Summer Hours at Naturally Nickel Free

Here's a little something special for my customers local to Des Moines, Iowa: 

New summer shop hours for Naturally Nickel Free

Where: 2620 E. 9th Street, Des Moines, Iowa
See the Google Map Here

Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:00 am to Noon, 
 or by appointment.

Dates: May 7 to August 29, 2013

Here's the story . . .

This is what happens when a family works together. About a year ago, my husband took on a local commercial rental property for his own business needs, which is CW Smith Computer Services. We agreed that 

working up a corner for Naturally Nickel Free would be a good idea too, so I began to put a few things together. Well, this summer I really want to see what happens if I put up my own shingle a couple of days of the week.

My intention for this space is to create a welcoming environment for local customers to browse and purchase jewelry in person, to ask questions you may have, or to discuss and place a custom order. I am starting with a small but sustainable schedule, which continues through the summer months. Who knows? If it goes well, I may add to the hours or keep it going into the fall. 

The only cancellation I need to note now is that I will not be there on Tues, May 14 due to a previous commitment. Thanks for your patience as I get the wheels rolling.

Don't worry, I'm still online, as always. So you can still email me a message or visit my online shops. 

*note: the photos shown were taken last summer. It has changed a little since then, but it's the same basic idea. See you there!

See this information and craft show updates on my web page.

Toxic Nickel and a Day at the Fair

I want to write about two things at once. Craft shows and toxins. No, please, let me explain.

Summer is coming.  My first craft show of the year is in less than a month and I am starting to get really excited about getting going. I have ordered a new canopy with sides to keep the wind out if needed, and I am starting to evaluate some of my practices that may help or hurt me in the long run. I am getting psyched up to do this year right.

In the process I have received my very first rejection (wahh!) for a craft show I really wanted to get into. Ok, I can live with it, but one of the things that caught my attention was that the person responding called nickel free jewelry a "niche market," and seemed to think I was reaching out to only a few people with some exotic disease. So my growing enthusiasm for craft fairs will have to wait for another blog post.

This is a message I would like to start getting out to the public as much as possible: Nickel is a toxin.

Nickel is a Toxin

In the course of reading about nickel, I run across a rather bizarre cross-section of studies. They pretty much run the gamut from wholistic / spiritual / herbs-from-your-back-yard medicine to such intense medical journals I can barely read them. However when I read a page from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) that specifically labels nickel as a toxin, I take note. I start looking for other references and information about nickel as a toxin, and lo and behold, there is a lot of information about this around. This is before I even dig "that" deep. All of this is available with a quick search on Google.

It becomes apparent that nickel is responsible for things that everyone should be concerned about. It is a known carcinogen, for one thing. It can create respiratory problems. It can create reproductive abnormalities. It has been associated with low blood pressure, cardiovascular problem, and fibromyalgia. Its health effects are listed alongside other heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, aluminum and arsenic. 

I am not really an expert that can guarantee the veracity of medical claims. I guess you could call me an independent researcher, or just a confused citizen who tries to connect the dots. But we do recognize a few of the "bad guys" whose status has changed over the years (Lead, Mercury, Arsenic) and recognize that the evidence is mounting from a variety of sources - from personal accounts to medical journals.

Is it an Allergy?

I have begun to believe that calling a reaction to nickel an allergy is wrong in the first place. People associate "an allergy" with pollen, or peanut butter, or strawberries.  It's the kind of thing that an unlucky few have a reaction to, but normal, healthy people can use without worry.

To start thinking of nickel as a toxin, we have to understand that no one is safe who uses nickel. Its health risks do not discriminate, and the reaction that some people experience when in direct contact with the metal, is only the visible, and painful result of the body rejecting something that is causing everyone harm.  Really, no one talks of a lead allergy, even though not every person exposed shows every symptom. You do, however, talk of Lead Exposure, Lead Contamination, or Lead Poisoning. Is it time to start thinking of nickel this way?

My Niche Market

When we realize nickel is in so many things, we realize we need to really pay attention. Seriously, nickel is still an element of the earth. It was here long before we were, and it certainly must have an important function somewhere. But not all "natural" things are healthy for humans, and some of them are quite horrible.

So, if nickel is really a toxin in our environment, then everyone would know about it, our government would regulate it, and industry wouldn't allow it -- right? I'd really like to think this were true, however do you think it's also possible that industry has a stake in continuing business-as-usual to avoid some nasty PR and expensive overhauls? Do you think government would possibly want to protect these industries so as not to upset some of the folks at the top? Do you think people can deny a true fact for as long as possible because they just don't need one more thing to worry about? Perhaps this is a good place to mention that in Europe, the EU actually does regulate the use of nickel in jewelry and other products. Hm.

Let's just say I'm not holding my breath for government and industry to get together and decide we'd all be healthier without nickel in almost everything. The push to remove nickel from existing alloys, industrial environments, and everyday products would be enormous, and I'm not sure it could even be done. This leaves the consumer to live by the "buyer beware" maxim which we are all too familiar with - to do your own research, trust few, and assume nothing.

So, yes, I guess I do have a niche market. They're called Humans.

