Custom jewelry, designed just for your organization? I can do that! (Custom corporate gifts, too.)

Finally, I put up a page on my website with some of the many custom jewelry pieces I’ve designed for various organizations over the years.  Although I’ve been creating one-of-a-kind jewelry for nonprofits and other groups, I just never took the time to get the word out. So now I’m doing it!

I suppose most organizations find me accidentally, or through word of mouth. Funny, because creating custom jewelry designs is one of my favorite things to do. Like this pin I made for Larry McQueen, who is the owner of “The Collection of Movie Picture Costume Design.” He contacted me after seeing some of my rabbit jewelry online, and wondered if I could recreate the silver pin that Kim Novak wore in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Vertigo.

Mr. McQueen needed this custom jewelry bunny design to complete the original Kim Novak costume that is scheduled to go on display at the Albert and Victoria museum in London this fall. It was a bit of a challenge, because there were no really clear photographs of the brooch, and working from a movie still was not the easiest thing I’ve ever done.

I created my original design in clay, and emailed scans of my work to Larry over a period of a month or two. He made some great suggestions and helped me as much possible. But it came down to me actually getting the work done, and in a timely fashion. And Larry was a joy to work with. It became a collaborative effort, with Larry going above and beyond to give me as much information about the piece as he could gather.

I also did a bit of searching for a jade stone that would look as much like the original as possible. And that was another hurdle! Jade comes in a number of shapes and shades, so locating one that had the same hue and dimensions…well, you’ve heard about that needle in a haystack phenomena, haven’t you?

But the final result, as you can see, came out pretty well! I’m really proud of this particular custom jewelry design, and can’t wait to hear about the opening of the vintage movie fashion show this fall.I think my offering will be in very exalted company!

I promised Larry I wouldn’t reproduce this design for anyone else, and the only other piece of it in existence is the one I cast for myself. I wear it proudly from time to time, and love to tell my friends and family the story of its origins.

If you have a company, nonprofit, school or organization that needs something custom made exclusively for you, do let me know! This kind of thing is right up my alley. And like everything else I create, every bit of casting and finishing work is done right here in the USA, helping to preserve and make jobs for Americans.

So, what kind of design do you need?

Cat Jewelry by Merry…Where it all Began

Oh yes, I have been making fun cat jewelry for almost 35 years. As a cat lover from way, way back, making cat necklaces, cat earrings and cat pins is second nature to me. I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure the first thing I created back in 1983 was some version of my current black and white cat jewelry line.

My first real kitty was an orphaned tabby, adopted when I was 12 years old. My mother, an artist, had planned to get me an expensive, pedigreed Angora cat.

She even drew a beautiful picture of one for the person who bred the cats, as partial payment for the kitten. Yes, you could say my artistic interest in cats developed at a young age, influenced by Kate Hutton, artist extraordinaire. Mom may take a little credit  for my cat jewelry interest!

But back to my first kitty adoption…

The week before we could adopt the angora kitty, my sister discovered a bedraggled 2 month old tabby kitten behind our house. She brought it home, and I fell in love. “Mom, can we keep her? Please?” Kids, after all, are not known for their patience. A week more waiting for my Angora seemed a lifetime. Thus Pif came into our life, where she remained for 22 years!

Cat Jewelry of all Sorts

Now my cat jewelry is all over the spectrum. From Fat cats in various colors to Siamese cats, tabbies and calicos. To me, one of the most wonderful things about cats is that they come in such a variety of colors and patterns, yet maintain the basic body shape. Of course, there are fat cats, Persian cats and more. But they certainly don’t vary as wildly as the dog breeds.

So, this has allowed me to create the playful cat jewelry line, in all these colors!

• Purple cats
• brown cats
• tuxedo cats
• calico cats
• Siamese cats
• grey cats
• grey and white cats
• black cats
• pewter cats

And my fat cats come in a few different types as well!

• multi colored fat cats
• topaz brown fat cats
• pewter fat cats

Sometimes I feel a little guilty because I have much more dog breed jewelry than I do cat jewelry. I think it just has to do with the fact that most dogs, depending on the breed, look so totally different from the other breeds. Whereas the cats…

Are You a Cat Lover?

I’ve often noticed that dog lovers tend to want their exact breed in a jewelry piece. But cat lovers seem to be a little more liberal in this regard. I mean, if you truly love cats, would you mind wearing a cat pin or pair of earrings that didn’t look exactly like your companion animal?

I personally select my jewelry to match what I’m wearing that day. If I have on a purple outfit, I would wear my multi-colored fat cat jewelry, which has some lovely jewel tones. If I am wearing black and white, my tuxedo kitty earrings fit the bill nicely. and so on.

Fat Cats vs. Skinny Cats

I realize fat cats may not be as healthy as their more svelte counterparts. But there is something lovable about them, and sort of humorous as well. But my fat cat jewelry isn’t really about fat cats so much as fluffy cats. You never know, under all that fluff may well be a lean mean tiger. It could happen!

Just out of curiosity, what kind of cat jewelry would you like to see more of? I’m not promising anything, but when I get around to designing again, I just might surprise you!

The search for handcrafted artisan jewelry goes on. I think that term covers a wide range of handmade jewelry, so you never know what might turn up! But I consider my own handmade artisan jewelry something unique to animal lovers specifically. Why animal jewelry? Well, that goes back to the beginning of The Magic Zoo and even before that!

 Special Handcrafted Artisan Jewelry for Animal Lovers

I am an animal lover from way back. And early on I combined this fascination with animals, nature and art. The kids in our family were big on drawing, so lots of cats, ducks and other creatures showed up in our homemade art comics.

Of course I didn’t  make handcrafted artisan jewelry back then (except for the acorn earrings I made for my mom on her birthday and handmade necklaces made from clover flowers) but even then I appreciated handmade jewelry and other things made by artists. Growing up with two parents who were artists themselves certainly helped.

We always had pets in our household. So animals were an influence starting at a very young age.

At age age 6 I told my mother that I was going to be an artist when I grew up. Since then, my goal in life has been to create. Combining that early love of animals with an ability to created handcrafted artisan jewelry has held me in good stead all these many years.

In the early 1980s I decided that I would be an animal jewelry artist. I actually remember where I was when I made that decision! I had seen lots of things for sale in mall shows, and was determined that what I sold would be handmade jewelry that I would create myself. I had no doubt that this would succeed. This was due in no small part to the fact that I had a mother who had made it on her own in the arts. And raised 4 children at the same time!

Unique Necklaces Became Popular, Give The Magic Zoo a Boost!

I love trying out new ideas. In 1990, I thought it would be kind of fun to come up with some unique necklaces to display at one of my art shows.  These were a great hit. Since that time, handcrafted earrings, pins and hair clips were added to my line. Back then I was still making items one at a time in clay, which was a very labor intensive operation.

My hands ached after a while, and I thought there might be a better way to design things than one at a time.

I Discovered my Jewelry could be Cast

Hurrah! I could still make unique jewelry and take care of my hands at the same time! With the discovery of US casters who worked exclusively to reproduce the work of jewelry artists, I was freed up to do what I loved best: Creating my own artisan jewelry. I could create one design, then go on to something else. I was no longer a one-woman factory.

This was a big relief.

And it opened up a lot of new doors. My designer jewelry was unique to me, and I could let others help me in the actual reproduction of the pieces. It was heaven! I worked just as hard as ever, but with the casting process in place, my handmade jewelry designs quickly expanded. From a few hundred designs, I exploded to more than 1400 new pieces.

