Pet People Talk

Enamel jewelry is in my blood. Well, not literally of course, but when I was just a little girl I became fascinated with the colorful enamel designs my parents created in their tiny dome shaped basement kiln.

Once I became a grown up jewelry designer, I worked with a lot of color in the form of polymer clay. But when I evolved as an artist into casting my original designs, I scrambled around trying to find a way to convert my new work into a colorful line.

After searching high and low for a way to bring color back to the Magic Zoo, I hit upon the possibility of having my designs painted in wonderful epoxy enamel. I found a lovely lady and her team of “elves” who would do exactly what I wanted, creating pieces like these two-toned butterfly earrings, with just a touch of sparkle.

But back when I received my first painted samples done per my instructions, the excitement level really started to rise. The possibilities seemed endless and all I wanted to do was design! I still feel that way, but I’ve learned it’s not a bad idea to find out what my customers are really looking for in a piece of jewelry before I get too carried away.

And since so many of my customers are dog lovers, I designed not one but two dachshund pendants in enamel, including this dachshund necklace in copper, richly textured and luscious. But one of my most popular enamel dogs is the black lab pendant, a simple but elegant design.

For those who prefer a dainty spot of color on the ear, I created lovely little ladybug studs, a pair of topaz colored cat posts, and some yellow lab earrings in 2 lovely shades, also posts.

So many of my enamel pieces are worn as necklace pendants that can be matched to whatever outfit you happen to be wearing on any given day.  I love the fact that my enamel necklaces can be offered to my customers at a price so reasonable that they can be given as gift items without having to think too hard about it first!

One of my favorites, probably because I love cats so much myself, is the three toned enamel calico pin. Of course it comes in a matching pair of earrings and a necklace as well, but I do love the pose of the pin. I call it my “playful cat.”

But for extreme cuteness, it’s hard to beat the pink pig pin. What a face! I have to tell you, I just looked at it so I could link to it in this article, and it made me laugh all over again. Shockingly adorable, if I say so myself!

I have a growing selection of these pretty enamel jewelry designs, and I imagine this creating business will continue for quite a while longer. You just can’t keep an animal artist down.