<animal-jewelry-cat-jewelry>I’ve created thousands of cat jewelry pieces by hand as well as designing and casting cat jewelry in precious metal as well. I’m pretty well hooked on cats as an artist.

One of the earliest jewelry designs I created was a funny looking little fat cat pin back in 1982. It made me laugh, and entertaining myself hooked me on the idea of becoming an animal jewelry artist.

Now whenever I start to work on a new cat design, the expression and the character of the piece become the most important things. I know there is a lot of cat jewelry in the world, and a lot of great cat jewelry at that. I’m not interested in competing with other animal artists or with cat jewelry from elsewhere. But I do compete pretty stringently with myself. Every new design I add (cat pins, cat earrings, etc.) has to add new dimension to my line or there’s no reason to add it!

When I look at some of my earliest pieces, I still see my artistic bent reflected in them. Even the very earliest work, when The Magic Zoo was a faraway and as yet undeveloped concept. Yep, that time did exist!

So I am fond of my cat jewelry, and I think it expresses the way I view the felines among us. Soft, smug, sometimes silly and (most of the time) endearing.</animal-jewelry-cat-jewelry>

<sterling-silver-jewelry-charms-cat-jewelry>I can’t recall when the idea of creating sterling silver cat charms first presented itself as an idea. I do love cats, that is true. I have a special affinity for charm bracelets, also true. But when exactly the two thoughts merged into one seems to be an elusive moment.

The fact remains that I did indeed proceed to design cat charms at some point and they thereafter seemed to acquire a certain number of fans. But I don’t think, to this day, that any artist could create a work that others would find amusing or enjoyable unless he or she also possessed some affinity for whatever it was representative of. I know the same concepts held true in my sterling silver canine charm collection.

I find cats amusing, beautiful, sometimes silly and always enigmatic. Maybe it’s the fact that by their very nature a cat can’t be owned that I find them appealing. Cats do know I like them and often a cat who never “goes” to strangers will come right up to the animal jewelry lady and be very affectionate.

There are breeds of cats I’m aching to use as models for my next series of sterling silver cat charms. I’d love to create a Cornish rex cat charm, a typical Persian cat charm and a Siamese, which will be a real challenge in sterling silver. But that’s OK, I’m always prepared to hunker down and design something new while the Florida afternoon thunderstorms stir up thunderous drama outside my studio window.

If you would like to see the full array visit the sterling silver charms home page for all my current designs in this wonderful metal.</sterling-silver-jewelry-charms-cat-jewelry>

<sterling-silver-jewelry-earrings-cat-jewelry>My sterling silver cat earrings have an interesting “heritage”. When the idea of designing animal jewelry was just a twinkle in my artistic eye, my focus was already on the form of the cat. I’d had many feline companions throughout the years, including a tabby cat named Pif that lived to be 22 years old.

I can’t really take total credit for Pif’s long life. She came into our family when I was a 13 year old girl in Ohio. She was a kitty waif, discovered along the edge of a wooded area by my sister during a neighborhood softball game. Holly brought her home and I was instantly smitten. After an initial vet visit she was pronounced in adequate health and I was allowed to keep her! Pif was my companion as I went through the stormy adolescent years and then she became my mom’s best friend when all the kids moved away from home. My mom was an artist, and the family joke was that Pif’s long life was attributed to her frequent drinking of Mom’s paint brush water! Now, it’s possible my brother has some sketches she did of Pif and I probably have a photo of that cat somewhere. Maybe she’ll show up on my blog one day.

Cats have been in my artistic consciousness for many years. I’d say the Magic Zoo sterling silver earring home page (especially cats) is about ready for another expansion, so keep checking back! You might want to look at my dog jewelry gift earrings in sterling silver, too.</sterling-silver-jewelry-earrings-cat-jewelry>

<sterling-silver-jewelry-pin-pendants-cat-jewelry>Thus far I’ve designed two sterling silver cat pin pendants, each with distinctly different looks. Smug and (probably) falsely innocent or with an exotic Egyptian countenance –your choice! You can also explore dog breed pin pendants in sterling and 925 pin pendants.

