Black Mountain Jewelry Co

50% Off Rings At Black Mountain Jewelry Co. Until 12/15/11

2011-12-11T07:19:00.001-08:00

We have extended our Overstock Jewelry Sale at Black Mountain Jewelry Co! Our Tree of Life Birthstone Rings are crafted out of Eco-Friendly metals and handmade in the USA. 5% of each sale is donated to Jewelers For Children. This offer is only for In Stock Rings - 50% off until 12/15/11. You can purchase on our Website Black Mountain Jewelry Co using coupon code HS14 or at our Etsy Store using coupon code HS127

Both stores have a list of sizes/birthstones in stock that is updated daily. Thanks for checking us out.

Happy Holidays!

Overstock Jewelry Sale 50% off 11/28-12/7

2011-11-28T19:00:00.000-08:00

Overstock Jewelry Sale! Our Tree of Life Birthstone Rings are crafted out of Eco-Friendly metals and handmade in the USA! This offer is only for In Stock Rings. 50% off from 11/28-12/7. You can purchase on our Website Black Mountain Jewelry Co using coupon code HS14 or at our Etsy Store using coupon code HS127

Both stores will have a list of sizes/birthstones in stock that will be updated daily. Thanks for checking us out. Happy Holidays!

Studio Renovation

2011-11-28T07:52:00.001-08:00

A year has passed since we moved to New Mexico. When we first got here we just had to throw our Studio together in the uninsulated garage and start working. We finally insulated this August and just finished a long awaited project of drywall, painting and reorganizing - an industrial carpet will be coming in the next couple weeks. CAN'T wait to get back to work tomorrow! This workshop went from one of the most uncomfortable work spaces to the nicest studio we've worked out of. Hoping for a very busy 2012! We feel very fortunate and blessed to be living in New Mexico.

After everything done - first pieces of furniture in.

This is how it started. Exhausted Mark looking over the garage we just emptied.

Our neighbor Jorge was a blessing. We contracted him to do the drywall work and he came over every afternoon until the tape, plaster, and texture was done. Everything was hung in one day but the beautification took longer.

LOTS of painting. The finished project. Glad we have lots of pictures of before so we can remember how far we've come.

Free Shipping Until 11/30/11

2011-11-08T07:10:00.000-08:00

All of our Tree of Life jewelry is handmade to order by the two of us. If you'd like us to make you a custom gift for the holidays we're offering Free Shipping on orders placed by 11/30/11. You can place an order on our website and use code # FS417 or at our Etsy Store and use code FS418 to receive this offer.

We're getting ready for a major renovation on our workshop. Here it is at the end of summer after insulating. From 11/21-26 it's being drywalled, completely winterized and painted. We can't wait for it to be bright, warm and toasty for this upcoming busy winter. We spend most of our time there - it's going to be a nice cozy work environment very soon!

I'll post pictures after it's done. :)

October in New Mexico

2011-10-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe we've been in NM a year now. Woke up this Saturday to snow on the Sandia's - we were very happy to be at a lower elevation and not get any of that white stuff here - but it is beautiful on the mountains.
Didn't go to the Balloon Fiesta this year but got to enjoy perfect wind conditions this Sunday as they all traveled over our neighborhood.
Nice hot cup of coffee and lawn chairs in the front yard are more fun than braving the crowds.

When they go down they go down. Always wondering if they're going to land in our yard. :)

Current Jewelry Projects

2011-08-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

Mark did two beautiful Pave' projects for a new manufacturing account in Santa Fe. They were for one of their Jewelry Designer customers. Over 100 stones in each 18k gold ring

Disc Ring. Over 6 cts of colored and white diamonds. Came out beautiful! Top view.

Disc Ring side view.

Ruby Ring Top View.

Ruby Ring Side View.

This is the type of work Mark loves to do. When he worked in Scottsdale, AZ this was almost a daily thing. Many years of learning and a LOT of skill in this kind of setting work. Can't wait for more of these projects!

What's New

2011-08-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

Wow! I haven't blogged since May! These last three months have been a blur. Where to start...June was very busy for us with work. It has been so nice making money creating this jewelry for others instead of spending it to travel to craft shows. July was crazy busy and very encouraging especially in this economy. We felt like we were on a high and the universe said "Whoa" gotta throw you a curve ball so three weeks ago during big deadlines the plumbing line burst in the house we're renting. There was 3" of water through the whole house. Starting yesterday the whole house is being re-plumbed. Luckily a little reprieve from work but hard to kick back and relax when you're displaced. :(

We did manage to insulate our studio a couple weeks ago. Next drywall and it will be nice and toasty for the winter. Before this is was 105 degrees in there by 1pm and we were trying to work in it! The main line dug up from the re-plumb.

Line to the house dug up.

What was and will again be our living room.

Our Bedroom

Guest Room

So thank you Universe. Some challenges and discomfort but by the end of this week all will be back to normal and we can just focus on all the new work coming up.

Tree of Life Father's Day Gifts - Free Shipping!

2011-05-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

Tree of Life Cufflinks, Rings and Pendants - Father's Day Jewelry Gifts at Black Mountain Jewelry Company. All items are handmade to order - if you place your order by 6/5/11 we'd like to offer you Free Shipping. Just enter code FS416 on your order at www.blackmountainjewelry.com

Our cufflinks are a new item. De-Ox Sterling Silver & 14k gold recycled Harmony Metals with Dad's birthstone. Please see our web page for more details Tree of Life Cufflinks.

De-Ox Sterling Silver, recycled Harmony Metals. Our rings range in 1/2 sizes from 5-10.5 but we can make men's rings up to size 14. Please see our web page for more details Tree of Life Rings

De-Ox Sterling Silver, recycled Harmony Metals. Can be customized with custom wording on back of pendant. Please see our web page for more details Tree of Life Pendants

Our Tree of Life collection was designed to honor the caretakers in our lives who provide a solid foundation so that we can reach our highest potential. Our Tree of Life design features a sturdy, multi-branched tree that symbolizes strength and longevity. A tiny human heart,the "Heart of Humanity", tucked in the tree’s upper boughs, commemorates love and loyalty.

We hope that you enjoy this personal amulet that you can touch and be reminded of what touches you.

Tree of Life Father's Day Gifts

2011-05-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

Tree of Life Rings and Cufflinks - Father's Day Jewelry Gifts at Black Mountain Jewelry Company.

Our Tree of Life collection was designed to honor the caretakers in our lives who provide a solid foundation so that we can reach our highest potential. Our Tree of Life design features a sturdy, multi-branched tree that symbolizes strength and longevity. A tiny human heart,the "Heart of Humanity", tucked in the tree’s upper boughs, commemorates love and loyalty. We hope that you enjoy this personal amulet that you can touch and be reminded of what touches you.

De-Ox Sterling Silver, recycled Harmony Metals. Our rings range in 1/2 sizes from 5-10.5 but we can make men's rings up to size 14. Please see our web page for more details Tree of Life Rings

Our cufflinks are a new item. De-Ox Sterling Silver & 14k gold recycled Harmony Metals with your birthstone. Please see our web page for more details Tree of Life Cufflinks.

State of Arizona Pendant

2011-05-13T16:10:00.000-07:00

We've finished our custom Arizona Pendant! Hand Engraved Sterling Silver, 18k gold and Bisbee Turquoise. One of a kind. We hope our customer loves it!!

Original sketch for pendant. We reduced the state size but kept the star the same size.

If you can envision it we can make it.

Custom Arizona Pendant

2011-04-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

We've been commissioned to create a custom Arizona Pendant. Here's the drawing (picture of rough metal work below.) The body of the piece is De-Ox Sterling and the star /stone setting are 18k gold Recycled Harmony Metal from the USA. The center will be a piece of High Grade Bisbee Turquoise. The metal is all hand milled and Mark is inlaying the stone.

In the design process with our customer we reduced the overall size by 15% but left the star at its original size. Mark is going to hand engrave all the lines of the stylized Arizona Flag and engrave wording on the back. I'll post when it's finished with all the stages. If it can be drawn we can make it!

The Beginnings of Our New Jewelry Line

2011-04-22T17:31:00.001-07:00

This is the beginning of our new jewelry line. Mark has been making the Master designs in brass, then they'll be Hand Engraved by him and cast in De-Ox Sterling Silver, Recycled Harmony Metal. There are so many little components that we can't wait to start playing around with them to design finished pieces of jewelry! Endless combinations.

I know it's hard to imagine right now but these are going to be really nice. We'll be using American Gemstones and metals. When they're in production I will be doing the finishing work and Mark will be doing the soldering and stone-setting. I'll keep you posted as this big project comes together.

Free Shipping On Mother's Day Jewelry Orders

2011-04-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is less than a month away. Our Semi Custom Tree of Life/Family Tree Pendants and Necklaces make Great Mother's Day Gifts! Place your order by 4/30/11 and receive Free First Class Insured Shipping - just use coupon code # FS412 on your web order. http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/JewelryCollections_Tree.html

Tree of Life Father's Day Gift

2011-04-07T10:48:00.001-07:00

Father's Day Gift! You can order these Custom Tree of Life Cufflinks on our new Etsy store. http://www.etsy.com/listing/71677002/tree-of-life-cufflinks

Thanks for taking a look!

Southwestern Hand Engraving

2011-03-07T09:42:00.001-08:00

This is Mark's first attempt at Hand Engraving for one of our accounts. The bracelet started out plain flat sterling with 14k accents. He doesn't have the tools needed or the training to do engraving and accomplished this with his stone setting tools. It came out really pretty. I wish I knew what was going to be inlaid into the diamond shapes- I imagine turquoise. We are going to put together a small jewelry line based on the pattern he created here. Will keep you posted on it's creation!

Back side of bracelet.

How it sits on the wrist.

