Cyber Monday Modern Organic Primitve Jewelry Sale

While everyone sees Christmas as a time to buy gifts for others I see it also as a time to encourage and reward oneself for all the efforts one has made during the past year and the trek one still has to fight struggle through during this madhouse season.


Reward thyself!!  
40% Off entire site
code: REWARD40
11/28-12/4

 

Sale

Up Coming Shows - Sample Sale

After not doing shows for more then 3 years I'm starting to do some again.  These shows will determine if I will get back to doing shows as a regular part of my business.  I've never liked the stress of doing shows or the long set up time due to my large inventory but I need to do them to move samples.  I'll have samples going back many years at these shows and everything will be at sample prices (substantial discounts).  So if there are items you've got your eye on I'll probably have samples of them.  Come say hi.

Los Feliz Village Street Fair
Sunday July 24, 2011

Malibu Arts Festival
July 30 and 31, 2011

Abbot Kinney Festival 
Sunday September 25, 2011

Extra Special

Of course I love all my babies. I wouldn't have created anything I didn't love...but you know there is always one or two that is extra special to me in each collection.  Ones that if they never left home I'd be fine with it.  I like knowing that they nestle close to me in the drawer while I work.  Ones that if they ever left home I'd pretend I barely knew them and didn't love them any extra.  Here is one of those.  Below is one of those from this Seascape collection.  There is something special about this little rock with a perfect white rosette perched on it.  Can you imagine happening upon this specimen in nature?  The matte silver pronged setting is soft and undemanding too but not lacking in interest and intelligence.
Sterllarite Seascape Ring

Hmm, maybe I should do an Extra Special Don't Leave Home series from now on...

Collection Archives 2004 and 2005 part II

These are the last of the contact sheets I made.  I didn't make one of these with most collections.  Here are 2004 and 2005.  Click to enlarge.

2004 Spring

2005 Fall

Collection Archives 2004 and 2005

I was just organizing and deleting files in the large and unwieldy ads/graphics folder because I realize I was afraid to open it due to the frustration and confusion of past attempts.  I came across many contact sheets and other ads/graphics pages of designs I had forgotten I made.  I remember how much I was into each one of these groups and collections.  I see how ideas had naturally worked through their courses over the years and collections.  I will be posting some of these past work.  Click to enlarge.

2004

2005

A Tumbler Page For Me

I started a Tumblr page to display the collages I put together for Anne Maa Designs banners, business cards, postcards and the like.  I make these because I need to but it's good that I enjoy making them now.  Ray's photos of my work are amazing and magazine quality to say the least.  Go look and you'll know what I mean.
AnneMaaDesigns.tumblr.com/

Spring Collection - Which One?

The site is pretty much done with the Seascape Collection.  I am not decided on the home page picture.  Here are some options. What do you think?

SeaScape Spring Collection

This is a pendant from the upcoming new collection. The beautiful zeolite specimen is backed with a cratered sterling back and threaded with a dot and line sterling chain.  I love this piece.  I can see this  growing somewhere in the ocean or forest.

First Peek at New Collection

This collection has a theme like all my other collections.  I don't usually know the theme until the collection is well underway and the common thread is obvious.  This collection is called Sea Scape.  Here is one ring from SeaScape.  This is a vibrant yellow orange fan shaped Stilbite set in a cast sterling two finger ring.  It's a fun piece.  Primitive + organic growth.  Make sure you are on our mailing list to be notified of it's release.

Sample Sale 50% Off

Our first ever sample sale will start tomorrow for newsletter subscribers and will be open to the public starting 3/24.  The entire site will be half off the regular price.   There will be one of each item (samples) available in most styles except a few styles will have more then one.  The samples are what we used in the photo shoot and to base the production on so likely it will be the exact one you see in the photo.  Sizes are limited.  Our new collection is scheduled for a shoot and I'd like to clear the store for it's debut.  This is a super deal.

The coupon code is 'SampleSale' at checkout.  Sale runs from March 22 to April 1. 

Geode Ring

Raw Citrine Chunk Necklace

Blue Topaz Decay Ring

Raw Amethyst Chunk Cocktail Ring

Anne Maa Designs Sample Sale

Work In Progress

Deep in the middle of this collection. The possessed obsessed process of designing and making a collection has always been something I've loved and feared. Love the intensity and drive of it and fear the exact same. Not comforting to not have a say in your own life. Only comforting part of this is knowing it ends when it's exhausted.

