Today, I’ve got Part Two of my interview with Carolyn Rafaelian, of Alex and Ani jewelry. An important aspect of Alex and Ani is giving back, with their Charity By Design jewlery collection. You can see the different designs, as well as the character that they honor, by clicking on the Charity By Design page.

Alex and Ani sent me a Tree of Life Expandable Wire Bangle. This bracelet benefits the ARC -African Rainforest Conservatory.

The bracelet is lovely - a delicate expandable wire, with a Tree of Life Charm. The bracelet fit both my wrist and my daughter’s slimmer wrist. It really is easily expandable, but what I liked best about the bracelet was the look of the gold wire. It has a sort of aged look to it - shiny, but also like a well-loved piece.

Here’s Part Two of my interview.
****************

Pretty By Nature: I really respect what you are doing with your charities, both the Tree of Life Bangle program and Project USA. Would you please tell the readers a little bit about what you’ve been able to accomplish with these charities?  
Carolyn Rafaelian: We’ve partnered with several charities and are thrilled we have the ability to help foundations in need. We came up with our Charity by Design concept so we create specific pieces and collections catered to each organization with proceeds of sales donated to these foundations. Foundations that we have partnered with and donated to have included Stand up to Cancer, The Humane society, Red Cross and African Rainforest Conservancy to name a few. Charity by Design is the heart and soul of Alex and Ani, and it continues to grow.

Image Credit: Michelle Smith

Alex and Ani jewelry, designed by owner Carolyn Rafaelian, is a line that has been featured in magazines like MORE, InStyle, Modern Bride, Us Weekly, Life & Style, A, Glamour, People, Marie Claire, Seventeen, and In Touch.

The pieces have a bohemian charm to them (my favorite kind of charm), reminding me of a sort of Esmeralda gypsy-chic with lots of bangles, beads, and feathers. Many of the pieces are made of recycled or vintage materials. Rafaelian has developed an expandable wire bangle that adjusts to fit any wrist. I’ve tried it and it easily adjusted between my wrist and my daughter’s much slimmer arm.

Halo OM Necklace  
$98

Zebra Stripe Feather Earrings
$78

Peace Expandable Wire Bangle Set
$108

I had the opportunity to interview Carolyn Rafaelian. Today, I’ve got Part One of the interview for you. Please come back tomorrow for Part Two of ourAlex and Ani interview.
******
Pretty By Nature: How did you become a jewelry designer?   Has jewelry design always been your passion? 
Carolyn Rafaelian: My father opened our factory in 1966, so I literally grew up in the jewelry industry. I spent many summers helping my father and started to create my own pieces and design at a very early age.  However, it wasn’t until my two daughters, Alex and Ani, were born when I decided I wanted to leave a legacy for them and branched off to start my own jewelry company. It was my destiny to become a jewelry designer. 
 

PBN: I love the idea of expandable jewelry. Women come in all shapes and sizes and by making your jewelry expandable, you’ve made sure that everyone can enjoy it. How did you develop the expandable feature?
CR: My showroom is in New York, so I spend a lot of time traveling back and forth from New York to Rhode Island. The expandable idea started during one of my trips (where I am alone to brainstorm and come up with new ideas) I was thinking about my endless hoop design and how it would be great as a bangle, to expand and fit everyone. I love that women come in all shapes and sizes, so I created these bangles with women in mind. 
 

PBN: Where do you find the recycled materials that are used in your designs?  The feathered earrings are gorgeous. Where did you find the feathers?
CR: A lot of the material that we use to make Alex and Ani bracelets and jewelry are recycled and vintage. Local mills in Rhode Island provide us with the recycled metals that are used for the bangles and the other metal pieces. Our feathers come from a local distributor and are gathered after naturally falling off the birds. We always make sure that consumers are aware that no birds are harmed in this process. All of our products are made in the USA, which holds higher environmental standards compared to other countries.

Image credit: Alex and Ani

Another Sunday, another Etsy look-around.  If you’ve never shopped Etsy before, take a look. It’s a cyber mall full of unique handmade items.  I’ve purchases perfume, candles, a tote bag, and earrings there. All beautiful items unlike anything I’d find at Target (although I enjoy Target, as well).

Today, I found jewelry made out of vintage typewriter keys - typewriters from the 1800s-1940s. How cool is that? 

I love words and letters and anything to do with words and letters, so you might be able to guess how much I am coveting a pair of tab key earrings. The jewelry is all handmade and unique. Take a look at PreciousPastime’s shop for the Typewriter Treasures.

