Ondine Collection Trunk Show at Schroko's Hair Studio

I love having my studio in Uptown Greenville especially because I've made several life long friends with other business owners, such as the ladies at Schroko's Hair Studio - Sarah Schroko and Candace Joyner.  Two fabulous ladies that LOVE doing hair.

I met them about three years ago, right around the time I moved into Art Avenue and I'm very excited that I'll be hosting my next trunk show at their hair studio!  If you recall back about 3 years ago, Schroko's Hair Studio worked with myself and Paula Chrismon for our Auerlian Nights Fashion Show - the hair they did was SO baller.

Ondine rings, in bronze, sterling silver and oxidized silver. Photo by Tara Locklear.

 

Of course Candace Joyner at Schroko's does my hair and it's the best whenever I go to their salon.  I get the four star treatment! I mean, she made my hair purple!!! I want to go back again so bad but alas...it's too much maintenance. 

So if you live in Greenville, I hope you will come out to the trunk show and purchase new and old pieces from Eilisain Jewelry! 

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It's almost here....a bit of a teaser

I just got the product photos from Tara Locklear, and I'm super excited.  Ya'll know by now that I get happy when I'm about to release a new collection.  I can't help it, one of my friends compared it to sharing a baby with the world.  Granted....pregnancy is much more intense but that's about how I feel when I've put my heart and hands to work on new jewelry.

So here is a bit of a teaser and notification of the Ondine Collection and special trunk show I'll be hosting at my favorite hair salon, Schroko's Hair Studio in Uptown Greenville on Thursday, April 14th.

The Ondine Collection takes inspiration from the ocean, specifically the texture and colors that come from the cuttlefish bone and the beautiful iridescence of labradorite, azurite and lapis lazuli - think blues, purples and deep greens.  And you may ask, what does Ondine mean? Well, as you know I have penchant for strange words and names, it is taken from the French folktale story of a nymph that falls in love with a human.  Dreamy right?

Khristi Thomas looking deadly beautiful in our pieces.
Photo by Aileen Devlin, makeup by Meagan Wilson.

I love how this piece looks like some sort of octopus or third eye. Photo by Tara Locklear.

I had to push the release date back a bit, however the entire new collection will be posted for sale on Friday, April 8th! 

Thank you for reading and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
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Having a teammate

Ya'll have heard me sing the praises of having Ashton Neibel in the studio, and it's true.  Not only is it fantastic having her assistance but also it's amazing having someone to bounce off ideas and share the ups and downs of being a jeweler.

I look back over the past six months of having Ashton in the studio with me and I cringe to think of how I would've survived if I hadn't had her help.  Obviously I'd survived but it would've been incredibly stressful.
It's not just having her help that has made my life in the studio easier but also mentoring Ashton and watching her grow has given me a sense of purpose, pride and made me more aware of my habits and work ethic.

So here are some fun and candid shots Aileen Devlin took of us in the studio.  Laughing, working and being silly.  Oh and side note, can you tell I love to accumulate notes, inspirational cards and stuff?!

This is the true spirit of my studio, being real and having fun!

On the grind, literally.

Talking out ideas, upcoming events and our adventures from the weekend.

We're trying to be cool here. 

Ashton Neibel in the zone...jewelry zone

Thank you for reading and indulging me in celebrating my amazing intern!
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Poem of the day - Guide to the Other Gallery

Guide to the Other Gallery

by Dana Gioia 

 

This is the hall of broken limbs
Where splintered marble athletes lie
Beside the arms of cherubim.
Nothing is ever thrown away.

These butterflies are set in rows.
So small and gray inside their case
They look alike now. I suppose
Death makes most creatures commonplace.

These portraits here of the unknown
Are hung three high, frame piled on frame.
Each potent soul who craved renown,
Immortalized without a name.

Here are the shelves of unread books,
Millions of pages turning brown.
Visitors wander through the stacks,
But no one ever takes one down.

I wish I were a better guide.
There’s so much more that you should see—
Rows of bottles with nothing inside,
Displays of locks which have no key.

You’d like to go? I wish you could.
This room has such a peaceful view.
Look at that case of antique wood
Without a label. It’s for you.

 

“Guide to the Other Gallery” by Dana Gioia from 99 Poems.

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Of mermaids and nymphs

I've been a bit absent from my blog as of late, it's been a busy several weeks.  I was in DC at the beginning of the month for the Cabin Fever hosted by Crafty Bastards and then a week later (aka last week) I was in Las Vegas for my first wholesale show, Pooltradeshow with Magic and that was just craziness!

So here I am, finally at home and in throes of starting/finishing my spring/summer collection Ondine and I'm super excited about it.  It didn't take me too long to know how I wanted this collection to be and whom to work with.  We will be shooting this weekend with Aileen Devlin and it's going to be a blast.