Resources

Do you want to read more? Check out the resources page from my website. I don't believe in keeping my research a secret. We are all wearing our human-skin and most of our needs are the same. I think it's nice to put all the information in the same big kettle, stir it up a little and see what each of us takes from it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10382559
http://drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Nickel_-_a_nasty_toxic_metal
http://drlwilson.com/articles/TOXIC%20METALS.htm
http://www.thenaturalrecoveryplan.com/articles/nickel-health.html
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tf.asp?id=244&tid=44

Where in the World is Naturally Nickel Free?

I have never intended Naturally Nickel Free to be hard to find. I have intended to provide a fairly seamless blend of useful information and high quality jewelry, from which you are welcome to browse.  You can decide what is useful to you, and explore the rest at your leisure.  As I'm approaching my third anniversary as a business I realize some things have changed along the way. The question of "Where do I find you online?" is not as simple as it once was and it really depends on what you are looking for. So I'd like to put it all in one place, really spell it out, and make it easy for you.

My website

Naturally Nickel Free
www.natuallynickelfree.com

This is the site I call "my main website" or "my informational website." If you only remember one website for me, this is a good one.  This site functions as a "hub" of links to all my other locations, so you can always find what you are looking for. I do not keep a shopping cart on this website, but I have links to my shops where you can browse and buy if you choose. You can also find a small gallery of my work, and read some of the lovely testimonials others have shared. My original purpose for this site was to have a couple of pages of more or less "permanent" information where you can always look for the basics about nickel allergies. Its usefulness, over time, is really the fact that it is the only site that is truly my own. Other sites may come and go, but you can always find me here.

My shops

Artfire
www.naturallynickelfree.artfire.com

ArtFire is the first shop I signed up for, and I'm so glad I did. They have terrific buyer options and are easy to browse. The people there have helped me through so many stages of development, and I am grateful to them all as we continue to learn and share from each other.  With advanced seller tools and fabulous resource guides, I alway direct people here if they're looking for a place to sell their own creations.


SupaDupa Boutique
http://shop.naturallynickelfree.com


SupaDupa has been my discovery through the course of time, and I was lucky to join up with them when I did. I have adopted them now as my "main" shop and just think the shop look and navigation are so beautiful there, I think they offer the customer the best view of items, the cleanest look, and most search options of any of my shops.


Etsy
www.naturallynickelfree.etsy.com

Etsy is my "baby" shop right now, and I am still "moving in" to it. I do not plan, at this point, to make it a full-sized clone of the others, but to keep it as a smaller shop, which may evolve into sort of a "best-of" collection as I go. Having this shop give me an Etsy presence for the first time, and for people who like to shop there, it offers a few options.

Each of these shops offers its own range of payment options, and people may have different preferences in how they like to search or see the information arranged. Really, it ends up being the same, as the prices are the same in every shop. The policies, shipping prices and shipping options are also as much the same as they can be, given the format I have to work with in each one. *Did you see a certain item in one shop, but want to purchase on another because of payment option preference or any reason at all? Not a problem, just let me know, and I'll move it over for you.

My Blog

http://naturallynickelfree.blogspot.com

You're reading it. But what's it really for? Keeping a blog for my jewelry always made sense to me. Because of the nature of the nickel free jewelry I make and sell, I think it's important for you to have real information.  I have spent quite a lot of time trying to sift through a confusing mixture of information, theory, conjecture, and outright lies about nickel, and have asked questions along the way. My intention is to put some of this information in a useful format, addressing various issues as I imagine them to appear in real life. If you ever want to correct me on information I have shared, question my sources, or add your own insights, I certainly hope you will! This is an ongoing process from which I continue to learn as I go.

Of course I love to talk about my jewelry - If it were really all about the allergy, I would just be a dermatologist, which I most certainly am not. I love the act of creation, discovery, and learning my craft, and sharing it with you.   I think the small crafting businesses like mine, that online selling makes possible, are offering amazing possibilities of to how to keep art in people's lives and how to sustain artists in their livelihoods.  I love talking about this too, and sharing it with you.

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/NaturallyNickelFree

Facebook is a great place to interact! I keep a small gallery there, in addition to posting on various topics. Of course you are invited to stop by and Like my page so you can follow my posts!

Join My E-mail List

Although it's not the most common place to find me, if you really want to learn what's going on, you can join my e-mail list. Maybe you have noticed that I very rarely offer coupons and special discounts? Well, the e-mail list is where you can come for occasional "special treatment." This is also a good place to stay on top new information -  where you may find me at a craft show or other updates and information. My communications are not frequent though (I don't intend to spam anyone) and you can opt out at any time.

Other Places you can Find Me 

Twitter
Google+
Pinterest
Wanelo
Amazine
It's Better Handmade
Craftori

Obviously, I can't keep everything up equally, but I like to be available to you, wherever you might find me. Most of my work here links back to my work on my main shops, so it's really all in how you like to search.

