Visiting Jeweler Susan Goodwin

I always love it when my jewelry reps Thomas & Greta bring me samples of Susan Goodwin to order - like in this picture.

But it's even more fun to visit her studio which I fondly think of as "Susan's Garden of Earthly Delights". Becky & I recently had the pleasure of a visit when we were in Seattle.


It is a working studio and there are bowls of gems and pearls and findings all organized -

And shells and glassware for containers.



Collections of optometrist's tools.



And of course the most beautiful collections of pearls.


Everything has a quality of clarity and brilliance.

And my favorite part of her studio is this wall of women's portraits. They look down upon her big work table that seats four. I imagine Susan is making jewelry for all these types of women - As she is working she's having conversations with each of them.

Then she served us a little cup of Mariage Freres Marco Polo tea -
and put on some Miles Davis music.

And we looked at a book of Alexander Calder jewelry.
They're having a Calder show at the Seattle Art Museum through April this year. I really want to see it.

Susan gave me a little lesson in how pounding metal makes it change shape and move.

So now whenever I see these earrings of Susan's, they will always be inextricably linked with the mobiles of Alexander Calder.

Beautiful Bridal Jewelry at Passionflower

Lindsey's boyfriend bought her this great shirt at Juicy Couture.....and we say great new piece of clothing needs great new piece of jewelry. Here we layered Susan Goodwin pearls with Exstasia amethyst glass intaglio.

Layered amethyst and pearls for a hyper romantic look.

A Peek into our Jewel Box at Passionflower

Hints of Christmas at Passionflower Design

We need an organizing principle, a way to think about our displays as we plan what we are buying and how we will show it......We called this one "Opulent Nature" and we made long lists of all the things we could incorporate into it while still leaving room for it to evolve as we put it together....

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Chandeliers & Champagne Glasses & Wine Goblets set in a bed of mossy branches seemed obvious (in a good way)... for our Thanksgiving/Christmas display. I like it all sparkly
but earthy too. -Then we added finger sponges and fan coral....suddenly we have a leitmotif..."Opulent Nature" became
"Shipwrecked in the midst of Christmas Dinner on the Titanic"....

Flashbacks to the past.

And hidden treasures from the sea.

Holiday Jewelry Finds a New Home

Here I am sometime in July putting my Susan Goodwin holiday order together. I've purposely been buying a little too much jewelry. Well....too much to fit into the cases we have.

The holidays are coming and we needed a spot to house all the overflow.

Lo and behold this 20 drawer beauty became available. Becky stayed late one night and worked her magic.

She used discontinued curtain samples and packaging material and a little of this and a little of that.

Everything took on it's own little glow.

Here's a beautiful drawer of big jewelry - (from left to right) - two young Korean kids were selling mostly leather handbags and Becky found this piece of jewelry amongst the bags....can't remember their name, Two's company compass necklace, African Yoruba granulated beads with Ethiopian wedding ring pendant, Potluck Paris Necklace, More Quirky Korean Kids jewelry, and tucked up in the corner long necklace of tourmaline and Yoruba beads.

A Jewel Box of Treasures.

Jeweler Marcia MacDonald Comes to Visit

Remember Marcia, our beloved ex manager who moved to North Carolina?

Did you know she's also an amazing jeweler whose work has been published in books and magazines and who has exhibited at shows at both the Smithsonian and the Philadelphia Museum of Art? Well, we are so excited that she's coming to visit and we're going to have a trunk show of her work.

It is strong, playful, and fearlesss.

Here's a sneak peak at some of her new work......she calls this animal skin.

I think these rings are smashing. They have a great unisex appeal to me...

So, please come pay a visit - see lots more fabulous Marcia MacDonald jewelry and find yourself a beautiful piece to take home. She'll be here Friday August 28th and Saturday August 29th from 10:30 to 2:30.

How I Want to Feel Today

A little jewelry collage I put together at the store - Everything about this makes me feel like the ocean. J. Walsh metalsmith amazonite ring, Jill Schwartz velvet bracelet, Lisa MacKenzie pearls, Kotobuki bowl, Lynn Peterson word, and Bella Notte pillowcase.

Stunning Wedding Jewelry from Pyrrha and Exstasia

Here's Becky with some beautiful carved antler earrings from Extasia.

Plus her Love/Truth pendant from Pyrrha that she wears every day. We have a great selection of meaningful jewelry for bride or bridesmaid.

Jewelry That Sells Itself

Here's a happy customer trying on some Exstasia Jewelry. Those earrings pretty much sold themselves. They look as if they already belong to her.