Summer School for Sensitive Ears

Wait! Before that last school bell rings and you grab your floppy straw hat to head for the beach, stick around for this lesson on sensitive ears, metal allergies and what makes earrings truly allergy-free.

Several years ago, I developed a metal allergy and embarked on a mission to make my lonely, naked earlobes happy once again. I had a lot of questions at the time, and maybe you do, too. If you have more questions than what's covered here, please feel free to contact me through my Etsy shop or leave a comment here. If I don't know the answer, I'll do my best to track it down.

Nickel-free, hypoallergenic, surgical steel—what’s the diff?

Alloy alloy alloy! Alloy is a mix of metals, and you never know exactly what’s in the mix.

Alloys dominate the body-piercing scene. The metal mixes have their upsides: they’re flexible but strong, they don’t rust, and they’re not too heavy. But many people have allergic reactions to one or more of the metals used to create alloys.

Terms like “nickel-free” and “hypoallergenic” are actually kind of meaningless. For starters, there aren’t any across the board guidelines about what those terms mean. So “nickel-free earrings” can actually just be nickel free in their coating but use nickel or nickel alloys in the base. So that means as the coating wears off, your poor sweet sensitive ears are exposed to the nickel (or more likely, nickel alloy).

I used to be able to wear any earrings—even cheap-o earrings—so why are my ears sensitive now? 

If your body is sensitive to something, it often gets worse over time with more exposure to the offending allergen (alloy alert!).

The upside is that if you limit your exposure to allergens on a regular basis, your body may be able to handle occasional exposure with no problems. One of my customers used to have severe allergic reactions to every earring she tried. Nickel free, sensitive ears, hypoallergenic, even gold—you name it, her ears hated it. Then she found out about pure titanium earrings and discovered Variya. After a few years of wearing no earrings (boo!), followed by a few years of wearing Variya’s allergy free titanium and niobium earrings (yay!), now her ears can handle wearing high quality gold and even the occasional cheap-o earrings.

However, that's not true for everyone. Some people's allergies get worse as time goes on. Full disclosure: my sensitive ears cannot handle anything other than pure titanium or niobium.

Everyone is different and responds differently to metals in jewelry. But one thing is for certain: my customers have always had success with Variya's earrings made from pure titanium or niobium.

What makes titanium and niobium truly allergy-free?  

The titanium and niobium that Variya uses are PURE. I use only grade one pure metals for any part that touches the skin. A lot of other “hypoallergenic” jewelry is surgical implant quality, which is an alloy and can cause allergic reactions. For the overachievers in this class, here’s more info on metal grades and alloys.

Okay, class is over. Now let’s get on with summer! Here are some of my favorite summertime jewelry picks.

With iridescent waves of blues, greens and gold, these paua shell earrings call to mind the cool ocean depths. Suspended by pure titanium kidney wires and accented with a silver plated swirl, these earrings can't go unnoticed.

Have you noticed that pearls are making a comeback? Thank God! There's something so delightfully feminine about pearls.

These fabulously mod titanium wishbone earrings feature polished vintage pearls. They are very light and comfortable to wear (as all summer jewelry should be!). The pearls are available in classic white or elegant grey.

Margarite is a girls’ name that means 'pearl,' and it's the name I’ve bestowed upon these perfect-for-summertime pearl earrings. Sterling silver plated ovals hang from titanium ear wires. The lovely wire-wrapped freshwater pearls will sway gracefully in the summer breezes.

This is one of my favorite pieces of all time. Exquisite jasper, genuine aquamarine, sterling silver, Swarovski crystals and genuine Peruvian blue opal intermingle on this fabulous necklace. The extra long lariat can be worn long, layered, doubled, draped down the back, or any other way you can imagine. It’s a perfect piece to spice up a cocktail dress or give a hip edge to your casual summer look.

Speaking of summer . . . may yours be filled with sunshine, ocean breezes and beautiful jewelry (allergy-free, of course)!

My little boy and me on vacation a couple weeks ago. Ahh, the beach. 

This Jewelry Tells a Story

Can anyone else relate to getting more and more sentimental as you get older?  

I’ve always been sentimental. I save things. I adore traditions. Things related to family and love make me teary.  