I wanted to give you some insight into the new collection, I'm going back to the ocean for these pieces.  I truly love going to the beach and though I'm not much of a saltwater person there is so much mystery and beauty in the ocean.  I began to do research and came upon the story of Ondine, written by Frenchman Friedrich de la Motte Fouque, a tragic love story of a nymph that falls in love with a human.  Of course this story draws upon the myth of sea nymphs and mermaids, this collection isn't just based on Ondine but of the sensuality and otherworldiness of the ocean and it's vastness. 

I haven't set a date yet for the release but not to worry my friends I will keep you posted. 

As always thank you for reading and stay lovely!
xo Lisette
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A Red, Red Rose

Brigid Collection photoshoot, by Aileen Devlin

A Red, Red Rose

by Robert Burns

O my Luve is like a red, red rose,
     That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melody,
     That’s sweetly play’d in tune.

So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
     So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
     Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
     And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
I will luve thee still, my dear,
     While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare the weel, my only luve!
     And fare thee weel a while!
And I will come again, my luve,
     Tho’ it were ten thousand mile!

 

“A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns. Public domain.

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Dressing the body

Looking over images for postcards and promotional materials, I begin to see a pattern and I realize how much I love the photos by my photographer and friend Aileen Devlin.  She's just so damn talented!

I recently sent out this collage to my email list.  This moment of holding jewelry and the way the ring lays down the finger is just so seductive! It's what I love about jewelry and dressing the body.

thx for visiting!
xo-Lisette
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Here's to a prosperous 2015

This year was full of so many wonderful and amazing memories.  It was also a year of incredible growth for me, professionally and artistically.

It's ironic though that I've somewhat put off writing this post, mainly because I've wanted to enjoy a bit of downtime and give myself time to just relax and process everything.   But I can't put it off any longer, as in the back of my mind I know that it's time to move forward and plan for 2016.

So with that said I'll go over my top 5 highlights of the 2015.

1.  The Brigid Collection rang in the new year with a wonderful burst of fertile energy.  And honestly, Brigid (my patron deity - the smith, healer and mother goddess) could not have been a more appropriate name. 

We shot the collection in a cemetery with a beautiful couple, Ashleigh Bowden and Christopher Johnson.  And I teamed up with some amazingly talented people, Aileen Devlin (ya'll know her by now!), Amanda Adkins of the Lucky Owl Shop, Meagan Wilson of Meagan Wilson Makeup and Ryan Shackleford (videographer). 

I'm incredibly proud of this collection and the beautiful lookbook.  It's probably one of my favorites.

Brigid lookbook, Photo by Aileen Devlin.

2.  The Bast Collection

Another collection and lookbook that I just loved.  It was so perfect and appropriate.  I'm a bit nervous that I won't be able to top it but I'll definitely try! 

Bast OOAK necklace, photo by Tara Locklear.

 3.  I participated in more shows than I ever thought I would and I received some great press for it.  Like the feature below in the Washington City Paper article.  Crafty Bastards is one of my best shows and I was incredibly happy to be accepted in my old 'home' city. 

Indie Craft Experience show in Atlanta.

 4.  I received some amazing custom jewelry requests that challenged me.
I'm just so blessed, I thank my angels and lucky stars for the wonderful people that believe in me and my creativity.  Caroline Hedgepeth commissioned me to make a very sentimental momento mori piece for her father.  Which is probably one of the most special pieces I've ever made.  Pictured below.

Another commissioned piece with a faux sapphire held in place with silver crow claws. 

 5.  I have my first official assistant/intern, Ashton Neibel. 
Ashton contacted me in mid August regarding an internship, which I can't say how time appropriate this was, I needed her help and assistance more than ever before.  Ashton is super talented and dedicated to the craft of jewelry and I'm just so grateful for her.

There is probably so much more I could review and write about but honestly these are the best parts of what happened this year. 

As always, thank you for reading!

Stay lovely and have a happy new year!!

xoxo

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Song by Allen Ginsberg

Photo by Aileen Devlin

 SONG

The weight of the world
             is love.
Under the burden
             of solitude,
under the burden
             of dissatisfaction

             the weight,
the weight we carry
             is love.

Who can deny?
             In dreams
it touches
             the body,
in thought
             constructs
a miracle,
             in imagination
anguishes
             till born
in human—

looks out of the heart
             burning with purity—
for the burden of life
             is love,
but we carry the weight
             wearily,
and so must rest
in the arms of love
             at last,
must rest in the arms
             of love.
No rest
             without love,
no sleep
             without dreams
of love—
             be mad or chill
obsessed with angels
             or machines,
the final wish
             is love
—cannot be bitter,
             cannot deny,
cannot withhold
             if denied:

the weight is too heavy

             —must give
for no return
             as thought
is given
             in solitude
in all the excellence
             of its excess.

