My friend Elise has a wonderful sense of style. It's distinctive, effortless, and entirely her own. I've known her for more than 20 years, and I sometimes jokingly call her my muse.
So when she asked me to create two pieces of jewelry for her, I was delighted.
The first began with a rock.
Not a rare gemstone or an expensive cabochon. Just a river stone she picked up during a very special trip to Alaska.
A Little Piece of Alaska
Elise and her husband, Brad, had taken their oldest grandson on a graduation trip before he headed off to play college baseball.
During a helicopter excursion, Brad and their grandson climbed a mountain while Elise stayed below, enjoying the quiet and beauty beside a river.
And, naturally, she went looking for rocks.
As Elise told me:
“I was looking for treasure (rocks). Everywhere we go, I look for rocks. So I found my Rock!”
I love that story.
To anyone else, it might have been an ordinary stone. To Elise, it was a little piece of a wonderful family memory.
And she wanted to wear it.
A Ring That's Entirely Elise
Now, this wasn't exactly a typical ring stone.
It's quite large—larger than most people would choose to wear on their finger. But that's one of the things I love about Elise. She has such a confident sense of personal style and isn't afraid to wear something unexpected.
In fact, I couldn't imagine making this stone into anything delicate or conventional.
The challenge was to create a setting that would securely hold the stone while allowing it to remain exactly what it was: a beautiful, naturally shaped river rock.
I began exploring possibilities through sketches, thinking about the proportions of the stone, how it would sit on her hand, and how the silver could complement rather than compete with it.
The design gradually developed into a substantial sterling silver ring with a series of handmade prongs wrapping around the stone.
I especially liked the idea of allowing those prongs to become part of the design rather than simply hiding the mechanics of how the stone was held in place.
The finished ring has a bold presence, but the river stone remains the focus.
Throughout the design process, Elise repeatedly told me, “I trust your judgment.”
Coming from someone whose style I've admired for so many years, those words meant a lot.
They also gave me room to explore possibilities and make design decisions that I felt would suit both the stone and the woman who would wear it.
Another Stone, Another Story
Our second collaboration began quite differently.
This time, Elise chose a Wild Horse magnesite from the stones in my studio.
Its beautiful white surface, crossed with warm brown markings, immediately suggested a different kind of design.
I created a sterling silver pendant with a twisted-wire detail surrounding the stone. A distinctive bail completed the piece, designed specifically to coordinate with a leather cord Elise already owned.
Elise recently told me how much she enjoys wearing the pendant and that she's received many compliments on it.
Of course, I loved hearing that! 🙌
The Beauty of Creating Something Personal
What I especially enjoyed about these two commissions was how differently they began.
One stone was a treasured souvenir from a family adventure. The other was chosen because Elise loved its natural beauty.
One called for a bold, substantial ring. The other became a pendant designed to work with something she already owned.
But both came together through the same kind of collaboration.
Elise shared what she loved, trusted me to explore the possibilities, and gave me the freedom to develop designs that felt right for her.
That's one of my favorite parts of creating custom jewelry. There's no single formula to follow, because the person who will wear the finished piece is always part of the story.
And I have to say, creating jewelry for my muse was a pretty wonderful assignment💕
Have a stone with a story of its own?
Perhaps it's a stone you collected on a special trip, a gemstone you've loved for years, or simply an idea for something that feels uniquely yours.
I'd love to help you explore what it could become.