In Real Life

Yes, I do have a real life. Craft shows "keep it real" for me, and even though I don't rely on them year-round like some artists do, I like to do a couple every year in the Des Moines, Iowa area. It teaches me a few valuable lessons about keeping real-live humans at the top of my mind as I create. It's also fun (and informative) to see people as they discover and react to my creations. Customers often have good questions for me, and their questions inform my approach, whether I am blogging, communicating about a sale, or designing something new. It's also a good thing to bring out the collection now and then just to let my jewelry see the light of day. It helps me think through what I need some more of, and what else I could create.

Coming Soon . . . Summer Hours

I am nearing the time I will make an announcement about summer hours at the brick-and-morter shop which is now a part of our family. Last summer, my husband began renting this space for his computer repair business. I also keep a corner there for a small jewelry display - I will point out that this is the "neat" corner of the shop, and provides the comfy chairs for you to sit and relax :)

As summer is coming around again, I am thinking through what my time may look like, and I am planning on spending a few "office hours" there each week for customers that may come and browse, ask questions, or place a custom order. More details to follow - look for this development by the beginning of May though.

Just the Basic Contact Stuff

I also have a Contact Page and E-mail, which you can always use for questions that don't fit any of the other "categories." My mantra? If it's good for the customer, it the right thing to do!

If you still want to learn more about me, you can also read the "about" page on any of my sites, including this blog.

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So . . . where can you find me? Really, wherever you want.  I hope you learn something new today!

Bare Naked Jewelry

Amethyst Argentium Spiral Bracelet

Really, it's what I don't do to my jewelry that may interest you most.

I don't coat it with sealants. I don't dye it. I don't use patinas. I don't add liver of sulfur just to make it look old. I don't even use solder. I don't use metal that has been plated with anything else. I choose antiqued brass chain that is guaranteed by the supplier not to have been contaminated with nickel and is, of course, lead free.

I don't add stuff to my jewelry. I expect my customers to be allergic to nickel. I know not all of you are, but it is my stance that jewelry that contains nickel is not safe to wear. I also have a basic aversion to adding stuff when I don't really know what I'm adding. This is the way I have always felt, whether I'm wearing jewelry on my skin, putting lotion on my face, or adding some miracle spice to my food. It's one of the various reasons that I take special effort (and pride) to create by hand, my own earwires, clasps, chain links, headpins, and virtually ever other part of your jewelry I can manage.

Here's an example of why I feel the way I do. Solder is a common metal additive in many pieces of jewelry which has been used for years and years. It is used to create some beautiful pieces, but unfortunately, it contained a high percentage of lead for many years.  Although modern versions of solder do not contain lead, knowing this makes me alert to the fact that before I introduce something like this to your jewelry, I'd better know more about it. And truthfully, I don't need it, so it's just not on my list of things to worry about today.

Green Cats Eye Cluster Earrings

Like everyone, I have a working environment. Unlike most people, I have a great deal of control over what is in my working environment. I have little interest in adding fumes to the air of my house that are harmful, or adding substances to your jewelry that are only safe when they are dry or washed off sufficiently. In addition to making things safe for your skin, I live here, and breathing is something I've sort of gotten used to doing.

Now, if you order a piece of my jewelry and decide you never want to bother with shining it or polishing it in the future, you are welcome to add a sealant to it, which is generally available. You can also use other techniques such as putting it in a sealed plastic container or enclosing it with a little silica bag. I've described some non-toxic ideas for polishing and preserving your jewelry in another blog entry "The Care and Feeding of your New Jewelry."

We use so many chemicals on our bodies every day without even being aware of it. I take pride in the fact that my metals are pure, my alloys are nickel free, and the surfaces are plain, so you can choose freely, and enjoy.

The Amazing Post Earring

Amethyst Titanium Post Earrings 9 mm

Okay, so why am I talking about post earrings again? Because of two things: I have noticed that customers like them, and I have learned some stuff.

One of the reasons I love custom orders is that they sometimes challenge me to think in new and different ways. A few months ago I had a customer ask for a pair of amethyst post earrings. This was a reasonable and pretty simple request. However I didn't have amethyst stones and I had to order them from a different supplier than I usually go through. The result was that instead of being 10 mm round, they were really closer to being 9 mm, and left an unacceptable rim around the stone. What to do? These are titanium. I have wrestled with titanium wire enough to know that this little disk is one tough cookie.  I did assume that none of my cutters were tough enough to trim down that innocent looking little titanium pad.

Rainbow Obsidian Posts 6 x 8 oval

Well, funny things happen when you challenge yourself to ruin a tool if that's what it takes - sometimes it actually works! So those simple amethyst posts were made after all (those were gorgeous stones too) and my discovery was set aside for awhile until I was ready to get some more stones for posts.

So recently, I was able to order my stones.  The batch I have at the moment is 6 x 8 mm, which feels and looks a lot more petite than the 10 mm round stones I've been using up to this point. In the future I'll look for other sizes too, but I am very pleased with these pretty gemstone beauties. More choices are better for you!

Blue Laguna Lace Titanium Post Earrings
6 x 8 mm oval

Even though post earrings don't look that fancy, and I can't claim them as my best artwork by any means, I love them, because I know that they solve a big problem for you. Living an active lifestyle has many demands. And whether you're an athlete, a factory worker, or a mom to small children, there can be clear reasons that dangles can be impractical. Nevertheless, it really is important that you continue to wear something in your piercing most of the time - that is, unless you've made the conscious choice to let them grow closed. But if you just forget to wear something, and they begin to close before you're ready, that can set you up for some problems.