The warm bodies
             shine together
in the darkness,
             the hand moves
to the center
             of the flesh,
the skin trembles
             in happiness
and the soul comes
             joyful to the eye—

yes, yes,
             that’s what
I wanted,
             I always wanted,
I always wanted,
             to return
to the body
             where I was born.

"Song” by Allen Ginsberg from Collected Poems 1947-1980. © Harper Collins, 1981.

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My alter ego, Eilisain

I learn so much when I do shows and one thing that I've noticed more is the way I talk about my jewelry and what it means to me and my customer.

I've learned that Eilisain is pretty much my alter ego, the person that can be fierce, strong and confident.  Not that I don't feel that way about myself but she is way cooler than me (my nerdy self).  She's almost like my super self and I do feel it's good for anyone's self esteem to have this persona, and to have an object that helps them call on the persona, whether it be jewelry or a letter (aka S for super woman). 

For example I've read that Beyonce has her alter ego, Sasha Fierce, it's her on stage persona.  It's playing a role and we don't feel as responsible and it makes it easier to become that persona. 

The Valkeryie Collection shot by Aileen Devlin.

So it may be that you might want to call upon your alter ego in times of need, when you need that boost.  And perhaps jewelry can help you access that part of you that is confident and fierce. 

As always, thank you for reading!
Stay lovely,
Lisette
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When one of your close friends hosts a trunk show

Last month one of my good friends hosted a trunk show of my jewelry at her beautiful home.  And I can't thank her enough, she went all out with food and drinks and it was a blast! I definitely would like to do more trunk shows if they are as fun as the one Kristie Esposito King holds.  It was my first trunk show at a friends house and I feel so blessed to my friends that came in support and most importantly, shopped!

Kristie is one of my most stylish and generous friends, she's just all out amaza-ballz! We met several years ago when she modeled for the Auerlian Nights Fashion show and since then we make it a point to see each other and talk fashion and jewelry. 

So here are the great photos, that of course Ms. Aileen Devlin took at the event.  

Kristie looking fabulous as usual! Photo by Aileen Devlin.

Callie, aka "Kate Moss kitty" cause she so damn beautiful!
Photo by Aileen Devlin.

My oldest and dearest friend Cate drove all the way from Charlotte! Photo by Aileen Devlin.

All the pretty jewels on wooden cones. Photo by Aileen Devlin.

Some new pieces, like that giant druzy bracelet. Photo by Aileen Devlin.

My amazing assistant, Ashton NeibelPhoto by Aileen Devlin.

Well displayed and photographed by Aileen Devlin.

We had way too much food but it was all delicious.  Cate made lavender infused cupcakes!
Photo by Aileen Devlin.

I don't know why Caroline Hedgepeth has a serious face but I know she had fun!
Photo by Aileen Devlin.

I'm sure you recognize this gorgeous face, model and beautiful person Ashleigh Bowden.
Photo by Aileen Devlin.

It was such a wonderful day filled with amazing people!
Photo by Aileen Devlin.

Kristie and I laughing about something silly (and check out her husbands ridiculous skateboard collection!)
Photo by Aileen Devlin.

As always, thank you for reading and stay lovely!
xoxo
Lisette
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The Divine Image

 

Photo by Aileen Devlin

The Divine Image

by William Blake

To Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
All pray in their distress:
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.

For Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
Is God our father dear:
And Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
Is Man his child and care.

For Mercy has a human heart
Pity, a human face:
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the human dress.

Then every man of every clime,
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine
Love Mercy Pity Peace.

And all must love the human form,
In heathen, turk or jew.
Where Mercy, Love & Pity dwell
There God is dwelling too.

"The Divine Image” by William Blake. Public Domain

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Deceiving the Gods

Bast Collection photo by Aileen Devlin

Deceiving the Gods

by Ellen Bass 

 

The old Jews rarely admitted good fortune.
And if they did, they’d quickly add kinahora—
let the evil eye not hear. What dummkopf
would think the spirits were on our side?
But even in a tropical paradise
laden with sugarcane and coconut,
something like the shtetl’s wariness exists.
In Hawaii, I’m told, a fisherman
never spoke directly, lest the gods
arrive at the sea before him.
Instead he’d look to the sky,
the fast-moving clouds, and say,
I wonder if leaves are falling in the uplands!
Let us go and gather leaves.
So, my love, today let’s not talk at all.
Let’s be like those couples
eating silently in restaurants,
barely a word the entire meal.
We pitied them, but now I see
they were always so much smarter than we were.