Hand Engraving is a skill he's always been interested in and would really round out all his other jewelry knowledge of lapidary, casting, metal smithing, and stone-setting. I have never seen him so excited and inspired. We hope to send him to the GRS Training center this year but if not right at the beginning of next year. There are always DVD's, books and templates - and plenty of basic tools to get before the class. Here's a link to GRS and the class he'll be taking. He's set on learning from Sam Alfano a Master Engraver.

http://www.grstrainingcenter.com/courses/basic-metal-engraving.html

Check out Sam's students amazing work too!

http://www.igraver.com/studentgallery/index.shtml

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. ~Chinese Proverb

50% Off All In-Stock Gold Jewelry

2011-02-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Our Hand-made Gold Jewelry is 50% off until 2/15/11. Just enter coupon code VL03 on your web order to receive the discount.

Link to jewelry categories on our website
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/JewelryCollections_Art.html

Thanks for taking a look! Please contact us if you have any questions about a piece. info@blackmountainjewelry.com

Charm Jewelry 50% Off

2011-02-05T19:25:00.000-08:00

Our Discontinued Sonora Star Jewelry is 50% off until 2/15/11. Just enter coupon code VL03 on your web order to receive the discount.

Drop Necklaces - http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Casual_SonoraDropNecklace.html

Assorted Designs - 12 pieces left - Normally $75 - now $37.50

Pearl Chokers - http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Casual_SonoraPearlChokers.html

Assorted Designs - 9 pieces left - Normally $65 - Now $32.50

Charm Bracelets - http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_02.htm

2 Pieces Left - Normally $225 - Now $112.50

Charm Choker - http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_01.htm

2 Pieces Left - Normally $325 - Now $162.50

All pieces were handmade by the two of us - sterling silver, Freshwater Pearls and Semi-Precious Stones. We're discontinuing so we can focus on new designs. Please contact us if you have any questions. info@blackmountainjewelry.com

In Memory of Dad

2011-01-20T06:17:00.001-08:00

We lost Mark's Dad last night. Lt. Col. Chester R. Mead, Ret. passed of natural causes at home. He was born December 28th, 1921. He served our country in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He was a pilot and loved to fly, even after retiring from the military. He is survived by his wife Dorothy and children, Rob, Mark, Kristan and Bruce.

Picture of Dad & Mom (Chet & Sissie) on their wedding day.

I am at a loss for words after losing Kathryn, Mark's Sister just two weeks ago. Dad, thank you for welcoming me into your family in 1993. I'll always love you and hope that Kath, Freddie, Mimi and everyone else you loved helped welcome you to a better place. I hope to see you again one day.

In Memory of Kathryn

2011-01-07T08:36:00.000-08:00

Kathryn, I miss you. You were the glue that held our family together. You were the kindest, most generous, thoughtful and loving person I've ever known. You were an amazing Mom and Grandma. You were a voice of reason and a protector. You always put everyone else first and tried to help anyone that needed it however you could. I've always loved you but feel so fortunate that I finally got to know you when we stayed with you for a while this past January and summer. If I had known this would happen I would have tried to spend more time with you and call more often. You are our guardian angel now. It hurts so bad that you are gone but I know you are still going to be looking out for all of us. You'll always be there.

It's been a very sad holiday for our family. Kathryn was diagnosed with cancer around Thanksgiving and passed away this Wednesday in Hospice. This happened so fast and even though it doesn't feel like it right now it was a blessing that God took her so quickly so she wouldn't suffer anymore. We'll never forget her and we'll always miss her.

Love you always Kath.

Sonora Star Jewelry Clearance Sale

2010-12-02T14:57:00.000-08:00

Clearance Sale! I have limited Sonora Star Jewelry left. My 2011 goal is to design & produce new lines of jewelry. I will be discontinuing this line. Time to make new things! Sale lasts until 12/15/10 just use coupon code HS13 on your web order to receive 50% off!! I'm posting what I have left below. Just click on the item name and it will direct you to the page on our website. Sale only applies to these items. Great Christmas gifts at excellent prices!

Sonora Star Choker

http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_01.htm

Dusk, Winter - 1 left of each

Sonora Star Charm Bracelet
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_02.htm
Autumn, Dusk - 1 left of each

72" Pearl Necklace
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_136.html
1 Left in Dusk

Cross Pearl Choker
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_06.htm
Dusk- 1 Left

Star Pearl Choker
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_07.html
Winter, Autumn - 1 of each left

Leaf Pearl Choker
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_09.html
Winter and Autumn - 1 of each left
Creative Hand Pearl Choker
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_04.htm
1 Winter Left

Banner Pearl Choker
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_03.htm
Dusk, Winter and Tropical - 1 of each left

Creative Hand Drop Necklace
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_17.htm
1 Tropical, 1 Dusk left

Banner Drop Necklace
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_16.htm
Autumn, Winter, Tropical - 1 of each left

Cross Drop Necklace
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_19.htm
Dusk and Tropical - 1 of each left

Star Drop Necklace
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_20.htm
Dusk, Winter and Tropical - 1 of each left

Western Heart Drop Necklace
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_18.htm
Tropical and Winter - 1 of each left

Desert Rose Drop Necklace
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_21.htm
Autumn and Winter - 1 of each left

Star Drop Earrings
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_24.htm
Sold Out

Creative Hand Drop Earrings
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_22.htm
Sold Out

Banner Earrings
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_10.htm
Amethyst, Garnet - 1 pair each left

Cross Earrings
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_13.htm
Peridot- 2 Pairs Left

Star Earrings
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_14.html
1 Peridot Pair Left

Creative Hand Earrings
http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/Product_Catalog_11.htm
Sold Out

If the item you want has been sold out we will contact you immediately.

Free Shipping On Holiday Orders

2010-11-16T09:23:00.001-08:00

We are offering Free Shipping on Orders Placed 11/16-11/30/10. Just enter coupon code FS11 on your Web Order. www.blackmountainjewelry.com Thank you for visiting us and Happy Holidays!

Gem Grade Morenci Turquoise Pendants

2010-10-22T08:08:00.001-07:00

Here are two beautiful Gem Grade Morenci Turquoise Pendants Mark was commissioned to make by his Brother. Designs and stones cut by his Brother - finishing and setting by Mark. :)

Gem Grade Morenci Turquoise - 11.6o cts, 14.6 gms 20k gold and .60 cts VS Diamonds

Gem Grade Morenci Turquoise - 6.65 cts, 9.7 gms 20k gold and 1.05 cts VS Diamonds

Thanks for taking a look!

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 2010

2010-10-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

This Saturday I went to my first Balloon Fiesta. It was amazing! It's one of those things like the Grand Canyon or the Great Wall of China - pictures just don't do it justice. You have to be there for the whole experience! There were at least 100,000 spectators filling a grassy field amongst the balloons during Mass Ascension. This is the start of the day where 500 balloons launch in waves.

Crowd favorites - Joey, Lilly and now baby bee. The field went wild as they launched!

I liked when the balloons were tethered filling with air and you could walk around them as much as seeing them in the sky. There was a constant roar of propane tanks.

Some of the crowd. For two hours we were all little awestruck kids.

We really could get close to the balloons! I met visitors from MA, TX, IL, Japan, Germany - you name it. Some of them come every year just for the fiesta! It is the most photographed event in the world. I know I'll be attending every year now. So special....

New Life in Rio Rancho, NM

2010-09-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that 4 weeks ago we were filling up a 26' moving truck and on our way to New Mexico!! We loved the home we built in Alpine AZ. It IS one of the prettiest places in AZ. After four years we felt isolated - at least 28 miles from the nearest town, 75 from the biggest town and 250 miles from Phoenix, Tucson or Albuquerque! There was no income opportunity apart from our Website and shows that we would travel great distances to. We knew we needed a change and other than moving back to Scottsdale the other nearest jewelry manufacturing hub was Albuquerque - so that's where we decided to move.

We're not attending shows for a bit while we research indoor venues in New Mexico, Colorado for next year. We will still be attending shows twice a year in Flagstaff, AZ - one of our favorite show locations. Instead Mark is already picking up trade work for the jewelry industry here (stone-setting, manufacturing, repairs), we're going to work hard to improve our website, create new jewelry lines and one of a kind pieces. We are so inspired by New Mexico, The Land of Enchantment that it won't be a problem. :)

Apart from the work opportunities we are appreciating all the conveniences of civilization again. Rio Rancho is a quiet, low crime area. Everything is 5 min from home. The weather is beautiful as well as the sites. We have amazing views of the Sandia Mountains. Every Sunday I go to the Corrales Farmers Market. This picture above is from one of my trips. It has become a Sunday morning tradition to get out and support local growers and bakers. Love it!

Every year we can enjoy the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival http://www.balloonfiesta.com/ and any given weekend morning they fly over our neighborhood. Sometimes so close you can see the passengers in the basket.

Not only can we rave about the weather, our new home and studio, conveniences and neighborhood but there is also a dog park across the street for Sam! Incredible views of the mountains and a place to take twice daily walks.

Mark and Sam in the Park. So much to explore in this new state and city!

One of the many pretty sunsets at our new home.

Now that the traveling and moving are done there will be more posts showing our new designs, interesting things we learn about New Mexico and the beautiful natural surroundings.

It's nice to feel truly at home somewhere.

Jewelers For Children - 2010 Facets of Hope Fundraiser

2010-07-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

We were featured for our fundraising efforts at Jewelers For Children's Annual Facets of Hope Fundraiser. We are honored to be a part of JFC and hope that in the near future we can make an even greater difference with our contributions. Feels Great!

Please click on image below to read story.

For more information on this charity we work with please see their website - http://www.jewelersforchildren.org/

Flagstaff Art in The Park July 2010

2010-07-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

We always luck out and have the BEST neighbors at our shows! No exception this past weekend. If you're ever in Flagstaff please check out the Art in the Park shows - always July 4th and Labor Day weekends.