African Turquoise Titanium Posts 6 x 8 mm oval

I have talked to customers, students, and even family members who have talked about just jamming an earring into a partially healed piercing because it had been "too long." Children are also at high risk for this situation. Honestly, if this happens to you, please stop! This is likely to cause bleeding, and will require your piercing to go through the healing process again. If, by chance, you have not chosen nickel free earrings for this little experiment, you are very likely to start a nickel allergy rash right then and there. You can also get blood clots inside your piercing by doing something like this, or you can give yourself a bacterial infection because, of course, your earring is not sterile.

My point is that if you just keep something in your piercing most of the time, this won't happen.

But why do many people wait so long before they try to wear earrings again? Okay, some of us are just forgetful, but I have a theory that many of them have experienced discomfort the last time they wore earrings. They may even have grown accustomed to that irritated feeling and want to avoid earrings except on special occasions and they are, by that same logic, very likely to have an allergy to nickel. Hmmm. Try nickel free. Really. It works.

Because Little Things Mean a Lot

I recently spent some time learning how to make little origami flowers from pretty paper. Why? Because they look cool on the gift boxes I send your jewelry in. In fact, as much as I like the pretty green gauze pouches I've used for so long, I've decided that gift boxes generally keep your jewelry safer in the mail. (Don't worry, I'll still use the pouches at events - I won't waste them.)

Satin Brass Disk with Citrine Tassel

Among my many jobs in keeping Naturally Nickel Free running smoothly, I know it is my job to make you feel cared for.

It seems like this would be a little easier if I looked like a real person in a real store, like most of the places you do your shopping.  But instead, I must communicate almost entirely by pixels. I like to remember that even though this whole computer-thing does place a certain distance between us, it also brings us together.

Perhaps not that much is expected of this customer / seller relationship we have for a while in cyber-land.  But even though our direct communication may be short, I spend quite a long time getting ready for you. And when you do come, I want to take care of you. Sometimes that means I answer your questions, sometimes that means I create a special order especially for you, and sometimes that means I put a pretty little bow I folded to give your jewelry that last personal touch you might remember me by.

The Care and Feeding of Your New Jewelry

Brass Spiral Earrings with Green Cats Eye
and Niobium Earwires

The holidays are over, and gifts have been exchanged. Kisses have been given, friends have come and gone, and relatives have been sent off to their respective homes. Now you have a house to clean up from all the merry mess-making, and hopefully a few family photos to show for it.

If one of the gifts you received or gave was jewelry, you may have a few questions about how to keep it looking shiny and bright for all the years to come.  Here are a few ideas for you.

For the purposes of this blog, I will focus on the particular metals I use in my shop which at this time include Niobium, Titanium, Argentium Sterling Silver, Brass, Bronze, and Pewter.

Cleaning & Polishing Your Jewelry

Usually when people ask about keeping jewelry clean, they're asking about how to polish it after it tarnishes. Here are a few ideas for you. You will find that the measurements are maddeningly imprecise, and there are various recipes available for the same job. I chalk this up to the home-spun nature of these recipes, which I find charming. To create a paste, just add enough baking soda (or flour) to give it some body, so you can smear it onto the jewelry. I am drawn to these recipes because they require only simple ingredients that are easy to obtain, and are non-toxic.

Keep in mind that shiny jewelry is not what everyone wants. There are many beautiful looks for brass, copper and silver that involve intentionally tarnishing new metal it to give it a well-worn look. These processes require the jeweler to use toxic ingredients to achieve what nature will do for herself, given enough time. I do not use these toxins, and I also do not coat my jewelry wire with additives or sealants to maintain their shine. Most metals will naturally tarnish or change over time. If you find that you want to seal them off with additives that are available on the market, you are welcome to do that. For my own jewelry practices, I find that keeping things plain is the safest thing for everyone.

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Niobium & Titanium - Natural finish: These two metals have so many properties in common that I will talk about them together. The natural color of niobium and titanium is steel gray. The real beauty of these metals is that are non-corrosive, which means they don't get into your skin chemistry, even when you sweat ( and that's one of the things that makes them so wonderfully allergy-safe). As they age they do not tarnish. Niobium will turn a darker version of it's gray finish - some people call it blue. If this bothers you, you can wash these gently with a mild soap solution, and rinse thoroughly.

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Handwrapped Rose Quartz Earrings with Argentium
Sterling Silver

Niobium  & Titanium - Anodized finish: If you see Niobium or Titanium in any color other than steel gray, it has been anodized. The nature of anodizing is that it changes the color of the outer layer of the metal -  it may be brown or gold, or it may have rainbow hues. The reason this is important to you when you clean it is that this outer layer is rather delicate. In fact, the color layer is only a few molecules thick, and will not stand up to hard scrubbing. The mild soap solution you use for your natural-tone niobium and titanium will work for these too, but take extra caution to treat it gently and use a soft cloth. 