My son's first coloring page from 2006

It doesn’t take much to get the tears flowing. I cried at my son’s kindergarten graduation . . . and 10 weeks later when I dropped him off for the first day of first grade. I cried a couple weeks ago when I thought about my mom coming to visit (because I wanted to see her, just to be clear!).  I cried when my husband shared this video with me.  I cried just thinking about writing this blog post.  

I think it’s because the more time goes by, the more I realize how quickly time goes by. 

My son is approaching the age where he won’t want me to tuck him in at night anymore. So these days, even when I’m exhausted and just want to send him upstairs with a peck on the cheek, I’m really making an effort to put him to bed every night with a story and a song—like this one by Steven Curtis Chapman, which I’ve been singing to him ever since he was in utero.

The idea for Life Story birthstone jewelry was born out of my sentimentality and love of family. When my mom and my mother-in-law both lost their last living parent in the same year, I wanted to do something extra special for them for Mother’s Day that year. I’ve always loved birthstone jewelry, but I wanted this piece to be more. I wanted to create a piece to commemorate the family they came from and family they created. I wanted it to tell their life story.

I made a bracelet for my mom, using vintage pearls that belonged to my grandmother (her mom). The first strand of pearls starts with the birthstones of my mom’s parents. The second strand begins with my parents’ wedding anniversary stone, followed by the birthstones of my siblings and me.  

The bracelet I made for my mother-in-law uses a similar pattern and includes a charm of Czech glass in the colors of the Italian flag to commemorate her cultural heritage. 

This past Christmas, the idea grew. I wanted to create a special gift for my sister, something meaningful but simpler than the bracelet. So I developed the Life Story necklace.  

Sisters!

The Life Story necklace I made for my sister has a birthstone representing her, her husband and two children on a bronze chain finished with a charm of our parent's birthstones.

I made a necklace for myself, as well, and I love wearing it because it tells so much about my own family’s story. The birthstones for my husband, son and me are suspended from an antiqued sterling silver plated chain. An asymmetrical feature on the side includes three tiny pearls for my siblings and me, and the gems next to the pearls are my parents’ birthstones.   It reminds me of each of them and keeps them close to my heart.

Mother’s Day is coming up, and I can tell you from personal experience that these Life Story jewelry pieces make a guaranteed winner of a gift. The day my mom received her bracelet in the mail, I got a message on my phone that I couldn’t even decipher through her tears and hiccups. I couldn’t have been happier! (We sentimental types like to make other people cry so we have company.) 

Next time you're in the mood for a good cry, feel free to snag my Spotify list of my latest most sentimental songs.

Whether it’s for you or for a special gift for someone special, I’d love the opportunity to work with you to create a custom piece that tells your family’s story. We’ll add sentiment to birthstone jewelry by incorporating history and personal touches. We can integrate elements of a vintage jewelry piece that carries special meaning to you. Some of my clients choose to add a charm near the clasp to say something significant about their family.  

This client requested a charm of the infinity symbol to represent never-ending love

Delicate pink pearls on this bracelet speak to the strength and bravery of the breast cancer survivor who received this bracelet as a gift.

Tiny silver scissors make a perfect charm for this hair stylist's Life Story bracelet.

From now through Mother’s Day, my Life Story birthstone jewelry—necklaces and bracelets—are on sale. Mention coupon code Sentiment2013 when you order and get 15% off your custom jewelry.

The 2013 Color of the Year

I never knew there was an official color of the year until I stepped into the world of jewelry making. But now that I know, I’m all in! 

March is the perfect month to do my color duty and highlight this year’s Color of the Year—emerald.

For some reason, I’ve always adored St. Patrick’s Day. Maybe it’s my way of honoring the trace of Irish heritage way back down the family line. Or maybe it’s because I live in one of the snowiest parts of the country, and St. Patty’s Day tells me spring is just around the corner. Whatever the reason, as soon as February makes its exit, I start adorning my house in green (i.e. emerald), googling St. Patrick’s Day trivia to create a game for my eight-year-old, and hiding lucky little shamrocks around the house with surprises inside.

He is usually more excited than he looks here. Or maybe I am more excited than he looks here.

I even wrote a limerick to celebrate the delightful collision of St. Patty’s Day and the 2013 Color of the Year.

Ahem.