Brian & Pauline Vaughn were right next to our tent. They make beautiful, functional and creative fused glass pieces. They are based in Tucson, AZ. You can check out their gorgeous glassware at Tortolita Creations http://www.tortolitacreations.com/

Adam & Becky Frus were right across from us at the show. Adam creates organic, sculptural and functional glass pieces. He also brings his background in Geology to his unique creations. Based in Mesa, AZ you can check out his amazing work at Frus Glass http://www.frusglass.com/Index.html

The other great neighbor we had was Marv Poulson. He is a photographer AND a sculpture from Utah. You can check out his extraordinary photography and kinetic sculpture at Imagedancer http://www.imagedancer.com/

I never tire of the new friends we make and the inspiration from being around their creations!

June 29th - July 4th On Our New Adventure

2010-07-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

After leaving Alpine we stayed with our Friends Kristen, Bert, Ethan and Hudson for a few days before heading up to Flagstaff for our Show. Thank you so much guys! We had a great time getting to know the boys better, eating so well and hanging out with you two!

Sam, our "Buddha Dog" LOVES being at our Craft Shows. Every day he met hundreds of dogs. Every night he was so pooped out after socializing . On the last day he had it and didn't want anymore social time.

Some of the MANY dogs Sam met. Dad corgi and his two 15 week old babies. He's so good with puppies. Grandpa Sam.

The little Corgi babies - Brother & Sister.

One of our neighbors at Motel 6 in Flagstaff. Very funny - and he was a real character too! From the deep South. We always like to be at the Art in The Park Show in Flagstaff. We meet so many friendly eclectic people and enjoy the city's vibe!

June 21st to 28th On Our New Adventure

2010-06-29T14:01:00.000-07:00

It was sad to leave our home in Alpine, AZ but we're both excited about the future, new adventures and city living again! We were blessed with beautiful weather those last days. We got to stay at our friends Hotel for a few days to fully enjoy the outdoors and other friends came up to visit.

We had some rain storms brew over our last few days in Alpine. Nice cool weather!

Sam Mid Bark - you are NOT leaving without me!

A herd of Elk our last day - in the meadow behind our house. What a nice goodbye.

Storminess at Luna Lake. I will miss those summer Monsoon Storms.

Kevin, Gia and Mark. What a delicious feast of fresh caught trout and roasted veggies! It was so nice to spend time with them and do some rockhounding over our last days.

Miss Gia hamming it up on our hike behind Luna lake.

This rainbow was MUCH prettier in Person over the Sportsmans' Lodge in Alpine.

Beautiful clouds over Nutrioso as we headed down the hill. Crazy mountain weather on the drive down to Phoenix. Drove through rain, dust and hail at all the different elevations - starting at 8050' to 1500'.

Just outside of Globe, AZ - we though IT was hot - ha ha - Phoenix is a LOT hotter!

Changes and New Adventures

2010-06-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

I haven't been posting much these last two months. All of May and June have been about organizing and packing. As of today our workshop is officially packed up and moved until after our summer shows when we re-open. Strange to be "camping out" in an empty house!

We both loved Alpine so much but there is no opportunity here for young folks like us that are still interested in working. It's a great place to vacation and most of the retired residents are only here from May to September. They have it figured out! Here for the beautiful weather and gone during the severe winters.

Albuquerque is calling us and we hope to have our place lined up in July so after the show travels we can be up and running ASAP. A city with action, culture, an Art Community, hiking, great food...can't wait - can you tell? As soon as we land I'll be in touch .

Hope you have a great summer!

Our Studio Will Be Closed 6/15-9/15

2010-05-12T13:13:00.000-07:00

We will be moving our studio this September. We live in a remote area and need to get back to civilization. :)

If you are thinking of an upcoming gift please place your order ASAP because our workshop will be closing down the week of June 15th. After that we'll be on the road until the beginning of September at which time we'll be setting up the new workshop.

We have a lot of upcoming traveling to do - we may even be in your area! Please see our Show Schedule for confirmed dates.

If you place your order by June 7th we can ship it to you before we leave. We will still process orders as we travel if your item is in stock but any orders that can't be filled wouldn't be able to ship until, at the latest, the second week of October. We are starting wholesale in June so if you are wanting a custom piece for the holidays it would be good to have your order in our production schedule as soon as we get back.

Thanks for your patience! I'll be posting pictures of our new studio when it's set up - plus all our cross country show pictures as we travel. Can't wait to have a new, bigger workspace!!

Show in Sedona Mother's Day Weekend

2010-05-12T12:25:00.001-07:00

We're back from our show in Sedona over Mother's Day Weekend. WHAT a weekend!! There were 10-20mph winds on Saturday with gusts over 35mph - then on Sunday we had gusts up to 45mph and even higher as we packed up!! We stuck it out to the very end. Not a good venue for us overall but once again we were able to stay with our new friends Gerry and Debbi - two artists from the Verde Valley - great people and very talented. It was so good for the soul to spend time with other arists - especially such sincere, caring people. Please check out their website and stop by to see them at their new gallery if you're in the area! http://www.gquotskuyva.com/

Gerry, Debbie and Sam saying their goodbyes Monday Morning.

Fishing pond in Camp Verde - the desert in the Verde Valley is so beautiful - a lush valley flanking the Verde River.

The Lollicake Company

2010-04-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

We met Courtney and her husband at the Litchfield Park Culinary Arts & Craft Festival. What a great neighbor! Her Lollicakes are cupcakes on a stick! Great for housewarming gifts, shower gifts, children's parties, brunches, you name it! Check out her website for more information on this fun and delicious gift idea! www.thelollicakecompany.com

Mother's Day/Nurses Week Sale At Black Mountain Jewelry Co.

2010-04-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

We are having a sale for Mother's Day & Nurse's Week!

We would like to offer you 25% off your Mother's Day or Nurse's Week order placed by 4/30. Just enter code # ML04 on your web order or mention it if you'd rather call us. We would also like to offer you free shipping if your order is placed by 4/23 - just notate Free Shipping in the comment box on your order and we'll remove the charge before processing - our Yahoo Store only allows one coupon per order. This sale applies to all of our jewelry.

If you are thinking about a custom Tree of Life Jewelry order please place your order ASAP. They are custom made by just the two of us. Hope to hear from you!

Spring Is In The Air - Alpine, AZ

2010-04-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

Spring has finally made it to Alpine, AZ. Crows are shredding bark off the cedar in our woodpile for nesting material. The Blue Birds are back - had to clean out their nest box this morning. Amorous Squirrels are chasing each other up and down the trees. Even Sam is in love! Our neighbor's dog Sasha comes to see him a few times a day now. The first visit of the morning there is a hearty wag "Good Morning" then they just hang out together on the back stoop for hours. (We are starting the search for a female companion for our little guy. He's lonely!)

Most of the snow is gone now except for the shady spots. The pile behind our house - which was originally 10' high (from clearing off the roof during this snowy winter)is now down to 5'. Sometime in May that will be gone too! The elk babies should be around soon and the brown forest will start to green up. My favorite time of the year!

Black Mountain Jewelry Co. Press - National Jeweler

2010-04-16T09:07:00.000-07:00

We are so thrilled to enter into wholesale! National Jeweler has included us in their Gift Ideas For A Sterling Mother's DayWhat a great opportunity to get the word out our Tree of Life Jewelry. The more people that know about our jewelry line, the more money we raise for our charity Jewelers For Children. Please take a look!

Tempe Arts Festival March 2010

2010-03-22T15:51:00.000-07:00

Come see Black Mountain Jewelry Co. at Tempe Festival of the Arts! March 26-28 10am - dusk.

The show has a great vibe and there are amazing artists attending from all over the country.

We are booth # 5567 - on 5th St, on the corner, right across from Tempe Mission Palms Hotel and Conference Center.

For More Information Please see their show link http://tempefestivalofthearts.com/

If you're in Phoenix that weekend hope to see you there!

Thank You

2010-03-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

We are so grateful for our jewelry customers. As we meet you face to face at our shows we find out that we're all in the same boat. We hear your background and what you're going through. A recurring conversation this year is the economy and how it is effecting all of us. How some of you have lost jobs you've had for years - how others of you have lost your homes or how you've reinvented yourself through these challenges. Whenever anyone visits our show booth or our website and decides to make a purchase from Black Mountain Jewelry Co. we are so thankful and appreciative that they chose us. Thank you so much.

Litchfield Park Spring Fine Art & Culinary Festival

2010-03-08T15:58:00.000-08:00

Come see us at Litchfield Park Spring Fine Art & Culinary Festival March 13-14th! Click here for more details. Hope to see you at the show!

Artfest Market of Cave Creek

2010-03-01T17:08:00.001-08:00

Come join us at Artfest Market of Cave Creek - March 5-7th! Located in Stagecoach Village in the heart of Cave Creek, this small venue should be a lot of fun. This cute Western town has many memories for us. After we moved to Arizona and were married, we lived in Cave Creek for 3 years. We had a beautiful view of Black Mountain - which is where we got our name - Black Mountain Jewelry Co.

http://www.888artfest.com/art-shows/arizona/artfest-market-of-cave-creek-spring

Hope to see you there!

Mother's Day Gift Idea!

2010-02-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

Our Tree of Life Jewelry is a cherished Mother's Day gift! Customized with additional birthstones to symbolize children, crafted out of 100% recycled Harmony Metals and 5% of each sale donated to Jewelers For Children!

Mother's Day is one of our busiest holidays. It's still a couple months away so if you'd like us to create a heart felt, custom gift for your loved one please place your order now. Each piece is made to order by the two of us. Please check out our Testimonial Page to see what our customers have said about the orders they've received.

Looking forward to creating a special gift for the amazing Mom in your life!

Turquoise - The Color of 2010!

