Gliteratti from the City of Brotherly Love: Layne Designs

The burgeoning Philadelphia craft scene is home to Layne Freedline of Layne Designs. Freedline’s  heirloom jewelry is made with traditional bench techniques and trendy lapidary cut stones like  druzy and cabochons. This black druzy piece is my favorite.  It is gorgeous!

Freedline is an accomplished jeweler who can boast an impressive resume of education and experience in the trade. She also teaches workshops on jewelry fabrication when she is not working in her own studio.

Most Layne Designs custom pieces range in price from $165 to $450 with more elaborate designs fetching up to $700 each. Layne Designs also offers a lower priced production line of $32 inspirational pendants through an Etsy jewelry shop.

Freedline was a 2010 finalist for The Halstead Grant, an annual award competition for new jewelry design entrepreneurs. The 2011 Halstead Grant deadline is June 6, 2011.

The Halstead Grant 2011 Application Now Available

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Are you starting a jewelry business? Do you have what it takes to be one of the next big names in jewelry design? We are excited to launch the application for the next Halstead Grant for new jew

elry designers in the bridge segment. The  deadline is June 6, 2011. Download the application now and start thinking about your business plan and jewelry submissions. This is an amazing opportunity for a $6,000 grant award plus publicity and recognition in the industry. This will be our 6th annual competition. Visit The Halstead Grant website for details on the award as well as past winners & finalists. Please spread the word!

Joana Miranda Studio: Talent to Spare

Joana Miranda brings a fascinating background to the bench as a jewelry artist. Born in Portugal, Miranda was a professional violinist and violist before turning her attention to jewelry. She is also an accomplished writer through her popular blog on the life of a new jewelry designer.

Joana Miranda Studio pieces feature classic metalsmithing motifs with contemporary twists such as the frequent use of rubber accents.  Miranda is a prolific artist with many talents.  Her blog and website are full of sketches and inspirational ides alongside finished pieces.

She has won numerous awards for her work including multiple honors from both the Gemological Institute of America and the Women’s Jewelry Association. She was a 2010 finalist in The Halstead Grant, an annual competition for new jewelry design entrepreneurs.

Joana Miranda Studio collections are available for sale online at www.JoanaMirandaStudio.com. Retail prices range from $35 to $250 for most of her Argentium sterling silver pendants and earrings. She also does a great deal of custom work such as the piece shown above.

Tags: Designer Jewelry, Silver Jewelry, Jewelry Entrepreneur