Archive - Jackie Helder Designs

Published on

January 30, 2018

Being Your Best Self

One of the things that adults love asking kids is,
"What do you want to be when you grow up?".
As with most of us, my answer changed over the years.
First, a nurse because my Mom was one.
Later, a famous psychologist, like Dr. Joyce Brothers, who lived in a high rise condo in
New York City.
Even later, a high powered executive assistant who was more trusted ally and friend than employee.

But now here I am, an artist and a Lightworker.
(One who devotes their life to being a source of uplifting love and light.)
Right where I am meant to be.

When I think about how I would answer that same question now, as a grown up,
my answer is, "Happy".
I want to be my best self.
I want to help others be their best selves.
The best way for me to do that is to do what I do best. . .Jewelry!
In this case, Semiprecious Gemstone, Chakra, Buddha, & Evil Eye jewelry made with
the highest of intentions.

The energy of Gemstones can help you on your journey.
Here's how:
Gemstones, or rocks/crystals, vibrate at their own frequencies.
"The cells in the human body also vibrate at certain frequencies, as do the chakras
(The centers of the human energy body)."
"So when we come into contact with a crystal, its vibration interacts with the vibration of the cells in our body."
Different Gemstones have different vibrations and therefore different properties
that can help us.

I have several different pieces of jewelry composed of dozens of different Semiprecious Gemstones.
(Each stone's metaphysical properties are listed in each item's Etsy listing which can be found by simply clicking on the pictures below.)
I have Semiprecious, Glass, & Swarovski Crystal pieces that represent the 7 chakras and remind you of the importance of balance.
I also have a piece with a beautiful, inlaid Brass Buddha pendant to remind you to be more peaceful, kind, & patient.
Lastly, I have a piece designed with Evil Eye beads that protect you from the bad thoughts or evil wishes of others.

So, please take a look around and find the piece that is just waiting to connect with you.
If you have any questions, please use the above link to contact me.

Be well!

I consulted the following website as a source of information:
http://themindunleashed.com/2014/10/science-catching-up-ancients-crystal.html

Goddess of the Earth - Brown Goddess with Mookaite - NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Goddess of the Skies - Light Purple Goddess with Kunzite - NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Goddess of the Seas - Peach with Coral & Freshwater Pearls - NO LONGER AVAILABLE
All Have Sterling Silver Beads, Findings, & Chain.

Semiprecious Gemstone Chakra Necklace with Rose Quartz, Hill Tribe Silver Pendant, & Sterling Silver Findings - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Semiprecious Gemstone Chakra Necklace with Smoky Quartz Triangles, Sterling Silver Spiral Pendant, & Sterling Silver Chain and Findings - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Semiprecious Gemstone Chakra Necklace with Sterling Silver Hand of Fatima / Hamsa Hand Pendant and Sterling Beads, Chain, & Findings - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Glass Chakra Necklace with a Pendant Made of a Handmade Lampwork Bead with Wire Wrapped Glass Beads and Sterling Chain & Findings - $100.00

Swarovski Chakra Necklace with Enameled Sterling Heart and Sterling Goddess Pendant with Sterling Silver Chain and Findings - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Delicate Wire Wrapped Lampwork Glass and Sterling Silver Chakra Pendant - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Semiprecious Chakra Beads on Sterling Silver Beading Chain with Peace Sign Charms - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Semiprecious Chakra Stretch Bracelet with Quartz and Sterling Silver Beads - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Inlaid Turquoise and Coral Brass Buddha Pendant with Natural Turquoise, Sponge Coral, & Handmade Brass Chain From Afghanistan -- NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Metaphysical Helping and Healing Semiprecious Chip Stretch Bracelets with Sterling Charm - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Metaphysical Helping and Healing Semiprecious Chip Stretch Bracelets with Prayer Boxes Handmade in Afghanistan - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Helping and Healing Amber Necklace with Raw Baltic Amber Chips from Lithuania, Copal Amber Pendant, & Sterling Beads and Clasp - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Whimsical & Dangly Swarovski and Lapis Lazuli Evil Eye Protection Earrings with Sterling Ear Wires - NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Published on

December 4, 2017
Big Jewelry For Big Girls
I love making jewelry.
No doubt about it.
If you've got a neck or earlobes or a wrist or an ankle and you want to feel fabulous, I'm your girl.
But, there's one queendom in the world of beading and jewelry where I
reign supreme . . .
The queendom of Plus Size Goddesses.
I am one.
I know what looks good on us.
I know what fits us.
I know what we want.

It's not just about taking a small piece of jewelry and adding some chain or another strand of beads. It's about balance and proportions and thoughtful design.
Big girls, in general, have bigger shelves.
(The area between your neck and your breasts.)
It's about using that shelf to display something amazing.
Something that shows the world that you are proud of who you are and what you are.
Something that makes you feel beautiful.

Now, just in time for the holidays, I'm introducing my latest line of jewelry especially designed to celebrate our bodies and our beauty:
Big Jewelry for Big Girls.
These pieces are perfect to give as a thoughtful, one of a kind gift or even more perfect to give to yourself.
Enjoy having THE most fabulous accessories at all those holiday parties and reigning supreme in your own queendom.
Celebrate yourself!

