It’s that time of year again… the fall Found Collective market is happening in Boulder on Saturday, September 9th at the Dairy Arts Center. As per usual, I’m super excited not only to hang with so many of my friends in one place - who also happen to be some of the most talented designers and artisans in Colorado, no less - but I also can’t wait to finally unveil some of the new fall pieces I’ve been hard at work on. Come see me and scope out designs like my brand new, entirely handmade Anchored Chain, the Orbit Collar and Orbit Bracelet, the wonderfully chunky new Conjunct Cigar Band and its pair the Conjunct Ring, and so much more. Entry is $5, but is SO worth it, between the amazing food, music, and the best curation of vendors this side of the front range. See you there!
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Last-Minute Mother's Day Gift Guide
We’ve all been there… Mother’s Day creeps up on you, and all of a sudden you’re scrambling to find something for your mom/wife/sister/BFF. Never fear, we’ve got you covered! Peep below for my top picks of in-stock items that can ship to you in a matter of days (or available for local, same-day delivery if you’re in the Denver/Boulder area)…
The Portal Ring is an easy, classic and timeless take on a gold domed ring. Mom will love, trust.
One of my latest creations, the Freyja Necklace is ultra-dainty with a 2mm diamond, and perfect for the low-maintenance mom. Worn alone or layered with other necklaces, Freyja can be kept on 24/7 for a little extra sparkle.
Once again, low-maintenance and easy… a pair of Circle Studs are a no-brainer (PSA: order 2 for a matching pair, as they’re sold as singles)
One of my best-selling items, I love the amorphous, organic flow that the Sirius A Ring has. Dainty and affordable, it’s a certain winner as far as gift-giving goes.
A definite classic, the Rose Cut Diamond Necklace on a Paperclip Chain is simple yet unique, and ultra sparkly. Great for layering.
For more, see our full assortment of in-stock and made-to-order items here
Behind the Scenes of the Spring/Summer 2022 Lookbook Shoot
Handmade driftwood mobile by my late Great Aunt Susan <3 - something we were able to incorporate as a prop during our Talisman photoshoot
Journey with us to Phoenix, Arizona, where photographer Andrew Vanasse and myself ventured for a sun-soaked photoshoot of the latest Spring 2022 collection arrivals. While lookbook shoots may seem simple enough, many customers don’t realize just how many hours of concepting, planning and effort go into them (and after the fact as well). This one even involved a cross-country jaunt to the Sonoran desert, but hey, it was February and we weren’t complaining. With major, statement-making new pieces like the Mary Pendant and Metanoia Chain in the mix, we wanted a major shoot to showcase them in. Plus, where else were we going to photograph the new Phoenix Amulet Necklace than in Phoenix itself, right?
Andrew Vanasse uses a square-patterned wooden wall, some old boxes we found, and my family’s ceramic vase as a backdrop for the Plane Earrings and Phoenix Amulet Necklace (coming soon)
The earthy, bohemian vibe of an adobe house in Paradise Valley, on the outskirts of east Phoenix, provided just the right backdrop for the highly sculptural new wares. The scene we laid out had a look akin to an artist’s messy desert studio, and thus we mixed in an assortment of fruits and other (very) random foods for our still life shots - as if our artist had just plucked them off the table for a snack between working on her latest pieces. Fun side note here: I was also able to incorporate some of my family’s heirlooms into the pics too - including some handmade ceramic vessels and a driftwood mobile made by my late Great Aunt Susan. How special is that? Given the handmade nature of my jewelry - the Metanoia Chain alone took nearly 100 hours to make! - it all made sense together.
Snack, anyone? A cool mid-century stucco wall at sunset played backdrop to the Portal Bracelet, Mary Pendant (coming soon), and Demeter Cigar Band
Another fun fact: I oftentimes find during photoshoots that, even with the concept nailed down before hand, themes present themselves on the fly. When that happens it’s best to go with it. That’s definitely what occurred here… Rather unintentionally, fish kept making their way into the photos. Don’t ask me why, but when selecting food for the shoot at the local grocery store, the fishmonger called to me, and once we arrived at the location, we stumbled upon some decorative terra cotta fish that just sort of fit the bill. So we went with it. Fish, after all, are said to symbolize rebirth, the higher self, prosperity, abundance and good luck, among other things. I took it as a good omen. And thus, I present to you: the making of “Pisces’ Studio,” a lookbook shot by Andrew Vanasse in creative collaboration with myself, with hand modeling by (my dear cousin) Alianna Martinez. Stay tuned for the final result, coming to the web soon!