Speaking of cats, there are about 6 of them that seem to find our backyard an extremely rewarding place to nap, toilet, and hunt for lizards. They all have collars on so they must have their own yards. I imagine it’s the unkempt jungle like nature of our property that they find so fascinating. I’m happy to watch them frolic outside my studio window as long as they leave the birds alone. (Unfortunately this doesn’t always seem to be the case as a pile of soft grey feathers I recently came upon seems to indicate.)

Have you heard of the big-footed cats that inhabit the old home of Ernest Hemingway in Key West? Apparently these multi-toed kitties are the direct descendants of the cat that Mr. Hemingway kept oh- so- many years ago and are creating quite a stir because there are so many of them. I do hope they find a solution so these famous cats can stay in their ancestral home! Imagine wanting to remove Hemingway’s cats. Where would you send them?

By the way, these sterling silver cat pin pendants are very comfortable to wear despite their size. My very favorite Magic Zoo piece is the short haired cat pin pendant.</sterling-silver-jewelry-pin-pendants-cat-jewelry>


<sterling-silver-jewelry-pendants-cat-jewelry>I have a nice little assortment of these sterling silver cat pendants. Some women think that purchasing cat jewelry is akin to eating peanuts, you can’t stop with just one. Now that’s my kind of gal!

If you looked at my backyard you might think I held to that philosophy as pertains to the real thing, but the truth is that I don’t have a single pet at the moment! (Too much traveling.) All the cats in my backyard are little trespassers. I don’t mind as long as they don’t attack the birds. I’m not happy about them attacking the lizards either, but there are so many lizards that I think Mother Nature can spare a few for the cat’s entertainment.

My current favorite is a black and white long haired cat, quite elegant. This one seems to favor the woodpile, all that remains of a dead oak that we had chopped down last year. The group (and I use that term loosely because when one cat is in the backyard, all others are held at bay by the current “yard queen”) also consists of a dramatic black shorthaired cat with flashing golden eyes, a silver tabby and two or three others.

Cats humor me. I don’t even have to have one in my house to feel entertained by them! And they certainly serve as inspiration for my group of sterling silver cat pendants.

Of course I have to represent other animals- such as the silver dog pendant collection and more at my silver pendant home page.</sterling-silver-jewelry-pendants-cat-jewelry>


<sterling-silver-jewelry-post-earrings-cat-jewelry>The sterling silver cat post earrings tickle me! Both of these silly little guys remind me of cats that I have known and loved.  Dog lovers, on the other hand, will want to check out my sterling dog post earring designs.

My mom used to tell us about a cat she had as a little girl. She called her “Sim Cat”. Sim Cat loved to roost with the chickens and keep the little chicks warm when the hens went about their pecking business in the barnyard. My mom grew up in a small town in Kentucky named Greenville. Ed and I visited there a few years ago and located the property where my mother spent her childhood. The house was gone, but the maple trees that framed the walkway to the front porch were still there, and it was an oddly comforting if somewhat melancholy feeling to set foot on the same land from whence sprung all her childhood stories.

My mother was an avid animal lover. She took it a little far sometimes, once confiding in me that she believed it was much worse for an animal to suffer than a human because animals couldn’t understand what was happening to them.

Mom was a wonderful artist, and I think she was pleased that my chosen profession involved art and animals, leaving me free to create little things like these sterling silver cat post earrings and all the other designs on my sterling silver stud earrings page.</sterling-silver-jewelry-post-earrings-cat-jewelry>
<gold-jewelry-post-earrings-cat-jewelry>Gold cat post earrings, at first glance just a little circle of gleaming gold. Get a bit closer…what a face! There’s much personality in this tiny bit of gold, so be sure to look closely. This same effect seems to apply to most of my gold post earrings including dog gold post earrings.)

In years past I had a selection of cat jewelry in little post earrings, all in colorful polymer clay. I made each one by hand, very labor intensive work. Sometimes I would come back from an art show feeling under-appreciated by my customers. And at last I figured it out! (Better late than never!)

It wasn’t that the customers didn’t like my work, it was that they just didn’t or wouldn’t wear clay cat earrings! It was precious metal they wanted, 14k gold and sterling silver specifically. A light bulb went off and that’s when the Magic Zoo began a period of reformation! The interesting thing is that I, myself, am much more inclined to wear jewelry cast in silver or gold than (even handmade) work in clay.