2010-02-22T08:07:00.000-08:00

We are thrilled that Pantone chose Turquoise as the color of 2010! We'll be seeing so much of this vibrant yet soothing color this year in fashion and interior design. We've all had intense winter weather and Turquoise conjures up feelings of peaceful, tropical waters.

Two of our favorite stones to work with are American Turquoise and Gem Chrysocolla. There are many Turquoise deposits in the world occurring with Copper Mining - some of the biggest in China, but we prefer to showcase stones from America. They are rarer and part of the history of our country. Native Americans have revered this stone in their culture. Called "Sky Stone" it has been a symbol of happiness and health utilized in sculpture, pottery, jewelry and ceremony.

Turquoise is available in many different grades. It is typically a soft stone - often treated to harden or enhance color. We seek out Hi-Grade pieces, hardened by Mother Nature with no enhancements or treatments - that is also why you'll see ours set in gold. When the stone itself is rare due to its grade it deserves to be set in gold. Most turquoise settings are Sterling Silver.

If you are thinking of investing in a quality piece of Turquoise Jewelry we urge you to check out this publication Turquoise Unearthed. It covers everything from the history of the stone, to educated purchasing, and descriptions of all the domestic mines and their characteristics. We bring this book to every show we attend as an educational tool.

Nurses Week Gift Idea

2010-02-22T07:48:00.000-08:00

Every year from May 6 (National Nurses Day) through May 12th (the birthday of Florence Nightingale) we celebrate men and women in nursing. Celebrations are held across the country in appreciation. We would like the opportunity to make a custom Tree of Life Jewelry piece for the special nurse in your life.

Nurses Week is a only a couple months away so if you're looking for a meaningful semi-custom gift please place your order now. http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/

Southwest Arts Festival, Indio, CA

2010-02-03T10:28:00.000-08:00

We've had quite the adventure this last week - escaping the snow at home and driving to Indio, CA for the Southwest Arts Festival. It was an experience being at sea level and seeing the beautiful snow capped 10,000' mountains ringing the valley. The show itself had some of the most talented artists in the US. There were lots of fine jewelry artists too - amazing work. Once again we were blessed with great neighbors and made some new friends.

Our morning commute to the show. Surreal. Dessert, palm trees and snow.

Our one neighbor Jack Charney. Jack's not only a ceramic artist but also a writer. His pottery is vibrant, colorful and free-spirited just like him. Please check out his website for more info and his show schedule. www.jackcharney.com

Jack's Acrobats are really cool!

I was really drawn to Melissa Graves Brown's paintings of trees and groves. Colorful Aspen trees reminded me of home in the fall. I hope we cross paths again in the future, I would love to purchase one of her pieces. Please check out her website www.melissagravesbrown.com

Kent Kraus and his partner Susan were directly across from us. New friends from Santa Fe, NM. :) Kent's ceramic sculptures and fountains are flowing, organic, abstract floral designs. I was coveting his bronze finish Calla Lilly Candlesticks. Please check out his website at www.kentkrausstudio.com

It felt so good to get back to Mark's Sister's home after the show. Sam was really happy too because he could play again with his new friend Riley. All three of us are relaxing and enjoying being here - not looking forward to going back to our snowy frozen home.

Gifts of Grapefruit, Tangelos, Tangerines and lemons from Kath's yard. Taking them back to our neighbors that have been looking out for us while we've been gone. I'm used to picking tomatoes and other veggies, growing up in NJ but it's really cool to go into the back yard and pick buckets of citrus fruit off the trees. They're so sweet and delicious too!

So that's it. Don't want to leave but can't wait to get back home and work in the studio again. It was a great trip and an experience from the snow storm before we left, to the show and the relaxing times with Family in Phoenix.

Alpine, AZ January 2010 Blizzard - What An Experience!

2010-01-25T11:42:00.001-08:00

Constant shoveling. Our truck is about 7-8'. You can see how high the snow is where we shoveled it. Over the week we had about 6 feet or more of snow fall. I'm interested to find out exactly what we had when I get home!!

We've had quite the week in Alpine, AZ! The waves of storms from the Pacific started dropping snow last Monday with the worst Thursday and Friday. We lost our power 9pm Thursday night and it wasn't restored until 11pm last night. We didn't know when it would be back on so decided to leave yesterday morning - also before any more storms rolled in. We are all so lucky to live in this country. We learned first hand what it's like to live without electricity or water supply. We have a great wood burning stove but it's small and you need to stoke it every 1/2 hour to keep it going. So our pipes or we wouldn't freeze, we had it going 24/7 until we left. I wanted Mark to be in good shoveling shape (since we were doing it every 2 hours to keep our driveway clear to get out to our upcoming show - I helped but he was the real muscle moving tons) so I manned the fire. For three nights I set a kitchen timer for every 30 minutes so I would wake up to stoke it then he'd take over at 4am. Also interesting to get on the schedule of do everything you can while there's daylight - then we only had candlelight. It was a very serious storm and luckily rare. There were some really nice moments of quiet and I did make some killer baked potatoes,beanie weenies and grilled cheese sandwiches on our wood burning stove :) but mostly hard WET work! I'm so glad we were able to get customer's orders in the mail before this immobilized us!

We got plowed the first couple storms but had to wait until the end of Saturday for our road to be cleared. You can see the road - that's over 2 ft there - impassable even with our 4 wheel drive and high clearance. We were truly cut off and on our own - even emergency respose vehicles couldn't get through it.

One of our local birds laughing at us, sitting on the broom we've destroyed by brushing off the truck.

Sam got REALLY tired of it too.

We initially planned on keeping our U-Shaped driveway clear - lofty ambition. We settled for just one side of the driveway. That was enough.

That snow pile from shoveling is OVER Mark's head!

Our road before plowing.

Our home as we left it. Those are actual snow boulders out front from the plowing. Some were the size of a small car.

Driving out our road yesterday. As soon as we got around the corner to connect to the main road which leads to the highway we were driving through 2-3 foot drifts. We were worried we'd even make it to the highway without getting stuck. Too scared, as Mark plowed through it to get pictures. :(

Yay! We made it to the highway - this is our powdered sugar meadow behind our house.

Another meadow picture. Soooo beautiful when you're driving by but unpleasant to be stuck in!

At the Alpine Divide - 8550' - looked like it was going to snow on us again as we were trying to leave.

Pretty cabin on the way out of town near Tal Wi Wi lodge.

FINALLY out of the snow line. In the dessert before getting to Phoenix. Before this went through two more dicey driving conditions - 50m of iced over highway from Springerville to Show Low then about 20m of an only one lane plowed road from Heber to Payson. The plowed snow was piled 12' on each side of the road and pretty scary when tractor trailers were coming at you head on!! (No pictures of that one either - too busy freaking out!)

Right before Phoenix - Four Peaks. The snow is such an amazing site in the dessert.

So here the three of us are - feeling like refugees at Mark's Sister's beautiful home in Phoenix, AZ. It's so wonderful to be warm, be dry, have power, phone, Internet, and get a break before leaving for our show in Indio on Wed. We were going to leave this Wed, spend one night then leave for the show on Thu but this works out so great. We feel like we're at a resort for a couple days!!

The Blizzard of 2010!

2010-01-21T11:34:00.000-08:00

We're getting a lot of snow in Alpine right now - possible 3-7 ft more by Saturday morning!! All we can do is ride it out and get ready to leave for our show in Indio, CA 1/29-31. Thank you Mother Nature for hitting us with the storm this week instead of next!

Feeding the birds - yep over my knees in this spot!

Our road yesterday. We DON'T have a road today until the plow truck comes!

Valentine's Day Sale at Black Mountain Jewelry Co!

2010-01-15T07:23:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Hope this year is getting off to a great start for you and that it's filled with health, happiness and prosperity!!

Hard to think of Valentine's Day already but it's on it's way! We have two holiday sales going right now that we'd like to tell you about.

All semi-custom Tree of Life Jewelry and Sonora Star "Casual Jewelry" 15% off - please use code # VL01. All in stock gold Art Jewelry 25% off - please use code # VD02. This offer lasts until 2/5/10. Just enter the offer code on your web order. http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/

We can take your order over the phone if you'd prefer to call us - 928-245-9642. Orders placed by 1/29/10 are guaranteed delivery by 2/13/10! (After the 29th we'll contact you to confirm if we can make the deadline and if not give you the option to keep your item on order or cancel.)

We'd also like to offer you Free Shipping if you place your order by 1/27/10. Our website won't apply two discounts when you enter your order - we will manually remove your shipping charges before we process it. If you are thinking about a one of a kind gold piece please place your order by the 27th - that way we can pull your item as "sold" before our show in Indio, CA 1/29-31.

Thank you so much! We appreciate your business and hope 2010 is a fantastic year for you!

January 18-22nd - we are expecting to receive 3 - 7 feet of snow!!! We may have some power outages - up to 15 hours long. If you place an order and you don't receive an automatic order update from us, that is what's going on. As soon as power is restored we'll be in touch and confirm your order. Thanks!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year - belated! Time goes by so quickly - can't believe I haven't posted since December! I hope you had a great holiday and that this new year is fantastic for you.

I've gone right from our holiday orders into getting organized for 2010. Trying new things this year! At the end of the month we'll be attending a show in California for the first time - we're very excited to go to a warmer climate for a week. The snow that started in Alpine around Thanksgiving is still on the ground! This August we're making a big trek back east. The entire month we will be in the Adirondacks doing a show every weekend. This will be the first time I've been back east in 8 years!! Can't wait to see family and gorge on NY pizza! That's about all that is new right now.

Hope this year is getting off to a great start for you too and that it's filled with health, happiness and prosperity!!

Thank You

2009-12-17T02:27:00.000-08:00

I'd like to thank all our new and existing customers for choosing us for their holiday gifts! We appreciate every order we've received!! We hope everyone is happy with their purchase and that our handcrafted jewelry becomes a cherished gift.