Making a living as a jewelry artist is extremely satisfying. And if all I did was create new handcrafted jewelry designs at will, all would be ideal. But of course, as every entrepreneur knows, there are many business hats to wear. But as long as I can create unique, handcrafted artisan jewelry I will be happy!

]]> http://jewelryanimal.com/unique-handcrafted-artisan-jewelry/feed/ 2 http://jewelryanimal.com/dog-lovers-jewelry-from-the-magic-zoo/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dog-lovers-jewelry-from-the-magic-zoo http://jewelryanimal.com/dog-lovers-jewelry-from-the-magic-zoo/#comments Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:01:40 +0000 merry http://jewelryanimal.com/?p=594

This is a brand new design of a pit bull pendant in bronze. I hope that dog lovers enjoy it as much as I enjoy creating it!

Why do I make dog lovers jewelry?

That goes back to a childhood spent with an endearing dalmatian named Cid. Although Cid was officially my sister’s responsibility, we four kids all adored this dog’s gentle nature and habit of smiling (including showing his teeth) whenever he was embarrassed  by something.

Like the time we found him in his kitchen bed one morning with a dead mouse on the floor. Not sure why it embarrassed him, but who knows what goes on in the mind of a dog!

The idea of dog lovers jewelry didn’t occur to me for many years, but it seemed like an obvious designing path to follow while establishing myself as a jewelry designer. Dogs have always been attracted to me, even though I have not officially had one as a pet since those long ago days of my Ohio childhood.

For instance,  just last night a friendly neighborhood pit bull puppy licked my toes and wagged his tail hard enough to whip my legs! It made me realize how much dogs mean to so many of us in our daily lives, and what great buddies they make.

Here are some reasons why I make dog lovers jewelry:

• Dog lovers are some of the nicest people in the world! This, of course, includes all of my veterinary friends, who number in the thousands.
• Dogs are so much fun to design! Each breed has such an individual personality, and within that breed no two dogs are exactly alike.
• They fascinate me! I love to compare the domestic dog’s traits and his wolf ancestor’s habits and behavior
• Going along with this, I enjoy discovering how all the different breeds came about, and seeing how the early “versions” of various modern breeds looked. This is all part of my research into the jewelry design I’m currently working on.

When I create dog-themed jewelry, I make it a habit to read everything I can about the dog breed I’m designing. Through doing this, I  gain a lot of insight into various breeds, and I think this lets me do an even better job of designing. I used to do this solely through books, but now that I have a bit of internet savvy, I enjoy researching things online as wel.

Gifts for Dog Lovers

Many of the dog jewelry items I offer end up as dog lover gifts. I love the idea of something I’ve designed ending up on the ears of a Boston Terrier lover, for instance. These are some of the breeds I have current designs representing:

• Golden Retriever designs
• Labrador Retriever jewelry
• Shih Tzu designs
• French Bull Dog designs
• Maltese jewelry
• Poodle jewelry
• Dachshund designs
• Rottweilers earrings and pendants
• Bulldog designs
• Boxer jewelry

And many, many more!

I love to get to know my customers, and what dog lovers jewelry designs they may be searching for. If you have something you’d like to tell me after looking around at my dog jewelry designs, please do so! I even make one of a kind designs for human companions, representing a very special 4-legged friend.

Do you have a dog? Have you found your breed among the Magic Zoo designs? If not, let me know! I am always making new things, and would lover to include your favorite design in my collection in the future!

I have a new dental gifts and hygienist gifts website! It even has a new name – The Magic Tooth. For so many years it’s sort of bugged me that my dental jewelry has been under the umbrella of animal jewelry. It just isn’t a perfect fit. Yet at the same time, I’ve had a lot of dental customers since the very beginning of  my jewelry art business.

What to do? Well, here’s what I decided:

• I needed a catalog just for the dental profession
• I wanted to feature my dental name badges and dental jewelry for them
• I needed a website for that profession, separate from my other website
• I wanted a cute logo! (see the photo on this blog post!)

Handcrafted jewelry dental gifts is what this one is all about. Of course there are puppy tooth fairies and kitty tooth fairies, but there the crossover ends. This site is for, of and about dental gifts. And I have even created some new dental inspired goodies that aren’t yet on The Magic Tooth.

Speaking of which, I’m not planning to remove the dental gifts from The Zoo. At least not just yet, and maybe never. But now there is another option now of where a person can go to find unique jewelry for dentists. I’m super happy with my new site, and it has been up now for a couple of weeks.

If you are a dentist or hygienist, give me a call and I will be happy to talk to you in person. And maybe there is a dental gift you are looking for that you haven’t seen anywhere else that I might be able to help you with. Yes, I do custom work as well.

What kind of custom work? Well, almost anything you could imagine! For many years I’ve made handcrafted silver jewelry for my customers, and occasionally they need something that is completely unique to them. So of course I am more than happy to be their jewelry artist and custom designer as well.

I have long felt like the dental professionals among us deserve a lot more recognition than they get. After all, dental professionals keep our smiles healthy and even beautiful. So why not honor them with a dental gift that they will have forever? Tooth jewelry, tooth fairy earrings, even dental name badges are some of the things I have on my new site.

It can mean a lot to a dentist to have some recognition from his patients. This is one of the hardest working professions there are, and I think they will be around for as long as there are people who smile.

My grandmother Estelle was one of the first female dentists in the country. I have seen a photograph of her with her graduating class, a wonderful sepia photo from the last days of the Victorian age. She is in the middle of a group of staid looking gentlemen in wool suits. Mama Hutton (as we called her) is dressed in a flowing dress. She was a very small woman, and looks delicate yet determined amongst her much larger male colleagues.

So my interest in the dental profession is familial as well as artistic. I think my grandmother would have enjoyed my dental gifts, and would have been the first to smile at my cheeky little tooth earrings and sweet-faced tooth fairy designs.

My polymer clay jewelry is a colorful lot! I still have many of the designs, and decided it was time to let them go. I have parrot jewelry, dog jewelry, and various wildlife polymer clay jewelry. It’s a nice selection of animal jewelry, and every one of them has tons of character.

Since I only create the polymer clay designs on a custom basis now, this section of my website might be kind of interesting to those who have followed my work as a jewelry artist for many years. And since I am selling many of the designs at ½ price I hope to include some new The Magic Zoo jewelry fans in my fold.

Some of you may have some polymer clay ideas yourself. Maybe my jewelry will give you some new ideas! I’ve always been an animal fan, so of course all my polymer clay jewelry has something to do with animals. Just like all my silver and gold jewelry, it follows a similar theme.

This original jewelry (the polymer clay) includes a few necklace designs, most of which have colorful clay beads. And some of the colors are really yummy. I always have enjoyed combining color tones in various ways, and the polymer clay really lets you go to town with this sort of thing.

I’ve never made polymer clay charms, unless you count the little necklaces I’ve made for years and years. I know for many people the word pendant and the word charm are somewhat interchangeable. I tend to use charm as meaning something to fasten to a charm bracelet, and pendant as something you put on a chain to wear as a necklace.

But regardless, I still think of polymer clay as being one of the most versatile of mediums to create in. As long as you have a good way set up to cure your designs (I use a convection oven placed in my garage for curing mine) you are all set.

And if you are a polymer clay jewelry fan, I think you may enjoy taking a look at my clearance sale designs. There are some great ones there; some of them will be hard for me to part with! But when you’re a working artist, you have to sometimes make room for your new designs by clearing out some of the old ones. I miss making all those polymer jewelry designs on a daily basis (I did this for years and years) but there is also some relief in being able to create just one design and having it cast several times, each one an exact duplicate of my original. This I now do in the pewter and precious metals.

