I have a very special bespoke project story to share about my childhood friend and her Mariposa Necklace. Emma grew up in a grand house that is now a bed and breakfast. It's called the Elmwood 1820 Bed & Breakfast Inn. The basement was huge enough to roller skate and play pool. There's a picture somewhere of us pretending to be carolers on the balcony at Christmas time with blue noses from chalk cubes.
Elmwood 1820 B&B, Washington NC
Emma wanted me to create a necklace for her to wear honoring her mother. Growing up together, and living just a few houses away, there are so many memories watching Alice, her artist mother, create art in her home studio. Throughout my childhood, whenever someone mentioned the word artist, I thought of her mother.
For our bespoke jewelry project, Emma asked if I could create a necklace inspired by this painting of butterflies. I was both honored and intimidated by her request. How could I possibly re-imagine Emma's family heirloom jewelry into a wearable sentimental necklace that will be as lovely as her mother's art?
Watercolor by Alice Hubbard Stallings
Making this for my dear friend, I knew was going to be challenging and an emotional process. Somehow, I got over my fears, creating this lovely bespoke necklace for Emma to wear in memory of her mother's painting.
Emma's Mariposa Necklace paired with my mother's fancy blue glass candlesticks.
Emma's Family Heirloom Jewelry
For Emma's bespoke jewelry project, she wanted these sentimental pieces to be re-imagined for her necklace. A solitaire diamond that had been her granny's engagement ring. A couple of generations later, her granny had the ring made into a necklace for Emma when she was 15. For high school graduation, her parents gifted her the opal ring. From her former marriage, the wedding set.
After I removed all the gemstones from her jewelry, the diamonds were in good shape to be re-purposed materials for the necklace, along with the gold. Opals, just aren't hardy like diamonds and hers needed a little help. I sent it out to my stone cutter for a refresh.
Emma's Opal before the gem cutter's magical transformation.
When I began to conceptualize a design, I suggested that we add in some colored gemstones into the wing that would pick up colors in her mother's painting. I love working with Montana Sapphires, they come in gorgeous earthy hues and like a diamond, are a very hardy gemstone. Emma was really drawn to the lighter blue sapphires and these were added into the mix with her diamonds and opal.
Detail of the Mariposa Necklace.
CAD rendering for the bespoke project.
My drawing of a butterfly that was added as an engraving detail in the design.
Engraved little disc that floats just above the wing.
Me, sharing the finished piece to Emma before shipping.
During the final stages of the bespoke project, Emma joined her sister, Mary Ruth and brother-in-law on a trip to Columbia. She sent me this public art piece in Bogota, with butterflies and Gabriel Garcia Marquez's, Cien Amos de Soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude). During her trip, she learned the Spanish word for "butterfly" and thought it was so beautiful. Emma refers to it as her Mariposa Necklace.
Emma's photo she shared from her trip to Columbia.
I love how my own family heirloom, an ancient turquoise bowl pairs with her Opal.
I absolutely adored every minute working with Emma on this bespoke project. My beautiful friend loves her Mariposa Necklace and her sweet and talented mother, Alice, would have loved it too! Emma says she gets compliments every time she wears her necklace.
In honor of Alice Hubbard Stallings, Emma's family hosts an annual juried art show. This past show was the 59th exhibition. I wish that I could have been there. I'll be sure to make it for the 60th!
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