Featured Artist - Michele Grady Designs

The featured artist posts are back! I love sharing awesome jewelry artists with you and I've found a few more great ones :) I've also started a Pinterest board with pictures from all the jewelry artists who have ever been featured on this blog.

This week the artist is Michele Grady Designs. She works in Sterling Silver mostly but also with Copper and gemstones. Her style is very bold, chunky and industrial, featuring lots of texture and patina. Here are a few of my favourite pieces:

Constricted Heart Charm

This one is perfect for the rapidly-approaching Valentines day! I love the colours and the way the patina highlights the wire.

Wrinkled Skin Cuff

Grapevine Cuff

Here are 2 very different Sterling cuffs yet obviously both the same style. The first is accented with Carnelian and Copper, the second with Amber.

Which Michele Grady piece is your favourite?

The Crucible Holiday Gifty

As I mentioned in my previous post - Shop with Embergrass this December - I'm going to be vending at the Crucible in Oakland this weekend, I hope you're planning to stop by and see me :)

Just in case my jewelry isn't enough to drag you down to Oakland I wanted to share a few of the other jewelry vendors who will be there too:

DAC Metals

Mangosteen Jewelry

Rosemary Dudley Designs

Saara Reidsema Jewelry

TK Metal Arts

SF Etsy Team at Baz Biz

I mentioned Bazaar Bizarre a few days ago and I said there were lots of members of the SF Etsy team vending there. Well there are and I've found a list of (hopefully) most of them so I am going to be able to share some of the awesome, locally made things you will be able to buy if you head down to Baz Biz this weekend.

I'll start with jewelry, since that's what this blog is mostly all about:

Lemonade Handmade

Bug Under Glass

Velvet Otterhound

Jenny Archie

Zelma Rose

Mediums to Masses

Mangosteen Jewelry

That's quite a lot of jewelry artists! And so varied, too! So I'll just add a few of my favourite items from other types of sellers from the team:

Nicole Steward

Geraldine Adams

Recycled Glassworks

Which are your favourite?

Featured Artist - A Second Time

I was feeling in the mood for a little sparkle and this week's artist - A Second Time - delivers beautifully (yes those are diamonds!). Sparkle can so often be overdone or completely lacking in innovation but this shop is neither. 

Rough Diamond and Sterling Silver Ring

This ring was the piece that made me decide to feature this shop - it's such a unique design!

Sterling Silver and Genuine Rough Diamond Squiggle Necklace

Here is another simple yet unique design, also featuring a beautiful rough diamond.

Sterling Silver and Cubic Zirconia Anniversary Band

This ring is a little more traditional but has a chunky, raw feel that keeps it simple.

Sterling Silver Lei Bangle

I love the textured pattern on this bangle and it'll be just as nice when it oxidises a little as well.

A Second Time has a wide variety of items, including many steampunk and vintage, and I've only shown you the ones which satisfied my sparkle craving so visit their store to see more.

If you know of a jewelry artist I should feature, please let me know by leaving a comment here or on twitter (@embergrass)

Featured Artist - Eclectic by Taylor Twig

This week's featured artist couldn't be more adorable! Taylor Twigg makes very delicate and colourful jewelry from sterling silver and paper!

My favourite are these forget-me-not earrings; it's such a beautiful shade of blue that goes so perfectly with the silver. There are also rings in the same style!

Forget-me-not Earrings

This necklace captures the movement of a tree blowing in the wind so clearly and has such fresh charm.

Lemon Grove Tree Necklace

And there are earrings in the same style!

Lime Grove Tree Earrings

They aren't all flowers and leaves, there are more abstract pieces like this adorable bubbles necklace.

Bubbles Necklace

I want to leave you with the slightly bolder style of these earrings. The larger sections give a less delicate, but no less beautiful, feel.

Poppy Earrings

Do you know of a unique and beautiful jewelry artist that I should know about? Leave a link in the comments if you do.