Plate by Pia Brown

Garnet and Pink Opal Set in a Sterling Silver Pendant with Garnet Briolettes, Pink Opal Briolettes, and Sterling Silver Beads, Chain, & Findings - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

A Selection of Wire Wrapped Multicolored Freshwater Pearls with Sterling Chain and Findings - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Botswana Agate with Sterling Silver Beads, Findings, & Chain - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Brown, Red, & Blue Tiger's Eye with Pyrite, Leather Cord, & Sterling Findings - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Plate by Pia Brown

Jasper & Turquoise Intarsia Pendant with Porcelain Jasper, Labradorite, Chalcedony, & Sterling Beads, Findings, & Chain - NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Published on

April 15, 2017

The Wide and Wonderful World of Coral

Amazing Extra Large Coral Beads / Rounds with Natural Seeds, Pods, & Nuts and Sterling Silver Toggle Statement Necklace - This piece is currently showing at Ox-Bow House. Please contact me if you are interested.

Long Statement Necklace with Tiger Coral Pendant, Sponge Coral, Natural Mother of Pearl, Sterling Silver Beads and Findings, & Silk Chain - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Coral is an organic gemstone.
It is created by a biological process instead of being created with various minerals or mysterious elements coming together deep within the Earth.
Tiny coral polyps, with their hard exoskeletons, grow on top of each other for generations. Eventually, larger structures are formed. This process happens very slowly. Often, the formations grow only 1 mm per year.

The coral used in jewelry, with the exception of Blue Coral, is not the same as the coral composing coral reefs.
The coral used in jewelry is either Precious Coral or Semiprecious Coral.
Both grow in deep, 500 to 1,000 feet, waters.

Precious Corals are colorful, less porous, harder, more lustrous, and are harder to obtain.
Precious Corals include:
Red Coral
Pink Coral - Angel Skin Coral falls into this group.
Gold Coral - This coral is rare but it can be found in Alaska or Hawaii.
Black Coral
&
Bamboo Coral

Semiprecious Corals include:
Blue Coral - Blue Coral is the only coral used in jewelry that is a reef building coral that was not grown in deep waters.
&
Sponge Coral

Many of the other types of coral of which you may have heard are usually the same corals listed above with a dye or treatment applied.
This includes:
Apple Coral
Tiger Coral
&
White Coral

Fossilized Coral
Fossilized Coral is also referred to as "Agatized Fossil Coral" because during formation, the coral remains are replaced with Agate. These Corals are usually found inland; in places where oceans once existed.

Genuine coral is rare due to both over harvesting in the past and its extremely slow growth process.
Most of the coral beads available today are made from bamboo coral found in the Philippines. Bamboo coral is naturally gray. After being shaped into a bead or a cabochon, the coral is either dipped in red dye or injected with it to spread the color through the entire piece.
It is then coated with resin and polished.
While this coral is legal to harvest and sell, many countries have laws limiting or restricting harvesting and ownership of the coral found there.
So before you go on that lovely vacation, intent on bringing home some native coral, do your research! Even if the type of coral with which you have fallen in love is legal to purchase where you are, it may not be legal to bring it back to the United States.

For more information, please check out the sources I used below:
http://miss-scuba.com/coral-or-not.html
http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/the-color-of-coral/
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/what-is-red-bamboo-coral/
https://www.gemsociety.org/article/coral-jewelry-and-gemstone-information/
https://www.gemselect.com/gem-info/coral/coral-info.php
https://www.wirejewelry.com/jewelry-making-blog/2434/testing-real-coral/

Handmade Natural Blue Coral & Purple Agate Wire Wrapped Earrings with Sterling Silver Ear Wires - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Delicate Handmade Rare Black Coral Earrings with Blue Topaz Set in Sterling Silver Drops and Sterling Ear Wires - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Sponge Coral Cross, White Coral, Red Leather Cord, and Sterling Silver Beads, Chain, & Findings Bold Statement Necklace - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Peach Coral and Natural Mother of Pearl Stretch Bracelet and Earrings with Sterling Silver Findings - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Rare Gold Coral with Sponge Coral, Resin Seahorse Pendant, Red Leather, & Sterling Beads and Findings Ocean / Sea Statement Necklace - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Boldly Delicate Necklace with Angel Skin / Angelskin Coral, Antique Branch Coral, Amethyst, & Sterling Silver Beads, Chain, and Clasp - NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Published on

March 17, 2017

Touching History

Antique Afghani Charms & Sterling Silver Bail - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

NO LONGER AVAILABLE

"Ode to Spring" - Czech Glass, Swarovski, Ceramic, Antique Afghani Charms, & Sterling Silver - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Antique Afghani Charms, Glass, & Sterling Silver - NO LONGER AVAILABLE

These beautiful charms are from Afghanistan.

They are antique.
At 200 or more years old, they are a piece of history.

To bring back their original beauty, these pieces have had a new layer of
Sterling Silver applied.
The original pieces had a Sterling Silver content of 50% - 85%.
That is quite different than the 92.5% Sterling pieces of today.
Why the difference?
The .925 Sterling of today is a combination of Sterling with a small amount of other metal(s), usually Copper.
Solid Sterling Silver is very soft. The Copper is added to make the Sterling a bit harder.
Designers and craftspeople are able to use the .925 Silver to make more intricate designs that will hold their shape.
It is the addition of this Copper that makes Sterling Silver tarnish.
The Copper tarnishes when it reacts to moisture and Sulfur in the air.
It was this tarnish that the original owners of these pieces were coveting,
Real Sterling Silver pieces tarnish.
Plated pieces do not.
The higher quantity of Copper means these pieces tarnish much faster than
the jewelry of today.

Reaching beyond the science of it all, wearing these pieces connects you to history in a very real and physical way.
I like to imagine who wore these pieces first.
A young woman bejeweled from head to toe on her wedding day.
A tribal elder's wife proudly displaying her husband's wealth as she
strolled through the market.
A little girl excitedly trying on Mommy's best jewelry for the first time.

Let your jewelry be your guide for a trip through history.

Being Your Best Self

Big Jewelry For Big Girls

The Wide and Wonderful World of Coral

Touching History