Have a safe and Happy Holiday and a Happy 2010! It's going to be a great New Year for all of us!

Black Mountain Jewelry Co. Holiday Sale - 3 Days Left!

2009-12-12T15:05:00.000-08:00

We are having a holiday sale. We'd like to offer you 15% off your order of $50 or more until 12/15/09. Just enter HS09 on your web order or mention this code if you would prefer to call us at 602-526-6318.

Don't forget our Tree of Life Jewelry - a meaningful gift for Mom, Grandma, Your Child, Best Friend - any woman in your life. These pieces are totally customized and handmade by just the two of us, but we are on top of our Holiday orders! Can we custom make one for someone special in your life? We can also ship directly to them enclosing a gift card - just notate on your web order any special wording

http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/JewelryCollections_Tree.html

Peace & Love Precious Metal Clay Jewelry

2009-12-10T16:39:00.001-08:00

I've only been selling this jewelry line at shows - it needs to be touched to be appreciated. All pieces are hand sculpted out of Precious Metal Clay. The sterling silver chains don't have a clasp - they're soldered so they just slip over your head. There are two jumprings with stone drops on each side that move with the necklace and the heavy chain necklaces have two different chain styles so you always have a different look. Our sale also applies to these items! Just e-mail me info@blackmountainjewelry.com or call 602-526-6318 for more info. Please refer to number of piece - I'll be marking "sold" as they sell. Some of these will become permanent on our website and some will be the first on our Etsy store in January!

#4 - One in stock - Andalusite beads. 24" heavy SS rolo & bar chains. 7/16" diameter peace sign & heart $85.

#1 - Three in Stock -Iolite & Tanzanite Beads. 24" fine SS chain. 5/8" diameter peace sign & heart $55.

#2 - Three in Stock - Pink & Green Tourmaline beads. 26" fine SS chain. 5/8" diameter peace sign & heart $55.

This is how they sit on your neck.

#5 - One in stock - Andalusite & peridot beads. 24" heavy SS oval & flattened cable chains. 3/8" diameter peace sign & heart $85.

#7 - One in stock - Amethyst, Iolite & Quartz beads. 24" heavy SS oval cable & bar chains. 3/8" diameter peace sign & heart $85.

#8 - One in stock - Andalusite & Peridot beads. 26" heavy SS oxidized large & small oval cable chains. 1/2" diameter peace sign & heart $95.

#10 - Three Pair In Stock - appx 5/8" diameter $25

#3 - One in Stock -Faceted Blue Topaz in Flower. Iolite, Quartz & Amethyst beads. 26" fine SS chain. 5/8" diameter flower & heart $55.
Sold

#9 - One in Stock -Faceted Anthill Garnet in Flower. Quartz, Peridot & Garnet beads. 24" fine SS chain. 5/16" diameter flower & heart $55.

#6 - One in stock - Faceted Pink Tourmaline in flower. Pink & Green Tourmaline beads. 24" heavy SS oval cable and flattened/patterned chains. 7/16" diameter flower & heart $95.

I posted how I make this jewelry not too long ago - If you'd like to see again please see link http://blackmountainjewelryco.blogspot.com/2009/10/making-pmc-jewelry.html

Precious Metal Clay Peace Sign Jewelry

2009-12-10T10:05:00.001-08:00

Here are some items that won't be on our website - my fine silver peace sign jewelry. I have one of each left. If you're interested in any please contact me. I can take an order over the phone and at the same time confirm that I still have it. :) 602-526-6318 - or e-mail me and I can call you back - info@blackmountainjewelry.com Our sale applies to all of this jewelry too! 15% off orders $50+. They are a great stocking stuffer for teenagers. The pearl chokers $35, are 17 1/2" long and those on suede cords, adjust from 16-18", $25.

Picture shown appx twice normal size

Both Pearl Chokers - Sold

Picture shown appx twice normal size
Turquoise & Dark Blue Leather - Sold

Picture is life size - Heart on Green Pearls 16" long

Lime Pearls - Sold

I posted how I make this jewelry not too long ago - If you'd like to see again please see link http://blackmountainjewelryco.blogspot.com/2009/10/making-pmc-jewelry.html

The Blizzard

2009-12-10T10:01:00.001-08:00

We had our first blizzard of this winter! Wait - it's not even winter yet! :) All day Monday into Tuesday morning - then Mark and I shoveled our driveway for 6 hours. We love living in the mountains.

Holiday Sale At Black Mountain Jewelry Co.

2009-12-01T13:11:00.000-08:00

We are having a holiday sale. We'd like to offer you 15% off your order of $50 or more until 12/15/09. Just enter HS09 on your web order or mention this code if you would prefer to call us at 602-526-6318.

Don't forget our Tree of Life Jewelry - a meaningful gift for Mom, Grandma, Your Child, Best Friend - any woman in your life. These pieces are totally customized and handmade by just the two of us, but we are on top of our orders and guarantee those placed by December 7th for December 23rd delivery. We can also ship directly to the recipient - just notate on your web order http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/JewelryCollections_Tree.html

Socially & Environmentally Responsible Jewelry

2009-12-01T12:28:00.000-08:00

We all need to be aware of the impact of our purchases. The jewelry industry and how its raw materials are obtained has had a long history of controversy. Most recently the world became aware of Blood Diamonds and Gold in the Congo. That's why we choose to work with Hoover & Strong exclusively - using their Harmony Metals for all our jewelry creations. Whether you purchase from us or not - please ask questions, make sure your jewelry source is trying to be responsible and knows where their raw products come from.

More about the US Metal refiner Hoover & Strong:

Hoover & Strong Jewelry Products Now Available with SCS-Certified Recycled Content Scientific Certification Systems issues first certificate in jewelry industry August 4, 2009 - Emeryville, CA – Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a globally-recognized independent third-party certifier and sustainability expert, today certified the recycled metal content in jeweler Hoover & Strong’s HARMONY Metals™ line.
http://www.hooverandstrong.com/category/Press+Release-2009-8-04/

We are Hoover & Strong Authorized Jewelers - please see link:
http://www.hooverandstrong.com/category/Authorized+Jewelers/

If you haven't seen it on the news here's a link to How Gold pays for Congo's Deadly War
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/25/60minutes/main5774127.shtml

We're all trying to save money in this economy. If you're searching for a life long piece of jewelry to commemorate a special event you don't want something that has caused pain and suffering. Small jewelry companies work closely with their sources and should be able to tell you where their materials come from. Large companies selling mass produced, imported, inexpensive jewelry lines are less connected to their sources and may even be unaware of human rights issues in jewelry factories overseas. Wherever you find that special piece of jewelry, please just ask some questions. The more customers ask, the more accountable those in the jewelry industry will become and hopefully we can end the use of Dirty Gold.

New Gold Jewelry Creations - The Remaining Additions

2009-11-29T11:41:00.000-08:00

Here are the rest of our new gold jewelry creations. They are all over the website so if you want to be directed to a category just click on the link below the photo. I wish I were a better photographer and copywriter. The photos and descriptions just don't capture how beautiful they are in person. Thanks for taking a look!

Gem Chrysocolla Earrings

http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/ArtJewelry-Chalcedony-Earrings.html

Gem Chrysocolla Rings

http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/ArtJewelry-Chalcedony-Rings.html

Gem Chrysocolla Pendants

http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/ArtJewelry-Chalcedony-Pendants.html

Turquoise Rings

http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/ArtJewelry-Turquoise-Rings.html

Opal Pendants

http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/ArtJewelry-Opal-Pendants.html

Fire Agate Rings

http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/ArtJewelry-FireAgate-Rings.html

Turquoise Pendants

http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/ArtJewelry-Turquoise-Pendants.html

We have started offering layaway on our gold jewelry - if you are interested please contact us for details.

New Arizona Turquoise & Gold Jewelry Pieces

2009-11-28T09:01:00.000-08:00

I'm finally getting our new gold jewelry loaded on to our website! Between our show schedule and making inventory in between I've missed out on photo documenting quite a few pieces that sold. First category complete - Bisbee and Morenci Turquoise set in 18 or 14k gold. Here's a couple pictures below. If you want to see the whole collection please visit http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/ArtJewelry-Turquoise-Rings.html

18k Gold and Hi-Grade Bisbee Turquoise Ring

18k Gold, Palladium, Diamond and Hi-Grade Morenci Turquoise Ring

Thanks for taking a look! Will be posting more new items as they appear on our website.

ArtFest of Scottsdale

2009-11-17T18:07:00.000-08:00

We'll be exhibitors at ArtFest of Scottsdale this weekend. http://www.888artfest.com/art-shows/arizona/artfest-of-scottsdale
Located at the beautiful Civic Center park in Old Town Scottsdale. Please stop by if you visit the show. We're right in front of the Civic Center building.

Hope to see you there!

Judy Mohr - Ceramic Artist

2009-11-17T08:55:00.000-08:00

We were fortunate to be next to my favorite ceramic artist this weekend at Chris Bubany's Holiday Marketplace at Harlow Gardens. Judy Mohr,from Tucson creates amazing serving dishes, mugs, vases, bird feeders, Ikebana vessels and raku sculptures. Thank you for horsetrading with me Judy - I love to go home with some of your work!

One of Judy's whimsical horse sculptures - with genuine horsehair tail. These are some of her raku pieces.

The hanging pieces are bird feeders. I've had one up for two years now. The birds love it because it's so natural. A branch slides through holes in the feeder and they perch on it to access the feeder. A lot of fun to watch!

Judy doesn't have a website but you can find her work at the following galleries:

- In Tucson - Tohono Chul Park, Old Town Artisans

- In Tubac - Lilly's

- In Sedona - Esteban's, Zonies

- In Moab, UT - Hogan Trading Co.

