Why Does Jewelry Sometimes Have a Negative Effect On Us?

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Jewelry pieces are made from precious metals and gemstones and are meant to be celebrations of a milestone, a sign of affection, or a way to honor a lost family member or friend. So why does something that is meant to bring us joy and happiness, bring out the worst in us? Why does jewelry attract jealousy, disdain, and resentment?

We need to remember to stay in our own lane and respect others. The world would be so boring if we all had the same earrings, necklaces, bracelets, brooches, lockets, and rings. Let’s start focusing on the history behind the jewelry pieces instead of the cut, clarity, and carat weight (size).

Have an interesting jewelry story you would like to share with Jenny? Send it to jenny@jennybutterfield.com.

Who Should I Trust?

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For years you’ve had this amazing piece of jewelry that is extremely sentimental to you. Perhaps it is a necklace, a ring, or earrings that have been passed down to you from previous generations. Or maybe it is an engagement ring, wedding ring, or wedding band. What do you do if this precious item becomes damaged, broken, or no longer fits?

When leaving your prized piece of jewelry sitting in a box or safe is not an option, who do you turn too? Hopefully not a box store. In addition to creating custom, meaningful, durable, modern, yet classic jewelry pieces, I, Jenny Butterfield, Master Jeweler, can also repair them.

Jenny Butterfield Designs does all custom jewelry designing, creation, and repair work in our workshop. I’m not your typical box-store, jewelry repair person who has to send your jewelry to someplace else to have it fixed.

Whatever your jewelry repair needs are, please reach out and tell me at jenny@jennybutterfield.com.

Have You Heard of Contraceptive Jewelry?

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No you didn’t misread the title. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are testing the technique of administering contraceptive hormones through special backings on jewelry such as earrings, wristwatches, rings, and necklaces. How is that possible? A patch with the contraceptive hormones are applied to portions of the jewelry that are in contact with the skin. The drug is then absorbed into the body and the blood stream.

You might be asking, why would someone develop contraceptive jewelry? The hope is to make contraceptive options readily available, more discreet, easier to use and more accessible to women all around the world. Testing has only been done on animals, and so far, earring backs and watches appear to be the most useful for administering the drugs.

If contraceptive jewelry proves to be effect, then it would open the door for other pharmaceutical jewelry. Jenny loves hearing from you, so please share your thoughts about this new type of jewelry at jenny@jennybutterfield.com.

Stop Making Your Jewelry Cringe…

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Now that spring has finally arrived, people will begin their home improvement, gardening, and cleaning projects. Today, I would like to offer a friendly reminder to protect your jewelry by removing it when performing certain tasks. Chemicals, manual labor, and sand boxes make your jewelry cringe. Below are my Top 3 jewelry wearing Do’s:

  1. Keep Your Ring Away From Detergents, Harsh Chemicals, and Bleach.
    Detergents will damage and erode your ring. So, if you’re playing with those chemicals, either take off your ring or wear gloves. Personally, I’d wear the gloves anyway to protect my hands too!

  1. Protect Your Ring From Needless Wear and Tear.
    Wearing your ring while you’re playing sports will most likely damage your ring… so will wearing your ring to lift weights, rock climb, or work around your home.  Insert any strenuous or physical activity {HERE}, and take off your ring to do that activity! I know for those of you who lead active lives that this may be a sticking point, but trust me(!), you will save yourself so much aggravation and money by simply taking a moment to remove your ring and put it in a safe place.

  1. In Public, Keep Your Ring On Your Finger
    Don’t take your ring off in public! You could forget to put it back on, some schmo could steal it, or it could simply get lost. If for some reason you absolutely need to take your ring off when you’re away from home, make a point of storing it in a soft pouch in your purse (not your pocket! you could forget it and put it through the wash).

As a Master Jeweler, I can refinish or repair any jewelry pieces. Please visit jennybutterfield.com or reach out to me at jenny@jennybutterfield.com.

Seeking That Golden Glow…

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Okay ladies, it’s time to weigh in on the ongoing debate about the hoop earning. Are hoop earnings having a moment or are they making a comeback? Either way, jewelry designers are revamping the look of hoops by making them available in all sizes, materials, and price points. Why do people love hoops so much? According to Orit Elhanati, Copenhagen-based jeweler “Hoops bring this foxy look to any style….hoops are empowering and playful and are here to stay.”

We should not be surprised by the popularity of hoop earnings. The obsession with hoop earnings began at least 5,000 years ago according to Kim Benzel, a curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She also said, “They were part of an impressive ensemble of jewelry that included gold hair ornaments and necklaces, creating a radiant surrounding for the head.”

While traditional hoops are available, don’t be surprised to see women rocking a pair of jagged hoops, pearl and diamond encrusted hoops, or hoops with pearls, shells, gold balls, or gold chains dangling from them.  As a modern-day women, how will you rock the golden glow of hoop earnings?

Jenny loves hearing from you, so please share how jewelry has impacted your life. Feel free to reach out to Jenny at jenny@jennybutterfield.com.