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Argentium Sterling Silver: This beautiful material was actually developed for its tarnish-resistant properties. In my experience and research, Argentium does not tarnish in the way standard Sterling does, but it does dull or "yellow" a bit after a long time. To bring it back to its original shine, you can either use a mild dish soap solution or use a home-made paste of baking soda and water. Use a soft cloth to apply and rinse thoroughly. The same baking soda solution will help with your standard Sterling also.

A little metal chemistry is called for here: "regular" Sterling Silver is a fabulous metal, but it is well know that it tarnishes and requires regular maintenance. Regular Sterling Silver contains 92.5% Silver, about 7.5% copper and it always contains some other metal (this is where nickel comes in) that acts as a hardener. Argentium Sterling Silver, on the other hand contains a slightly higher percentage of silver (the silver I use has 93.5% pure silver), the other measurable amount being 6.5% copper, and a tiny amount of germanium. The germanium has the effect of reducing the effect of tarnishing, and has the added value of guaranteeing that it does not contain nickel. It also shines as bright as platinum, and is simply beautiful.

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Brass & Bronze: Brass and Bronze both use copper in their alloys, so they have some things in common. They will tarnish over time, though bronze will change color more slowly than brass. There are a few easy choices for shining these metals:

Option #1: Baking Soda and Lemon Juice
Option #2: Vinegar and Salt, mixed with Flour
Option #3: Tomato Sauce or Ketchup

You can make the ingredients into a small amount of paste, and apply it with a cotton swab or soft cloth.  Leave it on your metal piece for about 20-30 min, rinse clean and buff dry with a soft cloth. Please note that lemon juice and vinegar will ruin your gemstone beads.

Coating your jewelry with a tiny amount of olive oil will help it to maintain its shine.

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Pewter: Pewter, like many other metals can be shined up a bit just be cleaning with a mild dish soap solution. It will get darker slowly and evenly over time. If you want to brighten it up, you can use the same recipes as brass and bronze to bring it back to its full shine.

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Brass Donut Bead Earrings with Tiger Eye Accent

Other Suggestions For You: 


Storage: If maintaining maximum shine is important to you, store your jewelry in little plastic zip-lock bags. This will  at least reduce the amount of air that comes into contact with your jewelry when you're not wearing it.  These little zip locks are available at any craft store. Paper strips intended to preserve sterling silver are also available at jewelry stores or hobby shops. Oh, and you know those little silicon packs they put in with your new shoes? You can also use those in your jewelry bag to reduce tarnishing.

Techniques: Standard technique when cleaning jewelry is to use a soft cloth to apply your solution, and a soft cloth to dry. To apply, you may also find it useful to use a toothbrush to get down into crevices (use gently!) or use a q-tip.


Gemstones: Gemstones come in vastly different hardnesses and properties. Generally treat them as if they are fragile, and you come out okay. Gentle handling and mild dish soap will work with most types of gemstones. The difficulty is that gemstones are often nestled right up against the metal you are trying to polish. A toothbrush or q-tip may help get into tight corners, but do be careful not to get lemon juice, vinegar, or other acids and chemicals onto your gemstones. Pearls in particular will dissolve if they come into contact with vinegar.

Patina is Beautiful: Some things just get more beautiful with age. I think this just comes down to your own philosophy as to whether you think forever-new is best, or whether it's okay to let things show their natural age. Either way is fine, but if you find yourself in a frenzy over making your jewelry look new all the time, don't forget that there is another way to look at things.

A Word about Soap: We need soap to stay clean, and it is useful even with our jewelry. However you may or may not be aware that soap has a drying effect on your skin. This can cause a rash for some people all on its own, without any other allergy being present. The thing to remember about soap when you use it on jewelry (or yourself) is to rinse it all the way off, so there is no trace of it left on your jewelry. Using a mild solution of dish soap and water should also help.

I really hope this helps you answer a few lingering questions that may have been on your mind.  Enjoy your jewelry and have a fabulous new year!

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As a thank-you and acknowledgement that we are always learning from each other, here are a few sites I have found helpful in learning some of this material: 

How To Clean Stuff
How To Polish Without Chemicals
How to Clean Rust From Brass Jewelry
Just a Few Natural Jewellery Cleaner Recipes
How to Clean Pewter

Give the Jewelry, Not the Rash

"Darling, Whenever You Get a Jewelry Rash, Just Think of Me."

Well, it sounds pretty silly when you say it that way. When you give a gift to someone you love, the last thing you want to do is to harm them. But if you're not careful, this is exactly what will happen.

Christmas is on the way, and it's time to think about what you're stuffing those stockings with.

Many people, like myself, know we have a nickel allergy. We know how to avoid it and make smart decisions about what to buy. But when you get a gift, you get surprised. Surprises are what gift giving is all about and what makes it fun. But sometimes your surprise can backfire a bit.  If you receive jewelry you really can't wear, you are presented with some awkward choices. It seems that no matter what you do, people end up disappointed. You may even end up wearing irritating jewelry just to help smooth over feelings.