So now most all my jewelry is crafted from either silver or gold, with some pewter and painted enamel thrown in for fun. As always, cat jewelry is still a big part of what I make and these little cute cat faces are a nice addition to that group.

I do believe these little gold cat post earrings will be around in the Magic Zoo for a long time!</gold-jewelry-post-earrings-cat-jewelry>
<gold-jewelry-pin-pendants-cat-jewelry>If I had to choose between these gold cat pin pendants I would have a tough time. The one has a bit of the Egyptian dignity about her, whereas the fat cat pin pendant just looks content and possible a bit naughty. But a large cat in 14k gold makes a distinguished 14k gold pendant, that’s for sure.

Perhaps one of each, depending on one’s mood? That might work for the woman who really does have everything, or the man who needs to find the perfect gift for said woman. Of course, I have many dog gold pin pendant designs as well.

I’ve always admired cats that had a bit of that exotic look about them. If I ever have time to have a pet again I believe I would have a rex. I met one at an art show once-probably the friendliest feline I’d ever had the pleasure to pet. He spent his days on a long leash behind the artist’s tent, sniffing around in the grass and napping. And this was truly a people pet. The other reason I might go for this breed is I heard they were “hypoallergenic”, in other words good for someone who has a cat allergy, which I have developed a bit lately. I also love the feel of their tight curly fur.

The shorthaired gold cat pin pendant is the heavier of the two. This I know because I have a sterling silver variation of this design.</gold-jewelry-pin-pendants-cat-jewelry>
<gold-jewelry-earrings-cat-jewelry>Now we’re talking about utter elegance- 14k gold cat earrings on 14k gold French wires. What could be better? Well, maybe two different pairs of gold cat earrings!

Cats are most definitely interesting creatures. They put up with us, as we do offer some advantages to their survival. I always thought the current housecat should maybe earn her keep, if only by chasing rodents out of the house, not even necessarily killing them. However, the cats I’ve had always seemed to bring rodents into the house, and then just played with them. Especially at night.  Eventually they’d be killed and left on my favorite pair of sandals like some weird sacrifice. And they weren’t always field mice either. Think moles and gophers.

Even these gross characteristics seem to endear cats to us. I wonder if the early domesticated cats in Egypt did things like that? Cats were certainly appreciated for their ability to keep the granaries safe from vermin, so they certainly earned their keep then. They were probably too busy doing their work to overly worry the songbirds in the vicinity. There certainly are examples of very early gold cat earrings from these cultures so these peoples must have appreciated their feline companions.

I think any of these gold cat earrings would earn a few brownie points for the gifter, and certainly please the giftee!

 

If you don't want to stop with cats, then there is the 14k gold earrings home page with has great gold dog earrings included.</gold-jewelry-earrings-cat-jewelry>
<gold-jewelry-charms-cat-jewelry>It’s a good thing to have so many gold charms gifts choices. Each one has something going for her, with a nice variety of personality types. Do you see that little item attached to the charm at the top? It’s called a spring ring. It’s also 14k gold and I provide one with your charm free of charge so you can fasten it right onto your bracelet.

There are gold people, silver people and probably even plastic people, if you know what I mean. I’d considered for years that I was a silver person, but now I’m not so sure. Now that I can have my jewelry cast in 14k gold my viewpoint seems to be shifting. It is such a wonderful metal with such a rich history on this planet, and I love what it does to light. Marvelous!

Cats deserve to be cast in gold, after all. They are regal, wonderful animals and it just seems right. I was watching a black cat in my backyard stalk a lizard earlier today and was swept up in his grace and accuracy as he moved in for the pounce. I have about a million lizards in my yard and every one that is dispatched by a cat is replaced by at least a hundred more, so I don’t feel compelled to save every one of them.