Here are 2 shots of part of the collection. These were taken so I can match the wax sculptures to the stones once they are cast in sterling if I forget. I also had to refrain from using all the rock specimens in this collection and mentally group the stones into different cohesive collections for future seasons. Editing is a discipline I'm constantly aware I have to keep a handle on. I so admire a tight and well curated collection

With the coming of a new collection there will be a sale of the present collection first. Sign up for our rarely seen NEWSLETTER to be notified of the sale and release of the new collection.

Back

Back. From the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show and in other ways too, I think. Got lots of raw gems and rough chunky rocks. This is my first time at the Tucson show looking at this category of goods. The previous years there I always hunted semi-precious gemstones and beads and findings. This is like a whole different world. No less in size and completely extensive. Below is a picture of one flat of Cactus Quartz, or Amethyst Cactus, or Amethyst Drusy.

Custom Sculpted Sterling Rings

Here are two custom sterling rings made first in wax then cast in sterling.  They are in sizes 2.5 and 3 for a eleven and thirteen year olds.  These designs allow for play without worrying about damaging the ring and also allow for future size adjustment for the growing finger.  To make a simple design interesting I made the continuous band thick and thin, round and flat.

Simple, Modern and Primitive Quartz Rings

I have a thing with quartz.  I love them clear, embedded, raw or with things protruding from them.  I have a love affair with anything clear and see through like ice or glass.  Here are some of the many quartz I have collected and set in simple, modern, sculptural and primitive designs.

DENDRITIC QUARTZ RING

 

Lost Treasure Primitive Rutilated Quartz Ring

Bronze Sculpture II

It's been a while since I've updated. Many things have happened and changed in the mean time. Looking at my last entry, I feel like picking up right on the same topic so I took a few more pictures of the same collection of bronze and would like to post more of them here.

This is a difficult piece to photograph due to the fact that it is hard to understand what this looks like in two dimensional photos unless you see it in a series of shots or in a video. It looks very different from angle to angle. This is conceived as a piece of sculpture to go in the garden to be discovered if you pay attention to rocks and stones. It is easily blended in with dirt, rocks, plants and other organic matters. To be used in this way it would be displayed convexed side up with the ridges and spikes facing up. It's other use is as a planter or pot with the concaved side up. Drainage holes are built in with the cracks at the bottom. It can also be a display bowl to hold items on a table or shelve.

I was interested in exploring the medium of metal, bronze in this case, but not using it in the traditional way it is used in which it looks like bronze. I wanted the metal to look and behave as clay, ceramic, or wax. I wanted this piece to look like it could be make out of one of those materials. It looks dry and cracked on the bottom and you can see where chunks of material are piled on and pressed but not smoothed or blended in which one doesn't usually see in a bronze sculpture. I don't believe a material should or can only be used as the way it's commonly used. It seems pointless and an useless exercise to continue to produce what a factory can easily produce.

This organic and almost alive piece measures approximately 5" long and 4" wide with a height of 3". I can only guess that the weight is 5 lbs since the only scales I have are for grams and oz.

Bronze Sculpture I

Maybe this blog should be named Cool Stones and Hot Metals. This is one of my bronze castings. I sculpt in primitive styles because I love it. I continue to sculpt in this style because that's my only capacity when it comes to working with my hands. Yes, I'm very limited. Good thing is, I'm not interested in looking at perfect facsimile of a person or animal cast in bronze. There are plenty of people who can do that well. Just look at all the garden sculptures and you'll see what I mean. I want to look at an artist's interpretation of something. Interpretations often involve personal experiences, twisted translations, passionate opinions and tainted glasses.

New Collection

This is not a large collection but is a tight collection. I have also edited out some pieces from the existing collection so the whole set is more stream lined.

As always, the green stone ends up my favorite ones to look at. This one is the Slice of Green Ring with a stalactite slice of green agate and quartz. Nature doesn't get much prettier then this!

New Collection

Biggest Sale Ever

We're having our biggest sale ever right now. Enjoy 40% off the entire present collection with the exception of the wire wrapped, wire-band rings. Those are just too difficult. Believe it or not, those are the most dreaded, most hand hurting things to make. Many people do wire wrapped rings, but aside from one other designer, mine stand alone. They are also part of what I'm known for but I've been phasing them out for the last 3 or 4 collections. Lovely as they are, I've grown so much since I first started the wire wrapped rings that they don't look part of the collections any more nor do I see any desirable gems that I've not used yet. With the new collection coming out there will be even less of these rings offered.