Handmade Jewelry and Why It’s a Better Investment…

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When it comes to purchasing jewelry, consumers like yourself have tons of options and trying to decide who to purchase from can become confusing and overwhelming. Today, I’m going to answer a few questions about handmade jewelry and tell you how Jenny Butterfield Designs, LLC is different from box stores, Let’s get started…

Who creates the jewelry for your website?

At Jenny Butterfield Designs, LLC every handmade piece of jewelry, whether it’s a necklace, pendant, ear rings, bracelet, engagement ring or ring, is designed and created by me in my workshop in the United States. All the materials in our jewelry are responsibly sourced.

Can clients bring in or send gemstones or jewelry pieces they want to be turned into something else?

Yes, the great thing about being a Master Jeweler is the flexibility to transform my clients’ jewelry into something new and different. Every custom piece of jewelry is approved by the client before being made. Meeting me in person is not required. We can also communicate via email or by phone.

What sets Jenny Butterfield Designs, LLC apart from the box stores?

My jewelry is beautiful, durable, and designed to be worn every day. I use bezel settings to keep your gemstone protected from being scratched, broken, or damaged. Bezel settings offer a more secure setting for your gemstone than a prong setting. If you don’t like the bezel setting, I’m happy to make a custom order with the setting you prefer.

If you have a question or would like more information, please reach out to Jenny at jenny@jennybutterfield.com.

Jewelry As a Natural Coping Mechanism

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Have you ever started twisting your ring, playing with your watch band, or tried to adjust your necklace when you were nervous or anxious? These are all ways people release their nervous energy or distract themselves. People who become fidgety when they get nervous begin to wring their hands or bounce their legs up and down. For years people have looked for ways to deal with their nervousness and anxiety without drawing unwanted attention.

Who remembers the fidget spinner? The purpose was to help people of all ages calm down and focus, but carrying a fidget spinner with you isn’t always practical. A brilliant jewelry designer decided to turn jewelry into “fidget jewelry” (Full story). The jewelry looks like a regular necklace or bracelet but has beads or some other item that can spin. So far, this jewelry has been shown to be beneficial for children and adults who have autism, ADHD, and anxiety.

Jenny loves hearing from you, so please share how jewelry has impacted your life. Feel free to reach out to Jenny at jenny@jennybutterfield.com.

The Spirit-Lifting Power of Jewelry

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Jewelry pieces are more than just shiny objects. Jewelry can show people that we care and that they matter. Have you ever stopped and asked someone where they got their jewelry from? If you have, usually the pieces have special backstories. If you really listen to the stories, nine times out of ten you will see and hear the joy and excitement these jewelry pieces bring to their wearers.

People wear jewelry for different reasons including celebrating their love or an accomplishment, in remembrance of a lost loved one, as a good luck charm, a calming mechanism, or a symbol of courage, and perseverance.  A few years ago, local high school kids had the rare opportunity to make jewelry for women who were receiving cancer treatment. (Full story) Opportunities like this showcase the power that jewelry has to lift someone’s spirit.

Remember, when a piece of jewelry has a powerful meaning or intent behind it, that piece of jewelry becomes something different… a talisman, a good luck charm, or a healing token. And any piece of jewelry that has the power to lift the spirit and help someone heal emotionally (and maybe even lessen stress so greater physical healing is possible too) is powerful indeed.

Jenny loves hearing from you, so please share how jewelry has impacted your life. Feel free to reach out to Jenny at jenny@jennybutterfield.com.

Stop Waiting for Someone Else to Do It!

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What a tough world we live in today. People are faced with choices and challenges that make your head spin. What do you do to change something you don’t agree with? Sadly, most people don’t take any action other than complaining about the problem. Instead of ranting and be-rating everyone on social media, use your voice to bring awareness to the problem and take action to make a change. At first, you may feel you’re the only one who feels the issue is a problem, but telling your story raises awareness and gives others the opportunity and courage to share their stories too.

A problem cannot be solved if people don’t realize there is a problem. Do not let the fear of being ostracized or intimidated detour you from making a change. Sometimes a phone call or email can solve the problem. Worst case scenario, the problem may require legislation. The point that is we have to stop expecting others to advocate for us. We are our best advocate, especially when it comes to issues involving children. If we want the world to be better for future generations, then we can’t wait for future generations to make the changes.

Keeping Lost Loved Ones Close at Heart

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Have you ever heard of cremation jewelry, remembrance jewelry, or memorial jewelry? These forms of jewelry are a unique way to carry the ashes of a loved one. Each piece of memorial jewelry is available in the form of pendants, rings, bracelets, necklaces, and lockets. Each pendant necklace has an inner compartment to hold a small amount of ashes.

Why am I telling you about cremation jewelry? The pendant pictured above is a custom-design, jewelry piece to help a mother remember her 20-year-old son. After speaking, we decided a custom urn pendant was the perfect way to honor her child and hold him forever close at heart.

As a Master Jeweler, I can custom design and hand-make jewelry pieces for any occasion. Please visit jennybutterfield.com for more information!