Getting ready for open house

It's a busy time of year....a holiday open house at Art in the Village at Casey Jones is planned for Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. The gallery is doing very well and all of us showing our artworks there hope you'll stop by! I'm one of the top three sellers! I'll also be taking in some new silk ribbon wrap choker/bracelets, earrings and pendants on Saturday.

Here's one of my new pendants, Swept Away, showing my work with both copper and silver, with apple jade and lapis lazuli. $110. I have both simple chokers of copper with silver touches ($50), as well as hand-dyed silk ribbon ($18), for those who'd prefer to pick up the colors of the stones and have a soft ribbon to wear. And you could certainly have both! I'm designing earrings to match the pendant.

Jackson Symphony concert and auction tonight!

Jackson is an amazing small city that offers so much in the arts! Tonight, I'm supporting the Jackson Symphony League's auction with a donation from my new Got Rocks Collection. This is my signature open neck, front closure design, created with labradorite, copper, silver, amazonite and a hint of azurite, signed, of course, as RCF, Reconfigured Art Jewelry. Design No. 2. And there is only one. So I hope you'll visit the auction, bid, and enjoy the Pops Concert as well!

Art in the Village open at Casey Jones

I wanted to let my local customers know that if they haven't been to Art in the Village at Casey Jones Village, they should stop by to check it out! This new artists' co-operative had its grand opening a week ago and features about 25 artists in fine arts, pottery, jewelry, photography and more. At right you'll see one of my bracelets of amethyst and fluorite. The gallery's holiday hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. On my first Saturday at the gallery, I spoke with people from Russia, France and Canada, as well as several states. Then we also had new artists stopping by to ask how they can join, so there's a lot going on and we hope you'll check us out! Take the big kids and little kids to the train museum as well -- it's so amazing!

The Got Rocks Collection debut!

My first Got Rocks Collection choker and earrings set was selected for the University School of Jackson's Holiday Mart auction! Several of my customers have talked about their joy in gemstones and how much they relish jewelry that makes a statement. There's nothing quite like a gorgeous piece worn on a black gown! So here it is -- the first, and a one-of-a-kind piece. Let me know what you think!
PS. The No. 2 Got Rocks set is of labradorite and amazonite, with copper and silver, also in an open-neck signature design. It will be featured at the Jackson Symphony League's auction coming up soon! Pictures will follow next week.
And I've created so many new pieces, some that you'll see here will be at Arts in the Village, the new gallery located at Casey Jones Village in Jackson. Others are being reserved for private shows and two Arizona galleries. More on that later!

So little time, so much to tell!

October was such an exciting month! First, my Reconfigured jewelry was accepted for the PBS TV station, wkno, for their "Art of Fine Living" auction. It ends today -- so if you want the jewelry, item 6637, or my brand new design, Rising Planet Charms (wine glass holders), item 6592, you need to bid today! Check out my pictures! My next great news -- I've been accepted for two Arizona galleries. I'm so thrilled I can hardly stand it! More on that in my next post! (And I'll share pictures of my new work.)

Sara says this opens the heart to love

Sara wore this Always Love pendant of rose quartz and tourmaline to a wedding last week. I made it for her to wear with a long, black formal gown. She wore it with hand-dyed silk ribbon.

Love it when new friends stop by to pick gemstones

I've discovered how much fun it is when friends stop by, new and old, to look at gemstones in my studio and say, "I want that one, and that one, and that one, and can you do your magic and create it for me?"

So I'm creating "magic" for Bibi Ford, for Sherry Blackford, for Taina Edwards, for Joy Matthews and more....

I've made my first dinner ring of peacock blue chalcedony, which I want all of you to see! It was such a hit at the recent Nashville fundraiser for PROTECT, with David Keith, Martina McBride and Trace Adkins there.

And I'm designing a dinner ring for Anita Kay Archer to go with her necklace, bracelet and earrings of copper, silver and prehnite. The dinner ring stone is prehnite, for unconditional love and the enhancement of inner knowledge -- it connects the will and the heart. I have a photo of the stone -- I'll start working on the design tomorrow. I'll post pictures when I'm done. Anita's mentioned a possible show in the fall -- more on that later!

Busy at Miss Ollie's

I had a grand time at "Wine and Women Wednesdays" at Miss Ollie's the second week of May. You never know how things will go, but several wonderful ladies fell in love with my jewelry and it was a really, really good night, thanks to you! And thanks to Rachel Dickson at Miss Ollie's!