There exists a group called Pantone.
They name colors for all that we own.
Every year they will choose
a winner of hues and
this year it’s the em-e-rald tone.

And now, I’m pleased to introduce Variya’s 2013 Color of the Year / St. Patrick's Day line of hand-crafted, allergy-free jewelry. (Drum roll and Celtic music, please...)

When these emerald green goldstone globes sway from delicate gold figaro chains, they catch the light and show off thousands of sparkles from deep within. The pure niobium ear wires mean that most people with metal allergies can wear them allergy-free! For more photos or to order a pair, visit my etsy shop.

Stacked with seaweed quartz in varying shades of green, these pure titanium earrings are very light and comfortable. The polished titanium is meticulously hand-filed for an ultra smooth edge. You can order your pair here.

What's this? A matching necklace for the Siren Song titanium earrings above? You're going to want to check out this necklace in my etsy shop—there's so much to it, one photo doesn't do it justice. The Siren Song necklace is made with gorgeous green seaweed quartz and accented with crystals and antique silver. Agate chips dangle asymmetrically, just to keep things interesting. An antique silver scroll clasp finishes off this captivating piece.

To me, these earrings whisper elegance and romance. If only we had St. Patrick's Day dinner parties like we do at Christmastime. I'd wear these with a deep emerald green dress. Hm, I'm getting an idea... Emerald green jasper drops dangle from Celtic gold accents, and tiny green jasper faceted globes accent the piece. As with all Variya's earrings, these ones are friendly for sensitive ears.

Thanks for stopping by. You can go here for all things green at Variya.  Happy St. Patrick's Day, and may your 2013 be filled with good things of emerald hue!

A Valentine's Day Love Story

Once upon a time, there was a lonely red bead. The red bead was pretty and shiny, and she had lots of friends. But she longed to meet that special someone.

Around that same time, there was a lonely piece of grade one pure titanium wire. The wire was strong and radiant and hypoallergenic, and he had plenty of wire pals to hang out with. But he couldn't shake the feeling that his life was somehow empty.

Then one day, a jewelry designer named Variya decided it was time to create allergy-free stud earrings that were really, truly allergy free. Variya had seen lots of earrings claiming to be allergy free, but often only the posts were made from hypoallergenic material while the earring itself contained alloys that would touch sensitive ears and cause an allergic reaction.

So Variya chose a pretty red bead and a sturdy titanium wire and twisted them together to create a stud earring that was a perfect mix of classic and edgy—and of course safe for sensitive ears.

True love at last! The red bead and titanium wire lived happily ever after.

Like any good love story, the love didn't stop there. Variya's customers were happy, too. The titanium glo earrings became an instant hit and sparked a colorful collection, leading to the happy match-making of many more single beads and lonely wires. 

One of the happy customers, inspired by her new titanium stud earrings, asked Variya to make three matching friendship bracelets that she could give to her two best friends. Variya adores custom orders and agreed immediately.

The perfect gift for a special friend. Stunning oxidized silver hand-wrapped and hand-stamped with a customizable tag and adorned with beads of your color choice. The bracelet comes in a beautifully wrapped gift box ready for giving.

Everyone loved the friendship bracelets. The customized tags on the bracelet reflected the character of each member of the three amigas: Old Soul, Beautiful Mind and True Friend.

Variya's customer sent a photo and wrote that, "We are so very happy with the finished bracelets! One cried and the other teared up when they opened their gift. Thank you so much for making me able to give them such a special and memorable gift."

Aww... see how the love just keeps on spreading? And to think it all started with one lonely bead and a solitary piece of wire.
 
In the name of love, why not treat yourself to a pair of these titanium glo earring studs? Consider it a Valentine's Day gift to your earlobes. If you're dreaming of a color you don't see in Variya's Etsy shop, just ask and she'll work her match-making magic.

Or perhaps you're looking for a Valentine's Day gifts for a friend. Consider a friendship bracelet that perfectly compliments the earrings and expresses your love for your friend.

Variya's Half Dozen Days of Christmas

First things first. Before you start reading, you're going to want to have the "12 Days of Christmas" tune ringing in your brain. If you need a refresher, here's a fun version. But come right back because there are goodies and give-aways in this post that you won’t want to miss!

On the first day of Christmas
Variya gave to me...

an idea for a jew-el-ry tree.

