YazBerry Jewelry Collection: Ocean Artifacts

The Ocean Artifacts Collection where beach combing is my muse...Addicted to treasure hunting on any beach I can get to. I always leave with pockets full of treasures...I have a rock problem, beach glass, metal bits, bones, driftwood...addicted.

In my personal collection I have many interesting glass bottles, distinct pieces of pottery and glass in interesting hues. I also have perfectly round stones, an ancient tobacco pipe stem, strange metal pieces... In my jewelry collection I often wire wrap sea glass in a simple and fresh spiral motif. I pair pottery chards with semi-precious stones. I mix glass with chain and many other materials.

You can find my ocean artifacts on my Etsy shop and on my facebook page. Most pictured are still available, some have found great homes however. Inspired by something you see? Have a favorite color of glass you would like made into jewelry? Contact me and I can discuss a custom piece with you.

YazBerry Jewelry Collection: Urban Vintage

The Urban Vintage Collection is the modern mash-up of my earth loving, recycling fanatic self and my vintage loving, fashionista self. It features found objects, metal components with yummy patina and verdigris, salvaged vintage elements from discarded clothing and jewelry, carefully paired with new findings and elements. Reduce, reuse, recycle, fashion. Raw, modern, edgy, industrial, yet elegant and sophisticated. Urban vintage may sound like it contradicts itself but it's that contradiction that makes its beauty. Many pieces have sold but some are still available on my facebook page and on my Etsy shop. Loving this look but not seeing quite what you desire? Fear not, you can contact me and share your ideas and I can create a custom piece for you.

YazBerry Jewelry Collection: The Peaceful Macabre

The Peaceful Macabre Collection is influenced by my time in Salem, MA. A city filled with witchcraft, fascination with occult and more psychics per capita than any other place I've lived. There is a famous old historic graveyard in the center of town, The Burying Point. It's been their since 1637 and is pretty creeping, not to mention some of the significant historic inhabitants. I am generally not a fan of graveyards but living in New England, there are a lot of neat old graveyards worth a stumble through. I became fascinated with the historic symbols on the headstones: skulls with angel wings. They were very popular back in that day and variations appear on most stones. I continue to be curious about gravestone symbolism. Here in Newfoundland, hands, especially pointing hands feature heavily on old gravestones. Pointing to heaven, shaking hands. Interesting iconography.

I also enjoy bones, finding them on the beach, carved bones (creepy I know). I have a skull, lots of animal teeth I have found, fish bones, insides of seagull beaks...creepy stuff on my curiosity shelf. If I ever get back to NYC I am stopping in the shop featured on Oddities for sure :-D This said The Peaceful Macabre Collection features skulls, bones and sea urchin quills. Dark, menacing components that I have reframed in a peaceful and beautiful setting.

The skulls I use are hand carved Mala beads. Mala beads are used in Buddist prayer and meditation and are used to count passages in meditation. Dark and very peaceful. Growing up landlocked I have thrived on having access to the ocean and beach combing. While North Atlantic sea urchins only produce small green quills, I discovered Asia Pacific sea urchins produce enormous quills varying in color and design. Combining all of the dark beauties into peaceful jewelry is something I love. Here are some members of The Peaceful Macabre Collection. Most are currently available on my Facebook page or on my Etsy store. Do you have a peaceful macabre side you wish to explore? Inspired by something you see but have a cool idea for something you really want? Message me and I would love to design something for you.

YazBerry Jewelry Collection: The Bohemians

The Bohemians Collection are worldly creatures. They are inspired by my travels to foreign lands. By my interactions with different cultures and constant personal study of textiles and design from ethnic traditions around the world. Some are Asian influenced, some are West-African influenced, some draw inspiration from my travels to Morocco. Open up the spice cabinet, shake on some berbere, join in a drum circle and have a little stir fry while you are at it. Mostly earrings, as they are so fun to make, but also some necklaces at times, such as the Incan Quipu inspired necklace below, inspired by my travels to Peru and climbing Machu Picchu with my wild imagination peering around corners. You can find The Bohemians on my Etsy shop and on my Facebook page. Are you inspired by a journey you took to a far off land and want me to create something to commemorate it? Fascinated by a near or distant culture? Let me know what you are thinking, I would enjoy creating a custom piece for you.

YazBerry Jewelry Collection: Magpie for Mother Nature

The Magpie for Mother Nature Collection...I can't tell you weather I am naming myself or a design set of jewelry...I gravitate towards semi-precious stones, corals, polished nuts and seeds. In fact I just invested in quite a few more semi-precious stones to design with in the New Year. My semi-precious stone palate now includes Labradorite, Quartz crystal points, Prehnite, Jade, Garnet, Obsidian, Onyx, Serpentine, Peridot and many many more treasures. I finally have found a system I think I like for organizing my jewelry supplies...a little peek; the tiny drawers are filled with semi-precious stones, the larger drawers contain the rest of the loot and the organizer cases mostly house beads and findings:

So far I have focused my efforts on earrings as I enjoy making tiny sculptures to wear. I plan to expand my stone work into necklaces. Here are some of the earrings I have made in the Magpie collection. Some have found happy homes. Many are available on my facebook page or in my Etsy shop. Do you have a favorite semi-precious stone and you are inspired by something I have made and what a custom piece? Let me know, I would be thrilled to work with you to create something special.

YazBerry Jewelry Collection: The Key to Your Heart

The Key to Your Heart Collection is fueled by my obsession with collecting antique keys. I have a...*ahem...huge stash of keys yet to be designed with. I am constantly buying them.

The first piece in this collection was a simple vintage key whole plate I had stacked a small glass heart on. From there the ideas bubbled forward. Here is what I have made so far...many more to come, I guarantee it ;) Some have sold quickly. Inspired, but the one you see is not quite right? Let me know what you are thinking. I would be happy to customize a Key to Your Heart piece for you. Available for purchase both on my Etsy store and on  my Facebook.

Introducing: YazBerry Jewelry Collections - Meet the Twins!

I have been carefully building up a body of work in jewelry design and construction the past 6 months or so. I am continuing to design daily and wanted to present to you some of the collections I am developing. The next few blog posts will highlight one of my collections.

First up: Meet the Twins!

The Twins! Collection features perfectly mismatched earrings, predominantly made from found and rescued materials. I carefully pair these with new components to create mismatched yet balanced pairs. Tiny little sculptures you can wear. Tending towards the fun and playful side, many are bold and colorful. Also, peppered throughout you can find elegant pairings as well. Most of the twins are available for purchase both on my Etsy store and on my facebook page. You choose :) Some have found homes and some are in some of the stores I sell at in Newfoundland. Inspired by a pair of twins but too big/not your colors? Let me know what you would like and I would be happy to design a custom pair of twins for you!