Creativity begins when we wonder

Who will wear this pendant of rainbow fluorite, the Genius Stone? A perfect stone, small, beautiful, for just one person who seeks this spirit of creativity.

Show's coming up; stones coming in

Karalyn came over yesterday to see the newest stones. She really likes the purple stichtite in this picture. She loves yellow, lime and fuchsia in the spring. I wonder how the purple would look against her favorite lime silk designer ribbon?

There's a buffalo at my studio

White buffalo turquoise that is from Colorado. It will be great with summer whites, linen, denim. I LOVE gemstone shopping. I think maybe black tourmaline and white moonstone for earrings. And a mix of copper and silver wire. Hope you think so, too!

Travel a serpentine road

Here's my next project. I think it will be beautiful against a spring yellow blouse or black, or bare, tanned summer skin on copper with -- maybe -- a touch of silver and onyx. And next to it, Heart of Power. I believe the copper will seek its way in lines above and below and the labradorite may be above the camo jasper at angles in the upper left and below right, but who knows? It will become what it is meant to be.

'In the Mood' went to Brenda Whalley

I'm so glad that Brenda Whalley has my new design, the "In the Mood" pendant set. The auction fee went to support the Jackson-Madison County Humane Society. I want you to see "In the Mood." There's carnelian for physical energy, turquoise for success, labradorite for intuition, moonstone for harmony and balance, jasper for power, jade for luck and banded agate for strength and protection. Brenda will wear the pendant she needs for that day, and she'll be beautiful wearing it! They can also be worn as a bracelet. She can double the silk tie around her wrist.

I've just joined a blog called Between Naps on the Porch. It has the most amazing tablescapes, beautiful settings created by powerful, creative women. I love the artistry and the joy in it.

Jazz 'n Gems with Jacque is my new fab fete

My fellow charter members and good friends in the Hatchie Bottom Diva Society said they love looking at my gemstones, discussing their meanings and selecting the ones meant for them. Next step: A friend stopped by to pick up her commissioned jewelry, drink wine and share hors d'oeuvres (well, pizza! but with good friends, doesn't matter if it's fancy or plain.) Now there's a name for dropping in, sharing dessert and a good wine, and picking out favorite gems -- it's called Jazz 'n Gems with Jacque. You missed key lime pie with strawberries, fudge pirouettes and wine, with smooth jazz. I just wanted to share a tablescape view! Can't wait 'til next time!

Pretty Woman went to a lovely lady

My Pretty Woman set was a hit at the Blue Suede Dinner and Auction, I've been told. Here's a picture of the art jewelry I created with joy in my heart.

Aqua terra jasper and citrine for spring

Claudette Bujold-Poirier of Denver purchased one of my pendants. She loved the shades of the aqua terra jasper and the gold citrine and it looks lovely on her. She's also checking out my new shop at hwhillman.etsy.com.

Closer to the final design

Making progress on Pretty Woman pendant and earring set for the Blue Suede event.

Creating lovely set for Blue Suede auction

The Exchange Club/Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse has always been close to my heart because they help so many children and families. So I'm working on this set for the upcoming Blue Suede dinner and auction that features Diamond Rio for entertainment. The set of earrings and pendant will include amethyst for spiritual courage, fluorite for genius and creativity, peridot for spring, a bit of shell for sailing through life, and a gem of labradorite to see through illusions. I'm calling it Pretty Woman. It will be worn on silk designer ribbon, so soft against the skin.

Sherry Blackford loves her pin

I created my first jacket pin for Sherry Blackford of labradorite and green tourmaline. Sherry picked out the stone and commissioned the piece. The pin is made of labradorite, a powerful stone that allows the wearer to shape dreams and goals and to strengthen intuition. Green tourmaline brings joy, patience and openness. The stones are a perfect choice for Sherry. And she just picked out labradorite for matching earrings! She loves to dig for stones, so we've told our husbands we're going on a dig for a vacation.

Working on matching pendant

The bracelet in the featured photo will soon be joined by the pendant I'm working on and earrings. I've promised to send them to a gallery owner in Denver. My rep in Denver will take the package over. This set will be for a woman who enjoys wearing powerful jewelry -- fuchsite for intuition and problem solving, carnelian for physical energy, and shells for travels on the sea of life.

Reconfigured Art Jewelry brings joy

Holding a serpentine stone in my hand, I reach for copper to wrap it, realizing that each piece will become what it is meant to be. I cannot tell you how it will end, but it will be beautiful to someone who feels the music and the joy I put into the creating of it.