The Family Jewels
Filed in archive Jewelry Designers by Maggie MacLean on February 7, 2008
Jenifer Smith: Jewelry Designer
The Family Jewels is a family-run business devoted to creating handcrafted jewelry - the kind of jewelry that makes the wearer feel beautiful and unique.
If you haven't noticed by now, you will very soon if you continue to read this blog - I love handcrafted jewelry!
Chainmaille certainly falls into that category. Taking a bunch of jump rings and weaving them into a complex pattern must take precision, determination, and patience. Jenifer has several chainmaille pieces available on her website. This is one of my favorites:
Copper Celtic and Chainmaille Bracelet
Copper wire is coiled onto a mandrel, cut into rings with a jeweler's saw, and then woven into the Kingsmaille weave, a variation of the European 4 in 1 weave, where every link is doubled. Wherever you would find a single link in Euro 4-1, you will find two in Kingsmaille.
Copper rectangle is 1.75 inches (4.38cm) long by 1.25 inches (3.13cm) wide
Adjustable from 6.75 inches (16.88cm) to 7.75 inches (19.38cm) in length.
I love this piece for its natural beauty and terrific color combinations:
Mermaid's Tale Necklace
The pendant was made from 3 pieces of sea glass found on the beach at Martha's Vineyard over nine years ago. They are suspended from sterling silver bails and a dainty sterling silver chain that is accented by blue chalcedony rondelles.
Artist Statement
The Family Jewels is a family-run business devoted to creating handcrafted jewelry - the kind of jewelry that makes the wearer feel beautiful and unique.
If you haven't noticed by now, you will very soon if you continue to read this blog - I love handcrafted jewelry!
Chainmaille certainly falls into that category. Taking a bunch of jump rings and weaving them into a complex pattern must take precision, determination, and patience. Jenifer has several chainmaille pieces available on her website. This is one of my favorites:
Copper Celtic and Chainmaille Bracelet
Copper wire is coiled onto a mandrel, cut into rings with a jeweler's saw, and then woven into the Kingsmaille weave, a variation of the European 4 in 1 weave, where every link is doubled. Wherever you would find a single link in Euro 4-1, you will find two in Kingsmaille.
Copper rectangle is 1.75 inches (4.38cm) long by 1.25 inches (3.13cm) wide
Adjustable from 6.75 inches (16.88cm) to 7.75 inches (19.38cm) in length.
I love this piece for its natural beauty and terrific color combinations:
Mermaid's Tale Necklace
The pendant was made from 3 pieces of sea glass found on the beach at Martha's Vineyard over nine years ago. They are suspended from sterling silver bails and a dainty sterling silver chain that is accented by blue chalcedony rondelles.
Artist Statement
I am Jenifer, mom and Master Artisan. Several years ago, I developed an allergy to the cheap metals that are so often used in less expensive jewelry. So I was left with three options:
- Not wear jewelry at all - not really an option because I love jewelry so much
- Buy handcrafted fine jewelry
- again, not really an option because it's so expensive
- Figure out how to make my own jewelry, using materials that won't bother my skin
As you've probably guessed, I chose the third option. Over time, my skills and creativity improved, and I began to receive compliments, and inquiries like "Where did you get that?" and "Can you make me one?" So the seed was planted, and my husband and I have cultivated it into a successful business idea.
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