Sparklen Stones Exclusive and Unique Jewelry Designs by Alessandra Mendek - Bright colors Geometric shapes!

This week's feature artist is Alessandra Mendek, the owner and designer for Sparklen Stones Jewelry. Her name is fabulous! ...as well as quite fitting because it's uniqueness is reflected in her work, and life. This Eastern Pennsylvania designer creates beautiful and brightly colored statement pieces. She started designing jewelry in 2011, but her work is beyond her experience in the industry. Having an eye for cohesion, her use of varied chain shapes and brilliant colored stones, make for a pop art reminiscent jewelry sensation! The geometric lines are smartly placed to highlight the bold color choices. She mixes rich jewel tones with natural materials for a modern twist on color blocking. I had the wonderful opportunity to ask Alessandra some questions to further understand her design inspiration, and experience.

I am in black, Alessandra is in green.

Adrienne: What's your educational background and general interests?

Alessandra: I attended college briefly as a business major and after some time decided that I didn't want to work in corporate America and that my true passion & interest was in the beauty & fashion industry ---managing upscale salons & spas.  It was through these experiences that I learned my love for accessories and all things fashion related while attending various hair & fashion runway shows, while helping accessorize the models.  As my interest for the hobby grew, I started taking apart jewelry that I already owned to see what I could come up with - I am completely self taught in the art of designing jewelry.

When I am not designing, in my spare time, I also enjoy wine tasting, cooking & attending cooking classes, baking, cake decorating and gardening.

 Adrienne: What does a statement piece mean to you?

Alessandra: For me – it’s a way for a woman to express her unique individuality without having to say a word! (well said!)

Adrienne: How does your jewelry make a statement?

Alessandra: My jewelry designs allow women to step out of the mundane & define themselves as unique, confident & passionate individuals.

Adrienne: When did you realize you wanted to become a jewelry designer?

Alessandra: Back in 2010 – I was looking for something more rewarding to do with my life and decided to leave the beauty & fashion industry.  It was at a wedding in 2011 that we (my husband & I) were attending, and of course I take notice to how all the women were dressed – especially with their accessories – and realized that even though each one is unique in her own way, all the jewelry that they were wearing that evening appeared to be purchased in the same stores (completely agree!).  There was a lack of individuality among them.  It was then – at that moment – that I decided to become a jewelry designer!

Adrienne: What was the first statement piece of jewelry you ever designed?

Alessandra: I remember that well – my first statement piece was a stunning webbed metal collar necklace with various shapes and sizes of amethyst agate stones wire wrapped on the collar –stunning piece! (It really is! I was shocked to see how amazing it was for a first stab at it! Very well done! Picture to the right.)

Adrienne: How long does it usually take you to construct a statement piece of jewelry?

Alessandra: It depends.  Usually a piece will take me anywhere from 2-3 days to create.

Adrienne: Describe the general process you go through to design and realize a statement piece of jewelry.

Alessandra: First I need to visualize how it would look more or less – sometimes sketching it out or just playing around with different stones and materials until I come up with something I really love.  I need to make sure that all the components are cohesive within each other and compliment each other at the same time.  Then I’ll actually make the piece – if I love it – great it becomes part of the collection – if I’m not totally in love with the piece – it’s taken apart and I start over – changing out the stones or other materials.  This process happens a few times – that’s why it takes me 2 -3 days to design a piece.  Sometimes, though, I do get lucky and fall in love with my design the first time. (I love the passion! Taking apart a piece you have made is so hard, but the commentment to passion is admirable, and a sign of a true designer!)

Adrienne: What do you believe makes a quality piece of jewelry?

Alessandra: High quality craftsmanship, high quality materials used and a strong attention to detail.

 Adrienne: Do you consider yourself an artist?

Alessandra: Yes – Absolutely!

Adrienne: What matters to you most as a jewelry designer?

Alessandra: That each one of my unique statement pieces finds a good home! (great answer!)

Adrienne: What's your favorite part about conceptualizing a design?

Alessandra: The excitement in seeing the piece actually is being created and knowing that someone, somewhere will be wearing a design that was made by me.

Adrienne: What advice do you have for aspiring jewelry designers?

Alessandra: The best advice I can give is you need to have patience in this business.  Success isn’t going to come overnight.  Practice perfecting your techniques and learn as much as you can about your craft.  But most importantly – LOVE what you do and be confident in your designs!

Adrienne: What do you like best about designing jewelry?

Alessandra: It’s fun to create something that only I can visualize and the sense of fulfillment that I get after designing each new piece.  I love when people appreciate my work and understand the time and effort that went into each piece… seeing the excitement on their faces when they know they found that one piece of jewelry that absolutely makes them happy…that one piece that only they will own…that makes it all so worth it!

