Hand Made Custom Jewelry

Custom Making Jewelry 

Using Your Own or a Loved One's Hair

 For Over Twenty Years

JEWELRY CUSTOM CREATED USING HAIR

Castle scene created from hair using the sepia technique

I  pride myself on the craftsmanship of  my pieces and when  my client's look  at the finished art I want it to be

as as close as I can get to how they envisioned it  when

they  ordered.    I  understand the  sentiment  and love behind  these  pieces and  treat  every  customer  with  utmost respect.      I  work  very closely  with my clients 

    and no piece  is  finished  until  the client  approves it.                                

Flowers made using hair tinted lavender with green stems and orange centers

Each piece is created using hair the client provides.  Most  artwork is  placed on a mother-of-pearl back-

ground.    When  hair is very light or white I normally

   use a black background which showcases the hair.                                                                               

The Bremen Town Musicians Image a family symbol created using their hair

I  can  create  most any image my client requests.  If

you email me a picture of what you would like made 

       I can tell you if it  can be done using  hair  techniques.          Very little hair is needed to create most designs.        

 Hair Art is jewelry and artwork created using hair as the artistic medium.  It was created most commonly from the middle ages through the 1800's.   It was believed that hair jewelry increased one's love if the piece was made using the hair of the living, and was seen as a way of wearing one's love if the person was deceased.  

Hair Art Techniques

Sepia Technique

This is a pendant made using the sepia technique & hair that has been tinted to add to the design.

The sepia technique is almost like painting with finely chopped hair.

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Palette Technique

This is a pendant made using the palette technique and the hair from several family members.

Palette work uses hair laid flat and cut into shapes to create designs.

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Other Techniques

Hair wreath made using flowers made from hair. These could get very large .

Hair flowers can make very large

pieces.  The tablework technique

creates intricate woven jewelry.

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A family tree using hair from over 20 family members spanning 3 generations

Inheritable Hair

Many people choose to use hair from family members and create  family  pieces to  pass  down to  future generations.  Many pieces are made to honor the memory of a loved one.

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Treasure Box

 

Each piece is packaged in a  "treasure" box for safekeeping when not being worn.  It  makes a  beautiful  gift box for gift giving.  These pieces 

will last for generations to come.  


Image of the presentation box the pendant will be placed in.

Hair Art History

 This is an antique brooch created using the palette technique. 

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About Me

My History

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I have been fascinated with Hair Art since I was child and saw beautiful  Victorian Pieces at the Minnesota State Fair and also the Swedish Institute in Minneapolis.  I was absolutely intrigued with the small and intricate pieces of jewelry, and I was in awe of the huge wreaths  some of them created using hair from an entire church congregation.  


It has interested me ever since and about twenty-five years ago I decided to learn how to make jewelry for myself using these old techniques.  I researched everything I could find on the construction of these pieces and learned from trial and error what worked and what didn't.  It fascinated me just to learn and soon became an obsession.


My Experience

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My work has been featured in Images Magazine, Women's Wear Daily Magazine and  Mourning Art and Jewelry, a book written  by Maureen DeLorme,   I participated in Historic Bethlehem Museum's Display of Hair Art in Bethlehem, PA.



A Passion Was Born

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Once people saw the pieces I had created I started getting requests to make something for them.   


It has turned into a joyful experience for me to create these special pieces for my clients and know that perhaps someday a child will look at my work and be as enthralled with it as I was with the antique pieces I had seen.  I like to think that maybe my work will be the inspiration for someone in the future.  I know my pieces are made to last for generations.