Vintage Typewriter Key Earrings

Vintage Typewriter Key Watch

Image credit: PreciousPastime’s Shop at Etsy.com

I recently had the opportunity to speak with jewelry designer, Sara Reichert of 1O.A.K. by Sara.  Sara uses vintage and recycled pieces to create gorgeous new creations.  You can find Sara’s jewelry here .

Kelly
$150

Would you describe a little bit about your process? (Do you start with the materials or a drawing?)  How do you go from inspiration to finished piece?

The materials I start with are a combination of new & vintage pieces.  Selecting the materials to use is one of my favorite parts of the jewelry making process.  I pick based on colors that blend well with crystals to add just the perfect sparkle and shape.   My favorites tend to be vintage pieces that are extremely unique and pretty.  Pieces that inspire me are how I create each accessory.

After the materials and color combinations are selected, I then create the design.  I like to be symmetrical with my designs, but really embrace necklaces that move when worn.  This is why I work a lot with lariat styles.  Lariat necklaces move and are able to look different every day.  I also love mixing different materials, for example a chunky sliced geode offset by a crystal.  My goal is to create a real statement piece.

Tamara
$100

I love the idea of using vintage and recycled pieces to create something new and beautiful.  What gave you the idea to do that and where do you find the vintage and recycled materials?

I have always enjoyed collecting anything beautiful.  Over the years, while traveling or out and about, I started collecting jewelry from various vintage shops, estate sales and flea markets from all over the world.

For many years, the pieces remained in a drawer and untouched.  After my daughter was born, I decided to begin using my treasures to craft new jewelry.  It was such an amazing feeling to finally use elements from the past to make something new and wearable.  I was fortunate to have some really great local jewelry and beading shops in my area that were had very patient employees show me new techniques, which really helped me hone in on my craft.  After that, it really sky rocketed with demands and I have enjoyed creating jewelry ever since.

Ten percent of 1 O.A.K. by Sara proceeds go to benefit the New York Restoration Project.

Image credit: 1 O.A.K. by Sara

Etsy is the home of handmade, fine-quality, unique items. This Chainmail necklace by Painterly is just the sort of that of one of a kind treasure that you’d never find at your local shopping mall.

Made of recovered copper wire that the artist unwound and stripped herself, it features a fringe of torquoise glass beads, and a tiny, little, cotton-lined pouch that is “just big enough to tuck something precious into.” 

Chainmail Treasure Necklace Pacific Blue

The necklace is $20 and Painterly accepts a number of manners of payment  for you convenience.  Be sure to check out the rest of the fanciful accessories located in the Painterly shop. Larger art pieces are available here and you can follow the artist’s blog at  the Tangled Thread.

Image credit: Painterly at Etsy.com

Dreaming of a warm Spring days? Green leaves?

Then, take a look at this lovely piece of whimsical jewelry crafted of vintage brass. It features a leaf overlay and it’s strung on a 30 inch long vintage brass chain. The Woodland Lovers pendant is item #n23 and it retails for $60 at the Anna Vintage Jewelry online shop.

Woodland Lovers - Pendant
These earrings remind me of fossilized ferns - exquisite greenery captured for all eternity in stone. Well, these ferned earrings are not quite that old, but they are made from vintage brass. They are strung on gold-filled wire and topped off with a copper love knot. Pretty. The Ferns Unroll Their Woolly coils earrings are 3.5 inches long, they are item #e24, and they retail for $55 at the Anna Vintage Jewelry shop.

The Ferns Unroll Their Woolly Coils - Earrings
Anna Vintage Jewelry is based out of Portland, Oregon. Anna builds her limited edition pieces out of vintage materials - new materials are used for some clasps and for earring ear wires. You can find out more about Anna here.

Image credit: I Heart Anna.com

(image: nimli)

Chic: I was out last night (yes, on a Wednesday, hence the late post) and I was lugging around my gigantic purse. No good. I need a clutch. This one is way cute.

Green: Made with recycled materials.

Buy:Teich Scallop Clutch at Nimli

Chic: Pashminas are a wardrobe staple for me. They’re good for trips and keeping warm at the office without sacrificing style. Nimli has a great buy right now. Pick the fabric and type of wrap or scarf and they’ll pick the color.

Green: These wraps and scarves are made of organic cotton and bamboo.

Buy: Azuri Pashmina & Scarves at Nimli, all on super sale.

Chic: Plain tank top no more. Dress up pretty much anything with this crazy gorgeous doily necklace. I’ve seen a lot of lace and crochet necklaces and this is one of the best.

Green: Handmade with cotton.

Buy:Doily necklace at sodafine, $48

Chic: Teich comes through with a super cute day satchel. This looks great for a day or brunch and shopping.

Green: Made from vegetable tanned leather and hemp canvas

Buy:TEICH Brown Day Satchel, $150