Designing New Silver Pendants and Charms has been front and center this week. New Styles were pushed to the back burner during our busy holiday season, but this week, it was our primary focus. We’re working on a new dog bone charm that is stamp-able, a bicycle charm, a lucky elephant, and most exciting, horses! Horses have been on our to-do list for a few months now, both requested by customers and by our staff.

Straight from a little girl's dream - a beautiful white horse.

As with many young girls, I had a love affair with horses. I read books about horses (The Black Stallion series, Misty of Chincoteague, National Velvet, etc.); I watched horses on TV (Olympic Equestrian events); I leased a horse named “Angel” with money I made from my paper route; I read the newspaper classified section “horses for sale” and fantasized about owning my own horse; I drew pictures of horses; and one of my biggest scars is the result of a horse fall.

Imagine my delight this week when it was my job to draw horses! Back when I was a child little did I dream that drawing horses could be part of a career! I’m often amazed at how life comes full circle in many unexpected ways. Thank you, our customers, for your support of Nina Designs. It is our goal to spark your creativity with new, exciting findings so that you can bring beautiful jewelry to life.

We’re thrilled to introduce a new collection of Silver Pendants and links inspired by Rene Lalique. Rene Lalique was an Art Nouveau jewelry designer and glass artist from Paris who worked at the turn of the 20th century. His jewelry designs were pivotal in the shift away from precious gemstones and towards more realistic, natural forms based on close observation of nature. His work features plants, flowers, flowing lines and mysterious gemstones such as opal and turquoise.

A recent exhibit at the Legion of Honor showcased the works of Lalique, Tiffany and Faberge. Lalique’s jewelry is incredible: inspired designs, amazing workmanship, and so much emotion in each piece. Each item was a masterpiece, and yet around the corner would be an even more transcendent pendant or brooch, with poppies so exquisite they seem alive, carved horn birds about to fly out of the case, and miniature human figures literally climbing out of the jewelry. We left the exhibit stunned, saturated with beauty and totally enthralled with Rene Lalique.

These silver pendants and links are based on the roots of an ancient pine grove in one of Lalique’s fabulous pendants. Their knobby, gnarly forms will bring an organic, earthy feel to your creations. They will be available in mid-January.

Knobby twisted branch silver pendant and links will add an earthy feel to your jewely designs.

Winter Pines pendant by Rene Lalique