So I invite you to come to my website and see some of these original polymer clay jewelry designs. And tell me what you think of them! And of course if you have a favorite animal you would like to have in a custom, one of a kind polymer clay design, I can help you out with that as well! Many of my customers send me photographs of their pets to be recreated into an adorable polymer clay pin, pair of earrings or a necklace.

Is there a piece of polymer clay jewelry you would love to wear? Keep in mind the polymer clay is very durable…I have fans who come in my jewelry booth and show me the earrings I made them decades ago, still looking bright and shiny today. I love this material, and think I can make you something to wear that looks just like your favorite little critter, whether he or she is feathered, furred or scaled!

Several years ago I took a trip to Alameda East. I’d met Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald in my jewelry booth at a Veterinary conference the year before, and I did a bit of custom work for him. (He asked me to create some clay animal name badges for several of the doctors at Alameda East, including Dr. Holly Knor.)

What animal did he want me to make on all of their badges? You guessed it…iguanas! This amused me. I let him know that I could make some other animals instead, but he was insistent. So I decided to at least be creative and make all the iguanas different from each other after doing  some research and finding  out there were several different species.

Anyway, that’s how we first met.

I began to hatch a plan. I thought about how fun it would be to fly out to Alameda East in person and sort of “document” my trip. How I wish I’d had a video camera back then! Alas, neither Ed nor I are the techiest people in the world, so we had to settle for lots and lots of photographs. But at least we have those!

Anyway, I ran into Dr. Fitzgerald again  in October of 2005 and talked to him about my idea to fly out to Alameda East, and bring some of my pewter name badges for the entire staff. He liked the idea, so my husband Ed and I decided to head for Denver in November, the following month.

Dr. Fitzgerald met us and gave us a personal tour of the facility, which was incredible. We really got the royal treatment, and saw just about every nook and cranny. By the way, he  is just about the nicest guy you’d ever want to meet. In fact he corrected me several times when I called him “Dr. Fitzgerald” and said “Just call me Kevin.”

You can tell he is much-loved by the staff and other vets at Alameda East. I don’t think he’ll mind if I mention that many of them call him simply “Fitz.”

We spent a couple days touring the facility and getting to know the staff, and even hung out a bit in the back. There we got to see these incredibly able animal lovers do their thing in person. I remember feeling like I was  in a live episode of Emergency Vets on Animal Planet. These guys really know their stuff. It reminded me of how much I love veterinarians, and how hard they all work to take care of our best four-legged friends.

And how darned nice they all seem to be! I am lucky to know thousands of veterinarians. All of them may not be as famous as Dr. Fitzgerald, but I don’t believe I’ve ever run across a vet I haven’t liked. And they have supported The Magic Zoo for over 25 years, going back to my early days of visiting clinics in California in the 1980s, selling my early Magic Zoo jewelry. I’ve always had this profession in mind when I create designs, and I still attend some veterinary conferences each year. But I haven’t seen Dr. Fitzgerald for a number of years.

But I have some wonderful memories of his kindness, his humor and how darned hard he works!

Do you have a favorite story of a veterinarian? I would love to share it on my blog! I think it’s great to share our thoughts on these amazing men and women. And although only reruns play of Emergency Vets now on Animal Planet, Alameda East is still a flourishing vet clinic. My hats off to them all!

Unique small breed dogs jewelry; that is my current designing craze!

I love these little guys…

•    Yorkies
•    Maltese
•    Shih Tzus
•    Pugs
•     Boston terriers

And so many more.  I just created a Lhasa Apso pendant and pair of earrings and a brand new version of my Shih Tzu. Small breed dogs are so loaded with personality.

What dog jewelry artist could resist?

Sometimes I get asked how I make my jewelry, what tools do I use and so on. When you consider your dog to be one of the best dog breeds, I can see why you’d be interested!

And of course it can be difficult to keep up with all of the breed possibilities. But somehow, the small dog breeds seem the most fascinating to me as an artist. And of course I can always make a custom design just for you.

Maybe it’s their little faces, or the intense personalities of some of the small breed dogs. And making the ones with long fur is especially challenging and fun. Although my little Chihuahuas have been popular for over ten years!

But basically, this is how I make my dog breed jewelry:

•    I look for an especially appealing and good representative of  particular small dogs. This can be on the internet, from a customer’s photo, or a dog breed book

•    I get out my clay and mix it up in anticipation of a good designing session! I like to use grey clay for this purpose…it doesn’t add any distracting elements to the basic model that I create

•    When the clay is warm and fairly soft, I start to play with it. I make the basic shape of the dog, either the head or the entire body. Which way I go is based on my own whim.

•    In clay, I add the little loop at the top that will eventually attach to a pair of ear wires, a pendant bail or a spring ring charm.

•    Finally, I add details such as long hair, eyes, nose and other features.

•    The pieces are then cured in a special oven that I keep in my garage

•    After curing and cooling, I use a Foredom tool (it is kind of similar to a dentist’s drill) to take some of the extra clay out of the back. This keeps the piece from being too heavy after being cast in pewter, silver or gold.

•    I sign each piece in clay on the back, and off those cute little dog designs go to the caster in New England!

This is what I live for! I love to create, and am never happier than when I’ve got a chunk of warm clay and an appealing little dog photograph in front of me. Expressing the personality of these rascals is such a pleasure. I know all of them are completely unique, but I do strive to get the basic nature of a particular breed in my design.

Re-designing my small breed dogs jewelry

Sometimes I revisit a design years later and redo it. One thing I realized about many of the longer-haired small dog breeds is that many of their human companions prefer to keep them in a puppy cut. Originally I didn’t realize this and made many of my little dog jewelry pieces with more of a show cut.

Some of my newer designs, now in a puppy cut version, include my Yorkshire terrier and Maltese. And coming soon will be the Lhasa Apso and Shih Tzu. I get really excited about this!

Are you the proud and happy companion of one of the small breed dogs? Tell me something about him or her. I would love to know about their antics and personalities, and can’t wait to read your comments!

Being an animal artist who creates animal art is a privilege!

My designs, of course, are handmade jewelry. But to me they are more like miniature sculptures. Animal art in any form is endearing to most people, especially when it represents the personality and feel of the pet or animal in question.

Animal Art Anteater pin

Back when all of my handcrafted jewelry was created in polymer clay, I looked for color as part of the animal art design process. Recently I took a look at some of my jewelry from the late 1990s, when parrot jewelry and horse jewelry was as much about tones as it was about capturing the personality of a specific animal. And I think that is part of what attracted me to the idea of animal art, specifically animal jewelry.

Animal art to capture your pet’s personality

When my customers ask me to make them a pin, pair of earrings or a necklace that represents their pet, I take them very seriously. I know if I don’t capture the personality of their cat, dog, bird or reptile in the animal art I create, that there will be something missing. So of course I focus on that, and on creating a design that is visually pleasing as well. Most of the time, I must say, I am able to accomplish this. There are a few rare pieces that I do end up creating over again, because I insist that my customers be happy with the outcome, no matter what!

Putting on a custom piece of wearable animal art is a joyful thing…I must say I love wearing my jewelry as much as my customers do! That’s why I make jewelry that I would wear myself, and DO wear myself. Now, of course, most of my designs are done in sterling silver, gold, pewter and painted enamel. The painted designs still capture the color, which is important sometimes! After all, a parrot or a butterfly is beautiful in silver or gold, but to bring out the best qualities of those animals, color is a very important component.