Chris Bubany's Holiday Marketplace at Harlow Gardens

2009-11-17T08:36:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed being a part of Chris Bubany's Holiday Marketplace at Harlow Gardens this past weekend! What a beautiful location at this 70 year old family business. We set up our tents among the nursery plants. Along with the visiting artists there are outdoor sculptures throughout the nursery. What a lovely location and very busy!

Chris Bubany and Sandy Ricker the show organizer. Sandy really took care of all of us and made sure the show ran smoothly. It was a pleasure to be part of it.

Some of Chris' beautiful colorful pottery! So many different designs displayed through the middle of the nursery. Please visit her website for more information http://www.chrisbubany.com/

Harlow Gardens is a destination for Tucson Gardeners - every inch is full of beautiful plants and gardening accents. If you're ever in Tucson please check them out http://www.harlowgardens.com/

Art For Sedona's Sake Artists

2009-11-10T08:24:00.000-08:00

You've heard me talk about my friend John Wdowin of Natural Nook before. He creates beautiful organic wooden vases that hold water. We have a lot of show acquaintances but he has become a great friend over these last couple years. We have one of his vases that we bring to every show with us - it's great, being wood it can bounce around in our travels and not break but it is still elegant and gets compliments every where we go.

John doesn't have a website but you can contact him for his show schedule at naturalnook1@hotmail.com He lives in Mesa, AZ in the winter and does private showings. May - Oct can be found in NY state at shows. Please contact him for his east coast show schedule or for a private viewing.

Sumac vessel in foreground. I love how he sometimes keeps the bark on his pieces. You just have to see them in person to feel the warmth.

Turned burl vessel inlaid with Arizona Turquoise.

Birch Vessel inlaid with Arizona Turquoise.

Art For Sedona's Sake - Artists

2009-11-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

We were just at our last show in Sedona for this year and I wanted to talk about some of the great people we meet. Chris Bendele and her sister Glow Ybarra of All A Glow Jewelry create beautiful beaded jewelry and are terrific neighbors! Please check out their website http://www.allaglowjewelry.com/

Greg Anderson, also a great neighbor creates beautiful mixed media, southwestern wall pieces. Greg has just started making gorgeous enameled copper jewelry. It's neat to see someone transitioning into a new media and so excited and inspired by it. I expect to see some amazing pieces next year when we're neighbors again. Greg doesn't have a website but you can reach him at artgreg@ymail.com for his show schedule.

Thom & MJ Stanley are our favorite show promoters. They really do care about the artists at their shows. Thom also has another passion - his eclectic newspaper - please visit this link to check it out http://www.sedonaexcentric.com/excentric/home.php

New Jewelry Creations

2009-11-05T15:13:00.000-08:00

Mark has been very busy making some beautiful new 18k Arizona Amethyst, Opal, Gem Chrysocolla, Holly Agate and Bisbee Turquoise jewelry. Here are a few pieces. If we don't sell them this weekend they will be on our Website - hopefully next week.

18k Gold , Arizona Four Peaks Amethyst, Chrome Tourmaline and Australian Opal Pendant.

18k Gold Gem Chrysocolla, AZ Four Peaks Amethyst and Holly Agate Pendant.

18k Bisbee Turquoise Pendant.

18k Arizona Fire Agate and diamond ring.

18k Gem Chrysocolla and diamond ring.

Thanks for taking a look!

2009 Capitol Christmas Tree - Alpine, AZ

2009-10-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

We are so thrilled and honored that the Capitol Christmas Tree is coming from Alpine, AZ this year. We know that we live in one of the most beautiful places in Arizona and now the whole country will hear about our home!

It's no surprise that the tree was selected from the Apache Sitgreaves Forest - it's the centennial of Aldo Leopold's arrival to our area. The tree is being called "The Aldo Leopold Centennial Tree." Aldo Leopold was a pioneer in the conservation of our natural resources. To find out more information about the Aldo Leopold Centennial, please visit the website: http://www.leopoldcelebration.org/ Apache Sitgreaves Forest Service Headquarters. Home of the Forest Rangers - stewards of our beautiful forest.

We experience all seasons in Alpine, summer is vibrant green due to the almost daily rain showers - which also create beautiful rainbows. At 8050' we are close to the clouds which settle on the mountain tops during the night. If you ever have chance to visit this relatively unknown gem - Alpine, AZ, please spend a couple days. It takes that long to absorb the natural beauty, abundant wildlife and friendliness of all of us that live here. Here's a link to our chamber website for lodging and other information http://www.alpinearizona.com/

We've been excitied about the tree for months. It's been hush hush about the exact location - but through reliable sources the tree is coming from just south of Alpine off Route 191 - between us and Hannigan's Meadow.

We're dissappointed that we'll be out of town at a craft show during the procession. The cutting ceremony is November 7th. For more information on the tree please see the following links. http://tinyurl.com/q8dtcv , http://capitolchristmastree2009.org/ and http://tinyurl.com/ll5bdo

If you'd like to see more images of Alpine please see click on the Alpine subject bar on the left side of our Blog. Hope you enjoy the pictures and the beautiful tree we've gifted our nation!

Fine Jewelry Repair

2009-10-22T17:08:00.000-07:00

Mark did two major repair jobs this week for a customer we met in Sedona. He doesn't just do jewelry repair - he does jewelry restoration. 14k ring with Turquoise and cracked opal inlay.
Ring re-inlaid with Bisbee Turquoise and Australian Opal.

Shank of ring worn through and cracked.

Mark milled 14k gold and 1/2 shanked the ring. Really solid now and will wear for a longgggg time. He also rebuilt all links in a heavy 18k men's bracelet for this customer - not as dramatic of a difference in a picture but better than new after he worked on it.

If you want to restore or re-dsign jewelry you own please let us know. Don't scrap it! You never get the full value of the gold that way. If it's sentimental, let us make it into a wearable piece of jewelry for you again.

Bisbee Turquoise 18k Jewelry

2009-10-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

Mark was busy making jewelry this week too. This ongoing project is for his brother. Mark cast 18k settings for these beautiful Bisbee Turquoise stones. Once we get back he'll be finishing the gold, setting diamonds in it then setting the Turquoise. I'll post finished pictures. Going to be gorgeous!

Making PMC Jewelry

2009-10-22T16:50:00.000-07:00

This is part of my busy jewelry making week. Here are some of the PMC (Precious Metal) pieces that I made.....they are made up into jewelry now but didn't have time to take pictures before we leave. They WILL be on our website by the end of the month - unless I sell them all this weekend! :) This was only one batch out of 5!

Top Picture - carving and sanding PMC while leather hard - just like you would do to porcelain.

My cute little kiln - firing the PMC at 1500 degrees for 25 min. It starts out as clay and when you fire it it shrinks, binder burns off and it becomes pure silver!

Craft Show In Sedona Arizona

2009-10-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

We'll be exhibitors at a great show in Sedona Arizona this weekend - Red Rose Inspiration For Animals. For more info please see their link http://www.redroseinspiration.org/index.htm Hope to see you there!

Pre-Holiday Sale at Black Mountain Jewelry Co.

2009-10-19T14:07:00.000-07:00

We are having a Pre-Holiday Sale ! Order by November 15th and take $20 off your purchase of $100 or more!

Black Mountain customizes each and every piece, specially for you or your gift recipient. To allow enough time for us to make each item, we need to receive your order by November 15th - that way we can guarantee delivery by December 20th...

For this holiday season we are introducing our NEW Gift Service - send Mom, Sis, Aunt or anyone you love a one-of-a-kind unique gift! Not only do we custom make it for them individually, we will also include a hand-written gift card, with your words, at no charge. We can ship directly to them or to you - your choice! This free service is our way of saying 'Thank You' for being such a great customer.

You can place your order on-line by using code # PH09 - your discounts will be calculated automatically. If you prefer to visit us at one of our shows, take advantage of this great offer by mentioning the same code. Click to see our Show schedule http://www.blackmountainjewelry.com/ShowSchedule.html

We have limited production time and cannot guarantee orders for December 20th delivery if not submitted to us by November 15th.

We look forward to discussing your needs - call us directly 602-526-6318 and we'll do our best to accommodate any special requests!

Don't forget to place your order by November 15th - $20 off any order $100 or greater!

Please think of Black Mountain Jewelry Co. as your source for quality, one-of-a-kind, meaningful jewelry heirlooms!

Best Wishes,
Mark & Carla

Things to Do In Sedona, AZ

2009-10-08T20:07:00.000-07:00

If you're in Sedona this weekend, October 10 & 11, come visit Art For Sedona's Sake. On Hwy 89-A across from New Frontiers Market - Sat/Sun 10-5. Great Artists, nice show!

Steller's Jays In Alpine, AZ

2009-10-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

We generally don't feed wildlife - it's not a good practice - but we do help the birds along with seed through the winter. Right now we have two Steller's Jays that are relying on us. I worry about them when we leave town for shows and hope they've stashed enough peanuts in the tree tops for while we're gone. (They do stash them in crooks and needles of the trees and bury them at the base of trees.) Both are injured so we may help them make it through the winter. The one, "Chicken" (she perches like a one) is missing a leg. She's the Momma bird. "Baby Girl" has a bad wing (she's one of Chicken's offspring.) They perch together chirping to each other. I have a scenario in my head - we often have birds of prey in the area - what if baby was getting attacked and Mom stepped in causing them both to have injuries? Who knows. Here's a picture of them perched together. I wish I could capture their personalities here. They are smart, agile and comical birds! Baby Girl In Flight

Art For Sedona's Sake - Artists

2009-09-29T09:30:00.001-07:00

We had a great time set up at Art for Sedona's Sake this weekend. I didn't realize that the promoter Thom Stanley raises money for local art groups with his venues. It's nice to know that your booth fee goes to good causes. We met people from all the country and the world! As usual we were surrounded by great artists and made new friends.