"Deceiving the Gods” by Ellen Bass from Like a Beggar. © Copper Canyon Press, 2014. Pin It

Fun outtakes of the Bast Collection

When Aileen and I discussed shooting the Bast Collection, of course we both felt it'd be very appropriate to have a cat in the shoot, specifically Aileen's cat, Fifi.  We've worked with Fifi before but not outdoors.

Jessi Boseman, our model, was a total sport about holding Fifi and the results worked great, however Aileen did catch some fun moments with Fifi, and here they are!

Here's Fifi trying to escape!  Photo by Aileen Devlin

Fifi doing her best to hold still. Photo by Aileen Devlin

I can tell you that if it were one of my cats she'd have been long gone running away! 

thanks for reading friends, stay lovely,
Lisette
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The Bast Collection video

It's only been one week since the launch of the Bast Collection and the response has been wonderful! With the release Aileen and I worked on the video for the collection, this time Aileen shot the video along with the photos. 

We're super pleased with the outcome, the song reflects the darker mood of the jewelry and theme for this collection.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!


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Never give all the heart

Photo by Aileen Devlin

Never give all the heart

by William Butler Yeats 

 

Never give all the heart, for love
Will hardly seem worth thinking of
To passionate women if it seem
Certain, and they never dream
That it fades out from kiss to kiss;
For everything that’s lovely is
But a brief, dreamy, kind delight.
O never give the heart outright,
For they, for all smooth lips can say,
Have given their hearts up to the play.
And who could play it well enough
If deaf and dumb and blind with love?
He that made this knows all the cost,
For he gave all his heart and lost.

“Never give all the heart” by William Butler Yeats. Public Domain.

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The Living Tree

Photo by Aileen Devlin.

 Living Tree

by Robert Morgan

It’s said they planted trees by graves
to soak up spirits of the dead
through roots into the growing wood.
The favorite in the burial yards
I knew was common juniper.
One could do worse than pass into
such a species. I like to think
that when I’m gone the chemicals
and yes the spirit that was me
might be searched out by subtle roots
and raised with sap through capillaries
into an upright, fragrant trunk,
and aromatic twigs and bark,
through needles bright as hoarfrost to
the sunlight for a century
or more, in wood repelling rot
and standing tall with monuments
and statues there on the far hill,
erect as truth, a testimony,
in ground that’s dignified by loss,
around a melancholy tree
that’s pointing toward infinity.

“Living Tree” by Robert Morgan from Dark Energy. © Penguin, 2014.

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Nature as the backdrop

I received more shots back from my photographer, Aileen Devlin of our shoot back in March and they're just so perfect.  Aileen arranged some of the pieces on mossy grave stones and in a lil bath and it was so fitting. 

Several necklaces on a tombstone

This shot works so well with the herkimer diamonds, clear reflection matched with the clarity of the stones.

And the moss is beautiful against the silver.

You can view the full photoshoot on my website.
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The BRIGID COLLECTION is almost here

The tension and excitement is really building for the Brigid Collection.  And the photoshoot/videoshoot made it even more special. 

For this shoot/collection I wanted to work with new and old people, such as Aileen Devlin.  Aileen and I have worked together for two shoots (Vespa and Valkyrie) and our chemistry is great.  I never really need to direct or tell Aileen how to capture my jewelry, she just gets it.  As for the rest of the team, I couldn't have found more talented individuals.

Amanda Adkins, owner of The Lucky Owl Shop, creates really beautiful flower bouquets, arrangements and flower crowns. So I knew Amanda would need to be a part of the shoot, then came on Meagan Wilson a freelance makeup artist. Lastly, I was able to grab two gorgeous dresses from my girl Paula Chrismon's shop, The Closet Consignment Boutique as well as blouses from Catalog Connection both located in Uptown Greenville. 

The day was beautiful and breezy and the setting was perfect - a cemetery! When I told some friends they were a bit confused but to me, it works so well, marriage is meant to last until ultimately you pass into the next life so why not shoot the collection where others have gone to depart but are buried next to their spouses and loved ones?

Photo by Aileen Devlin
Model: Ashleigh Bowden
Flowers by Amanda Adkins of The Lucky Owl Shop

Stay tuned - the Brigid Collection drops the first day of spring - March 20th!

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The Blessing

Photo by Aileen Devlin, Model: Claire Fletcher for the Eilisain Jewelry Valkyrie Collection

The Blessing by John Updike

The room darkened, darkened until
our nakedness became a form of gray;
then the rain came bursting,
and we were sheltered, blessed,
upheld in a world of elements
that held us justified.
In all the love I had felt for you before,
in all that love,
there was no love
like that I felt when the rain began:
dim room, enveloping rush,
the slenderness of your throat,
the blessed slenderness.

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