But…I still make custom, one of a kind animal art in colorful polymer clay. It is a wonderfully organic process, hand crafted from start to finish. Can you find my fingerprints in the piece if you really look for them? Absolutely. Are the earrings absolutely a perfect match? Never. This is what makes them unique, and truly one of a kind.

Do you have a very special pet, that you would like to capture for all time? I can make you a custom animal jewelry piece that will be unique to you, and can be passed down to the next animal lover in your family. Yes, the clay jewelry is guaranteed for life. (Unless, of course, somebody gets a hold of it and chews it up! Like that favorite dog you are trying to represent… Yes, this does rarely happen! But other than that I do free repairs in the event your Magic Zoo animal art needs a little repair. What would you like to see in a special dog or cat or bird or any kind of animal jewelry?  I would love to make it for you!

]]> http://jewelryanimal.com/animal-art-and-the-animal-artist/feed/ 4 http://jewelryanimal.com/guinea-pigs-pets-of-long-ago/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=guinea-pigs-pets-of-long-ago http://jewelryanimal.com/guinea-pigs-pets-of-long-ago/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:41:01 +0000 merry http://jewelryanimal.com/?p=425

Guinea pigs have been pets in Europe for centuries! Some evidence discovered just a few years ago points to this…a guinea pig skeleton was found in the backyard cellar in a district of Belgium (which at one time had been part of the Spanish Empire.) With radiocarbon dating of the bones, it was revealed that this little piggie lived at the beginning of the 17^th century, just after the Spanish made their discovery of South America.

And Flemish guinea pig paintings from the time show multi-colored guinea pigs, obviously pets. The wild cavy, of course, is a brown color.

The newly discovered guinea pig was apparently buried on the property, an act typical of an affectionate human companion.

It makes sense. These little guys are so cute, so companionable that they have been winning the love of humans for a very long time.

I have never had a guinea pig for a pet, but so many of my customers have them. And I’ll bet my guinea pig jewelry is up there with the top 10% of popular items I create! This surprised me at first, but then I learned some interesting things about guinea pigs. Like:

• ·         Guinea pigs make excellent family pets
• ·         They rarely bite
• ·         They are fairly long-lived for rodents (5-7 years)
• ·         They make some very cute sounds! Customers have described their vocalizations as humming and purring
• ·         They respond well to handling

Guinea pigs sound like a wonderful way to introduce responsible pet care to a child. Of course, you as the parent would need to oversee this and make sure the guinea pig was being treated properly. But since they are so gentle, they might be a good start for a child old enough to actually keep the cage clean, feed the guinea pig and so on.

So it makes sense that guinea pigs have been pets for so long…I can imagine a Renaissance era maiden holding a little guinea pig in her hands, perhaps inducing it to take a bite of some delicacy. And it’s kind of humorous imagining a painter sitting at his easel, trying to capture a little piggie as it moves around. I’ve seen at least one painting from the 1600s with a couple of little guinea pigs in a central position. (They were black and white)

It has been postulated that it only took a couple of guinea pigs brought back from South America to be the parents of all the little pets in Europe that resulted. But I imagine more than that had been collected by the travelers. I like to think they were given as gifts by the people of South America, and that they enjoyed a pleasant journey across the water.

Who knows? Maybe that guinea pig you now have as a pet had “ex-pat” parents in Europe, and their progeny ended up back in the Colonies, to be bred once again, and become the great great many great grandparents of that little guinea pig you cuddle today! I get a little creative sometimes… If you do like the little guys, stop by The Magic Zoo and see what guinea pigs I have come up with, and make a suggestion or two.

Artistic Designs are spinning all around me these days (as possible creations). It’s almost time to sail into my new jewelry design phase, and I’m not sure where to start! I only have a few kitty designs, so maybe that would be a good one? On the other hand, I have had a lot of requests for artistic designs of collie, border terrier and other dog breeds.

Then there’s the platypus. Now if there were ever an artistic design that rarely gets asked for, that would be close to the top of the list. Yes, I have had a few requests for the unique little guy. Like 3 in over 15 years. But wouldn’t a platypus make a great pendant? Does anyone out there think I would get any orders if I designed one?

I have a confession to make. The animals that fascinate me the most are the ones that live in faraway exotic places, like Madagascar and Australia. You know, lemurs, chameleons, marsupials and oviparous mammals. (The ones that lay eggs) Of course I love dogs, cats, guinea pigs and all the rest. But the Scientist in me (didn’t know there was one, did you?) really loves the oddball critters of the earth. Yep, an artistic design of a Tasmanian devil or ring-tailed lemur…now that’s the stuff of which excitement is made. At least for this artist.

But back to reality.

Where should I go from here? What artistic designs are you hankering for? I do have a list, of course. Starting with a redo of my Shih Tzu (I need to make one with a “puppy cut”). I am looking forward to that one. Cute little guys.

And an otter gets asked for a bunch. I’ve had a lot of sad-eyed customers look in my display case at the ferret, and then wistfully ask if I’ve ever considered an artistic design of an otter. When I knowledgeably mention that ferrets and otters are related, and maybe in silver the ferret could pass for an otter, they just give me the “look.” So I better get busy on that one. An otter holding a baby? Holding a sea urchin? Which should it be?

Now I do have two marsupial designs, so maybe I should let well enough alone. Yes, I have a koala and a Virginia Opossum in my line. Both were lots of fun to make, and both relatively popular. The possum more so than the koala, interestingly enough!

Every time I get an email requesting something or other, I add it to my list. And every show has an extra page in the sales book just to list all the animals I get asked for. It’s a tough job, but someone has to come up with all these animal jewelry designs. It’s my burden in life. (Pretty nice burden, actually)

But… I must throw in something different and unexpected this year. Maybe it will be a platypus. I know ONE person who would wear it, and maybe even in 14K gold. Yes, that would be me.

You can go to my new design page and see what I’ve been up to (although we are sometimes a bit behind on photographing the new stuff) or just email me (or better yet, comment on this blog post!

Your Animal Loving Artist,

Merry

There is something kind of appealing about this little Santa dog pin. I think it reminds me of the adorable, long-suffering look our puppies give us when we dress them up. Or maybe that’s just my imagination, at least the long-suffering part. But a Santa dog dressed up in a red and white Christmas hat amuses me. And I don’t think they mind terribly.

Recently I had a contest on my FB page for the dog with the cutest Halloween costume. Not too many people were willing to share this, but I think it’s probably time for a Santa dog contest! Now honestly, how many of you ask your 4 legged family member to don the red and white Santa hat every year? Of course for you, the human companion, a Santa dog pin or pair of earrings isn’t something you wear all year. That would make you the human version of the Christmas Store. But I have lots and lots of dog jewelry, in many, many breeds. That’s why I picked a kind of generic little pooch to be my Santa dog.

I hope your holidays with your pets are safe and happy. Just make sure to keep your pets away from the chocolate! I doubt if cats would be very tempted by truffles, but I have heard of some sick pups resulting from their gobbling up of chocolate candies, especially around the holidays. And if you live in the colder climes, of course watch out for overly chilly weather. Their natural fur coats are good protection, but still…

Let me know if you are looking for something extra special in the way of dog jewelry! I recently returned to my roots as a jewelry artist and started making one of a kind custom work again. So if I have a photo of your dog, I can make you a pair of earrings, a necklace or a pin in his or her image. And that could become a treasured possession for sure. Dog jewelry is not hard to find, but your specific best friend in a piece of jewelry? I don’t think it can get much better than that!