Niobium Chandelier Earrings with
Onyx & Pewter Beads

Okay, so consider another angle. Dating someone with a nickel allergy has got to be tough. There comes a certain point when you want to buy more than greeting cards for your sweetheart. You wants to get something that will remind her of you for a long, long time. Jewelry is often a great choice because it's something truly unique that is guaranteed to fit. What you may give her if you're not careful though, is a nickel allergy - wrapped and packaged with a pretty bow.

Even some high quality jewelry can contain nickel in the alloy or the plating, and therefore cause or irritate an allergy. Now consider that many people with a nickel allergy don't know what they're really allergic to.  And consider that many people who don't have the allergy yet can still get it if they're exposed to nickel. Also consider that many of the people who will get nickel allergy in the future . . . are children. This is so important it gets it's own special heading . . .

What's in Your Child's Stocking? 

Now, I will preach. Children are young. (Brilliant, Donna, what else don't we know?) They will not buy their own jewelry for years, but will be entirely dependent on family and friends who will happily choose it for them. A child has, as far as I know, the same likelihood as anyone else of developing a nickel allergy, with some important exceptions.

Children often start with one high-quality pair of stud earrings (often 14K Gold, or Surgical Stainless Steel). Even if your child gets through the initial piercing without acquiring a nickel allergy, there are years of choices to make, and gifts from friends and relatives to navigate. Any well intended aunt, grandparent or best friend's mom may decide to get some of the "cheap and cute" earrings marketed for kids. I'm thinking here of the cute and shiny earring studs you get by the dozen on a large attractive card at the discount store. Now, if high quality jewelry has its pitfalls, this stuff is a trap. Please use what you know about Nickel Allergy here and now - it's shiny, it's cheap, it's guaranteed to contain nickel.

The idea that you give this stuff to kids as a cute gift or a "stocking stuffer" is really offensive once you think about the damage it can do to the health of your child's skin for the rest of her life.

Violet Bell Flower Niobium Earrings

On the surface, it seems to make sense to buy kids cheap jewelry, because kids are, well, you know, kids. They lose stuff, they break stuff, they don't always appreciate what you give them. Those pink daisy earrings at The Dollar Store are cheap and will tide her over until she's "ready" for "good" jewelry.  .  . So do you recognize the problem now? Your child's body is the thing that you would jump in front of a truck to save, and here you are giving her something that will cause her pain and skin problems for the rest of her life.

Don't forget that nickel allergies, like all allergies, don't show up on the initial exposure. It may take months or years for the allergy to appear in the form of a rash. By the time it does, it's source will be unclear, but rash will last a lifetime.

My suggestion for most parents who want their child's ears pierced at an early age, is to have just couple of pairs of good quality earrings that you know she or he will keep  in, and you know for certain does not contain nickel. I think you'll find that a couple pairs of guaranteed nickel-free earrings is a lot less expensive in pain and even dollars, than those drawer-fulls of cheap earrings made with mystery metals.

At this time I don't have a special "section" of earrings at Naturally Nickel Free that is called Children's Jewelry, but I give my customers credit for knowing what fits them and what fits their children. Many of the dangles are very petite, and small hoops are always a good choice. I offer Post earrings and intend to offer more varieties of sizes in the future.

So . . .

Bali Silver and Gemstone Earrings
with Niobium Earwires

When you buy a gift, think about what you're really giving them. If you love a person enough to give them a gift of jewelry, then you love them enough not to saddle them with a nickel allergy for the rest of their life. This also highlights why I emphasize that nickel free jewelry is good for everyone. You don't have to already know you have a nickel allergy to benefit from knowing your jewelry is safe.

So let you sweetheart or friend remember you for the jewelry you gave them and the good times you shared, not for the rash you left them with.

Do you want to learn more about nickel allergies? Click Here.

Meet the Staff

Amid all the talk this election cycle, there is the occasional nod to small business. However I've come to realize people mean vastly different things when they talk about small businesses - one "small business" may have nearly 100 employees, and another may have, well, just one. So just to bring things back to basics, I thought you might like to meet the staff here at Naturally Nickel Free.

Meet the Production Line. (That's me.) 

Meet the Sales Staff. (That's me.)

Meet the Tool and Supply Acquisition Team. (That's me.) 

Meet the Chief Photographer. (That's me.) 

Meet the Web Design Team, Copy Writing and Editing Staff, Photo Editing Room,  Accounting,  Customer Service, and General Business. (That's Me.) 

Well, I suppose you've got the point. I certainly don't have to convince the many, many people out there who are also managing small homespun businesses, that there is a lot going on out here.  I do somewhat think that as consumers, we've lost our perspective. We've given up, thinking that all the little businesses out there are pretending to be something they're not. 

I don't want you to imagine I'm really all alone in this, though, or that I'm complaining. Of course there is my family who is a great support, and my husband in particular who is actually a key player as "my  computer guy." There are also  local services and stores in Des Moines, and just a lot of advice and services I've gotten online as well. I can say with a high degree of certainty that this business would not exist (at least in its current form) without the Internet, and I am glad for all the helpers I can find. 

So here we are, the staff at Naturally Nickel Free. Oh, wait, I almost forgot someone.

Meet the Cover Girl. 

And it would be a terrible oversight not to show you who's really in charge . . .