So pick out one or even a dog charm in gold and it will be delivered to you in about 5 weeks. My goldsmith casts and finishes each one as it is ordered.</gold-jewelry-charms-cat-jewelry>
<gold-jewelry-pendants-cat-jewelry>Gold cat pendants- there’s something unusual, playful and stunning-not three words used often in the same sentence. Before I started having my jewelry cast in gold, I always thought of 14k gold as being only for the best jewelry, for the best people in the best financial circumstances! Now that I’ve had some pieces cast in gold and experienced some happy customers, I’ve changed my tune a bit. Of course they’re for the best people, but that would be you!

Gold is certainly one of the richest looking of all the precious metals. I still love sterling silver, but 14k gold is starting to grow on me quite a bit. And cat jewelry just seems right for expression in14k gold. The elegance of the cat just can’t be denied, and neither can the elegance of this precious metal.

I once watched a show on cats put on by the National Geographic network. It was so interesting to see how closely the habits of the house cat follow the patterns of their much larger wild cousins, like tigers and lions. We had a cat at the time named Molly, and it was the one time she bothered watching anything on the screen, and especially with such intensity! (Especially the part about the Big Cats!)

It’s fun to have a little variety of gold cat pendants to choose from- I do hope you find one you like!  Of course, I have also designed many a gold dog breed pendant, and many many other animals whose likenesses are represented on my page of pendants in gold.</gold-jewelry-pendants-cat-jewelry>
<enamel-jewelry-earrings-cat-jewelry>I thought it was a great idea to come up with a bunch of enamel cat earrings in loads of different colors. I’ve had the best time just inventing ways to express the different look of the cat- all with a similar basic body shape. You just can’t do that with dogs, you know? (I did figure out a way to make great enamel dog earrings, however, along with many other Magic Zoo enamel earrings).

So here I have the short haired cat painted in a variety of rather fanciful colors, as well as the traditional Magic Zoo Fat Cat design all fixed up in a couple of different color schemes. Now these were really a lot of fun to “invent” and I’d love to hear what you think of them!

On any given day (except for the rainy ones, of course) I can look out the studio window at a wonderful panorama of my semi-tropical Florida back yard and watch an array of neighborhood kitty cats frolicking around. Why is my yard so irresistible to the feline population of my neighborhood? I haven’t the faintest idea. But they do keep me entertained and, who knows, maybe inspire some of these crazy cat designs!

I’d always wanted to make a playful cat earring design in this basic position, but back in the old polymer clay days, the time required to make good looking cat earrings in this pose wasn’t really available to me. Now that my original design can be reproduced, I can go a little wild in my designing since it only has to be done once and it doesn’t really matter if I spend all day on it!

I think it’s a lot of fun to design “action shots”, if you know what I mean. These kitten earrings could be up to almost anything. And the fat cat earrings look to me like they’ve already been up to something and now it’s up to us to find out what.
</enamel-jewelry-earrings-cat-jewelry>
<enamel-jewelry-necklaces-cat-jewelry>I think the idea of wearing a sweet little enamel cat necklace is especially appealing. And this one’s not just for youngsters!

I have a customer who has been wearing my “good luck cat necklace” to work for many years. He (yes, HE) works in a veterinary clinic. I’m not so sure a man could get away with wearing a cat necklace to work at the Ford Factory (or just about anywhere else) but who knows?

By far my kitty jewelry fans are women and young girls. It was a great feeling to come up with some new necklace designs to complement the others I’ve been making for a while. And these are so much fun with all the different colors and patterns.

One neat thing about these necklaces is they look great with the matching earrings, and every one of the necklace designs has a pair of earrings to go with it. You could even mix it up a bit and wear one color of the earrings and another color for the cat necklace. I have many other enamel necklaces gifts to offer including, of course, some outstanding enamel dog necklaces.

I’ve designed the kitty necklaces in 2 basic cat body types; the ubiquitous fat cat and the slender playful cat. I’m not sure which is my favorite, but each one of them has a different sort of appeal. You can collect them all! Now there’s an idea we could both enjoy!

At any rate, I think these enamel cat necklaces would be kind of fun for a simple and not too expensive birthday gift for a young lady. With all the choices of colors, it seems there ought to be at least one that would have her favorite. Besides, you’ll be thought of as the one person at the party who had a little imagination in the gift giving department.
</enamel-jewelry-necklaces-cat-jewelry>
<enamel-jewelry-pins-cat-jewelry>I wouldn’t be the least surprised if an enamel cat pin was the first brooch to grace the bodice of some famous ancient lady. Of course it may have been made out of just about anything, but I like to think of a wonderful, colorful cat pin being worn by an exceptional Egyptian Lady a few thousand years ago.