So whether you’re looking for something whimsical, like a Santa dog, or something approaching more “serious art,” let me know. But really none of my work is particularly serious. After all, why not just have fun? Any given lifetime is too short to pack in enough smiles, laugh and quirky humor. (my favorite kind) I hope you have tremendous holiday fun, and hope you decide to visit The Magic Zoo to pick up something special for the dog lover on your Christmas list. And, of course, don’t forget to check out my entire line of silly Santa Dog jewelry!

Enamel Owl Jewelry

What do I mean by inspired jewelry? Well, my owl pendants and charms are a good example of that! When I create any of my designs, I consider them inspired jewelry. I have always loved nature, and that is where I draw my inspiration. And to me, one of the most amazing animals in the world is the owl. Pendants and charms crafted in their image have always fascinated me. So an inspired jewelry piece depicting any owl species is a personal favorite.

And what owl pendants do I carry? Well, not too long ago I designed a new silver owl pendant of a barn owl. It’s one of my favorites, and really doesn’t look like any other inspired jewelry item in my line. Most all of my designs have each individual part as a separately crafted unit, but the barn owl pendant has its detail carved with a special tool I reserve for adding specific texture by hand. That owl design of my favorites, probably because of that distinction. (But the owl jewelry design in the photograph on this blog post is another fav!)

A couple of years ago, a little horned owl appeared just outside my studio window, and perched on the sill. I don’t know my owl species well enough to positively identify it, but it was a thrill! Luckily my husband was in the studio too, so I got to share that delight. I guess just because owls are nocturnal I think of them as being rare. Actually they are probably very common, but since we daytime creatures don’t see them too often, they seem rare. See what I mean about making inspired jewelry?  What artist wouldn’t be inspired by that? Or any other nature lover, for that matter.

I know art is a very personal thing, but I am amazed by how many people collect owl pendants, owl charms and owl earrings. And I believe there are quite a few vintage owl designs available as well. My new enamel owl has a bit of that vintage enamel look, I think. This is an owl design in pewter, which has been hand painted in some lovely jewel-toned colors. (I say “has been hand painted” because I actually have a team of US artisans that paint my enamel designs. I am proud of their work, and don’t want to take credit for it myself.) Of course I choose the colors, but they do the actual painting.

Are you a lover of inspired jewelry? And what actually inspires you in your artistic selections? I am always curious to hear what my customers and any animal lover looks for in a jewelry design. Whether you love owl jewelry, or are a fan of another animal entirely, I enjoy hearing your thoughts. One of the best parts about being an animal jewelry artist is the feedback I get. I don’t think designing owl pendants or any other kind of animal jewelry would be nearly as fun without the comments and phone calls I get. Not to mention the customers I get to meet in person at my shows! Please let me know what what inspires you in your jewelry purchases!

animal charm

A unique animal charm can be a particularly meaningful gift, and with the holidays coming up soon-why not see what’s available? Of course, I have hundreds of lovely charms, in both 14K and sterling silver. But an animal charm that represents someone’s beloved pet is not always so easy to come by. Particularly if the pet is not a dog or a cat. That’s not to say I don’t carry dozens of dog and cat charms, too! (Like this cute little guy just above)

What should you look for in a classy animal charm? Well, one of the things you might want to keep in mind is the quality of the workmanship. I personally like a charm that has a bit of weight to it, and one that you can actually tell what it is! I once spent some time looking at an animal charm on a silver charm bracelet and  did not have the slightest idea what the creator was trying to depict. But then again, the appreciation of art is very individual, and just because one person sees no redeeming artistic value in something, does not mean it isn’t there for someone else. Oh, I know this very well!

I have a charm bracelet with over 30 of my charms on it, and I have customers that collect my charms, and even have different silver bracelets for individual types of animals! You know, a cat bracelet, dog bracelet, favorite pets of all time charms and so on. But all of them have this in common: they love a good animal charm! I consider it a great honor that so many of my collectors will only put my charms on their bracelets. But of course, I find nothing wrong with a Magic Zoo charm finding its way onto a mixed bracelet, full of all sorts of fun trinkets.

My grandmother had a gold charm bracelet, with each of her grand kids’ names on an individual 14K gold round disc. I remember looking at it as a child, and touching the one with my name. Grandmother Eva was a wonderful lady, and her charm bracelet certainly reflected her care for all of us. She also loved animals, and I bet would be proud to see my selection of animal charms! Unfortunately, she passed away before I became a professional artist.

But I did inherit her love and fascination for animals, so in a way her legacy has been passed down and into each and every animal charm I make. So if you are looking for a cat charm, dog charm or even a possum charm, you might want to stop off at The Magic Zoo and see what’s available. I think you’ll be surprised at my huge selection, and I would be surprised if you didn’t find the perfect animal charm for your or for someone you love.

Are you a charm collector? What is your favorite pet or animal, and what kind of charm would you like to see represent him or her? I am always curious what people need and want, and love to design new pieces of jewelry that reflect what you are looking for.

Dog paw print jewelry and cat paw print jewelry are some of the best loved designs among animal and pet lovers. I noticed this when I created my first paw print designs a number of years ago. Then several years back, the ASPCA asked me to design some special dog paw print jewelry that they still carry in their online shop. (Yes, I am proud of that !)

A dog paw print jewelry piece combined with a heart motif is an especially sweet design. So of course I had to add that to my line as well. It goes so well…it expresses  the love and good times we have shared with our four legged friends. It seems perfect!

I wouldn’t say my dog paw print jewelry pieces are only for dog lovers…in fact, cat paw print jewelry lovers purchase them as well. To me they express the love we share for both dogs and cats, and wearing them is certainly a way to keep memories of those sweet animals alive. And if you have a current best friend in your life, it’s a way to keep her or him with you no matter where life’s travels may take you.

The dog paw print jewelry I especially love are the 14K gold pendants. I was never much of a gold person until I designed some of it myself, but now I find it irresistible! One of my favorite pieces is the round paw print pendant, which I wear proudly on one of my gold chains. I always feel especially dressed up when I wear that one!

A few years back I even made a paw print key chain… It has a nice feel, and is the perfect size to keep those keys from getting forever lost in a purse or pocket. So even if you are not a jewelry wearer, you can have dog paw print jewelry in the form of a key chain. Great for guys, too!

Oh, I forgot to mention the paw jewelry I have in pewter and enamel. This pet paw design idea is one I have taken to heart, literally! My pewter and enamel designs all combine a heart shape with a paw print in the very middle. Some of them are colored, which gives a nice contrast to the shiny pewter.

The other nice thing about a paw jewelry design is that it covers all the different breeds. By that I mean if a dog is a mixed breed you can wear dog paw print jewelry (or a bone jewelry design) and still express the affection you have for your dog. And it makes it especially easy for people who wish to give a dog lover a gift, but can’t find anything they particularly like in the breed jewelry available.

Overall, paw print jewelry is a fabulous way to announce to the world “I am an animal lover,” and keep the connection to your dog alive wherever you go. It has long been one of my favorite designs, and I’m sure it will continue to be one in the future. If you would like a peek at my paw print designs, stop by! And let me know what you think of them by posting a comment here.

Death of a Pet-Pet Memorial Jewelry Honors their Life

The death of a pet is always painful, and sharing a life with a beloved animal is something to treasure forever. My mom used to talk about cats and even a cow she shared her girlhood years with. She would speak of the death of a pet and the tears would flow, even 60 years later! But all of us kids understood…we were raised by animal lovers to be animal lovers ourselves. And our own pets held very special places in our hearts.