Adrienne: How would you define your personal style?

Alessandra: I would say my style is a mix of fashionably chic pieces – I don’t feel that I have only one style – it’s really whatever I’m feeling that day.

Adrienne: Where do you get your inspiration?

Alessandra: I love just playing with the stones until something clicks…I never follow trends and I’m inspired by color, first & foremost or a vision to wear some idea that I have in my head.

Adrienne: If you could define your jewelry in three words, what would they be?

Alessandra: Unique.  Fashionable.  Fearless.

Adrienne: What are your favorite colors to work with and why?

Alessandra: They seem to change depending on my mood but right now I’m really into green.  It just has such a freshness about it (I agree).  It’s the color of balance and harmony - being a combination of yellow and blue, green encompasses the mental clarity & optimism of yellow with the emotional calm & insight of blue – inspiring hope & generosity.

Adrienne: What are your favorite materials to work with and why?

Alessandra: I’m crazy about agates.  There are so many different varieties and colors.  I especially love that they are the oldest protection stone.  I also enjoy designing my statement pieces with acrylic materials to make them big and bold but also lightweight at the same time.

To enjoy Alessandra's fabulous statement pieces check out here Etsy site at https://www.etsy.com/shop/SparklenStones or click on the pictures above to find out more about them. Alessandra also has a facebook page. Check it out at https://www.facebook.com/alessandra.mendek for an up-to-date feed of her designs. Alessandra's work is #makeAstatement in all its bold, bright, beauty! Check her out!

DIY Up-Cycled Large Bust Necklace Display Stand

I made this bust display stand because all the ones out there to buy were either super expensive, or flimsy and they kept falling over when I would make adjustment to he jewelry. Annoying! So, I figured I could make a better one myself! Which is what most people do when they are fed-up with things. I keep stuff around the house that I feel I might be able to reuse in some way like cereal boxes and old tee-shirts. Always trying to recycle and reuse! I even have a hard time parting with expired can food, I just hate the waste! These things all happened to come in handy when I was concocting this necklace stand in my head. This is a list of what I settled on using:

• My man's old grey Tee Shirt.
• A Double Cereal Box. The kind you find at Sam's Club, or Cosco. They are re-enforced inside.
• 2 expired 64oz Can Goods.
• A mostly used Glad Candle Holder, but you could use anything this shape.
• An extra piece of thin Cardboard. I used the front half of a waffle box.
• Some heavy duty Tape like Electrical, or Duct Tape.
• A spool Thread and a Needle.
• Some Quilting Batting Filler.
• Scissors.
• Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks.
• Permanent Black Marker.

Pictures of Supplies:

The first thing I did was tape up the bottom of the cereal box. Turn the box upside down. Then I placed the candle holder upside down on the back half of the box, centering it. I traced around the candle holder with my marker. Then removed the candle and drew a thick black line across the center of the box, right in from of the circle.

2) Place the candle holder on
box.

1) Tape the bottom box.

4) Draw a line down center of
 box top.

3) Trace candle holder.

Next I am going to cut off the top front corner of the box to look like this:

This is how I did it: First I took the extra cardboard piece and laid it on top of the cereal box. This is so I could measure how long to make the cut down the front of the box. I lined the extra card board piece up with the top side of the box (the top is where I drew the circle) then I pulled it up toward the top, to give it about an inch overhang. I drew a line on the lower part of the box using the extra cardboard piece placement, as a guide. Second I connected the two lines I drew so far: The line that runs across the top center by the circle, and the line that runs across the bottom front that I just drew. I connected the two using a diagonal line, and used the extra piece of cardboard like a ruler to make sure its was straight. Then I cut around the box along the lines that I marked off. I was careful doing this because I wanted to use both sides of the box.

1) Lay extra card board on front of box
with 1" overhang, and draw line.

2) Connect top line and front line with
a diagonal one.

4) Carefully cut along marked off lines.

Before I did the actual cutting of the front top corner, I did these next two steps, but you can do it either way. Here I make the front covering of the necklace stand (the extra cardboard piece).

I placed the cereal box on top of the extra cardboard piece. I centered it, and traced along the box on either side. I folded the edges up on the extra piece of card board along each line. 

1) Center box on top of cardboard.
Trace along box edges.

2) Fold cardboard along lines.

3) Finished front cover piece.

Now I hot glue the candle holder on top of the cereal box, where I drew the circle.

