May '06 Drawing Winner!

Congratulations to Sonja who won this pair of handcrafted earrings in the Fourteen Carrots Jewelry May '06 drawing.



If you would like to enter my monthly drawing to win a pair of handcrafted earrings click here for details.

Please visit my website at www.14carrotsjewelry.com for more handcrafted artisan jewelry.

April '06 Drawing Winner!

Congratulations to Kelly who won this pair of handcrafted earrings in the Fourteen Carrots Jewelry April '06 drawing.






Please visit my website at www.14carrotsjewelry.com for more handcrafted artisan jewelry.

Chevrons - African Trade Beads

Venetian Chevron beads are the most beautiful, recognizable and collectable of all of the Venetian "trade beads".

Chevron beads are made using a multi-part process. Starting with the making of the cane, then another color glass is added and then placed into a 12-point star mold. This process is repeated for each additional bead layer. Chevron beads have been made in Venice since the late 1400's and are still in limited production today.

Chevron beads have been traded throughout the world, but most heavily in Africa. They are still being made in Venice today but in a limited quantity. They are also being made now in India and China but with a slighly different process.

Chevrons are very popular beads, and there are many large private collections in Africa, Europe and America. These beads remain in very high regard in Africa and are still worn to show prestige at special ceremonies and are often buried with the dead.


Please visit my website at www.14carrotsjewelry.com for more handcrafted artisan jewelry.

Labradorite Jewelry

Labradorite is truly a fascinating and beautiful mineral whose brilliance may be overlooked if it is not viewed from the proper position. It is a dull and dark looking mineral with no special virtue until the colors are observed glowing on the surface. Labradorite can produce a colorful light across cleavage planes and in sliced sections called labradorescence. The intense colors can range from blues and violets to greens, yellows, and oranges.

Please visit my website at www.14carrotsjewelry.com for more handcrafted artisan jewelry.

Paua Abalone

Paua Abalone is a shell that comes from the shallow coastal waters surrounding New Zealand.

Paua is one of the world's most beautiful shells because of it's incredible and intense variation of color. Typically incorporating blues and deep greens, even the pink material in the shell turns bluish when viewed from varying angles. The Paua shell is made of lustrous layers of hexagonal aragonite crystals of calcium carbonate, which is secreted by the Paua to form the shell.

Paua shells remind us of a kaleidoscope or hologram, with the colors dancing and sparkling as the iridescent patterns of the nacre catch the glints of light when viewed from different angles.

Please visit my website at www.14carrotsjewelry.com for more handcrafted artisan jewelry.

Karen Hilltribe Jewelry

The Karen Hilltribe is the largest Hilltribe in Thailand.

Skilled as farmers, the Karen people often live in bamboo houses built on stilts. They practice crop rotation and use elephants to clear the land. In the early 1960's, the Karen people developed an alternative to growing their traditional cash crop (opium).

As part of a royal project to build a stable economy based on beauty instead of illicit drug crops, silver experts were dispatched to impart their knowledge of jewelry to the farmers of the Karen Hilltribe.

The first generation of Karen silversmiths were taught to carefully handcraft each design from scratch, using high-content silver (more than .925 sterling). They learned to give each design a unique appearance only seen in their own creations.

Today, each handmade ornament is a unique masterpiece that represents centuries of Karen culture and art. Often, the ornament is engraved with plant, animal, or geometric designs, symbolizing their direct connection to their land and water.

Choosing Karen silver work is much more than buying jewelry of rare distinction. Your purchase also helps preserve the timeless culture, art, religion, and language of the Karen people.

Here is a jewelry piece I created using Karen Hilltribe silver.

Golden Triangle Necklace

Please visit my website at www.14carrotsjewelry.com for more handcrafted artisan jewelry.

Season of Charms

I love charms, and for those of you who do too, I designed a beautiful one-of-a-kind necklace called "Charmed Melody".

Charmed Melody Necklace

This season charms can be found dangling from jewelry of all kinds. Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, or as add-ons to your purses, belts, zippers, or cell phones. Your choice of charms may run the gamut, from chunky and ethnic-inspired to delicate or romantic.

Please visit my website at www.14carrotsjewelry.com for more handcrafted artisan jewelry.

Valentine's Day Jewelry

Choose a special gift for yourself, family, or friend and give the gift of handcrafted jewelry this Valentine's Day.

Spiny Oyster Heart Charm Necklace
Blushing Bouquet Bracelet

Please visit my website at www.14carrotsjewelry.com for more handcrafted artisan jewelry.

Happy New Jewelry Year 2006

Today I'm ringing in the new year by working hard creating many new jewelry designs. Please be sure to check out my website for some after holiday sale items, my newest Valentines Day jewelry additions, and my new gift certificates .

