15 Stories project: Mr. Grey the Goldsmith, part I

I'm going to begin my 15 story project with a tale about the goldsmith that I once worked for. To protect his identity, I will call him Mr. Grey the Goldsmith. This story actually precedes my 15 year business anniversary, this story took place 18 years ago...

I began working for Mr. Grey the Goldsmith in the spring of 1995.  I had been graduated from college for two years and was working full-time for a beaded jeweler, part-time as a waitress plus was working on building my own business, when I received the phone call from Mr. Grey the Goldsmith asking me to come work for him. I was honest and explained to him that my ultimate desire was to run my own business and I had plans on doing craft shows but I would love to work with him and learn as much as I possibly could. He understood and I was hired!

Now let me tell you that I could tell from that initial conversation on the telephone with Mr. Grey the Goldsmith that he was an...interesting if not quirky individual. There were some good and some bad facets to being Mr. Grey's assistant/apprentice but it all taught me some valuable lessons.

He was full of entertaining stories which he would tell me over and over again...

• about his amphetamine-fueled Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle riding days.
• about his studies under the renowned silversmith, Hans Christensen.
• about his affair with a professor at grad school.
• about his old co-worker, the cigarette chain smoking master platinumsmith.
• about his sailing adventures in the Caribbean.
• about meeting his wife at dance lessons and doing the jitterbug at his wedding.

He was also full of idiosyncratic behavior which at times I found endearing and at times drove me crazy...

• his habit of throwing trash on the studio floor, despite the fact that there was a trash can directly behind his jeweler's bench---knowing (and expecting) that I would pick up after him.
• his habit of sharing far too intimate details of his personal life as if I were his marriage councilor.
• his habit of leaving work several hours early to go to the bar, leaving me to lock up.
• and more...

Another “little” quirk was his collection of firearms.  Mr. Grey the Goldsmith had a license to carry a concealed weapon and was always "packing heat." His wife and mother made him custom vests which fell lower on his hips---to cover his holster. He also had guns hidden throughout the workshop. There was a big black shotgun in the supply closet along with his ammunition stock pile,  there was a handgun hidden in the bathroom sink cabinet  and another handgun hidden behind the rubber molds in the casting area.  I think it's safe for me to say that Mr. Grey the Goldsmith was a little paranoid. With that said, I didn't feel terribly uncomfortable or unsafe--- He was educated in gun safety and laws and he did practice safe gun habits. In fact, he wanted me to feel comfortable so he took me to the firing range one day and taught me how to shoot a gun. (Now let me take this time to tell you that this is not a pro nor an anti gun post---although I do have my own opinions on the subject, this is not the time for that debate.)

As I said, I didn't feel terribly uncomfortable working in the studio with so many hidden weapons---until the end of my days working there.

To be continued...

Fifteen + years

What were you doing 15 years ago?
15 years ago...February 1998...

-I was living in a warehouse loft apartment in Philadelphia with my husband-to-be and driving a Ford Escort.

-I was working full-time for a production silver jewelry artist while exhibiting my own work at a handful of retail craft shows.

-And I was just about to participate my first big wholesale trade show, the Buyers Market of American Craft.

After that wholesale show, I quit my job...and went to work for myself full-time!

To commemorate this 15th anniversary, I am doing a few things throughout the year:

• I am going to share 15 stories with you about this journey---the good and the bad. (I hope I can remember 15!)

• I am going to have a 15% off sale for the entire month of             ! (To be announced. Stay tuned!)

• I am having a giveaway on Facebook. If I reach 1500 fans by March 15th, one of those lucky fans will be randomly selected to receive a $150 gift certificate from Danielle Miller Jewelry! SO if you aren't a fan yet, please "like" me on Facebook!

The first of the 15 stories will be posted this week, so stay tuned!

Amethyst: February’s Birthstone is the Stone of Royalty

Amethyst’s history is as rich as its brilliant purple coloring. It has been said that both Cleopatra and Saint Valentine favored amethyst. Cleopatra wore an amethyst signet ring while St. Valentine’s stone was engraved with the figure of his assistant, Cupid, a coincidence that Valentine’s Day is in February?

Amethyst comes from the Greek word “amethystos” meaning “not drunk” and while it was possibly believed that wearing amethyst would keep one from becoming intoxicated, most likely the Greeks were referring to the stone’s almost wine-like color. Will one of the remaining birthstones help ward off hangovers? Also symbolic of spirituality and piety, many people believe the wearing of amethyst allow one to channel positive universal energy.

Effervescence Pendant with amethyst

To be a true amethyst the stone must be purple though varying shades from deep violet to pure, clear lavender are perfectly acceptable. A member of the quartz family, amethysts are unique to different locales and many times gem experts can often identify the particular region, and in some cases even the particular mine a stone originated from. Historically the majority of amethysts were mined in Russia and were featured prominently in many royal jewels. Today while most amethyst are imported from Brazil and Zambia some stones are mined right here in the United States particularly in Maine, North Carolina and Colorado.

You’ll mainly see amethyst stones set as brilliant round cuts due to the often patchiness of their color distribution. Other shapes are permissible when the color is more uniform, but remember, all amethyst is always purple. "Green amethyst" has gained a lot of popularity recently, however, this name is misapplied. Green amethyst is indeed a member of the quartz family, but the true name for this leek green gem is Prasiolite.

With amethyst an affordable stone, it’s easy to invest in a stunning piece and feel like royalty every time you wear it!