But when the death of a pet eventually occurs it is always difficult.   I have found a very effective way to deal with the hardest few days, and even beyond that time. It may sound almost too simple, but it does help. What am I talking about?

Believe it or not, you can help ease the grief   by taking a good, long walk. You can go by yourself or go with a friend. The key is to look around at your surroundings. Don’t think too much. Just watch the sky, the trees, the bushes, houses, anything in the environment. And you can do this several times a day, actually as often as you wish.

The most intense grief from the death of a pet will eventually ease, and all those wonderful memories will have a chance to resurface. Games played, walks on the beach together, sharing a peaceful evening watching the fireplace or enjoying a TV show, cuddled together. Of course your wonderful pet will always be loved.

A couple of years ago some of my customers asked me to create some jewelry that would be a  pet memorial for their dog or cat. This led to several designs I was happy with, in sterling silver and 14K gold. Both of them depict a cat or dog asleep, with a pair of angel wings. I also made a rainbow bridge with some little paw prints “walking” over the bridge.

Finally,  I decided to create some pieces that would be even more affordable, so I made some sweet dog and cat angels in pewter and enamel. All of them have very sweet expressions, just like the angels they are meant to be! It makes me feel good to have some designs that might be able to ease the death of a pet, and give a little comfort at the same time. I have heard from people who are going through the pet loss period, and they have thanked me for creating a symbol that they can hold, and one that reminds them of their wonderful companion.

I know what it is like to experience grief, and losing a pet can be very difficult. Whether your pet that has recently passed on is a cat, a dog, a bird, a guinea pig or a reptile (or one of many other pets) I understand how you are feeling. And I hope you take me up on the idea of taking a walk and observing your surroundings. You might be surprised at how much that will help ease the death of a pet.

And of course,  I can also make you a custom polymer clay jewelry design of one of your favorite pets, either living or one that has “gone over the rainbow bridge.” Here is the custom clay jewelry link for that.  I would love to hear from you and about your own beloved pets, both present and past. Feel free to comment, and share your story.

Well, at least this member of the jewelry artisans club does. And no, there is not an actual club for jewelry artisans. At least not that I know of. But sometimes you find yourself grouped with other people who share your interests, and I think that is not necessarily a bad thing! Artists are some of my favorite people. And not just jewelry artisans. I am not prejudiced in favor of my particular art form.

Of course when I’m exhibiting at an art show, I  feel especially chummy with the other  jewelry artisans, painters,  potters, woodworkers and so on. It is sort of an exclusive club, even though most of us look a little ragtag. Aging hippies, I guess some would refer to us as. But I never did feel like a hippie, even though I may have dressed the part. “I am,” I would say, or at least THINK with great dignity, “an artist.” As if you couldn’t be both. Maybe growing up with a couple of artists for parents led me to feel especially dignified about the whole thing.

Now it seems funny. And one of the things I’ve learned over the years is that we are all artists, and most everyone has an area he or she can create in. Cooking is an art. So is building things. So is raising a happy and sane child. And of course, you could be harboring a truly artistic ability that just needs to be let out of the bag. My sister is a latent artist of that variety. A couple years ago her husband gave her a professional drawing class as a birthday gift and you should have seen what she produced! I never would have guessed it was the first time she had seriously worked on her art.

I love all sorts of creating. Early on, I was half-way serious about being a musician. And I made a bit of progress in that area, getting up on my share of stages and even performing on local TV and radio. But my love of animals and my need to be a mother at home as much as possible with the kids led me towards a “quieter” field, that of jewelry artisan. Not to say I don’t still love to belt out a traditional folk tune or so during a family party.

And a year ago I published my first book! Now that was an accomplishment. I love to write, and suspect I will head in that direction again one of these days. I always create a book about fairies for my 7 year old granddaughter at least twice a year, so that keeps me involved in writing and little Ada amused at the same time.

And did I mention how much I love drawing cartoons? By the way, if you’d like to see my cartoons, you are welcome to enter your email on my mailing list, get a free paw print necklace with your first Magic Zoo order, as well as my weekly cartoons! Yep, I have an ongoing series! All you have to do is enter your first name and email, under the little dog and kitty cartoon on the right!

Throckmorton the Kitty

I would love to make a polymer clay jewelry design of your pet! I have been creating custom polymer clay jewelry for  years; but most people have heard of my clay jewelry work through word of mouth. Even that has kept me pretty busy. But…

I thought it was time to open up my custom jewelry design section, and do a lot more of this sort of thing. After all, it’s why I started The Magic Zoo way back in 1989! Now I know thousands of pet and animal lovers, and it seems to me there’s always one special little cat, dog, bird or small pet that really captures the heart. My polymer clay jewelry is one way to share that especially endearing soul with the rest of the world.

Here’s what a few of my customers have about my custom polymer clay jewelry throughout the years:

“I wanted to let you know that I received a name badge this week that I ordered for my friend, Laura, who is graduating from veterinary school in a few weeks. I had you design two cats for the badge to resemble her cats, Iris and Jupiter. Laura is such a special person and she deserves a special graduation gift. Both cats were adopted from difficult situations: Iris was an abused barn cat that Laura had to do eye surgery on and then kept as her own, and Jupiter came to the vet school as a rescue to really “rescue” Laura right after her dog passed away. I believe that Laura touches every animal and person that she meets in a special way and I’m glad that she is going to have a special gift to commemorate her graduation from vet school.”

-A. Smith, DVM

“I just received my name tag that I ordered with my name and the polymer clay African Grey Parrot.  It is beautiful work and thank you very much……. Merry’s work is some of the most beautiful work ever….. “                                                                                                             -B. Klein

The pin that you made of Penelope my guinea pig is perfect!!
I love wearing it! Thank-you very much for capturing
my little friend so well.”
-E. S.

“Thank you very much for the outstanding necklace that you produced from the pictures that I sent you of my daughter’s pug, Bailey.  It will be a very unique Christmas present for her, and one that I know that she will treasure for many years to come.”
-B. H., DVM

“Received my cockatiel necklace & have already worn it twice.  It is quite a conversation piece especially from fellow bird owners. It’s unique since one doesn’t see cockatiel jewelry floating around.  You may see Macaw or Cockatoo items but the smaller birds seem to be left out.  I am very pleased with how it looks & especially if worn with a BLACK top.  That really sets it off.  Very original.”
-Gayle K.

Now you know why I do what I do!

So send me a photograph of your favorite pet or animal, and I will put my heart and soul into making you an absolutely unique polymer clay jewelry design. What do you think of that?

Custom Cockapoo pin

Polymer clay daily – wear them every day, every week or once a month. It matters not! I have been creating custom polymer clay jewelry for over 25 years, and I still get tons of  comments on those pieces whenever I wear them. And my customers tell me the same thing. It’s funny,  since I began working in sterling silver and gold, I  forgot how fun the polymer clay daily creation can be. But now that I’m back at it, I feel like I’ve recaptured the old joy.

Here are some of the best things about polymer clay daily wear:

• The pieces are so durable- you can wear them on a daily basis for years and years
• If your polymer clay jewelry gets a little dirty, all you have to do is gently scrub it with a little dish soap and an old tooth brush!
• The colors never fade, at least as far as I can tell
• Polymer clay jewelry is lightweight. Even the weight of a large necklace is unnoticeable

When I first discovered polymer clay back in the early 80s, I couldn’t get enough of those beautiful, bright colors. And when I started to work as a professional polymer clay artist, it only got better. There is something very special about getting paid to create beautiful things, and I felt like I had really found the medium I wanted to work in for a very long time. Which is exactly what I did.

