Midsummer Night's Gleam: A Mini Collection of Handmade Jewelry Celebrating Summer's Small Gifts (Plus a Murder Hornet)

Midsummer Night's Gleam: A Mini Collection of Handmade Jewelry Celebrating Summer's Small Gifts (Plus a Murder Hornet). Each bronze charm in my newest collection is made by hand, many using antique French stamps, kiln-fired to perfection, and accented with gorgeous gemstones.

With summer officially starting this week, things are heating up, and even though I know the absolutely oppressive fire and humidity of an Arkansas summer is just on the sizzling, heat-wave horizon, I can’t help but savor the little gifts of the season. My garden is at its peak. And by that I mean it’s blooming and green and the sun hasn’t scorched it to brittle twig skeletons yet, which it ALWAYS does, because I am a lazy gardener and beloved by mosquitos and would rather not leave the safety of my screened-in porch. I got to eat real-life Arkansas strawberries plucked off a vine (that I didn’t grow) and was reminded of the pure ambrosia that is a locally grown strawberry in this state. My butterfly bush is TRYING, DAMN IT, despite all of my best efforts to completely ignore caring for it. And murder hornets are still a crisis that exists on the internet for me, but let’s be real, they’re coming. This year cannot be trusted.

ANYWAY. I’m still social distancing, which means I have ample time to create jewelry, and it’s a bonus that making things relieves stress, because, as mentioned, 2020 is rank. To keep spirits up, I created a mini collection of handmade bronze jewelry using different gorgeous gemstones, like amethyst, strawberry quartz and garnet and hand-cast bronze charms, most of which were made using vintage French stamps straight from France, which makes them extra special in my opinion.

I called this mini collection “Midsummer Night’s Gleam.” Each piece of handmade bronze has a warm, golden glow, and the gemstones are bright, punchy colors. The bronze is tarnish resistant, and the chains are gold-filled, so the necklaces hold onto their shine, even in a sweaty southern summer. The earrings are simple, lightweight and elegant. They pair with messy, long, quarantine hair, as you’ll see in the photos, and they also look stunning with an updo.

These handmade butterfly necklaces are fit for a monarch…

Each butterfly charm is hand-cast and kiln-fired bronze, handmade in North Little Rock, Arkansas. You can choose from two style of ornately patterned butterfly charms, the “long” and “short” butterfly. The “long”butterfly has a long body, and the “short” butterfly is mostly wings with a little head on top. Each necklace is finished with round, yellow quartz beads that are hand wrapped, and your choice of a 16-inch of 18-inch gold-filled chain that ends in a spring clasp.

This flower ain’t delicate…

This bronze pansy flower charm is hand-cast in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio using an antique French stamp before being kiln-fired to perfection. Each flower charm is truly unique. A faceted, teardrop-shaped amethyst tops the pansy charm.

A necklace for those who love all the small, pretty things in nature…

This handmade bronze ladybug and leaf charm is hand cast in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio using an antique French stamp before being kiln-fired to perfection. Each bronze ladybug charm is dotted with cubic zirconia stones that are set into the ladybug’s back. Each charm will have slight variations, as each necklace is unique. To top it off, two round beads of red bamboo coral accent this piece

Because if they kick your hive, you’re going to do more than sting…

The unofficial animal mascot of 2020 has to be the Murder Hornet, which inspired this hand-cast, kiln-fired bronze charm that was made using an antique French stamp. Each bronze charm is cast by hand in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio. This necklace is accented with flat-cut, teardrop-shaped garnets that resemble little blood drops.

These simple and elegant drop earrings pair with the necklaces in my Midsummer Night’s Gleam collection, but they stand perfectly alone.

Choose between faceted strawberry quartz rondelles, faceted amethyst teardrops, or flat cut garnet teardrops. Each earring is made with approximately one inch of gold-filled chain and a gold-filled ear wire.

Expect slight variations in each gemstone, as is the nature of handmade jewelry. Each pair of earrings is truly unique.

This handmade necklace is as sweet as you are…

This bronze strawberry charm is hand-cast in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio using an antique French stamp then kiln-fired to perfection. Each necklace is truly unique. Atop each little strawberry charm is a faceted strawberry quartz rondelle that’s wire-wrapped by hand.

Simple, Elegant Birthstone Jewelry, Just In Time For Mother's Day and Wedding Season

Simple, elegant birthstone strand necklaces and earrings make perfect Mother’s Day, birthday and bridesmaid gifts this spring. You can even select your own stones to create a custom multi-stone birthstone strand necklace.

For more than a century, birthstones have been a delightful way to celebrate your children, loved ones and yourself in a simple, gorgeous, meaningful way. To me, birthstones are a language for people who know birthstones, much like folks who are really into astrology sort of have their own language. This proud Virgo has always adored her birthstone—sapphire. But I notice immediately when I meet a person wearing other birthstone jewelry. I can see right away that someone very dear to them is an August baby. Or maybe their sweet grandmother left them her collection of amethyst jewelry because they shared a February birth month, much like my incredible grandmother gave me her September gemstones because she adored that we shared a birth month. I like to guess which precious person their birthstones represent, and if I’m lucky, they’ll share the story.

Last year I created a collection of birthstone jewelry that is still very dear to my heart, especially because I originally created it to give to my bridesmaids, mother, mother-in-law and my honorary bridesmaids at my wedding (See all of my handmade and heirloom wedding jewelry here!). This spring I added to it with a line of necklaces and earrings that are simple, elegant, straightforward pieces the layer well when you’ve already got a special necklace you wear all the time or you just can’t pick one necklace to wear. My Birthstone Cluster Strands represent all of the colors of the year and come on individual card backs that explain just what they mean and why these stones are important. Their matching earrings are just as elegant and versatile and also pair perfectly with my original Birthstone Cluster Necklaces, which feature pendants made of birthstones.

Below is a sample of the many birthstones and styles available now. To view the full collection of Birthstone Cluster Necklaces, Birthstone Cluster Strands, and Birthstone Cluster earrings, click here.

Faceted sapphire stones represent September’s birthstone in our simple, elegant birthstone jewelry collection that’s perfect for layering. Find the matching faceted sapphire earrings here.

The January birthstone, garnet, with its rich crimson hue, is particularly luxurious and elegant. Garnet is named for the latin word for pomegranate because of its luscious color. Garnet is associated with creativity, purification, love, strength and protection. Find our January Birthstone Jewelry here. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

The May birthstone, emerald, with its rich green hue, is particularly exciting and energizing. Emerald is associated with love, domestic bliss, friendship and positive actions. Find our May Birthstone Jewelry here.

September and August birthstones shine in the light on these birthstone cluster earrings. The August birthstone, peridot, with its otherworldly green hue, evokes magic and mystery. Peridot, a form of olivine, is associated with protection, happiness, well-being and transformation. The September birthstone, sapphire, with its deep blue hue, is rare, cool and dreamy. Sapphire, a variety of corundum, is associated with wisdom, spirituality and kindness. Find our September and August birthstone jewelry here. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

Choose your stones to create your own custom multi-stone birthstone necklace and represent everyone in your brood.

Our original Birthstone Cluster Necklaces feature birthstones set into cluster pendants and are customizable with stamped discs that fit up to three letters. Monograms, the word “mom” and a heart shape fit perfectly. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

The November birthstone, citrine, with its amber hue, is particularly warm and inviting. Citrine, a variety of quartz, is associated with clarity, energy, creativity and imagination. Each birthstone necklace comes on a card back that explains the stone’s significance. Find our birthstone jewelry here.