Name: Nina
Web Site: http://www.ninadesigns.com/staff/01Nina.html
Bio: I am one of those lucky people who discovered their passions early in life. I sold beaded jewelry at my first craft show when I was ten years old and haven't looked back since. I also enjoy writing, dancing and nesting with my family. When I started Nina Designs I wanted to build a company where art and life could coexist with commerce. Our talented silversmiths deserve fair pay and good working conditions as do our amazing California staff. As a team, we usher new ideas from the drawing board to your hands. Creating products to inspire jewelry designers is an ongoing joy. I love knowing that our work at Nina Designs feeds the creative energy of so many talented artists!
Posts by nina:
Silver Pendant Sales Fund Microloans
March 8th, 2010Silver Pendants make fabulous centerpieces but did you know they fund microloans to artisans in developing countries? It’s true! Nina Designs uses a portion of annual profits to fund a rotating line of credit administered by NOVICA. Our first round of microloans were made to five women artisans, including Francys Ferreira who makes leather maps in Brazil.
“I use fine leather, simple tools and well practiced fire engraving methods to create my works of art. All the lines and shades are burned into the leather, thus rendering it impossible to erase or fade. Natural dyes are injected into the skin to create deeper contrasts and sharpness. The top layer is treated with plant solutions to protect the surface against time and insect infestation. Finally, a natural paste is applied to attain a fine finish.”
The maps are highly decorative, elegant and engaging. They capture the romance and adventure of the age of discovery. “Since I use hand tools and natural leather, each map is slightly distinct, which attests to its individuality. I make each map with much love and attention to detail.”
Silver Charms Breed Microloans
February 26th, 2010Silver Charms are often worn for luck, but we know that our customers work hard to create beautiful jewelry. It is a privilege to watch clients blossom from tentative beginners into successful business women. We try to support this process through education, designs ideas and inspirational jewelry making supplies.
Juliana Akandas, Ghana, Mask Carver
It may not always feel like it, especially in this economy, but American designers have opportunities that people in other parts of the world only dream about. In Gratitude for our own opportunities and success, Nina Designs has partnered with NOVICA to fund microloans to 5 women artisans in developing countries. This partnership was a natural match for us since our clients, employees and many of our suppliers are women artisans. The loans have a zero percent interest rate and will rotate to new women once they are repaid. We hope to add to the fund each year, creating a permanent pool of capital to help women fulfill their potential. Read more about the microloan program here.
Microloans were pioneered by Muhammad Yunus of Grameen Bank . They are particularly effective at relieving poverty when directed to women. In coming months, we will introduce you to the women who have received the loans and share their stories. We would love to hear your stories too!
Bali Beads & Art
February 22nd, 2010Bali Beads are famously intricate and well crafted, a trait they share with a plethora of Balinese crafts. When I first visited Bali, I was stunned by the level of artistry on display. The smallest, most prosaic items were ornamented and made beautiful. It was an impulse that seemed almost compulsive. Even the cement walkways were embellished with impressions of giant leaves or mosaics crafted from pebbles. I fell in love with this side of Bali. It forced me to re-evaluate all of my Western ideas about Art.
In the West we tend to divide people into groups who are “artistic” and those who are not. In Bali, they assume that everyone can create art, and they do. In the West we tend to segregate “art” objects from “regular” objects, by putting them in frames or galleries. In Bali, they assume that anything can and should be made beautifully. They put just as much effort into flower arrangements as they do into paintings. I found this attitude prevailed in other Asian countries as well. Flowers are a wonderful example. From Balinese Offerings, to Indian Marigold Curtains, to a Petal Mandala in Thailand, you can see how floral elements are combined in surprising new ways to delight the eye and enrich lives. (The simple dahlia bouquet is from my garden).
India Silver Charms
February 15th, 2010India has one of the most ancient traditions of silver jewelry production in the world. From silver charm amulets to necklaces and bracelets, jewelry is a time-honored way for Indian women to store wealth. Silver jewelry in India developed as an art form over thousands of years. Today’s silversmiths channel this rich heritage into their work. Despite this history, Indian silver often fails to meet high quality standards. I believe this is a result of extreme financial pressures. We spent years tracking down a production facility that we trusted. Our Indian silver is the same high quality as all of our other silver jewelry findings. We also have confidence that the silversmiths receive a fair wage and good working conditions.
Beadaholic
February 8th, 2010Beadaholic. Yes it is true, most of us at Nina Designs are hopeless bead addicts. For some, like Juanita, the condition is relatively new. She only started beading a few years ago when she came to work with us, but she has developed a fierce case nonetheless. Clara claims that she, “has been beading since birth.” When I asked Ana about it she blushed as only a red head can blush, then admitted to stealing beads from her kindergarten class. Her mother found the beads and forced her to confess to the principal, a trauma from which she has yet to recover.
Erin’s mother served up trips to the bead store as an annual Christmas treat. When Emily was 12, she moved up from beading to metal-smithing, both skills she still employs on a regular basis. Leah’s love for African beads was honed when she lived in Zimbabwe but her bead roots dig deep into childhood. Personally, I have always loved to bead. My favorite childhood memory from driving cross country was a stop in Sante Fe where I spent my meager life savings on “liquid silver” beads and turquoise. Are you a Beadaholic? How did it begin?
