In the "Jardin."

Where do you get your inspiration?

Ideas come from everywhere, it seems. I get most of my ideas when I am outside, enjoying nature. Nothing gets my creative juices flowing like a good walk on a sunny day. Walking is so meditative and allows my thoughts to wander right along with my feet.

I also find gardening inspiring. Pulling weeds is meditative, too!

So I guess it's fitting that this new series is a tribute to the garden. I love flowers and color and the sweet smell of leaves and grass in the summer. Deep in winter as we are, even this mild winter, I find myself longing for that. I find that in February, my preferred color palette changes dramatically -- I don't want to look at anything that isn't blue or aqua, spring green or pale, pale, pale pink. 

As I tidied up my studio these past weeks, I came upon these beautiful beads kept in a box labeled "fruit salad."  All of these colorful beads beg to be used in masses, creating the effect that in the 40s was known as "fruit salad" style. 

Hence my new collection, "Jardin," French for garden. A reflection in jewelry of my longing for color and warmth and sunlight. I hope you find these pieces bring those things to mind for you, too. 

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