Sophie - The Director

Jasper - Ready for his photo shoot

Roxy - Head Supervisor in charge
of Sniffing New Tools

Get On Board

Lampwork Glass Braided Leather Necklace

Join my E-mail List

Would you like to receive special offers and information about new products from Naturally Nickel Free?  You can choose the type of information you want to receive. You can choose to be included in any or all of the following categories:

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With the holidays coming, it would be great to have you "on board." This is a confidential list powered from MailChimp. You can remove your name or adjust your settings any time you like. See you there!

The Perfect Fit

Pewter Etched Tree Drop Earrings with Niobium Earwires

Ordering jewelry online is easy. But when customers are picking out a piece of jewelry at my art shows, they hold the weight of a pendant in their hands as they consider. They dangle an earring near their cheek with a mirror so they can imagine wearing it. They can even try on a necklace or bracelet to see the exact way it hangs on them.

None of these are things you can do online. But with a little careful consideration, you can take some of the guesswork out, and choose something you will be happy with for years and years.

My intention in writing this, is simply to remind you that the ruler is your friend. Knowing the size of your body and the item you are considering is extremely important in making a final decision about jewelry you will be happy with. The description of the item given online will give some basic measurements, but then what?

Photos, for reasons that are really no one's fault, can make things seem smaller or larger than they really are. I once ordered a pair of earrings that I thought would be about the size of a dime, and they were more like the size of a ping-pong ball! There's nothing wrong with earrings the size of a ping-pong ball if that's what you want, but it's nice to have a strategy so that you're not surprised.

Shell Disk Earrings with Niobium Wirework

When looking at measurements that are listed online, it's much better to have a physical ruler to look at than to just go by memory. It may sound great to buy earrings that are 2 1/2 inches long, but when you actually see them, you may discover you imagined them much smaller or larger than they really are. Besides this, any given measurement (a 20 inch necklace for example) may just look different on different people, due to body type or personal preference in clothing. Even people's earlobes can be different sizes and shapes.

So, what to do? Take an actual ruler, a tape measure (a soft one for sewing), or even a piece of string to measure, and see what a measurement looks like before you order. If it's a necklace or bracelet, take your string and "try it on." You can even draw out a small scale "ruler" on a scrap of paper to keep near you. Just mark off millimeters and inches so you can see exactly what the size of very small earrings looks like.

If you have questions about additional measurements or the weight of a piece, and you're ordering from a handmade artist, like myself, it's really easy to just send an e-mail or message and ask for the information your need. This is one of the many advantages of ordering directly from the person who made the jewelry.

All this predicting and measuring isn't really so different than catalog ordering has been for years and years before this. When I was a kid growing up in rural Iowa, my family relied on catalog service to get many of the clothes and other things we needed. Was everything a perfect fit the first time? Of course not. But we measured ourselves, measured each other, and asked questions before ordering. Sometimes we had to reorder a different size, but just mailing something back to get the right fit isn't so hard to do.

Imperial Jasper Leather Cord Necklace

Maybe this is a good time to remind you that I consider alterations part of the package when you buy jewelry from me. There are certain styles for which this will not be possible, but for most styles of necklaces or bracelets (and even some earrings) I can easily just trim or add links to be the length you desire. It's just irritating to have to live with something that is a little too short or long when you can simply ask the artist (that's me) to adjust it for you. I also offer custom orders if what you need isn't even in my shop yet.

All this measuring won't rule out every possible surprise but it will help. One aspect of having all this information online is that it allows you direct access to the artist.  You get larger pictures with different angles to get a better look at what you really want. With all the search options available online, it can save a lot of time in finding exactly what you want.  Isn't it nice that you can do all this still support an independent artist?  So with just a little foresight, you can take some of the guesswork out of the ordering process, and just enjoy your beautiful jewelry.

The Autumn Collection

Autumn Jasper Titanium Post Earrings

A Celebration of Color!

Autumn is absolutely my favorite season. After the sweltering heat of the summer, the cooling of the earth feels like new life to me. I get more energy and crave the outdoors. I marvel at the trees, wonder at the nature of color, itself, and am in awe at all the changes of life. Somehow the earth keeps turning, and her creatures and plants know just what to do.

It's also a time I can get outdoors with my family, renew connections to church and school, and just get out of my four walls for a while. I like to think that the urgency the animals feel before the first blast of winter is not so foreign to us, too. As modern humans, we think we've risen above simple instinct, but I feel that urgency, too - the need to get things done, reconnect and welcome change.

I would love to celebrate autumn's stunning colors with you. Please take a moment to enjoy my Autumn Collection at SupaDupa Boutique. I welcome you.

I'm on a Roll - Spiral Post Earrings

I'm on a roll . . . I love making post earrings and am pleased I've discovered a place to get Titanium posts and pads to attach to stones, but . . . Still, I have wished for a way to do it myself. 

Blue Bell Glass Niobium Spiral Post Earrings

With the help of my jewelry tumbler, I can now toughen my wire enough to make a neat spiral post that is strong enough to hold up to regular use, and even hold a beautiful beaded dangle on it. I was pretty distressed when I found out that the Argentium Sterling Silver posts with a loop were not available from my supplier. Well, at least it left me wondering what to do next. Argentium is still unusual enough to use, that specific "findings" in this precious metal can be, well, hard to find. There isn't automatically a replacement when somebody stops carrying something. 