You know how it goes. Tangled necklaces, missing earrings … all that pretty jewelry jumbled in chaos! It’s just not right. Here are a couple simple, cheap DIY ideas to organize your jewelry.

Thanks for this creative idea goes to Danielle, who also takes creative photos in the D.C. area.

An old CD rack makes another great jewelry organizer.

On the second day of Christmas,
Variya gave to me...

two happy earlobes

(and an idea for a jew-el-ry tree).

Titanium and niobium allergy-free earrings make for happy, healthy earlobes.

After eight years of naked, lonely earlobes, the day I discovered titanium earrings was a happy one. Most people with metal allergies can wear pure titanium and niobium with no allergy problems. All my earrings are made with grade 1 pure titanium or niobium—including these classic titanium studs, which I’m giving away to one of you lucky readers! Leave a comment and tell me about a unique holiday tradition you have. The day after New Year's I’ll pick my favorite and send you a pair of these allergy-free earrings to make your earlobes oh-so happy.

On the third day of Christmas,
Variya gave to me

Three free dangles

(two happy earlobes,

and an idea for a jew-el-ry tree).

Allergy-free hooks and gemstone dangles let you mix and match to create your own earrings that go with anything!

Normally when you purchase a pair of these titanium or niobium allergy-free hooks, you get to pick two complimentary dangles. But for this third day of Christmas gift from me to you, pick three! Order your hooks here, choose your complimentary dangles here, and getchyo glam on! Use coupon code 12DAYSBLOG at checkout to get your three free dangles.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
Variya gave to me

Four dollars saved

(three free dangles,

two happy earlobes,

and an idea for a jew-el-ry tree).

Save your moolah. At Variya, shipping is free!

When I used to charge for shipping, the average order ran around $4. But now shipping's on me! Anything you order from my etsy shop, including custom wedding jewelry, includes free shipping. 

On the fifth day of Christmas,
Variya gave to me

Fiiiiiiiive gooooooolden (ear)rrrriiiings

(four dollars saved, 

three free dangles,

two happy earlobes,

and an idea for a jew-el-ry tree).

Style and health. Variya's allergy-free earrings let you have it all.

These chic, classic golden hoops are good for everything from a holiday party to running errands in a baseball cap. These simple hoops are meticulously hand-filed at the ends resulting smooth edges and made with pure, allergy-free niobium to make your sensitive ears comfy and happy.

On the sixth day of Christmas,
Variya gave to me

Six pretty bows

(fiiiiive gooooolden earrings,

four dollars saved, 

three free dangles,

two happy earlobes,

and an idea for a jew-el-ry tree).

Need a last-minute Christmas present or hostess gift? Your purchases at Variya come shipped in a sleek box hugged with pretty pink ribbon -- ready to give to that special someone.

 

I hope all your days of Christmas are happy, cozy and adorned with something that glitters in the firelight!

Giving Thanks

I just love this time of year. Winter hasn't fully hit, thankfulness is in the air, and there's a day coming very soon when I can gorge myself on pumpkin pie without a bit of guilt. One more day, just one more day...

There are plenty of truly significant and deeply meaningful things that I'm thankful for. (People, for example. And pumpkin pie.) But on the lighter side, here are five small things I'm grateful for this Thanksgiving.

1. Semi-precious gemstones.

The reason I started making jewelry in the first place. 

These stones bring out the little girl in me. Shiny ones, sleek ones. Creamy ones, earthy ones. Dazzling, beautiful, glimmery, shimmery, satiny, glassy, iridescent, irresistible.

I bought some pieces of pyrite a long time ago and I've been mentally composing the perfect piece in my mind for months. Finally this week I got around to composing this Pyrite necklace and earring set. I'd be lying if I said I won't be just a little sad to see this one go.

The necklace features an edgy raw pyrite chunk with gorgeous green pyrite accented with faceted sparkling pyrite rondelles amidst luscious sterling silver mixed chain and wire, finished with a spring clasp. The titanium earrings are made with beautiful sparkling faceted pyrite teardrop briolettes that sway from luxurious long swaths of oxidized antique sterling silver accented with green agate, on allergy free pure Titanium hooks.

2. Spotify

The greatest music invention since the walkman.