An Early Nina Designs Original!
Young Leah's first jewelry creations
Gemstone Beads Have Meaning
February 1st, 2010Gemstone Beads are not only gorgeous but meaningful. In many times and places, the meaning associated with a particular stone was more important than its appearance. This is still true in Indonesia, where people seek out stones with “power” to give them physical and spiritual strength. The gemstone beads in our collection have many attributes: Amethyst is linked to inspiration, Garnet is associated with passion and Citrine with creativity. For protection or wisdom, try Onyx, while Topaz encourages compassion. Offering clients the chance to select a stone based on its meaning is a powerful marketing tool. Customers treasure items that have personal meaning. Listing stone attributes can help build a story into any design, making beautiful jewelry even more attractive. Read more about Gemstone Meanings in our library.
Jewelry Copyright Legal Action
January 25th, 2010Jewelry Copyright infringement is very common. In the face of plagiarism, it is hard to decide when to take expensive legal measures and when to let it slide. If you do decide to take action, what are your options? I asked Dawn Newton from Fitzgerald, Abbott and Beardsley LLP to walk me through the process:
As a first step, you might have your lawyer issue a Cease and Desist letter alleging copyright infringement and pointing out that copyright infringement can be subject to statutory damages up to $150,000 per infringement. For small infringers, the threat of litigation on this scale can be ample discouragement. Large jewelry designers routinely participate in large scale litigation and unless they immediately perceive liability, they will not necessarily be swayed simply by a cease & desist letter. In some cases, even if they know that they are in the wrong, they may require a company to sue if it is very small, because they may (often accurately) assess that the likelihood that the claimant actually has the money and energy to sue them is slim.
Copyright law is set up so that it is not easy to lose your rights. Failing to pursue one infringer will not void or eliminate your rights entirely, but it may result in a valid defense by the infringer you fail to pursue. Designers who want to protect themselves should take prompt action against non-trivial infringement, if they wish to preserve their rights against the infringing designers.
You should budget a minimum of a couple thousand dollars if you want to hire an attorney to help you send a cease & desist letter. This is because a good intellectual property attorney will spend some time interviewing their client, looking at the designs, and asking questions about the dates of production and the origins of the design, before crafting a letter. You should also anticipate involving your attorney in any subsequent negotiation with the infringer.
To read our entire blog series on copy cats and copyrighting your jewelry, please click on our plagiarism tag on the menu bar to the right.
Enamel Jewelry
January 18th, 2010Enamel Jewelry offers endless color opportunities. Resin enamel has become a popular way to embellish sterling silver. A few months ago, I visited Rio Grande, where Patti Sowell walked me through the resin enamel process. It requires a good deal of practice and patience but the results are worth it. An overview is currently posted in our Classroom, along with a detailed PDF that you can use to order supplies and print out to keep beside you while you work. Have fun!
Silver Jewelry Philanthropy
January 11th, 2010Silver jewelry is our passion at Nina Designs but we are also committed to using our business to help create a better world. We can do this in many ways: by paying fair wages to our artisans, by embracing Green business practices, by spreading beauty and inspiration. Direct philanthropy is an important part of the mix. We would like to thank all of you for making it possible for us to make cash donations to the following non-profits in 2009:
Half The Sky Foundation operates infant nurture centers, preschools, foster care and individual educational projects inside government orphanages in China. They have 45 centers operating in 11 provinces. Their early enrichment and educational programs are critical for proper childhood development. Without these programs, babies and toddlers have little or no stimulation. They are often developmentally delayed, which leads them to be labeled as retarded and denied a normal education. Since 1998 35,000 orphaned children have participated in HTS programs.
Heifer International helps children and families around the world receive training and animal gifts that help them become self-reliant.
Founded in 1889, Children’s Home Society & Family Services knows that a child in a safe, nurturing home is a child who thrives. Recognizing the fundamental human rights of children, they work to give every child security, opportunity, permanency, and a loving family. In Minnesota, throughout the United States and in more than a dozen countries worldwide, they help struggling families stay strong and care for their children. They help children without families find permanent, loving homes through adoption.
WJA, founded in 1983, is the preeminent association of professional women in the jewelry, watch and related businesses. Through the national organization and a network of 13 regional chapters, members benefit from educational and networking opportunities, scholarships, design competitions and recognition programs.
We hope to do even more in 2010!
Charming New Year
January 5th, 2010Happy New Year!! I hope you had the same strong holiday sales that we enjoyed here at Nina Designs. Despite the recession, holiday shoppers were out in force looking for great value and creative designs. Congratulations to all of you who made it through an unexpectedly hectic season. In the holiday rush, we got squeezed out of the design studio. Our New Year’s resolution is to hunker down and fill our pipeline with inspiring new silver charms and silver jewelry findings. Any requests? What is your business New Year’s resolution?
Poetry Charm
Vermeil Style Gold Plate Charm
Bow Charm