• Tell me a bit about yourself

My name is Annette from Timeless Designs located in San Antonio, Texas. I am a member of the EJDSS Team (Etsy Jewelry Design Supply Shops) and enjoy learning and contributing to the group. I have a passion for creativity and imagination to create.

• What is the name of your Shop?

My shop is called Timeless Designs, because jewelry is often ‘timeless’ in its limitless designs. The cornerstone of my business is that every design is a single one-of-a-kind custom creation.

• Please describe your creative process

I pick natural gemstones that ‘speak’ to me in a way that I ‘see’ what I will create while touching and feeling the stones. Sometimes I know exactly what I’m going to create when I feel the stones, other times, I just let the customer design the necklace. My favorite stones to create with are Turquoise, Pearls, Jaspers, and Agates…these stones are so beautiful and inspire me to create with nature’s gifts. Sometimes I incorporate wire designs into pieces; this means that a single piece can take up to 6-8 hours to complete. If it is a new wire technique, I’ll use practice wire first to prefect the design, then use my actual artistic or sterling silver wire.

• Where do your ideas come from?

My inspirations come from everywhere; comments by customers or thoughts, a suggestion from a friend or family member, something I’ll see on my world travels.…sometimes I’ll just be inspired by the beauty of the stone to create something really bold and unique.

• How did you get into your craft?

I have been making jewelry for about 2 years now, taking several classes as I advance from one technique to another. About 3 years ago I was at our big Holiday Shopping Extravaganza and purchased some of the most incredible jewelry sets in fused dichroic glass. I was so intrigued about this technique that I took a few classes to learn how to bead and make dichroic glass. What impressed me the most is that with fused glass, no two pieces ever come out the same; this is what inspires my jewelry designs, that they are all one-of-a-kind and no two designs are ever the same.

• Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I enjoy a variety of different hobbies and interests from working out in the fitness center (this keeps me sane!), to reading books, novels and seeing movies, to gardening in my yard, to traveling with my husband. All these things keep my mind clear, uncluttered and assist in my creativity of jewelry designing.

• How do you promote your work?

Aside from wearing it a lot, talking and giving out business cards, I sell at about 10 local shows a year; 2-3 in the Spring and 7-8 in the Fall. I’m currently working on getting a website developed and online as another avenue to sell my jewelry. I also sell and promote via Etsy and artists who give me the opportunity to be featured on their blog’s. Though I don’t sell from my blog, I will often feature new designs and have a gallery of my work. Next year, I’ll be working to promote my work in local galleries and boutique shops.

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