All of my enamel pins gifts have actually been painted by hand. The paint is epoxy, which makes quite a hard and smooth surface once it’s been cured (before you ever see them, of course). It looks wonderful on my colored enamel dog pin designs.

I remember very well when I first worked on these cat pins. Of course everything I make is made in the same place, atop my artist’s drafting table in my Florida studio. Sometimes the creations all run together in my mind- but at other times a particular design stands out. The playful cat pin is one of those designs I remember very well “giving birth” to.

It is quite different from any cat design I’d come up with before. I was determined to expand my cat jewelry horizons. It seems most of my cat pin designs were sitting placidly. I wanted to make something that had a whole different feel- a cat with a mission. I reckon she could be on her way to dispense with a mouse or ask for a cuddle.

And since these enamel cat pins were to be painted to my specifications, I wanted to create something really lively and fun.

Cat pins should have a bit of an attitude as well, and I think my enamel fat cat pins have that in spades. A slightly know- it- all fat cat looking royally down upon his subjects, (who would, of course, be me and you).
</enamel-jewelry-pins-cat-jewelry>
<enamel-jewelry-post-earrings-cat-jewelry>It’s great to have just a little spot of color on your ears, especially when its a pair of enamel cat post earrings!

I didn’t want to leave the younger generation out of my enamel cat earring collection, so I hunkered down at the old Magic Zoo designing board and came up with some pretty little designs. Of course these are also great for a smaller woman, or for someone who enjoys wearing post earrings in enamel. The classic enamel dog post earrings are another group to have a look at.

For my daughter- in- law’s last birthday, I gave her a pair of the topaz colored enamel cat post earrings, and I do see her wearing them frequently. And no, it’s not just because she wants to impress her mother- in- law. Sometimes she’s wearing them when she didn’t necessarily know she’d be running into me! (We live about 5 blocks away from each other.)

Diana is a real cat lover, so it’s easy to know what to give her for a gift.

And by the way, we have a rather unusual relationship, compared to most in- laws. We are very good friends! Just thought I’d let you know that can sometimes happen.

I’m looking forward to the day that I can give my grand daughter some of my pretty cat post earrings. But I’m in no hurry for her to pierce her ears, nonetheless.

However, if your favorite little one (adult or not) does have pierced ears, my colorful enamel cat post earrings would be pretty darn cute in those ears!</enamel-jewelry-post-earrings-cat-jewelry>
<pewter-jewelry-lapel-pins-tie-tacks-cat-jewelry>So here we have the pewter cat lapel pin tie tacks - some of the better known of my pewter lapel pins gifts, along with the variety of pewter dog lapel pins.
The history of the tie tack/lapel pins is an interesting one. At least in the pewter. I originally designed a series of pewter designs to be used on name tags. I had one of those Ah Hah moments when I realized the very cuteness of the designs would translate well into lapel pins, and possibly even tie tacks for the guys. The sharp “nail” as they call it in the biz, may be a little short to go through a thick tie, but it does work splendidly on a collar or a hat.

There are a bunch of these kitties to choose from; as usual the requisite fat cat, both as a head and a full in all her glory fat cat body. Then there is the sedate short haired cat for a change of pace.

If you are a cat lover, I have to stay apace in my designing for you. So these little guys are just another way to express yourself as a cat lady or cat gentlemen. What’s with that, anyway? How often have you heard the term “cat lady” compared to the idea of a “cat guy” or a “cat man”? Don’t men like cats just as much as the ladies do? I’m pretty sure there are a lot of cat loving guys out there.

Enjoy the pewter cat lapel pins-tie tacks, be you of male or female origin!</pewter-jewelry-lapel-pins-tie-tacks-cat-jewelry>
<pewter-jewelry-necklaces-cat-jewelry>I love these pewter cat necklaces for their subdued elegance. How’s that for an expressive statement about something as homey as necklaces in pewter? Sometimes the “plainer” pieces of jewelry can be the ones that get the most attention and admiration. Lots of the canine pewter necklaces look really fine.