I'm one of those people who works better with music. Scratch that. I'm one of those people who only works with music. Honestly, I won't wash dishes unless the right tunes are playing. So on behalf of all music-addicts, thank you, thank you, Spotify for feeding our addictions in a user-friendly way.

Looking for some creative inspiration? Or maybe just some great tunes to keep you company while you bake pumpkin pie? I shared a playlist with some of my faves on Twitter. Check it out @variya!

3. My camera

It's old. It's clunky. And I love it.

We've been through a lot together, this camera and me. I know all its quirks and idiosyncracies. I'm thankful for my camera because it allows me to convey the essence of Variya's handcrafted jewelry to my customers so they know what they're buying without having to trek all the way to upstate New York.

By the way, I'm running a sale from Black Friday through Cyber Monday.

4. Wedding season

It's just around the corner.

Hooray, hooray! Wedding season is coming (right after Pumpkin Pie Day, Christmas, and a few cold, snowy months). Right up at the top of my list, along with semi-precious stones, weddings are one of the things I love most about creating jewelry. I adore working with a bride to create the perfect design for her wedding and seeing how happy she is to have the exact custom designs she dreamed of for her most special day.

While I'm on the subject, I have to send a Happy TWO YEAR Anniversary shout-out to my dear friend Christie over at Bedsidesign! It's hard to believe two years have flown by since I designed her nautical inspired bridal jewelry. Her fabulous husband gifted her with this piece for their one year anniversary last year as well. What a catch he is! Happy Anniversary Christie & Ian. I wish you many incredible years of bliss to come!

 

5. Etsy

They connected me to the world. 

I signed up with Etsy in 2009, and it's been a sweet three years. I'm approaching 500 sales in 10 different countries... all from my little jewelry-making corner at my house in upstate New York! Not that I wouldn't mind a trip to Tahiti to deliver a pair of earrings on my way to the ocean-side hot tub with a piece of pumpkin pie in my hand... Oh, sorry. Spaced out there for a sec. Anyway, if you're the crafty, creative type, here's a 2013 New Year's resolution idea for you: Sell your stuff on Etsy! Give it a try ... you just never know! And if you do, please tweet me @variya or message me a link to your shop so I can check it out!

Well, there's my list. I'd love to hear what's on yours. Happy Thanksgiving!

Outer Space October

October has been a big month for outer space. Astronomers have discovered three new planets just in the past few weeks! One of them is twice the size of Earth and has perfect conditions for creating diamonds. A planet that makes diamonds.

I must go there.

You can read about the newly discovered planets here if you want. I stopped halfway through when the language started getting technical and making my head hurt. Besides, I was craving a steamy mug of chai. In my opinion, autumn is all about steamy, spicy chai. 

mmm... I think I need another cup now.

Anyway, in honor of October's planetary advances, I decided to highlight some jewelry pieces that remind me of outer space.

I called these "Starry Starry Night." But these devastatingly sexy titanium earrings could also be called "Show Stoppers."

 Stunning blue goldstone shimmers and sparkles amidst a cascade of delicate silver chain. These are the kind of earrings that make me want a date night.

 

 Don't these look like delightful little globes?

 These aqua terra jasper dangles are part of our new interchangeable
line of allergy-free earrings. 

By the way, have you seen our interchangeable line of earrings yet? You start out with your choice of decorative hooks—as always, handmade with pure titanium or niobium for allergy-free earring wearing. Then pick from our treasure trove of gemstone, crystal and pearl dangles. You can mix, match and layer to create the perfect earrings to go with anything and everything.

Shimmery and sparkly, just like a starry autumn night. These interchangeable dangles are made from blue goldstone and wrapped in oxidized sterling silver. 

Moon & Stars: A match made in heaven. Here's a sample of how you can mix and match the dangles to create your own perfect earrings.

Like Saturn's rings, silver and gold colored circles hang suspended from pure niobium hooks. One of our best-sellers, these earrings give you lots of movement and shine without the weight ... and they go with absolutely everything.

Every respectable planet post needs at least one shout-out to the Red Planet. These classic studs have an edgy swirl and splash of color. The iridescent beads are centered in allergy-safe titanium.

All these items are for sale at Variya's Etsy Shop 

along with lots more hand-crafted, allergy-free earrings and other vintage modern jewelry. So grab yourself a mug of steamy chai and happy shopping!