Did we make our hand model Alianna touch the fish? You’ll just have to check back in to find out ;) Pictured here are the Aphrodite Hugs, Plane Earrings, and the new Metanoia Chain (coming soon). Alianna wears the Rollo Band.
XX,
Vanessa
A Wedding Band and More Recent Custom Work
While Talisman Fine Jewelry is mostly known as a seasonless collection of heirloom jewelry, some customers are surprised to learn that a large part of my business actually includes custom jewelry. Hence why I like to occasionally share my latest custom work with you all here.
Most recently, I had the honor or creating a custom 14k white gold men’s wedding band for Nick. Nick liked the subtle wabi-sabi nature of my work, but agreed that keeping the ring low-profile (in a literal sense) would be most comfortable for everyday wear. He also opted for a brushed finish, rather than the bright shine of a mirror polish. The result can be seen below. It is always such an honor to create commitment rings and wedding bands for customers… it’s something they’ll be wearing and cherishing for a lifetime, with so much meaning attached to it. As with all Talisman Fine Jewelry pieces, I imbue each creation with intention while crafting it, and take time to set the finished piece on my altar for blessing. This is especially important for commitment rings, for obvious reasons. So with Nick’s ring completed and a blessing for a happy, long-lasting union bestowed upon it, the ring is ready to ship out before his July nuptials! (Side note: custom jewelry can take anywhere from 4-8 weeks to complete, depending on the piece, so always make sure you’ve allotted enough time when putting in your order, especially if you have a deadline to meet).
Custom 14k white gold wedding band for Nick
Another fun custom project that came across my desk was a request for two pendants to represent a client’s work. Specifically, Alexandra works in the women’s health field as a pelvic care practitioner, and she wanted to be able to wear her pendants daily to honor the important medicine that she performs. Working together on the design, we came up with the concept of the spiral - an ancient symbol found historically across many global cultures - as a representation of the womb and its creation process, and of the life cycle journey, including growth, death and rebirth, and a return always to the Great Mystery.
The spiral, a representation of creation, and the journey of life
The second pendant was a more literal request - a yoni. My version was ever-so-slightly abstracted, but generally pretty anatomically obvious, at Alexandra’s request. Not your typical custom order, but I was thrilled to oblige! Participating in destigmatizing the yoni in particular was something that excited me. Alexandra and I both felt, ‘To he** with people who are freaked out by the organ from which they came into the world!’ For this piece I also added a twisted bail detail, to subtly tie it in with its spiral counterpart. Check out the end result below.
Finished womb spiral and yoni pendants for Alexandra
If you’re looking to get engaged, need a commitment ring, or simply have an idea for a jewelry piece that you’d like to turn into a reality, I encourage you to reach out and start a conversation. The best way to contact me, as always, is email - vanessa@talismanfinejewelry.co
Special thanks to Nick and Maddi, as well as Alexandra, for trusting me with your special creations!
Talisman Studio Tour with Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art
Image by James Cromwell Holden
This fall I was honored to be asked by the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art to join them for an online studio tour. I love the ‘full circle’ aspect of getting involved in the Boulder community more, given that it’s my hometown! BMOCA’s Kiah Butcher - who is just a lovely human BTW - and I had a casual convo about my process, the space, how Talisman got started, and more. Since my blog doesn’t support video content, you can peep the full studio tour HERE.
The 2021 Gift Guide
Hard to believe, but the holidays are approaching quickly (cue the Home Alone-esque, hands-on-face scream)…
A quick PSA: Because many Talisman Fine Jewelry pieces are made-to-order (in an effort to create less waste as well as create pieces with custom intention for YOU), we kindly ask that holiday orders on items that are not noted as “in-stock and ready to ship” (written in the product description) be placed by November 15th in order to ensure they’ll arrive in time for Xmas. Not to worry though, if planning ahead isn’t your bag, we’ve also got an assortment of in-stock styles that can ship just in the nick of time too.
Confounded on what to get? We’ve put together this handy-dandy gift guide for all the lovelies in your life, for your assistance…
Our top picks for the high-fashion statement-maker, clockwise from left: The Plane Earrings, Yin Yang Necklace, Sea Glass Necklaces, and Spiral Stud
For the lover of classics, our favorite timeless styles include, clockwise from left: The Demeter Cigar Band, Rollo Band, Central Sun Earrings, Rollo Hoops (paired with the Peace Sign Stud), and Rose Cut Diamond Necklace
For the chic spiritualist, we love these styles, clockwise from left: The Michael Amulet Necklace and Solomon’s Seal Necklace, the Sirius A Ring, Talisman Pouch Necklace, and the Protective Eye Stud