I think it’s funny now, but back in the late 1980s I actually took my polymer clay jewelry around to offices in little towns and cities in Marin County, California to sell. And people bought from me! I gained quite a following there, and some of my customers from that era are still with me today. (Luckily they didn’t just decide I was nuts) Or maybe they did, but they thought I was an endearing kind of nut.

Anyway, after all those many years, I seem to have come full circle. In between the 1980s and now my main focus shifted to sterling silver, gold, pewter and enamel jewelry. And the polymer clay sat on the back burner. The only pieces I created were for people who had heard about my polymer clay jewelry from someone else. I didn’t promote it. I didn’t really have very much about it on my website.

Funny how things can change!

On September 28th, here is what is happening:

1. I’m having a big revival of my polymer clay jewelry

2. Anyone interested can order a custom design and get a second custom design for free (done from the same photograph)

3. In other words, you can order a custom pair of earrings, and then a custom pin to go with it for no additional cost

4. Sign up on my email list now, to get the information on how to get a custom jewelry design, plus a second one for free

All you have to do is click on this link, which will take you to The Magic Zoo homepage. There is a cartoon there of a little dog and kitty, along with an offer for a free necklace. (Which you can ALSO get when you order) Now enter your email, and you’re all set!

I hope to see your own cute cat, dog, guinea pig, bird, etc. photographs soon. And you, too will have some polymer clay daily to wear!

I’ve decided to put some custom polymer clay jewelry back in my jewelry line and on my website!

Only this time, I’ll make whatever animal or pet you would like to see, customized for every single person. I’ll create your favorite dog, cat, lizard, bunny-you name it. Any and all pets and animals in a one-of-a-kind, custom polymer clay jewelry design.

These designs will be  miniature, handcrafted portraits of your pet that you can actually wear. They are something to treasure for a lifetime.

Lots of work goes into each and every one of my custom polymer clay jewelry pieces. And then I guarantee them  on top of that!

Anyway…I’m having a very special sale next week, and if you sign up on my email list on my website, then you will get all the information as it comes out.

But basically, when you order one custom pin, or one pair of custom earrings, or a custom hair clip or necklace, I will make you a second design (from the same photograph) at no cost at all. There will be a special code to enter in order to take part in my sale.

But basically, you can  have me create an entire custom polymer clay jewelry set for the price of one custom design.

I will probably kick myself next week, but I really wanted to “cut the ribbon” on my new custom polymer clay jewelry section in a big way, and I thought this would be a nice way to get started. Plus, I was born in the Midwest in the 1950s. I’m not afraid of a little work.

So get those pet photographs ready…I will need really clear dog photos, cat photos and so on. They don’t have to be professional quality photos, but just nice and clear. Our custom order sale will begin on September 28th, and that’s when the polymer clay jewerly will finally be back on my website. I’m so excited about it, that I’ve started wearing my custom designs around again. And I tell you what, they get a LOT of comments and admiration.

So I do listen to all my customers. I want to create what you are interested in, and this custom design section should be a lot of fun. Even if you can’t order a custom polymer clay jewelry design right away, come on by next Wednesday and take a look around.If you have a favorite pet or animal, and you just never see them represented in jewelry, this might be kind of fun for you.

And remember, if you are interested in the sale, come to my website and sign up where you see the little puppy and dog on the left hands side of my website. You can also get a free pawprint necklace when you order, if you have never purchased anything from me before.

So many of my customers have had (or have) a really special little furry, feathered or scaled pet, and would love to wear a representative piece of jewelry. This is a great way to get an entire set of custom, one of a kind polymer clay jewelry for a very modest price. I hope to see you at my website!

The first bunny necklace I made was  in polymer clay. I remember it well! It was a silvery and white colored little fellow, and I put a couple of matching polymer clay beads on either side of the  pendant itself. That little guy is no longer in my line, but my current bunny necklace (or should I say necklaces, plural) have not such a different look. I mean, rabbits and bunnies are hard to improve on for general cuteness, and the expression that attracted me over 15 years ago is still there. So even my silver bunny has a look that reminds me of that earlier, slightly more organic version.

I know a lot of lovely ladies that do rabbit rescue, and I absolutely love the idea of a house rabbit! Not for me, mind you. No, I just create the bunny necklace (and earrings, pins, charms and so forth) But the idea of having a little hopper in the home amuses me. But from what I understand, you really have to keep an eye on those electrical cords! I’m sure those bunnies are worth all the looking over, though. And is it true they can be housebroken?  Anyone have any experience with this sort of thing?

It’s funny how some animals end up inspiring me to create dozens of designs. For instance, I have a rabbit charm and an entire line of rabbit jewelry as well as a whole slew of bunny designs. This was not really intentional. I just ended up making a whole lot of extra work for myself by calling some of them bunnies and some of them rabbits. It’s hard to explain, but if you happen to have an online store, you would know exactly what I’m talking about.

So my dilemma is that I don’t want to show a lot of prejudice by creating even more rabbit jewelry, but at the same time, they are pretty irresistible and might just be worth it. What to do, what to do… I wonder how long it would take me to come up with some enamel bunny and rabbit jewelry in black and white? I have the brown painted rabbit and the all white with red eyes bunny stuff, but I think before I branch out too much more, I need a bit of feedback on this. It’s not like the old clay jewelry making days, when I could whip up a new design, and try it out at a show. NOW I have to make the original bunny charm or necklace in clay, send it to my caster, and go through a lot more pre-production in general.

So if you have a feeling about this one way or the other, I would love to hear what you have to say! Help out your bunny jewelry artist by letting her know if you would be interested in a bunny necklace designed in some other colors. Here’s where you can peek at my current line of rabbit designs to give you a feeling for what I have already!

Teensy baby guinea pigs…I really don’t think it can get any cuter than that! Being an animal jewelry artist, by necessity I have an eye for cute animal poses, expressions and so on. When I was browsing the internet recently (and since I do make some guinea pig jewelry) I thought I’d give this particular little critter a good looking over. And yes, it is true and you can take it from me- baby guinea pigs rank in the top 10 of adorable baby animals. And that is one competitive group!

Think about it…there are elephant babies, kittens, puppies, hippos and so on. So for guinea pigs to end up on that list (of course this is a survey of one, meaning me) there has to be some exceptional cuteness going on.

When I first started making guinea pig jewelry, I worked from a great photograph of a head-on shot. You know the look? Outrageous, right? If you are a guinea pig breed lover, then you know exactly what I mean. Those slightly questioning dark eyes, set far apart. The inquisitive pink nose and the tiny expressive mouth. And one more thing about these pocket pets…I know a LOT of veterinarians, and every one of them is crazy about this rodent! With the exception of their tendency to urinate any old time, they seem like a champion pet no matter what age you are. It got me thinking, and if I weren’t so maddenly busy designing and selling my jewelry, I’d probably have one of these furry little fellows to keep me company in the studio! And oh yes, did I mention the adorable sounds they make? Yes, that could clinch the deal right there.

Their laid-back feature is kind of enticing as well. I’ve read in a couple places that it doesn’t even matter if Daddy guinea pig is present when the big event occurs. Imagine, a papa guinea pig present at the birth! I think my son (who has been present and an active participant in all three of his baby’s births) would appreciate that. According to one source, Papa guinea pig may even clean the newborns! Now that is one 21st century dad. I love it!

And the guinea pig/human relationship can start immediately. You can pick up and handle the babies when they are still newborn. What a way to form an attachment. And since guinea pigs are born with their eyes open, they are kind of advanced little guys. They even start eating solid food (hay and so forth) when they’re tiny!