For those of you that are familiar with my "what's new" page, I have added a "new designs" list at the bottom of the page for your shopping convenience.

Looking for a specific gemstone, style, color, or size? As always, I would love to hear from you if you are looking for something in particular.

Have a wonderful New Years Day!

My holiday vacation

I'm off to spend a wonderful holiday with family and friends and will return on December 28th.

I would like to take a moment to thank all of my customers for purchasing my jewelry. It's been a wonderful year of creating jewelry, so thank you for the opportunity to do something I enjoy so much! I wish you all a happy holiday and look forward to creating many more beautiful pieces for you in the new year!

Gift certificates

Fourteen Carrots Jewelry gift certificates are here!

Gift certificates are the perfect solution when you just can't decide what gift to give. Fourteen Carrots Jewelry gift certificates make a perfect gift for birthdays, holidays, and special occasions. Please visit my gift services page and indulge yourself or someone special with a Fourteen Carrots Jewelry gift certificate.

Christmas is almost here.......my favorite time of year! Family and friends, yummy food, the smell of fresh cut pine trees, gift giving, Santa's Ho! Ho! Ho!, and of course shopping, shopping, and more shopping.

Need a gift idea? Fourteen Carrots Jewelry makes a wonderful gift and comes in a box ready for gift giving.

Gift Certificates Coming Soon!

Fire Agate

What is the story behind this gemstone?

Fire Agate is not a well known gemstone. It is a very unusual form of chalcedony or the quartz family, known as agates. This particular type is unlike anything else in the gemstone world because looking into a nice fire agate makes you feel like you are looking deep into a burning ember, which is exactly how it got its name. It has colors that are brighter and sometimes more beautiful than opal, without the risk of cracking, fading or easily scratching.

Colored Pearls

Faux pearls with a pearlized coating are easy to dye. Mix about half a box of powdered dye (Rit) in about 10 oz. of boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. String the pearls on thread or fishing line and immerse them in the dye bath until they reach the desired color. Rinse and towel dry. Hot dye will give a stronger color than cool. Mix dye colors for custom shades.

Something for him...........

Men's jewelry is hot this Fall, especially pendant necklaces. I see more and more men wearing jewelry these days which is why I have added a men's jewelry section to my website. Yesterday I created a cool Yellow Opal Necklace with a very unique sterling silver pendant that would look great on any guy. To view my men's collection Click here!

What's New?

Here are a few of my latest additions.....

Girlfriend's Inspiration Necklace is an eclectic mix of gemstones and pearls featuring a unique puffed heart pendant. Clearwater Cascade Earrings featuring seafoam blue chalcedony faceted teardrop briolettes and the Autumn Jazz Bracelet featuring turquoise, pearls, opal, and garnet. The autumn jazz bracelet has a pair of matching earrings Autumn Jazz Earrings .

Most of the jewelry pieces on my website can be re-sized. If you see something you like and need a size adjustment please let me know and I would be happy to make the change for you.

Fall is around the corner....

I just returned from a fun excursion collecting many new gemstones and beads for my new fall collection. Natural materials like bone and wood are hot this fall and the natural earthy colors compliment any fall wardrobe. If there is something you would like to see here on my website please let me know. If you are looking for a specific design, gemstone, or bead please drop me a comment here on my blog or email me.

Hurricane Katrina Donation

Fourteen Carrots is proud to donate jewelry for the relief efforts of Hurricane Katrina. To view the donated item, please visit my gallery page at http://www.14carrotsjewelry.com/gallery.htm

"All proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund, which is providing hot meals to victims and rescue workers, as well as providing other much needed assistance such as shelter, medical needs and even therapy for victims."

My new passion....

I took a terrific class in silk hand-knotting and now I'm hooked! This technique is such a fabulous way to string together pearls, gemstones, or your favorite mix of assorted beads. The free flowing movement of the finished strand is so classic and elegant. There is just something about the delicate feel of a hand-knotted piece as it coils up in the palm of your hand.

You can find my first one-of-a-kind design called "gems and pearls necklace" on my gallery page.

The hottest hue!

Did I forget to mention that TURQUOISE is the "hottest hue of the season"? From jewelry, to bags, to shoes, to accessories.....it's everywhere! I'm elated because I absolutely adore turquoise and I have to say it is my favorite gemstone. Every time I begin to design a jewelry piece my eye always gravitates to my turquoise gemstone collection. Some say that turquoise is the color for summer, but I say it's the "hottest hue for ALL seasons". You will see this amazing gemstone in my collection all year round............