

What to do with your old jewelry? Of course some pieces are treasures from family and friends, or reminders of important events in our lives. But what about the fashion jewelry, or unloved gifts that were received over the years? Or even the boxes of junk jewelry from grandma or your old aunties. At first glance, these trashy bits should be dumped, but don't dump them, give them to me. Or better still, bring them to me and we can create something new together. Bits of gold and silver can be melted down, and worked into new anything, and the costume jewelry can be taken apart and salvaged for the clasps, or jump rings or interesting bits.

     

 

II was inspired a few years ago by radical jewelry makeover, an amazing art project that connects jewelry students with their community. The public donates unwanted jewelry, the students then sort through the piles of metal, plastic, enamel, shells, beads, stones, etc, and create new and unique jewelry. The doners then pick new jewelry. A very interesting trade off.

I have my own version this. Students or customers come to my workshop with their unwanted jewelry, and we create NEW JEWELRY together. I love the sharing experience and they love learning new skills and getting new jewels!

 something fresh and new

Please contact me if you are interested in donating, just follow my blog and leave a comment

Copper Bangles

A few years ago I started working with copper electrical wire that is easy to find left over at any construction site. The  not so easy part is cutting back all the black rubber.

The bracelets are oxidized dark brown, then I attach a handmade silk tassel. These are just one example of the many bangle bracelets that I make. The tassel colors can be changed.

Traditional use of boar tusks in Melanesia

Here is a beautiful example of women at the welcoming party of the
Hiro Morale festival in Papua New Guinea.

More wild boar tusk jewelry

Here's a photo of my friend's bracelet. It's been loved and worn daily for many years. This one is from Vanuatu.

More Pig Tusks

These pieces were orders for a client that at first I didn't really want to do.

 But here they are and  LOVE them! 

BOAR TUSKS

It's funny how sometimes we see ordinary things in a whole new way.
Over my 11 years of living in New Caledonia, I have often seen, mostly of an older generation , Caledonian ladies wearing jewelry made from boar tusks. The most highly prized tusks ,make a complete circle and are worn as bracelets, making a rather large ivory cuff. Usually the top is capped off with 18 kt gold. I' ve also seen some pretty massive double tusk necklaces attached with thick gold chain. I always considered these rather GAWDY, but to each his or her own style. I always liked the object, the tusk, and understood the rarity of a good tusk. In certain traditional Melanesian societies, the wild pigs are kept as domestic animals, and are cared for to produce these beautiful tusks which would then be used as objects of value for ceremonies and or trade between clans and family members. And in my own family, my husband and son hunt the wild pigs on our own property. Pigs which are often pesky, getting into garbage and in general causing trouble. But these wild pigs are usually not old enough to have grown large tusks. There lives are shortened when they start getting used to eating French baguettes.
Last year I made my first trinquette necklace with as centerpiece, a tooth from a pig my husband and son hunted years ago. That necklace also hosts a nickle drop from the SLN, a keshi pearl from Tahiti, amber beads found in a parking lot, red coral, etc. Pacific Island stuff...

Back to blogging

Hi , this is where I spent a lot of my time in 2012,

my garage workshop! I've got most everything a creative jeweler needs, minus the big stuff like a rolling machine and casting equipment. So much time was spent in this fun space creating, that not enough time was spent on blogging. Now I'm back, and am going to start out by posting some fun jewelry from last year.

New Tassel Bracelets and Necklaces

Here's some new work.

Quite a leap into a new world of fun and fashion.

I enjoy metalwork too much to leave it for long, but it's been relaxing to string up beads and cotton thread. More tassels to come in metal and silk...

If you're shopping in Noumea, New Caledonia, you can find these at Enzo Enzo in the Quartier Latin.