Whiskey Molecule Necklace - Unique Custom Pendant

I absolutely love custom jewelry requests, so naturally I was excited to receive a creative special request from my longtime friend Jeff. A good friend of his had a birthday approaching and he knew just the thing to make her day, but was without tools and resources to bring his idea to fruition. He asked for my assistance.

The idea: A whiskey molecule necklace for a whiskey-loving gal

The process: We started with some sketches. Jeff sent me a diagram of the chemical structure of whiskey as well as his idea for how it might work as a pendant. He also shared important details about the recipient, such as she's very tall and loves to wear big, bold jewelry. Good to know!

The build: Starting with sterling silver wire, I cut and formed each piece of the molecule. 

I then laid out all the pieces and began soldering them together. 

This was a fairly large piece to heat, so it took a few tries to get solder to flow to all the joints.  

After the whole piece was soldered together, it still looked a little too light and delicate, so I decided to hammer it flat to make it a bit bolder and give the lines more weight. Lastly, I filed the joints smooth and polished the pendant, finalizing it with a brushed, matte finish.

End result: Super awesome lady receives badass, thoughtful, customized gift! Everyone parties and has a great time!

Birthday girl photo courtesy of Jeff

Moral of the story: put some thought into your gift giving and don't be afraid to ask a professional for help. This was a true collaboration and couldn't have turned out better. Contact me for help with your unique idea today!

Nearly Everyone I Know is Pregnant (a.k.a. I'm Shopping for New Mom Gifts)

It's true. It seems as though 80% of the women I know are pregnant right now. Which means I'm surrounded by happy, glowing friends and have several festive baby showers to attend. This means gifts. Lots and lots of baby shower gifts, newborn baby gifts and gifts for new moms and dads.

I always assume newborns will be gifted with tons of clothes they will outgrow in their first month of life, so I usually don't succumb to purchasing those adorable miniature outfits. Except for the occasional irresistible onesies and t-shirts for very special babies. Like these. And sometimes these.

Gift registries are great, but sometimes you want to give something a little more personal. That's why I think these necklaces are the best possible gift a new mom could receive.

I'll admit it, I'm biased. They are, of course, my own creation. But this idea for birthstone eternity necklaces was born (pun intended) from necessity. I was looking for a personal gift for a new mother and had a lot of trouble finding something special, yet affordable.

Not only are they custom and reasonably priced, they are handmade, sterling silver, and expandable for when baby #2, #3 and possibly even baby #4 arrive. Just order new circle pendants and you're good to go!

Two (and sometimes even three) names can even be combined onto one circle if they aren't too long – this is a popular option for twins and triplets.