Sirius7 Jewelry

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 01:11:00 +0000

Hi there!

I've finally wrapped up the Sirius7 Jewelry line, closed the website and completely moved to

If you haven't taken a look, come on over!

While I still have some of the S7J pieces available, you might recognize a few that have been refreshed with the ACJ touch.

I've also moved my blog over to AmyCousinJewelry - lots of exciting stuff going on there, so sign up to get my newsletter and be the fist to get my posts.

Subscribe to the Amy Cousin Jewelry mailing list

Custom Jewelry for the Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 13:18:00 +0000

“Done right, custom jewelry creation is a fun process that ends with a beautiful treasure that you cherish. That’s what I want for you.”

There is still time to get ACJ custom jewelry for the holidays.

ACJ custom jewelry design

Read how I do it here:
http://wp.me/p3PNRu-2J

Is This Where The Magic Happens?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 12:52:00 +0000

...she was sure customers would like to see "where the magic happens". I smiled. The magic... what a nice thing to say. So here is a glimpse into my studio, sort of...

Read my latest blog post here

Tassel Gemstone Earring Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 12:00:00 +0000

House of Gems asked me to design a piece of jewelry and then create a tutorial for it. This is what I created, using their beautiful wholesale gemstone beads and supplies. I hope you enjoy it!

Gemstone Tassel Earrings tutorial from Amy Cousin

Challenges: The Business of Jewelry Design

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 06:56:00 +0000

Hi all - I just want to wish everyone a splendid upcoming week!

I'm looking forward to this week (dare I say Monday?) because I'm kicking my jewelry business into high gear: I've joined the Flourish and Thrive Academy's 20 Sales In 20 Days Challenge!

I've joined the challenge!

Tracy and Robin are two amazing jewelry artists and businesswomen who share their combined experience. They get it, because they've done it. If you are a fellow jewelry designer, I highly recommend you check them out.

As for Amy Cousin Jewelry, please join me in this challenge: my 50% Off Sale will go on for a little while longer, so head on over and start shopping!

amycousinjewelry.com

Also, I will be posting pics on Instagram and Twitter, so please follow me there as well. I follow back. Above all, have a great week!

~ Amy

Happy Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 08:39:00 +0000

Cool Jewels

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 05 Jul 2014 05:48:00 +0000

Find out why Amy thinks this ring is cool.

Functional and techno jewelry designs are finally stepping up to be considered beautiful.

I just wrote a piece about some really cool, definitely beautiful jewelry.

Click here to read about it on my AmyCousinJewelry blog.

~ Amy Cousin

Of tutorials and friends

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 08:17:00 +0000

Let me start out by saying belated Happy New Year to all.
I do like the idea of new beginnings, but I also think they can happen on any day, at any moment. That being said, I attempting a bit of a new beginning too. No, this is not exactly a New Year's resolution. The one thing I do that comes close to a resolution is Alyson B Stanfield's Art Biz Blog Year-End Review.
Anyway, I have always considered myself to be a primarily self-taught artist. But over the years, I have collected a lot of tutorials created by some truly fantastic wire jewelry artists, many whom I now call my friends. Sometimes I have an idea for a piece and need to figure out a cleaner/simpler/prettier way to make it work, and I look for a tutorial. Other times I just appreciate that an artist is willing to share a technique that I've wanted to learn, and I get their tutorial. I've attempted most of them using practice wire, but I've recently decided to do them all in copper or silver this year. And then I'm going to post them.
No time like the present: here are my latest pieces, some created with a little help from my friends.

opalite glass, pink coral, rose quartz, moonstone

red coral & freshwater pearls

my adaptation of Emily Gray's tutorial, in sapphires & solar quartz

another take on Emily Gray's tutorial: onyx, labradorite, amethyst & moonstone

photography by Lorraine

Earrings

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 01:44:00 +0000

Earrings are still my most favorite type of jewelry to create.
Here are a few of my latest pieces.

Citrine & Carnelian

Solar Quartz & Tourmaline in many colors

Tourmalinated Quartz & Moonstone

I have some custom orders I'd love to show, but not until their designated owners receive them. That just wouldn't be fair!

Thanks to Four of Five for the photos.

Sirius is heading North

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 09:02:00 +0000

Sirius is heading North

July Allegory Gallery Design Team piece

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 08:23:00 +0000

I've pondered these little pink-ish / green-ish glass flower beads ever since I ripped open the package of beads from Andrew of Allegory Gallery. Andrew knew (because I told him) that glass beads and pink were the kind and color that tended to stump me the most. And since this project is designed to be a challenge ... I guess I should've expected it.
Inspiration for this piece came in the form of a waft of fragrance from some of the wild flowers that pop up at will in my yard. I was coming up the steps, totally distracted by not having a clue what to make for dinner, and this scent stopped me in my tracks. And then a dragonfly passed by me. Forget dinner - I have some jewelry to make!
For this month's project, I definitely wanted to incorporate a reclaimed element, so I picked this silver tone link bracelet from my stash of found treasures. I like that the metal has little marks and is not as bright as sterling, giving it has a rustic feel that contrasts with the sparkly beads. And I bought these tiny dragonflies many years ago. The pink crystals and shimmery clear beads are also from my Allegory Gallery Design Team package.

Please check out the other members of the Allegory Gallery Design Team’s blogs.

AJ Reardon
Brenda Salzano
Charlene Sevier
Cindy Edwards
Genea Crivello-Knable
Jessica Prill
Peggy Li
Penny Neville
Rebecca Anderson
Sally Russick
Shannon Iko Chomanczuk

Can't forget my teammates!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 05:32:00 +0000

In my last post, I neglected to mention my Allegory Gallery Design Team mates, which is just wrong! Every last member is so talented, and deserves to be recognized.
Please click on their names to check out their blogs and sites, as we will all have something new from out challenge stash posted every month.