Featured Artist - jane e roberti

This week's featured artist is another one who works with copper and other less traditional metals. jane e roberti uses very sleek, modern shapes and textures, softened with delicate cutouts. She also makes items suitable for men, such as money clips and chunkier jewelry.

Wisteria Hoop Earrings

These earrings are the piece that originally drew me to the shop; so simple and yet so beautiful.

Sakura Branch Hoop Earrings

These are very similar but the flowering branch gives a softer, more delicate feel. I do love the brass colour too.

Dandelion Square Wood Necklace

I love the pieces with metal on wood and this piece is a perfect example of chunky and modern juxtaposed with the delicate dandelion shape and the fine neckwire.

Pussywillow Wood Ring

I could go on linking items from this shop all day but I'll finish with this chunky wooden ring, gorgeous for guy or girl.

If you know of a unique jewelry artist that I should feature here then please leave a link in the comments.

Featured Artist - Barron Design Studio

I realise it's been a while since I wrote a 'Featured Artist' post but I haven't forgotten about them! In fact I'm going to try and start posting one every week (dependent on if I can find a unique enough artist).

Anyway, this week its Barron Design Studio

I was instantly struck when I saw this piece and it's what drew me into the store in the first place. You know how much I love copper and if you've read a few of my 'Inspiration' posts you've probably gathered that I love the outdoors too!

Hammered Copper Oak Leaf Necklace

I love this adorable ring. The mixed metals work really well to highlight and bring warmth to the rose bud. I also love the unique way its been made adjustable. I try to avoid buying jewelry because I hardly ever get the chance to wear something not made by me but I might have to make an exception for this!

Adjustable Handcut Rose Ring

I can't resist flowers as cute and delicate as these. I love the way the post isn't a standard, short post with a butterfly, instead its a long stem so it looks like you actually picked a flower and poked it through your ear.

Sterling Silver Hammered Flower Earrings

If you're looking for something a little more unique, here is a design I haven't seen anywhere else. It's still flower inspired and just as delicate but not quite as cutesy. I really like the shape those 3 petals make.

Ma Petite Fleur Amethyst Earrings

If you know of any unique jewelry artists that I should feature, please let me know in the comments or on twitter (@embergrass), I'd love to hear from you :)

Featured Artist - KUKLAstudio

With so many jewelry artists on Etsy there are hundreds of very similar items and hundreds more pieces which use the same style, so its always nice to come across an artist who has managed to find a unique niche.

The advent of spring seems like a perfect time to introduce this artist who clearly takes so much inspiration from nature. KUKLAstudio makes beautiful designs in wire and then adds rich, vibrant colours, creating a stunning stained glass effect and setting the jewelry aside from anything else.

I had such a hard time choosing which items to feature from this shop as I love them all!

Fortunately my love of butterflies meant that I simply had to share these earrings!

Wouldn't you love to wear such a beautiful landscape scene from your ears?

For a more dramatic touch how about these? The colours are simply stunning!

Each and every one of these pieces is a miniature work of art, managing to be bold and delicate at the same time. I can't help but think of a sketchbook, filled during a warm spring day in the country, drawn in pencil and delicately coloured with colouring pencils or watercolours. What does this jewelry make you think of?

Featured Artist - Tina Mezek Design

I love browsing the jewelry category on Etsy. There are so many beautiful pieces of jewelry, so many unique designs and talented artists. I want to share those I find, one by one.

Today I'm starting with Tina Mezek Design. A huge amount of care and attention, not to mention time, has clearly gone into each and every piece in the store. I particularly love the way beads and wire and standard wire wrapping techniques have been used to create such unique pieces. Wire wrapped items are often fancy and detailed or simple and rustic, these are all bold and dramatic!

This is the piece that first caught my eye -  a stunning necklace that manages to be bold and elegant, just as beautiful with an evening gown or a pair of jeans!

This is another of my favourites - such a striking shape.

Much of the jewelry is brightly coloured like this bangle. The curving, solid shapes filled with bright beads stand out so beautifully and are truly unique.

What do you think? Do you love this style as much as I do?