Butterflies, Birds & Blooms

​The signs of Spring are everywhere – butterflies are flitting, birds are chirping, and flowers are blooming.

​A mama hummingbird has her nest under my patio roof. This is the third time the nest has been used and it looks like there’s one baby in it. My deep purple iris is blooming in the backyard and soft blue periwinkle is blooming in the front yard. The air even smells of spring!

​​I look for ways to create jewelry that conveys that feeling of spring. My favorite is to use metal, snippets of greeting cards, and resin. My sister-in-law, Susan, is a fabulous painter who turns her original works of art into greeting cards. Her use of color and pattern is simply intoxicating. 

​I search through her cards to find just the right combination of pattern and color and then cut out butterfly, robin, swallow, and flower shapes. The cut-out shapes are then sealed on all sides with three coats of Mod Podge. Once sealed, each shape is attached to a correspondingly shaped metal blank. Finally, I apply a coat of resin which adds dimension and protects the snippet of greeting card. This process takes several days.

Once the resin is cured, I turn the butterflies, robins, swallows and flowers into earrings and necklaces. Butterfly or bird necklaces feature one bird or butterfly hanging from a fine chain. Flower necklaces feature either just one flower hanging from a fine chain or a centerpiece of multiple flowers.
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As I work, I’m captivated by the colors and patterns of each butterfly, bird, or bloom. Each piece reminds me of the power of nature to enhance our lives.

While my butterflies, birds and blooms may not look like those in nature, I hope they evoke some of the same responses – a smile, a feeling of happiness, and enjoyment of something beautiful. See for yourself.