The sale of 40% off will run through Sept. 18. Take advantage of it because it's a rare thing!

Anne Maa Designs Sale

New Design Geode Earrings

Although my favorite piece of jewelry has been the ring... every day rings, cocktail rings, and bold, modern, sculptural, in your face rings, I want to break from the ring to post a pair of earrings from the new collection. Continuing on the path of raw and rough stones is the split geode earrings. There are a few pairs of these earrings in this collection, all added the last minute. This is due to my late discovery of a new source for them. I was only going to choose a few sets of the geodes but ended up with quite a bit more. "Why not?", I discovered, seems to always be my motto when faced with tempting choices. I guess it's ok since I am rarely moved by many stones anymore. Good thing I don't like sweets...I can only imagine where that would lead me...

Here are some split, polished sets of tiny geodes clutched in matte sterling just as organic as the rocks are. I like the back almost as much as the front.

*New 2011 collection coming soon with more styles of geode earrings.

Geode Earrings with Drusy Center
wire wrapped geode earrings

New Collection Lapis Lazuli Ring

This is another ring from the new collection soon to be released. This is a perfect half geode of lapis lazuli of intense blue with a star burst in the center. I have both halves of the geode was was saving the set for a pair of earrings with 22k gold when I unintentionally sculpted the ring base for this ring. Being the impulsive, spur-the-moment person that I am, I decided to cast the ring. I would have preferred 22k or 24k gold with this intense blue but this coil design satisfy enough of my desire to see lapis in ancient treasure settings...anything ancient Egyptian or Chinese.




Raw geode lapis lazuli, Rough gemstone organic ring. Hand sculpted cast sterling.

Preview New. Sale of Old

A collection is gathering and a date for the photo shoot has been set. It is an uneven collection with mostly rings, a few necklaces and no bracelets and earrings so far. I might leave it this way. I think only what I truly love and am naturally inspired to do should go in my collections. And when I can, I try to balance the collection out.

A sample sale is coming before the new Spring Summer Collection arrives. As always, Newsletter subscribers get advanced notice of the sale before it goes public.

Here is a peek at one of the new pieces...Amethyst Stalactite Tip Ring. A light amethyst stalactite tip wrapped in hand sculpted wax then cast in sterling with all the imperfections and finger prints. Sterling is left in a soft matte satin finish for the organic look.

 

LAVENDER AMETHYST TIP RING

What's Been My Problem

I've not gone this long without putting out a collection before and it does not feel right. It also doesn't feel right to not grow or progress with each collection I put out thus the stand still. I have been discouraged by the lack of improvements of a situation and the obstacles I can not seem to get past. It would be easy to put out a sell-able and understandable collection if it didn't feel so pointless to me. Why add to what's already out there.

If I insist on what I would like to do then it might be a while before I can put forth anything at all. I think I might to do a mini suite for now with what I can access. I know it might feel like somewhat of a stand still collection but hopefully I'm just more critical of my own work.

I see that I've been breaking my own rule of providing pictures of with each post. I've dug up some OLD designs of the past. I think it's appropriate to post them since we will be at a stand still mode. I think these are from 2004.

Pre Holiday Sale Coming

A sale in time for the holidays will be announced soon. Newsletter subscribers always get first dibs and exclusive deals so if you are not on our list you can sign up here. This is your chance to get what you really want for Christmas!

Ruby, Pyrite and MOP Suite

Aside from the Kyanite suite and the Amethyst Geode Suite there is the Burmese Ruby, Pyrite and MOP suite. These rubies are different then what's been available on the market. They are Simple Cut, which is one of my favorite shapes, especially for a traditional stone like ruby. They are also a bit more milky in color which I was surprised to find I liked so much. Now pyrite, here's a stone that I've never had much affection for but fell in love with in these old fashion shapes with it's worn, decrepit looks. They also looked so good with the off looking rubies. Then there's these antiqued looking mother of pearl beads I've had from the beginning of my jewelry career. I was very attracted to their raw and unearthed treasure appearance and understood why they were so much more expensive then all the other MOP strands I've seen. I've been keeping them for a special use. With the Burmese rubies and decrepit pyrite they are perfect.

Sliced Amethyst Geode Suite

These amethyst geodes are sliced to show the different layers. Since I relate everything to food I see them as bacon slices or watermelon slices. They are wire wrapped horizontally or vertically and suspended on chains like perfect specimens. It is the best way to display these delicious, translucent jelly candies.

Amethyst Geode Slice Necklace