Canadian Jade Argentium Silver Spiral Post Earrings

So what's a jewelry artist to do? Well, make it herself, of course. I will probably discover a variety of ways to make post earrings now that I have started, but this simple spiral design leads to so many interesting possibilities. I hope you enjoy what I have done with them. The backs I am using are simple, but effective - I have some soft plastic bullet clutches that hold securely and work just fine.  

Shell Spiral Niobium Post Earrings

Post earrings are just plain useful. There are times when dangles are impractical, so you would want to have a pair of simple spiral earrings like those below on hand, just so you know you'll have something to wear (and keep those ear holes open!) each day. 

In addition, did you know that for about the first 4 to 6 months after you get a new piercing, it is better for your healing process to stick to using straight posts and/or very light weight earrings? This is significantly longer than the 6 to 8 weeks that is generally recommended for the original healing process, before you can safely change earrings. The reason to wait so long to wear heavier earrings is that as your piercing firms up, the shape of the piercing heals "straight" rather than "curved" and maintains its shape better over the years. You can wear lightweight French hook earrings some days during this time, but it is still best to revert to post earrings for regular use, and at night. What you would like to avoid is to have your piercings become "elongated" so that instead of a neat little dot-piercing, you have more of a slit in your earlobe that never hangs quite right. This can also occur from wearing earrings over the years that are just too heavy. 

Simple Niobium Spiral Stud Earrings

I tried a spiral post like this over a year ago, and I was so tickled with the design. However my enthusiasm had to wait, because in order to make these in a thin enough wire to go through your earhole and to wrap neatly, the wire, even the niobium, was just not strong enough not to become a little "spring" when I pulled the earring back off.  I knew there must be a way to make this work, but have not been able to do it until I got my wire tumbler a couple of months ago. 

Stay tuned, because I am still in the middle of posting these earrings to my shops for you to buy. Also, if you are coming to the Valley Junction Fall Art Market next Sunday (Sept 16) I'll have these (and everything else) there for you to see for yourself.

So all my tinkering and hankering for new tools results in more choices for you . . . which is my favorite thing of all. 

Mark Your Calendar

Art Market - Sunday, September 16

Okay, I know as well as anyone how quickly that fall schedule closes in, 

so mark this one down right now . . .

The Valley Junction Fall Art Market

Sunday, September 16, 2012

11 am to 5 pm

I am pleased and proud to have been chosen for this well established Art Market for the Des Moines, Iowa area. Everything here has been selected as handmade merchandise, which includes diverse goods including paintings, jewelry, sculpture, furniture and more. 

Activities for children and musical entertainment - just come out and have a day of it. Admission is free. 

Christmas shopping in September? You'll be so glad you did.

__________________________________________

DIRECTIONS:

Valley Junction is located on 5th Street, West Des Moines, between Railroad Avenue and Vine Street. Parking is available on the street, or in lots located at 6th Street and 4th Street.

You can get directions and an area map here.

See the Google Map 

Valley Junction Event Page

See you at the Market! 

                                  -Donna

Custom Orders

"Can you make a black natural stone
necklace suitable for  job interview?"
Certainly. 

How To Place a Custom Order with Naturally Nickel Free


If you would like me to make a piece of jewelry for your special event or for someone you love, just tell me what you need. To place a custom order,  e-mail me and ask for what you would like.  I check my e-mail daily and will get back to you as soon as I am able. A 50% non-refundable deposit is required on all custom work.

A custom order is a collaboration which will take a bit of time and effort on both of our parts. I must be able to communicate with you easily by e-mail to complete your order. After you tell me your needs, I will e-mail you an estimate of the cost and time needed, and you can decide whether you want to place the order. Please note that if your request requires tools or skills I do not have at this time, I may not be able to take on your project.

"Do you have Amethyst Posts?" I do now!

I will post a custom order for you in my shop with half of the estimated cost. Once you pay this amount, I will work to complete your project.  I'll post the remainder of the cost in my shop when your item is complete. When the final amount is paid, I will ship your jewelry to you. Additional charges may be incurred for rush work or other unexpected expenses. For smaller orders, I reserve the right to waive the 50% deposit requirement, and just post the jewelry for the full price when it is complete.

I will send you photos of beads or other supplies, portions of work or other stages of the process as needed. If there is a delay in your work for any reason, I will communicate with you.

To get started, just e-mail and tell me what type of jewelry you need, and what colors, lengths, or styles work best for you. Some people like to tell me precisely what they need, and others like me to take an idea and run with it. Once you contact me, I'll do my best to work out the details with you.

"Can you make earrings to go
with this necklace?" Of course!

Please allow at least four to six weeks before any special events for which the jewelry is required. For multiple orders, such as may be needed for a wedding party, please allow additional time.

Your order is important to me. I look forward to working with you.

Hello, and welcome to my studio.

Are you local to Des Moines, Iowa? Pick up your custom order at my shop location in town, and save on shipping. E-mail me for details.