jewelry

Conflict Free Diamonds at Zoara

by MissMalaprop on January 10, 2012

If you’ve ever seen the movie Blood Diamond with Leonardo DiCaprio, you already know a little about the history of blood diamonds and why it’s so important to shop for conflict free diamonds when searching for the perfect engagement ring or other diamond jewelry.

The events depicted in the movie are based on actual events which took place during the civil war in Sierra Leone from 1992-2002, and a scene at the end of the movie shows a conference talking about the trade of conflict diamonds. This scene refers to a real meeting which took place in Kimberley, South Africa in 2000 and led to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme seeks to eliminate blood diamonds from international trade. Currently 74 governments worldwide abide by the Kimberley Process, which requires each government to track and document the path of each and every rough diamond from the mine to its export. Most major diamond retailers now adhere to these same standards and provide only conflict free diamonds to their customers. One of these retailers who adheres to ethical diamond trading is Zoara.

Not only does Zoara have a reputation for ethically sourced diamonds, they also have a reputation of great customer service. You don’t just have to take the word of the customer testimonials on their own website – they also have a large number of glowing reviews on third-party websites like iVouch and the Better Business Bureau.

If you’re in the market for engagement rings, they’ve got a great Design your own Engagement Ring feature, where you can pick and choose all the things to make your perfect ring. You can also find a beautiful collection of white gold wedding rings. Not a diamond fan? Zoara also carries a wide selection of pearl and gemstone jewelry as well. You can check out all they have to offer at Zoara.com.

Enter the code MISS10 at checkout and receive a 10% discount on your jewelry purchase at Zoara.com (excluding loose diamonds).

Thanks to Zoara for sponsoring Miss Malaprop!

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My friend Eileen is a local jewelry artist and a wonderful woman. She’s the sister of another friend who is in Noisician Coalition with me. (Only I knew them both separately for quite sometime before I found out they were brother and sister! Only in New Orleans…)

I’ve been carrying some of her work at local events during the holiday season, including the holiday ornaments with artwork by her mom and brother. You see, her husband lost his job just a few short weeks before Christmas, and they have young children, and suddenly Eileen’s jewelry sales became the primary income for the family. She was already planning to expand her line this year and start doing more wholesale to boutiques. She’d even registered for a booth at the Dallas Market wholesale tradeshow this month – all before they found out about her husband’s job. Now she’s been scrambling to make sure she can get there, and she could really use some help.

Eileen currently has a Kickstarter page up for her Bygone Beads line – which is crafted exclusively from vintage glass Mardi Gras beads, some of which are up to 90 years old! She’s trying to raise the funds to make sure she can launch this line nationally at the Dallas Market later this month. She’s got some great rewards available for backers – plenty of handmade goodies!

There’s just a few short days left in this Kickstarter campaign – it’s all or nothing, so if the project doesn’t get funded all the way by Thursday January 5th, Eileen won’t be able to make it to Dallas Market. If you can, please pledge or pass this message along to anyone you know who might be interested. Eileen is a great woman, and she totally deserves to launch her line and bring her vision of New Orleans past and present to the rest of the country!

Bygone Beads on Kickstarter
Bygone Beads on Facebook
Eileen’s Etsy shop

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Eco Friendly & Sustainable Gold Jewelry by Amara Gold

by MissMalaprop on November 22, 2011

Amara Gold is a fabulous line of 100% recycled gold and silver jewelry. All of the reclaimed precious metals used in their jewelry come from traceable sources, and each piece of jewelry made by Amara Gold is crafted in North America under fair and ethical labor practices.

Amara Gold’s online store features a wide variety of stylish bracelets, necklaces, rings and earrings, ranging in style from traditional to modern. Their selection of eco-friendly jewelry is a wonderful alternative to mall jewelry stores.

Have a special socially-conscious lady on your gift list this holiday season? Amara Gold offers many gift ideas at a variety of price points that are sure to please. They also offer 30-day returns and free shipping on all orders, so you’re sure to get the perfect gift. Plus, make a purchase at Amara Gold now through December and receive an extra $25 gift card. Just use code MALAPROP at checkout to receive your $25 gift card.

Want to learn more? Check out Amara Gold or become their fan on Facebook.

Thanks to Amara Gold for sponsoring Miss Malaprop!