Pewter is nice because of several reasons. It is, let’s not mince words, cheap! There, I’ve said it! It can serve a good purpose when you need a gift for someone and you can’t spend a lot, but you still want it to have some merit. And these really do have merit. Just because the designs were cast in pewter doesn’t mean I spent any less time working on the originals. They’re cats, after all!

One thing I really like about the pewter necklaces specifically the cats is the juxtaposition of glass beads next to the center piece .There’s something about those two materials together that I find interesting and nice as counter balances for each other. Maybe it’s just the solidity of the pewter with the translucence of the glass.

I think it’s kind of nice to have a couple different choices in the pewter cat necklace department. And who knows? There could be some more pewter cat necklaces in the future.</pewter-jewelry-necklaces-cat-jewelry>
<pewter-jewelry-pins-cat-jewelry>Pewter cat pins in two winning designs. They each have their own appeal, but why not get them both? They’re not expensive, and there always seems to be good reason to have a nice little gift on hand for an unexpected birthday party. And just because they aren’t costly doesn’t mean they aren’t well made. I put the same amount of care and detail into the pewter designs as I do when a piece is headed to my silver or goldsmith. I have some very nice pewter dog pins, too.

These cat pins are made to be worn. Pins in pewter doesn’t take any special care. It’s a tough metal and won’t even need to be polished. You can throw them into a drawer when you take them off and not worry about them.

I dream about having so much designing time that not only do I have plenty of time to expand my silver and gold jewelry line, but more and more pewter items show up regularly. I do my best! There’s nothing quite so nice as putting on an old Joni Mitchell album and having a nice long designing session. What a poet she is, never hesitating to change her direction in following her own artistic path.

Back to the subject of pewter cat pins. Here they are, I hope you enjoy them, and look for more in the future!</pewter-jewelry-pins-cat-jewelry>
<pewter-jewelry-post-earrings-cat-jewelry>The cat posts in pewter are cute designs, just something simple to put on for fun.

I think there’s a lot of beauty in the simpler things in life. I grew up with an artist for a mom, absorbing beauty through her viewpoint for 18 unusual years. She was headstrong, with opinions about art and most every other thing that were not flexible, but many times right on the money.  It was a bit of a challenge to find my own artistic wings. I started out as a folk singer, but when I changed my direction it took a number of years to find my own style in a way that pleased me. (Have a look at the pewter canine post earrings, for example.)

These pewter post earring designs are an example of the insouciance that I can apply to what I now do for a living. I have found my artistic wings, actually quite a few years ago now. I look at my designs, even something as simple as these little cat studs and know without a doubt that my work is like a snowflake. Unlike another. This makes me happy! I believe anyone who is working happily and easily in their own art form feels the same way about their products.

Wear my pewter cat posts and if I ever run into you on the street I’ll stop and say “Hi!”</pewter-jewelry-post-earrings-cat-jewelry>
<pewter-jewelry-earrings-cat-jewelry>Why not pewter cat earrings? I’ve made cat earrings in sterling silver, 14k gold, enamel and now pewter. Pewter is the most economical of the different mediums which can be great if you’re on a budget or need a lot of earrings for gift giving.

You may notice that the designs in this pewter earrings section seem to resemble the same type in the enamel section. Good observation! The enamel earrings start out as pewter castings which are then painted with the epoxy colors. Some people prefer the pewter just for the look, which is just a bit silvery, but not as shiny or rich a silver look as sterling silver. I like pewter myself, and think it fills a niche in the metal jewelry category.

I originally wasn’t planning to sell the unpainted pewter, but I liked the look so well that I thought I’d give it a chance. What do you know! These cat earrings held their own in my jewelry booth and thus won a place on the Magic Zoo line up as did the loyal dogs shown as pewter earrings.

I like the fact that there are two styles to choose from. I really think the playful cat is my favorite of the pewter cat designs. Probably because it doesn’t resemble any of my other cat designs. If you need a fun and inexpensive pair of earrings, these pewter cat earrings ought to do the trick!</pewter-jewelry-earrings-cat-jewelry>