5 Jewelry Trends for 2013

Wow, can you believe 2013 is already 1/12th of the way over? It seems like we were just celebrating the New Year and now we are already heading into February!

So what big trends in jewelry you can expect to see this year? I’ve listed five of the most popular ones below.

• Opals are making a huge comeback! While always fashionable, in the past opals were mainly seen in birthstone pieces. For 2013 opals are being free formed and are now showing up in an assortment of different and distinctive shapes, sizes and colors.


• Pearls have been building a steady following over the past couple of years and 2013 continues the trend. No longer are pearls locked into stuffy dated settings. They have now come into the 21st century in a wide range of classy, chic and fashionable designs and styles.



Square Abacus Earring #5



• Haven’t you always wanted to be a princess? The past two years has seen a resurgence in tiaras and while that might be a bit over the top for some of us, 2013 is introducing bejeweled headbands! Jazzy and fun, they sparkle but don’t flaunt. 

first look, originally uploaded by novadesigns by tess.

Check out the lovely crown that my friend Tess made for her wedding!

• With gold reaching sky high prices, a growing trend is to mesh fine and faux together to create a stylish and distinctive piece at a reasonable cost. Brass and bronze, wood and Bakelite are all popular economical choices.

• A relatively modestly priced gem that has gained a lot of attention already this year is Drusy. Very organic, this stone is a popular choice because of its sparkle, color and the fact that it can be cut into a wide variety of interesting and unusual shapes.



Drusy Necklaces

Why not incorporate some of these great trends into a wonderful piece for Valentine’s Day for yourself or that special someone? Browse my items on my website ---or on Etsy ---or contact me to make a custom piece just for you!

Winter STUDIO SALE at Artful Home

Geometric Bracelet

You may already know that I don't run discount sales very often, but for the second year in a row I am participating in the Artful Home's Winter Studio Sale. A handful of my one-of-akind and limited edition   pieces will be 20-30% off! The sale only runs from January 23rd - February 6th...so don't miss out on this great opportunity!

Tic-Tac-Toe Brooch / Enhancer Pendant

Geo Brooch

Cleopatra - Bib Necklace

Circles, Circles, Circles Necklace

Tri Bubble Necklace

Bubble Bracelet #5

To see Studio Sale items at Artful Home visit this page: Danielle L. Miller Studio Sale

Garnet - a friendly and fruitful birthstone for January

Google “the history of birthstones” and the results are wide and varied. Everything from Middle Age fortune tellers trying to control superstitious people (of which there were many during those days) by having them wear certain gems, to biblical history that eventually became linked to the twelve zodiac signs. Then in 1912 the National Association of Jewelers finalized the gemstone list that is used to this day and along with it, the specific traits that each stone is thought to signify.

"Porta" Enhancer with Rhodolite Garnet

The name garnet comes from the Latin word granatum which means seed and coupled with the stone’s color is said to resemble a pomegranate's hue. The first reference to garnets as a valued gemstone can be found in historical documents over 5,000 years old and because of its deep scarlet shading, garnets during that time in history were associated with war and victory. Now the red garnet symbolizes love, passion, friendship and loyalty which mesh perfectly with the personality traits of someone with a January birthday. Capricorns are said to be romantic, loyal, sensitive and ambitious.

Garnets are mined all over the world and are found in a variety of colors. While January’s garnet is almost always deep red, your birthstone just like your personality should sparkle with individualism, so don’t be afraid to take a little liberty with convention and select a green, yellow or orange garnet.

Ring with Tsavorite Garnet

2013...More of the same

Once a month, members of the EtsyMetal team are given a topic or question and then are requested to blog about it simultaneously. This month's topic is:

New Year's Resolutions?!

A new year, a fresh outlook, new ideas... what are your plans? New goals? New disciplines? Old disciplines and goals you want to try again?!! Recap this past year and what you've learned, where it's taken you, where you would like it to take you in 2013.

This topic reminds me of a the New Year's post I wrote 4 years ago--- "looking BACK so I can look AHEAD...2008 to 2009."    It seems silly to say, but, WOW! Times were different then---in my personal life and in my business! So much has changed in those 4 years!

But I digress, I'm not here to talk about how things have changed in 4 years.

2012 was overall a good year for me---different but good. You can read about it here: "ch-ch-changes..."

Many of my business goals for 2013 are to continue what I started in 2012.

• Continue to develop and promote my Make your own Wedding Band Workshops
• Continue to develop my new Ridge Collection
• Continue to develop my bridal line
• Continue to "clean out" my older work (Selling it off and then discontinuing it)
• Implement marketing tools and techniques that I learned in 2012 (psyched!)
• Get more organized!
• Learn new skills---this year I'd like to learn CAD
• Try to make a Brooch-a-Week for the whole year (yikes!) Follow my progress here.

Ridge Earring #7: Sterling, 18k gold, blue chalcedony, diamonds

My personal goals are also to continue what I started in 2012.

• Spend more quality time with my family
• Get more organized!
• Continue on my fitness journey (I've lost 30 lbs in the past year, gained muscle and am in the best shape of my life at the ripe old age of "over 40"!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Please follow these links to read my fellow EtsyMetal members' resolutions:
1. Lou Hunter
2. Laura Jane Bouton
3. 2Roses
4. deborahleetaylor
5. Mary Anne Karren
6. Theresa Kwong
7. Nodeform
8. Silentgoddess