Protection Series - Design eight and nine

The next two sets in my Protection Series have been completed. I am really enjoying the finals now that I have figured out what I wanted to convey with my designs.

This is the Celebration of Life Set. I love the colors in this set. Unfortunately the faceted Amethyst beads look black in the photos. There are really a gorgeous deep grape purple and have such amazing color. I may have to try taking a photo on my light table. Maybe then there would be enough light.

Then there is the Tahitian Serenity Set. The colors in this just want to sweep me away and take me to a warm beach with turquoise waters.

My Jewelry Line for New York Institute of Art & Design

A little over a year ago, I signed up for Sheffield School of a Jewelry Design. I have learned quite a bit, and hunger to learn more, but before that happens I just need to get through the final. This posting will be about my adventure in the class - which is now called the New York Institute of Art & Design.

Our final consists of making our own jewelry line that has a cohesive element that makes it ours. I have started planning and designing this over and over ... On paper and in my head. While I know what guides me in my designs - and my passion with design - I had a little problem with trying to plan ahead because my designs pop in my head without any control.

In case you have not guessed by the name of my company, I like dragonflies and when I see them I feel serenity within. Watching the graceful movements that they make, I am able to dream and design. On top of this, when I was younger my father called me dreamer and we had the love of art as a bond. My first jewelry components were a gift from my father. Somehow he saw something that I was not aware of and he opened my heart to the beauty of handmade jewelry and my ability to express my art through all the many ways that you can make jewelry.

After much thought and changing my mind many times, I have decided that the name of my line is Protection. There will be 46-50 unifying pieces that center around this theme. Following are my first few designs for the series and the components and their meaning.

The first in the series is Green Lagoon (named by my sister, Neta).

The second is my Layered Protection Set.

The third is the Labradorite Protection necklace.

Fourth is the Bone Dragonfly necklace set.

Fifth is a Reversible Agate Set. 

Sixth is the Thousand Flowers Set.

 And seventh is my Sea of Protection Set.

This weekend I will be working on other designs and hope to have a few planned out by next week. I really want to complete this class before the end of summer so that I can possibly take another class that will be dedicated more to Polymer Clay or Metal smithing or stone cabbing or lamp working. As you can see, I have a thirst to learn more and add to my skills. Please share you thoughts on my jewelry. Constructive criticism is appreciated.

Copyright Dragonfly Serenade Jewelry Designs & Rebecca Doremus