I put a thick ring of hot glue around the drawn circle. I did this quick because it dries fast! Then I put the candle holder on the ring of hot glue ASAP before it dried. I went around it again with more glue to make sure it was on there good.

2) Place candle holder on
ring of hot glue quickly!

1) Put a thick ring of hot glue around
drawn circle.

By this step you have to cut off the top front corner, because its time to put in the weights! I taped together the two 64oz unopened cans. Then I placed them inside the cereal box.

2) Place cans in box.

1) Tape together cans.

Now I taped on the front cover piece to the rest of the necklace stand. 

I start with a couple pieces of tape, to make sure its even. Then I taped it up by wrapping the tape around the whole cereal box, and the cover piece until I felt it was secure.

1) Tape on front cover piece.

3) Keep taping until it's secure.

2) Wrap around box.

Time for the shoulders of the bust! remember the front top corner piece I cut off the cereal box? Time to use it! I drew a line down the middle of the corner piece and cut along it to make two halves. Then I turned the two pieces to look like a pair of shoulders. 

2) Cut along the line to make two halves.

1) Draw a line down center.

3) Turn halves to look like shoulders.

Next I tape on the shoulder pieces. I adjust them until I am happy with the way they look. I then start taping away! I tape around the top, middle, and bottom of the box. I want to make sure they don't move when I stretch on the fabric cover later.

1) Put on right shoulder.

2) Put on left shoulder.

4) Tape until secure.

3) Tape around the shoulder pieces
 and the cereal box.

Here I cut the quilt batting to make a pad for the front of the stand. The padding will camouflage any bumps. It is also nice to have a necklace stand with padding because you can stick pins in it to hang earrings from when you have a necklace/earring set. First I lay down the stand on a roll of quilt batting. I cut a piece that is about 1.5 inches shorted than the stand. I place the pad on the front of the necklace stand. Time to glue it on! I use the hot glue gun to Glue the pad t the stand. I make sure to wrap the pad around the sides, and glue it down firm. 

1) Lay stand on quilt batting roll.
Cut a piece that is 1.5" shorter
than the stand.

2) Place batting pad on the front
of the necklace stand.

4) Add glue to sides of the stand.

3) Hot glue the pad to the stand.

5) Wrap pad around sides.

6) What stand looks like with pad.

Fabric Necklace Stand Cover:
OK! Almost done! Time for the fabric cover. I just use an old T-shirt. You can use any stretch fabric, though. I cut the top part of the T-shirt off, which turned it into a loop of fabric. I wanted it to be a long straight piece, so I cut the loop down the back center. I ended up with one flat piece of fabric. Time to whip out the needle and thread! I started the cover out by draping the fabric strip over the necklace stand to see how well it covered. I then stitched a running stitch along the back of the necklace stand, from shoulder to shoulder. I pulled the thread, and gathered up the fabric at the base of the back neck. I sewed the gathered material together in a bunch. Then I pulled the sides of the fabric tight around the necklace stand, and whipped stitched the two sides together in the back. I took the fabric cover off the stand, turned it inside out so the bunch and the back seam didn't show, and put it back onto the stand. I cut off what I felt was extra fabric on the sides. Here comes the hard part... finessing the cover until its tight around the front, with no wrinkles! I basically just began pulling in on the sides, and sewing them together in the back. I kept doing this until I liked the way it looked in the front. I also pulled the fabric cover down to the bottom of the stand, and sewed that together.

2) Thread Time!

1) Cut top off T-shirt.

3) Drape fabric over necklace stand,
and center.

4) Sew running stitch from shoulder
to shoulder along the back.

6) Fabric is gathered.

5) Pull thread to gather running stitch.

7) Stitch gathered fabric securely into
a bunch.

8) Pull sides together and whip stitch
down back.

9)Take off fabric cover and turn inside
out to hide bunch, and back seam.
Put cover back on stand.

10) Start pulling in sides of fabric
and sewing together at the back. 

12) Pull the fabric cover to the bottom
and stitch together.

11) Finesse the fabric until the
front of the stand is tight
and wrinkle free!

Finished Product!! Here is what It looks like when I was done!!!! 

I really was pleased with how this necklace stand turned out! I like how heavy it is. It doesn't fall over when I am photographing my jewelry and need to make adjustments to the way the necklaces are laying. I also love the fact I can put pins in it to hang earrings off of when I do necklace/earring sets. The best part though, since I made it myself, I got to make it as big as I wanted! Its hard to find necklaces stand that are tall enough to display long necklaces. It took about a hour and a half to make, but that includes taking the pictures along the way. I hope this inspires you try making a stand out of stuff around your house! I would love to hear about it if you do :)

~Adrienne Adelle