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I noticed that my favorite, my bestie, Miss Ashe Mischief recently posted a super easy, super fun tutorial on her blog: DIY: How to Make a Corkboard Jewelry Frame. You should all go check it out and make yourselves some easy-peasy jewelry displays!

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Wickedly Chic’s Indie Picks

by MissMalaprop on September 1, 2011

My friend Liz of Wickedly Chic is just as passionate about indie businesses as I am, and she always does a great job of discovering and promoting some of the best. She just sent me a list of some of her current faves, which I thought were too fun not to share with you!

A handcrafted tote bag, made just for you in your choice of fabrics, by Seat of my Pants.

All natural, sulfate-free and paraben-free bath and body products by Beecology, plus organic aromatherapy bath gels, body lotions and more by Golden Earth.

More styles of hoop earrings and other jewelry than you can shake a stick at, all crafted by a variety of U.S. and Canadian artists, available at Happi Hoops.

Ridiculously fun t-shirts and accessories, for guys, girls, kids and pets, created by Crywolf Clothing.

Handcrafted jewelry designed by June Beach of Beach Haus Designs.

Custom monogrammed spa robes, perfect for bridesmaid gifts, made by TRN Designs.

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Indie Artist Interview: Angelyn Pass of Glāk Love

by MissMalaprop on August 25, 2011

I was recently introduced to the work of jewelry designer Angelyn Pass of Glāk Love. Angelyn is an Atlanta based artist who developed what she calls Celluloidic Artistry™, a unique process for creating pieces using vintage exposed film negatives as a medium. I caught up with Angelyn to learn more about her work and what inspires her.

Tell me a little about yourself and your work.
I’m an artist and jewelry designer based out of Atlanta. I make all of my original works out of vintage exposed film negatives. I cut film and use it as my medium to create designs. For my jewelry line, I focus on simple, whimsical images, anything that makes me smile. For my fine art work, I like to focus on very intricate designs that look deceptively simple from a distance, and I use subjects from the original negatives (friends, places, etc.) to tell a story that makes up the larger image.

How did you get started making things?
I actually started playing with film as an actress. I was (still am) an actress in Atlanta, and a couple years ago was going through quite a rough time. I was struggling with getting enough work in acting and finally decided I needed to leave it behind and get a full time job. While the job was great and I was able to make ends meet, I became depressed without my creative outlet. One night I took out an old film reel and decided that if I could no longer be in film, then I’d cut film up and make it do what I wanted it to do. I cut out a simple city landscape and laid it between glass then held it up to the light, and completely fell in love with the medium all over again. Less than a year later the whole idea took off and I was able to leave my job, form a company and make things full time.

What inspires your work?
For my jewelry, I like to create designs that are delightful and make me feel happier just by wearing them. Like dinosaurs. For my fine art light boxes, a lot of my inspiration has come from the subjects themselves in the negatives, and the whole idea of transformation from one thing into something else.

Outside of your creative business, what are your other hobbies and interests?
I still love acting, and play a bit in independent film. I also enjoy making anything with my hands, because at the end of the day it’s something tangible that you can touch and say “yep, I did that.” So I’ve started dabbling in a lot of things…just enough to make me very dangerous with a Skill Saw.

Do you have a favorite piece that you’ve made?
I have a light box called “You Give Me Butterflies” that is very close to my heart, and I’m currently working on a companion piece for it called “Letting Go”. My favorite necklace hands down is “Rawr”, it features a T-Rex and Brachiosaurus that have fallen in love despite their differences in food choices.

Where do you see your company in 2 years?
I’m just starting to branch out of Atlanta and get my jewelry in stores in different cities, and it’s really exhilarating when I hear a boutique in Boston or Columbus, OH decides to carry my line. I hope to just keep the momentum going and be represented coast to coast (fingers crossed!), travel to more festivals around the country during the year, and keep making a living doing what I love to do. For my fine art, one of my biggest dreams is to have an installation during the Sundance Film Festival, and it’s a goal I like to focus on whenever I get frustrated while cutting out 600 birds for a piece. (smile)

What advice would you give to someone just getting started in pursuing their creative dreams?
Just keep doing, Just keep doing, Just keep doing.

Thanks to Angelyn for this fantastic interview! (And Angelyn, I love your last piece of advice – it’s the same I would give to anyone too!!!) Check out more of Angelyn’s work at her website, Glāk Love, or in her Etsy shop.

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