I like to spread the word about other artists we meet so here goes.Gerry Quotskuyva and his wife Debbi Menig. Gerry is an award winning Hopi Artist. His artwork is amazing - please check him out! http://www.kachinacarver.com/index.htm
Moraine Benny - Luminous LLC, creates Art Glass and specializes in Glow in the Dark Colors. Her website is in the works so the best way to see her work right now is through her shows. Please keep checking back to see this talented artist's creations http://www.luminousltd.com/index.html
Rick & Rose Gnerich of Fluting From The Heart craft Native American Style High Spirit Flutes that sound as beautiful as they look. They also offer workshops. Please check out their website http://www.flutingfromtheheart.com/flutes/double-flutesKyle Jacobson sculpts gorgeous nature inspired furniture out of native woods. Please check out this young artist's work at http://www.naturalelementsfurnishings.com/I made a new friend, Kiyomi Murayama, Herbal Therapist from Tokyo, Japan. We did a little horsetrading - a pair of my Sonora Star Earrings for some of her delicious Aromatherapy Natural Perfume Oils. You can learn more about her products at www.puravida-essentials.jp or contact her at info@puravida-essentials.jp

OK, this doesn't have anything to do with Artists we met but I cannot forget Amber the Goat. There was a rescue organization from Flagstaff, AZ (I should have got the man's card!) He walked Amber around the show all weekend to raise awareness about his organization that takes in all sorts of animals. She was a sweetie!

Art In Sedona September 26-27

2009-09-23T15:39:00.000-07:00

We'll be at Art In Sedona 9-5 this Sat/Sun across from New Frontiers Natural Market - on Saddlebrook - see map link -http://tinyurl.com/mltrsw If you're in the area please come say hi!

Route 66 Days Flagstaff, AZ

2009-09-22T13:03:00.001-07:00

We've been at back to back shows this month. Our last was Route 66 Days in Flagstaff, AZ. I wish I had more pictures of the amazing cars but we were pretty busy selling jewelry. I did manage to get a couple pictures of the winners. The Fire Engine was incredible! It had a pipe organ in the back that played recorded music or could be played by an actual person. Overall we had a blast. If you're able to visit next year it's a great car show that stretches all through downtown Flagstaff. The craft show is just getting started and will one day be a really great show too!

Flagstaff, Arizona Craft Show

2009-09-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

We had a great, busy time at Flagstaff Art In The Park last weekend. I sold out all my new Peace and Love PMC jewelry! Sold lots of Tree of Life Jewelry with touching stories attached. It was pretty chilly in the mountains - here's a picture of the first snow on Humphrey's Mountain taken by friend Colleen Williams.

Sam had a great time meeting and greeting all the people and other dogs. He loves Flagstaff too! Met Anthony and his beautiful Alaskan Malamute named Fenrir. What a gentle giant. Sam was a little intimidated by his size. Wish I could have taken pictures of all the beloved canines that came to the show.

The show ran Sat - Mon, got home late Tues and we're off this Friday to Flagstaff again for Route 66 Days! http://www.flagstaffroute66days.com/It will be lots of fun with over 400 classic cars. Pictures to come. Driving home on Tue we were heading back into rain. Here's a shot of the high desert with clouds building.

Art in the Park, Flagstaff, AZ 9/5-7

2009-08-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

Black Mountain Jewelry Co. will be at Art in the Park, Flagstaff, AZ 9/5-7. Looking forward to another show in one of my favorite towns! If you're in the area please check it out and say hi.

It's in Wheeler Park - please see this link for Flagstaff maps http://www.flagstaffarizona.org/visitor_downloads.html Park is situated at the corners of Humphrey and Aspen Sts. behind city hall. Show is one block north on the left.

If you've never been to one of Stuart Wolf's shows you're in for a treat. It is the nicest show in Northern Arizona. Strictly juried with no resale items allowed. There is also entertainment all weekend ranging from local musicians to the local Belly Dancing club! There are extremely talented artists from all over. The weather is beautiful and fall like. Can't say enough good things about this venue!

Why We Love Doing Jewerly Repairs

2009-08-19T08:39:00.001-07:00

I was reminded yesterday of why we love doing jewelry repairs. I delivered two turquoise rings that Mark restored to a customer in Pinetop, AZ. I didn't know the story on the one ring until Dorothy shared it. The one multi-stone ring was her wedding band. Her husband died years ago after a long illness at home (Pinetop didn't have Hospice at that time.) The day after he passed she noticed one of the stones fell out of the ring overnight when he left. She never found it and stopped wearing the ring. When she slipped it on her finger tears welled up in her eyes as she told me the story, then I started crying, then she was crying. It was a really sad and happy moment that meant the world to her and me.

I should have taken before and after pictures which I will do in the future. Mark's restoration work is amazing! When we open our Alpine storefront we can take in this kind of work and provide a local service...and hopefully create many many happy customers like Dorothy.

Hummingbirds

2009-08-14T19:50:00.000-07:00

Mark and I needed to recharge so we immersed ourselves in the forest today - starting with watching the hummingbirds this morning. I'm not a great photographer but it was fun trying to catch them during their feeding frenzy. We're going through 16C of food a day now!

End of Summer Sale!

2009-08-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

Black Mountain Jewelry Co. is having it's first End of Summer Sale! www.blackmountainjewelry.com If you're doing early holiday shopping or have a birthday or special occasion coming up soon, please think of us. We are offering:

- 35% off all gold jewelry ordered by 8/15/09 - just enter code ML01 onto your web order

- 25% off all Sonora Star Jewelry ordered by 8/15/09 - just enter code ML02 onto your web order

- FREE Shipping on all Tree of Life Custom Jewelry orders placed until 8/31/09 - please enter code FS318 on your web order

Hope to hear from you!

Please Help Keep the Creative Industry Going

2009-08-04T22:38:00.000-07:00

Please check out the article I wrote this month for Soft Flex Company http://www.softflexcompany.com/spotlightarticle_Aug09.html

Paisley House, Alpine, AZ

2009-08-03T14:59:00.000-07:00

We'll be exhibiting our jewelry at Paisley House in Alpine, AZ 9-5 every Saturday in August. Please come see us if you're in the area! Heidi creates some delicious dishes, refreshing smoothies and coffee drinks. http://www.thepaisleyhouse.com/ A beautiful drive, great place to eat and we'll be set up with our locally made creations too! Hope to see you there.

We are setting up outside in our show tent so it's weather permitting. If there's a violent storm on the way we won't be able to set up that weekend - but we WILL be there the next!

Our Trip To And From Ruidoso, NM

2009-07-28T13:29:00.000-07:00

We had an awe inspiring road trip to and from our show in Ruidoso, NM this weekend. On the way there we traveled NM Rte 60 & 380 going by the Very Large Array and Trinity Site of White Sands Missle Range. Wish we had time to stop and be tourists but we were on a mission.This way it only took 4 1/2 hours.

On the way home we traveled Rt 70 to 25 to 152 to 180 - which took us 8 hours to get home! Stopped in Hatch, NM and picked up some fresh, world famous green chiles. Traveled through the beautiful town of Hillsboro, NM (pictures of our Lady of Guadalupe Church) before we asended into the mountains on Hwy 152 - please see link http://www.desertusa.com/mag04/aug/nm_hy.html which was hairpin turn after hairpin turn. I didn't get any pictures because I was too busy closing my eyes (no guardrails) and gripping my side of the truck. When we got to the summit we rested the truck - which smelled like it was burning at that point - didn't want to overheat - then headed down the other side. I can say we did it - don't need to again. :) It was beautiful and steep and scary and wild!

Ruidoso Art Festival

2009-07-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at the Ruidoso Art Festival this weekend. We were honored to be artists at this classy show. Friday night we got to enjoy the music of Del Castillo - http://www.delcastillomusic.com/ a great band out of Austin, TX. Every staff member of the show was so nice and kind to us. We met so many friendly people from TX and other places(Ruidoso is a big vacation destination for Texas residents.) Sunday we got to meet Bill Richardson, the Governor of New Mexico (picture above.) He was very charismatic and gracious - letting us get our picture with him. Overall we had a great show and hope to go back again next year!

2009 Ruidoso Art Festival

2009-07-20T16:23:00.000-07:00

We'll be exhibiting for the first time at the Ruidoso Art Festival July 24-26. If you're in the area please come visit us! Exciting to go out of state for a show - and it's the first time in Ruidoso for either of us so we're on an adventure too!
http://www.ruidosonow.com/artfestival/

Childhood Fruit & Veggie Memories

2009-07-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

I'm reading about different friends picking berries and it brings me right back to my childhood. Do you have some fond memories like these? Growing up in the Garden State it was all around us....

Some of my best memories are of my Mom, two Grandma's and me going on expeditions down to South Jersey to" pick your own" Blueberry, Blackberry and Raspberry Farms. It would be an all day trip then we'd spend the next day making jams, jellies, freezing, baking pies, etc. Then at other times of the year it was time to go to the peach or apple orchard. We never ate them when they weren't in season, we ate them in season and preserved them for the winter. Picking up juicy bushels of apples that were crisp and chilly in the morning can't be beat. I think that's why I don't like apples as a fruit now - just can't compare to "fresh off the tree" MacIntoshs...

I often hope that 18 years of growing up in a home with avid organic gardeners has residual effects on my body because we never bought veggies. We'd have rows of tomatoes, corn, beans,peas, brussell sprouts, scallions, broccoli, zucchini, rhubarb, peppers, melons, cucumbers, asparagus, strawberries and occasional experimental crops. I wish today I could have one more day in that kitchen with Nana and Mom runnning the tomatoes through the mill separating the seeds and skins then canning the juice and pulp to make homemade sauce in the winter. Or sitting on the back porch snapping beans and peas with Nana - racing to see who could snap the fastest - then we'd blanch them then flash freeze to eat later. When the raccoons would get the first ear of Silver Queen Sweet corn we knew to pay attention - we'd pick them off the stalk, strip the husks then straight into the pot of boiling water - I've never had such sweet corn since. We'd freeze the kernals too for the best corn in the dead of winter. Same thing with the pear tree - we'd pick them up off the ground and race the critters for those ripe treats. Even though we had asparagus it was never enough for Nana so if we were driving around she'd scope out wild asparagus patches while they were blooming. We'd remember where they were then go back at the right time of year to harvest the young stalks.