If you have a male and a female guinea pig, I reckon you better be expecting some little ones. Apparently Mom has her cycle every 14-18 days. And she can have 2-3 babies in a litter. The babies can be separated from their mom 3-6 weeks after they’re born. I’m not sure why there’s such a huge span in there; I would always err on the longer wait, myself. Then again, I approve of home schooling, too!

Now of course I would love to hear your personal baby guinea pig experience…and if you’d like to see something special I’ve created for guinea pig lovers, you’re just a quick click away!

Baby guinea pigs are on my top ten cuteness list. So, several years ago I decided I absolutely had to create some guinea pig charms, earrings and pendants. The design process started out a little bit slow, but before I could turn around, I found myself making different guinea pig breeds in all kinds of jewelry. Now I have a full range in pewter, sterling silver, enamel and 14K gold. Seeing that silly little piggy face in a piece of expensive gold jewelry still makes me laugh. And the really funny thing is that my gold guinea pig pendant is one of the more popular of all my 14K designs! But I still notice more sterling silver than gold versions leaving The Magic Zoo studio.

I did a little research on the reproductive habits of guinea pigs, and discovered that a mama pig has a relatively long pregnancy! (For an animal her size, anyway) It lasts 3 months, just 1/3 the length of a human pregnancy. And think how dinky these little mamas are! It must be a load to carry around a litter of baby guinea pigs for that long.

I also learned that their babies are born with their eyes open, and that  they are weaned in about 6 weeks. I’m wondering if I read this right: females can get pregnant at 6 weeks. How could you possibly be weaned off your mother’s milk and become pregnant on the same day? Pretty strange.

If I were thinking about getting  a guinea pig, I would go for two. Apparently they get lonely, and another pal to play with makes all the difference. And they love to be handled! In fact, ignoring a guinea pig is quite cruel, as they are social little critters and love to be played with and will grunt and squeak with happiness when petted.

Guinea pigs are said to be the most gentle of pets. One writer mentioned that he found it hard to believe that these quiet, inoffensive little creatures ever lived on their own in the wild! Not sure how many cavies still live this way, but I would imagine they are holding their own down there in South America. The wild cavy is a lovely brown color, all the better to be camouflaged by his rocky surroundings.

Are you a vegetarian? Guinea pig feeding will not be a painful chore for you. They eat no meat, and love a diet heavy on leaves, grass, flowers, chickweed and so on. Be sure and research exactly what your guinea pigs should eat to remain healthy before you bring them home. And because they are so small and relatively frail (compared to a dog or cat) you have to look after them carefully. They can fall off  furniture, and possibly eat something that could make them ill. They aren’t particularly long-lived pets, but with good care they  live about 4 years. But the Guinness Book of World Records in 2006 reported  a guinea pig that survived for 14 years!

So when you bring that baby guinea pig home, create a clean and safe home, and you’ll be friends for quite a while to come. Have a guinea pig story to share? I would love to hear it! And if you have a hankering for some cute guinea pig jewelry, feel free to stop by my cute guinea pig designs sometime!

The Magic Zoo Elephant necklace

When my elephants  traveled to Africa and were a hit amongst local shop owners (according to my adventurous customer) I was on top of the world! According to her, these local entrepreneurs attempted to trade her all sorts of items in their stores for the hand crafted Magic Zoo elephant necklace  and earrings.

If the people who have African elephants as part of their daily life appreciated mine that much, I reckon I must be doing something right … It was a huge complement, and  it put a big grin on my face for three or four days after I received her letter. And you know what? My customer did not trade them. I think for me the temptation would have been way too much. After all, The Magic Zoo is in her very own country, and her pieces could have been replaced, but how often do you get to shop in an African gift store? (Of course I’m assuming the work they had there was from local craftspeople.)

One of these days I would love to travel to Africa. It is one of the continents on this planet I must see for myself. I do know some lovely people from Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa. And of course being who I am, I am completely fascinated by the native wildlife there. I can only imagine the thrill of watching lions, zebra, giraffes and of course the amazing pachyderms as well bounding about on the wild and rugged Savanna.

Visiting animals from across the globe in my local zoo does have its wonderful moments. But I don’t see how it can possibly compare to coming face to face, or at least within visual range of their wild counterparts.

However, there was the time I got to hold my (then) 2 year old granddaughter Ada while she fed a specially formulated cracker to a giraffe at the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. This gentle giant bent her head over Ada’s pugdy little hand and scooped up the cracker with a whisk of a surprisingly blue tongue. Ada giggled and wiped the giraffe spit off on her dress.

Yes, that was a moment to treasure!

And once I had a conversation with a zoo keeper who took care of the hyenas. “They are,” she told me, “Very sweet and intelligent animals.” I wouldn’t have been surprised at their intelligence, but sweet? That’s just not a word I  would have associated with a hyena!

I would imagine there are a handful of people from the United States who have made the journey to beautiful, wild Africa.  If you are one of them, I’d love to hear from you! And if you have photographs to share, you can email them to me as well. (My email address is on my website.) I might even ask if you would guest blog and tell your own personal elephant encounter in a future blog post!

And if you are curious as to what sorts of elephant jewelry I actually have created, you can come on over to my site and see for yourself!

An adorable pit bull puppy picture was shown to me by a proud owner (or should I say human companion) at a Veterinary Conference several years ago. Courtney pulled out her cell phone, searched a few moments and then squealed, “See how adorable he is!”

Now, a lot of pet owners show me their favorite companion animals in my jewelry booth. But this snow white little bundle of pit bull cuteness was over the top. I held the phone for a few minutes, drinking in what had to be one of the cutest pit bull puppy pictures ever. “How old is he there?” I asked. She said just a few months old. But not a he, a she. And sure enough, this little girl had a sort of softness about her personality. Obviously a female!

This reminded me of the time I oohed and ahhed over someone’s new baby boy. Only the baby boy was a baby girl. Oh for the days when girls wore pink and boys wore blue. I suppose you could color code a dog collar…

Anyway, that was the turning point for me. I’d been asked by my customers for years to design a pit bull pendant and earrings. But that little sweetie pushed me over the edge. After returning from the show, I sat down at my studio desk and started researching pit bull faces. I enjoy designing dogs, but I must say that some of them are really handsome. They have good bones, and strong pleasant faces. In other words, they make very good subject matter. In that area, I put the pit bull right up there at the head of the class.

The cool thing about designing in silver and gold  is that you can represent any of the pit bull color variations, even the blue pit bulls. Personally, I think silver and blue are complementary. And of course there are so many different shades a pit bull may come in; white, blue, black, brindle and so on. Have I left any out?

My first pit bull design was the larger head. I was proud of it, but realized it was a little over the top for a pair of earrings. So I made a second design, a little smaller. Perfect! By virtue of this happy accident, I now have a pittie pendant in two sizes plus a larger pendant.

Do I have a pit bull terrier myself? No. But I appreciate the breed, and feel like it has been much maligned. Hundreds of my customers are pit bull owners, and I get to admire their sweet temperaments and beauty through their colorful stories and photographs. One of these days perhaps I’ll move to the country and have all sorts of animals gracing my land. But until that time, I guess I’ll have to be satisfied with pit bull puppy photographs, and my own artistic vision of this wonderful breed.

Have a pit bull yourself? Tell me about him/her, and what your favorite thing about this breed is. One of the perks of being an animal jewelry artist is getting to hear everyone’s fabulous animal stories! And you can take a look at my pit bull jewelry creations any time you choose!