Coming Full Circle

A lot of times I think to myself "I never wanted to be a jewelry designer growing up, I don't know how I ended up pursuing this".  But then when I really think back, everything that I am doing now has played a small part in my past.  Today my cousin Jacob found an old box of a very official Mineral and Fossil collection.  I can remember simply crawling on my bed and opening the box, and I guess I just stared at the minerals and fossils.  What else does a kid do with a box of rocks?  But I had this box, and I kept it.  So I must have found some importance in it.

When I was in fifth grade, one of my favorite parts about having a friend was making her a friendship bracelet.  Hell, half of the time I just made bracelets for girls hoping they would be my friend in return.  I would casually ask, "So, Amy, what are your three favorite colors".  After the response (Amy's was brown black and white, and I do remember hesitating on that) I would go home, find those colors in embroidery floss, and braid them into a bracelet.  I would take a safety pin and pin the strands to my jeans as I held them taught and got a nice tight braid.  I would return the next day with a piece of adornment that would promise a friendship of secret keeping and boy avoiding.  

My father has worked in a machine shop my entire life.  He basically has the ultimate metals playground of big machines and scraps and anything he doesn't want to throw away (which is everything he has).  I used to love going to work with him and knowing that anything I could draw on paper, he could make.  It might be out of tin and plexiglass but it would exist.  Back at age 12 when I wanted to pay 19.99 on a Topsy Tail, my dad would say "Oh I can make that", and he did!  It was probably weed wacker wire super glued to spare tubing, but he did in fact make it.   So then, in high school when we had to make our own book of poetry revolving around a theme, of course I made my book out of metal!  It was my first time soldering.  We used an actual blowtorch in our basement and that is when I discovered the best 'superglue' ever!

So now that I think about it, I am right on track with pursuing jewelry.  All of its aspects have been a part of my life thus far, best not to fight it!

Come in, we're open!

So I finally opened up shop on Etsy!!

NoraMillerJewelry


Ok, ok.. so it's only two items right now.  I swear it is only because my camera battery died!!

This is the scary part.  I've been claiming to be a metalsmith and jewelry designer; but, in the weeks to come, all of my talent and likability will be put to the test.  I will learn whether or not I can truly profit emotionally and monetarily from this profession.  So many fears run through my head.  Who knows, maybe I will ship a ring and before I sealed the box a Black Widow Spider crawled in.  Then, as the customer opens it with delight, she is bitten and suffers traumatizing spider bites which will create a lifelong fear that she will pass down to her children and loved ones!!!

Anything can happen.

Or, perhaps, I will find a little group of awesome badass people that think my jewelry is great!  That's all I need.  Just validation that my idea of pleasing aesthetics coincides with other level headed Samaritans.

Either way, time will tell!

Shameless Brass Post

I really must say, I love brass metal.  I know, I know, it isn't precious metal and it can turn your skin black (minor details).  I really enjoy the way that I can make it shine up, or turn a matte black.  And the patina that takes place over time is so organic and unique.  Sometimes a girl needs some "yellow" jewelry and gold just isn't an option!!  There is nothing hotter than black leather and gold colored jewelry.

I'm working on finding a finishing seal that prevents the metal from turning skin ugly.  Although, I also hear that when copper and brass turn skin colors, it is actually the skin absorbing the necessary minerals.  So let's just go with that!

Meanwhile, here are some brass pieces I've been working on:

Mating My Muses

You know that joke they used to do on Late Night with Conan O'Brien called "If they mated!"?  They would take two well known and "supposedly dating" celebrities and make a crude mock up of what their child would be.

I sometimes think that I have such contrasting muses from classic to modern art, Rap musicians to hardcore metal, architecture and nature.  It can seem impossible to find a common ground within them all.  Sometimes the only common ground is my own equal admiration.

 I truly am struggling with trying to create a clear and concise "vision" and fear that my jewelry will be so eclectic that it will have no fluidity and no voice that yells "Holy crap! Nora Miller totally made this rad necklace".

Until then, I just need to make pieces that I believe are all equally gorgeous and hopefully my own technique and certain details will be a strong enough common thread.