Hello designers, and welcome to this month's spotlight!
Halcraft Collection is excited to announce our May 2022 Spotlight Designer is Jane McCartney of Jane McCartney Jewelry. Her limited edition and OOAK designs are pure magic! From blingly to beachy, her unique designs will have you captivated!
Read on to learn more about Jane and her stunning designs featuring Bead Gallery® beads by HalcraftCollection.com
When did you first start beading? Tell us about yourself.
I have always loved costume jewelry from my teen years when I would raid my mother’s jewelry box for a piece that I could embellish & create something new & fun. I was a fashion designer for over 35 years, most of that time as an eveningwear designer; thus, I gravitate to sparkly jewelry! I have always worn and purchased costume jewelry in my travels around the world. I would frequent my favorite jewelry shops in London, Paris, Florence, and Rome when traveling for business and pleasure. I love vintage jewelry and amassed a collection of 1940-50s rhinestone pieces, which I have since sold. In 2016, my husband and I moved from Los Angeles to Delray Beach, FL, to retire. I discovered a wonderful bead store here that offered beading classes. When one of my favorite necklaces broke, I took a class and learned how to restring with wire. I desired to take more classes, but I got busy working at a new part-time job and did not get back to the bead store until two days before they were set to close. Everything was 80% off, and I bought $800 worth of beads for $100! That’s how it started, and I have been creating ever since!
Tell us about your jewelry business.
My website is www.janemccartneyjewelry.com, and I have an Etsy shop www.etsy.com/shop/JaneMcCartneyJewelry
About 4 months after I started making jewelry, a new friend here in Delray Beach held a jewelry party for me in her home. She introduced me to many of her influential friends. Those friends were my first sales. It was extremely gratifying to sell my work and boosted my confidence to see that my work was saleable. From that point on, my new hobby became a viable business.
What is your favorite project that you've recently finished and why is it your favorite?
Oh, there are so many! But, I love to incorporate the work of other artists in my creations. A piece I call “Vintage Floral Abstract” (please see scroll to the bottom of the spotlight) has a pendant made of vintage Japanese ceramic created by a fellow artisan. I selected accent beads to highlight the colors and patterns within the pendant. A beautiful mix of lapis lazuli, light blue jade, and a mix of Czech glass beads. This piece has both a vintage & modern feel to it. I can see it being worn casually with a white tee & blue jeans.
What are your favorite beading techniques and materials?
Since the beginning, I have been stringing necklaces with beading wire. I fell in love with recycled, overdyed sari silk ribbons and created handmade tassels incorporating sparkly ribbons and stunning beads.
What are some of your favorite beads or components on the Halcraft Collection website?
I love all the unique pendants and charms, plus the wide selection of beads imported worldwide. I like to use a mix of different beads in each design. It was a blast browsing the whole website. Some of my favorites are featured in four collections I have created. These items include shells, pearls, Czech glass, and semiprecious stones, just to name a few!
Where do you get your beading inspiration? What most inspires you?
I’m most inspired by any unique pendant or beads that I encounter in my travels. They can be new or vintage. I don’t have a set style. I like to experiment with many different looks- dressy, casual, ethnic, etc. I have many treasures from years ago that I have incorporated into my beading designs. Notably, a design called “Deco Delight” has a hand-beaded tassel from the 1920s beaded flapper dress that had 2 of these gorgeous tassels. The netting of the dress was disintegrating, but the tassels were in good shape. I reinforced them and made a necklace that sold very quickly. I was excited (yet sorry) to see it go, so I recreated it using the 2nd tassel. The second necklace had a vintage Czech bakelite 2-piece dress buckle. I combined the buckle with a tassel I made from the fringe taken from an antique piano shawl and an antique French gold bullion tassel cap. Scroll to the end of the spotlight to see these dazzling necklaces.
Do you have any tips for the readers regarding building their social media reach?
Social media is very time-consuming but necessary. Mainly, I focus on Instagram, which sends my posts to my Facebook page. I love the community of jewelry designers and fine artists I have discovered on Instagram. This platform is very positive and encouraging for all makers. I love discovering artists on Instagram and enjoy sharing their work with my followers. Doing this keeps my feed from just being all jewelry all the time. I have never paid for followers or influencers on Instagram. I’m somewhat old school, my growth is organic. Try to post daily, as it will increase your exposure. I hope this fantastic opportunity as the May Spotlight Designer will bring more exposure & followers to my social media accounts.
If you had room for only two tools in your bead kit, what would they be?
If I could only choose two tools, I would have to say my pliers and wire cutters. They are crucial for creating designs with beaded wire.
What jewelry trends are you excited to incorporate into your beadwork?
I love that artisans use broken pieces of old china and pottery in their creations. I would love to learn to solder. This would allow me to break my Grandmother’s dishes and create stunning jewelry with the shards!
What jewelry techniques would you like to learn?
I want to learn how to string beads and pearls with silk cording. Also, I had planned on taking a metalsmithing class before the pandemic hit. So metalsmithing is definitely on my bucket list!
Jane lived and worked in Los Angeles for 35 years. She now resides in Delray Beach, Florida.
She is a beachcomber and enjoys lounging in the sun.
Dining at local restaurants and enjoying live music is her idea of a perfect evening.
She enjoys entertaining at home with her new hometown friends.
Loves all things handmade! Jane has dabbled in sewing and embroidery. She has designed couture and unique garments using antique laces, embroidery, and vintage beads. But, of course, let's not forget painting and flower arranging. Her main passion is, of course... beading.
Her jewelry designs are limited edition or one-of-a-kind.
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We choose a new designer to spotlight each month and would love to celebrate you!
Denise Yezbak Moore is a self-taught artisan. She is a senior jewelry designer and content creator for Halcraft Collection and loves to create jewelry with bohemian flair. Denise resides in Orange County, California, and enjoys hearing from fellow beaders worldwide. Be sure to follow her on Instagram @deniseyezbakmoore