It was fun going on the berry excursions - guaranteed pint baskets full - but what was even more exciting was when they were ripe in the meadows by our house. It was Blackberry Dove time - Nana's special summer treat. If my Dad and I would search and bring back the fruit Nana would whip up a batch - only in the summer when the fruit was at it's peak.

Here's the recipe:Blackberry Dove (Nana's recipes were never written down - in her head - so here is what I wrote down)"Fresh Blackberries to cover the bottom of a pot. Water to cover berries - cook for a few minutes. I use Bisquick. Make as directed on box. I add an egg to the bisquick - mix good. Put 1 T at a time on top of berries. Put cover on and steam 15-20 min - make sure heat not high. Sauce for top: 2T Flour, 4 T sugar, butter the size of a walnut. Mix all together then add water and put on stove until creamy and thickened. Scoop dumplings and berries into bowl then drizzle with the sweet sauce."

Thanks for reading my memories...would love to hear yours...

Flagstaff Art In the Park - More Artists

2009-07-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

Here are three more artists from Flagstaff Art in the Park. KimmBerly Ioane creates colorful figurative raku vessels and wall hangings - you can contact her at 928-486-3264 for her show schedule and gallery info. Dante Fraboni crafts amazing outdoor floral sculptures out of steel - you can contact him at 520-977-8460 for his show and gallery info. Pam Reinke - writer and illustrator - creates fun and uplifting wall hangings. You can see her work at http://www.piperrainpress.com/

It's so inspirational to be at shows with such friendly and talented artists.

Flagstaff Art In the Park - Artists

2009-07-07T13:21:00.000-07:00

Had a great show this weekend in Flagstaff. Saw some show friends and met new ones! Stuart Wolf and Bonny Waters, the show organizers and participating artists themselves put together such a classy, juried, made by the artist/no resale event. It was such an eclectic mix of different mediums. We are honored to have been a part of it. I want to spread the word about artists we meet so please check out their stores/websites.

You can find Stuart's beautiful organic raku and functional pottery in Flagstaff, AZ - please call 928-556-9498 for directions to his gallery. You can see Bonny's gorgeous lampworked jewelry at http://www.beadsbybonny.com/

We also met Ashley Chamberlain, a furniture maker. Her pieces are rustic/refined, made out of reclaimed wood - with bright layers of colors. Please check out her website http://www.acdesignetc.com/

Sam At The Show

2009-07-07T13:12:00.001-07:00

Sam is our Ambassador of Good Will. He is so good at shows - just laying there all day - greeting kids and other dogs. Napping then greeting again. Saturday morning 6 girls from Hawaii - here for a sports tournament saw Sam and fell in love. It was like Mark and I didn't exist - they wanted to see Sam - all 6 petting him at once. They came back two more times - the last time bringing him a gourmet "Peoplecicle" from the dog cookie vendor. It was really cute!

Our Youngest Customer

2009-07-07T13:01:00.000-07:00

We always meet really nice people at our craft shows. Flagstaff's Art in the Park was no different. Rebecca & Kathleen of Scottsdale, AZ are new customers - Rebecca is 20 years old and her sister Kathleen is 4. Big Sis let her pick out whatever she wanted at the show and after looking everywhere she decided on a pair of my Desert Rose earrings. The next day they came back and Kathleen got to pick out a matching necklace. It was so sweet! I think they will be sharing the jewelry set - just like Sisters do :).

Bull Elk in Alpine, AZ

2009-07-01T15:58:00.001-07:00

I grabbed these pictures in our neighborhood earlier today. Too bad I didn't have the camera yesterday when there were soooo many more elk. They were a little wary today too - yesterday they were just lounging in the shade. Live and learn - always walk with a camera around the neck!

Someday I'll have a telephoto - these were closeup shots.

Mini Horses

2009-07-01T15:53:00.000-07:00

These two mini horses are next to the "Future Home of Black Mountain Jewelry?" Building. So adorable. The little guy has a blue and brown eye. It would be nice to get to know them as neighhhbors (ha ha - couldn't resist!)

Future Home of Black Mountain Jewelry Co. ?

2009-07-01T15:43:00.001-07:00

Hard to think of something else when you're struggling along.... This building is up for sale/lease and we're going to talk to the owners next week. Maybe we can rent it for a while then buy in the future. We both feel it would be a perfect location for Black Mountain Jewelry Co. It would be great to travel to work everyday (1.5m down the road) and be a part of the community - and always have a permanent location - cutting back on shows. We'll see what happens - maybe the universe is looking out for us?

Poor property is in disrepair - every time we drive by wish we could tidy it up - inside and building is great though - you never know.

Mother's Day Jewelry Giveaway Winner

2009-07-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

We just heard from Dina Nay of Kennesaw, GA. She was the winner of Tech Savvy Mama's Mother's Day Giveaway with Black Mountain Jewelry Co. Please see the following link to her blog. http://tinyurl.com/mpfy69

Flagstaff Art In The Park July 3-5

2009-06-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for Flagstaff Art In The Park July 3-5. Mark has been planting a forest of Tree of Life Jewelry and I spent 2 full days beading my jewelry. Whew! On to other projects now.

Please come and see us if you're in Flagstaff next weekend.

Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary

2009-06-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

Not only did we have a great craft show at the Torreon Golf Resort, but we were also blessed to meet Leyton Cougar and Angel Bennett and two residents of Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary - Flurry and Brutus. Please visit their website http://www.wildspiritwolfsanctuary.org/ - it's a great cause.

You can't imaging how big their paws are! They're shedding to get their summer coats right now so they looked a little skinny. Angel told me that their mane around their neck and fur can grow 6" in the winter. (Brutus was shedding all over the place so I even got to take some wolf hair home with us. How cool!)

Flurry is an Arctic wolf. He was very shy and wary.

Brutus a Timber Arctic wolf cross wasn't so shy.

Pretty friendly if he thinks you're ok. Never before have I been so close to a wolf let alone be licked on the face and have my chin nibbled on. It was amazing! I've been thinking of a new jewelry line and wanted to give back to an animal charity with it - I think I've found the one!

Jewell's Fine Art Festival, Torreon Resort

2009-06-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

We had a great show this weekend - Jewell's Fine Art Festival at Torreon Golf Resort, Show Low, AZ. We battled strong winds but a beautiful location and wonderful artist neighbors! Here are some new friends and great artists!

Pat Reddemann is a wood artist. She makes the most beautiful Ikebana vessels. You can check out her work at http://www.patreddemann.com/ Not only is she a talented craftswoman but she was great to have as a show neighbor!

Gabriel Ayala of Coyote Creek Copper was across from us. We run into each other at a lot of shows - he attends 40 a year! He and his wife create beautiful hand hammered copper wall sculptures. You can find Gabriel's work at

http://coyotecreekcopper.com/index.html

We have a new friend Miles Roberts - a ceramic artist - shown here with his stoneware vessels. He fires wolf hair into the outer finish of his pieces. They are so elegant! You can see more about Miles at http://www.arizonaclayworks.com/Hair_of_the_Wolf.htm

It makes a show so pleasurable to be at when you have such friendly and talented artists surrounding you!

Prescott AZ Craft Show

2009-06-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

Didn't have such a great show in Prescott this weekend but as usual met lots of characters and great people! Here's a picture of Mark and our new friend Frank the Mountain Man (he does historic reenactments.)

Prescott is a very dog friendly town. Sam loved it! One touching thing happened with Sam. One of our artist neighbors had two 3 1/2 month old Chihuahua/Jack Russell puppies she was trying to socialize. At the start of the show they just barked at Sam all day but by the second day they were playing with him. He went into our booth to where I had his treats for the day and gingerly picked up two then went to the puppies - crunched up one so it was smaller then backed away so they could eat it and proceeded to eat his own. We all had goosebumps - happened so quickly that didn't have time to get a picture.

Best Friends Day Giveaway With Mom Knows It All

2009-06-11T09:24:00.000-07:00

Wendy Wallach won the Best Friends Day Giveaway with Mom Knows It All. Contestants wrote in how long they have been friends with their best friend and why they value their friendship. The giveaway was for two Sonora Star Drop Necklaces - one for them, one for their best friend. Wendy wrote:

"I have been friends with my best friend Kathy since high school, which makes it roughly 29 years. We have survived her husband and two daughters, my daughter, her grandchildren, and living so far from each other that we only get to see each other if lucky once a year. We survive because we don’t lie to each other, are never jealous of what the other person has, give to each other until it hurts and never judge the other no matter what decision they make. That is why we have lasted and will continue to last until the day of our death."

Please see link to read more readers comments http://tinyurl.com/nzl8b3

Featured Artist - Soft Flex - June 2009

2009-06-05T19:58:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful to be the featured artist for this months Soft Flex Spotlight On..... They feature a jewelry designer, beading article, good book and a local bead store each month. They also offer a free monthly beading project idea. Please see link: http://tinyurl.com/pkssg7

Visit With Friends

2009-06-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

Had a great visit with Gia and Kevin this week - wish it could have been longer but I have a sneaky suspicion that they will visit more often - which is great because they are always welcome. Whenever friends visit I get to see Alpine all over again through their eyes and appreciate where I live. Thanks for the company guys!

Sonora Star Jewelry

2009-06-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

Before our company, spent quite a while prepping Sonora Star Jewelry. They're waiting for patina at this stage then the stones were set. Starting the beading part while at Greer Days.