Chlorine -- definitely NOT for jewelry

Seems as if, lately, I have been shown a lot of jewelry that has been exposed to chemicals, like chlorine in a swimming pool or hot tub. Silver and chlorine equals black, and let's not even think about what chlorine can do to stones, like turquoise or pearls.
Lots of people tell me that they put their jewelry on and never take it off. I'm all for a signature look, or honoring the sentimentality of a piece (or pieces) of jewelry, but let's face it, jewelry isn't meant to be a permanent part of your body (unless it's a piercing and that doesn't really count as jewelry in my book.)
Jewelry is meant to be an adornment and, as such, is removable. It should be removed and treated with care. After all, who wants a signature look that looks like the cat dragged it in?
Guess what I am saying is, take of your jewelry. The chances are you invested some dollars in it, so protect your investment. Take your jewelry off before you get in the pool or hot tub. Sure, some of this chemical damage can be cleaned and buffed away, but jewelry is like anything else and can only take so much abuse before it is ruined. It's not so hard to put it back on anyway, is it?
So, be gentle to your jewelry and it will be flattering to you!

Real Girls wear armor and pearls!

I know chain mail has this reputation for being kind of goth these days. I don't think anyone who knows me would consider me even remotely goth, even in their wildest imagination. But chain mail makes you appreciate the creativity and ingenuity of those armorers who first wove it to protect themselves or their nobles in battle. Generally in those days, the mail was probably not made of sterling silver, or embellished with pearls, as this collar is. I love the intricate look of a classic flat chain mail and I enjoy the irony of mixing something so conceptually masculine as armor with something so traditionally feminine as pearls. There, I gave the secret away. Anyway, check my website www.kissingdog.com for more entries in the Pearls and Armor collection.

Put it in Writing

I've had this stone, Chinese Writing Stone, for a very long time. Maybe 4 years. I never quite knew what I wanted to do with it, just that I loved its strong, graphic looks. I went on a stone buying spree right about that time, and I have had quite a few that have been hanging around waiting for me to decide what to do with them. Then I decided I wasn't interested in stones anymore, and they languished in my project box even longer.

Who knows what provides inspiration for something new, but suddenly I knew that I had to use these stones and I had to do it NOW. What followed was a fury of setting stones and combining them with chunky beads like these turquoise, a stone I've never used very much but suddenly can't seem to get enough of. Go figure.

Anyway, this necklace of turquoise with its Chinese Writing Stone pendant is one of the results. Maybe I will post others soon. Stay tuned.

This piece will soon go up for sale at Evergreen Gallery, 11 Lebanon Street in Hamilton. Come see.