AJ Reardon
Brenda Salzano
Charlene Sevier
Cindy Edwards
Genea Crivello-Knable
Jessica Prill
Peggy Li
Penny Neville
Rebecca Anderson
Sally Russick
Shannon Iko Chomanczuk

Celebrations and Leaps!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 03:04:00 +0000

This has been a big month for celebrations: a "milestone" birthday, the 22nd anniversary of my marriage, and the 4th anniversary of launching Sirius7 Jewelry.

This month has also been filled with Leaps - today, I'm taking a leap by shifting my shop Sirius Mind and Body from a brick & mortar establishment to existing solely online.

I'm also leaping into a project that has been in the making for a few months now, but submitting my first piece of jewelry as a member of the Allegory Gallery Design Team.

Everything about this pendant and necklace is about me leaping and stretching, mostly by using materials outside of my usual choices. The donut is an agate that I've had in my stash for a long time, waiting for just the right opportunity to use it. I rarely use copper wire, but I really liked the way it looks against the brown agate. The same goes for the necklace beads (green plastic and molasses colored lucite), which are part of the stash sent to me by Andrew and William of Allegory Gallery for the monthly project challenges.

The wind won this time, but we are still here

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 03:41:00 +0000

We are here
For twelve years our post sign stood strong against the elements, but today the Wind won and blew our Sirius chakra wheel down on one knee, er, one bracket.
Of course, it was far smarter to take the sign down rather than risk on final gust crashing the sign into our business neighbor's window, or landing on a passerby's head, so that's what we did.

And oh my stars, the phone hasn't stopped ringing! "The chakra star isn't on the post - Are you guys closing up shop?"
We are still here! Well, we're here when we're here. And when we're here, we'll put the door sign out in front - our version of a candle in the window.

Our sign has definitely held its own in the weather, but it needs new brackets and a paint tune-up at the least. Maybe this is a sign that it's time for a change...

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton: Introducing the Design Team...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:05:00 +0000

I am so excited to have been chosen as a member of the Allegory Gallery Design Team!
read about the project and the rest of the team:

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton: Introducing the Design Team...: I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who applied for a position on the Design Team. Hundreds of very talented designers threw t...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 01:44:00 +0000

I finished several custom order pieces this week - intentionally energetic earrings and necklaces, so gemstone choices were as important as the designs themselves. All of the recipients pleased with their jewelry, so I am pleased.
So now I'm going to go through my design journals and dance with some of the ideas I drew out but never put into form. I'm also going to dig into my bead stash (I mean inventory) and use some of the treasures I've collected over the years.

S7J in more places

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:18:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to announce that Sirius7 Jewelry has joined the talented artists at the Jewelry Artists of Charlotte boutique at Ballantyne Village.

Colorstrology fun

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:10:00 +0000

My birthday (and by extension S7J's birthday) was Saturday, so according to Michelle Bernhardt's fun site, our color is Chalk Violet. hmm... maybe sorta.
What's your color?

Pantone
Check your COLORSTROLOGY to help you plan your week ahead! It’s fast, fun and free, from PANTONE. http://www.colorstrology.com/

::: COLORSTROLOGY :::

www.colorstrology.com

Fall 2011 fashion trend colors - Pantone Fashion Color Report Fall 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:09:00 +0000

I always look forward to the Pantone Fashion Color reports. They give me one more excuse, er, I mean reason to shop for gemstones. Phlox is speaking to me. So is Bamboo. I'm still wrestling on Honeysuckle (the color of the year) but I'm sure we'll make the connection eventually. Do you have any favorites here?

Fall 2011 fashion trend colors - Pantone Fashion Color Report Fall 2011

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 07:18:00 +0000

Happy New Year

Wish List - Studio and Color

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 09:58:00 +0000

I'm always thinking about color, especially in gemstones, but the announcement of Pantone's 2011 Color of the Year triggered something that I rarely share: my wish list.

My wish list is mostly loaded down with beads, tools and books, but I have a sub-list devoted to my dream studio. In this place of mine, I want a lot of color, but the practical me resigns the walls to either white or black so I don't get distracted from my beads. And I've always envisioned a space for a huge chalk board. When I was a kid, my mom had one in her office, and my younger brother and I made the most of it while we waited for her to finish one of her meetings.

Anyway, today's post from design*sponge brings me a bit closer to checking two items off my wish list - color and a chalkboard

Hudson Paint as a line of chalkboard paint !

Check out all of the chalkboard paint colors.

Pantone announces 2011 Color of the Year

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 22:19:00 +0000

The Pantone 2011 Color of the Year is Honeysuckle.
What do you think or feel about this choice?

My initial reaction wasn't super wow, but I do like it.

CN2 News interview

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 09:43:00 +0000

Alison Rauch of CN2 News interviewed me about my winning rank in the StartupNation Moms in Business Competition. Thank you Alison!

S7J in SC Women's Business Center newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 11:59:00 +0000

Sirius7 Jewelry is one of the featured clients in the November issue of the SCBI / Women's Business Center newsletter. Check out this great resource for women entrepreneurs in South Carolina.

Camera Rolling

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 01:00:00 +0000

Alison Rauch from CN2 News came to Sirius today to interview moi about being a StartupNation Leading Moms in Business winner. She was really nice, and gave the kids a mini reporter / camera operator / producer lesson. Something to be learned everyday.
I think I got a bit animated (I was talking about gemstones and jewelry making after all), so I forced my hands into my lap - I think - and she kept rolling. We'll see the results when Alison finishes editing.