The Blog

Now that travel is possible again, I thought I'd talk about what jewelry to take on your trips. My main piece of advice is to keep it simple. I like to focus on one great sterling silver statement ring, cuff or necklace and keep the rest very minimal. For instance, on my last trip to the city for a couple of nights and two events, I took a big, glowy sterling statement cuff, which would have been enough on its own. I also wore my minimalist, go-with-everything 1cm cupped disc earrings. They're interesting, with their blackened cups and shiny silver rims, but simple...

Here, at Le Chien Noir Jewelry, I try to work with recycled metals as much as possible. I melt my scraps into ingots that I can roll out and reuse in my jewelry. I also seek out and use some really wonderful recycled materials. Some of the alternatives I've discovered and love include: Leland blue - cut from beautiful antique slag, a waste product from the smelting process used in the late 1800s by the Leland Lake Superior Iron Company. Here's an example from my shop.  Fordite - cut from built-up layers of dried paint used in painting cars in factories. It becomes colorful...

What makes you really happy? For me, it's always been making stuff, laughter, and color, to name a few. And one of the things I love about growing older is realizing it's OK to do the things that make me happy.  About 10 years ago, at 52, I also realized it's never too late to make changes, so I gave up my writing/editing work to do what I always had loved - making jewelry. Then, I got the chance to move back to my native Quebec and set up a studio.  I found my jewelry mojo, developing my own style of jewelry. If you've seen my work,...

There are so many reasons to choose handmade jewelry over mass-produced. Here are a few reasons to opt for handmade: 1) They're made by a jeweler's or artisan's actual hands, meaning they're going to be unique! 2) Jewelry makers are highly likely to choose more sustainable, ethically sourced  materials, making handmade jewelry a greener purchase. 3) When jewelry is handmade, it's often more likely to be made from better quality materials, and the final product is more likely to be better quality. 4) Small studios are better able to create exactly what they want to create, so chances are good you'll...