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Handmade Sterling Jewelry and Sea Glass / Making Glass Jewelry

Interview with Signe Lawson taken from Odyssey Sea Glass Newsletter

Sea Glass and Handmade Sterling Jewelry

I was really  impressed.

Since I'm not able to be making glass jewelry in the quantity I  wanted to do because of my health, I thought, hmmmm... and the wheels started turning.

That in a nutshell is where the idea of featuring some really "hot" sea glass artists who have been making glass jewelry really gelled.

Now, not only will we be able to provide a larger variety of truly fine jewelry to you folks, but it also gives us a chance to promote those who really deserve it!

Interview with Signe of Signeture X-clusive Jewelry

Signe: I live in Michigan near the Great Lake Erie. I was a Dental Tech. ( made teeth ) for 36 years and in 2008 lost my job due to the flailing economy in Michigan.

I started making jewelry in 2004, anticipating what could happen, and knowing I didn't want to stay in the dental business.

It was definitely the time for a career change.

Lin: What was the result of that decision? What is it about designing handmade sterling jewelry that brought about that decision?

Signe: What can I say - now for the first time in my life, I have a job that I love and am passionate about!

I had never experienced the joy that creating has brought me in any other job I have had!!

Lin: How'd you get the idea to start using sea glass in making glass jewelry combined with your handmade sterling jewelry?


Signe: I took a traditional wire wrapping class and a bezel setting class a few years ago. I took what I learned and ran with it.

I found that I had an eye for contemporary design and was experimenting with different ideas, which brings me to how I got started making Sea Glass/Beach Glass jewelry.

First, I have friends who live on Lake Erie who were into collecting beach glass. I would look at their collections and some pieces would just speak to me.

I could actually see silver around them in my head. I really didn't care if the glass was flawed or undone, I just knew I could make them into a cool piece of jewelry.

I might add that, at that time, I had NO idea about how vast the sea glass community is.

Lin: Yes, it sure has grown! What can you tell us about your recent experience, work, or plans? What do you see in the future regarding handmade sterling jewelry and designing and making glass jewelry with it?

Signe: In the last couple of years I have learned so much about sea glass. The history, the colors, the shapes are all so fascinating to me!

Now I use hand-collected genuine jewelry quality glass from all over the world in all my one-of-a-kind designs.

As far as plans for the future go, I would absolutely love to be able to design and make sea glass jewelry every day, and it looks like maybe, just maybe, it's going to work out that way!

Lin: Thanks so much, Signe.

David and I love your sea glass and handmade sterling jewelry and are so excited about being able to share it with our friends in the Odyssey Sea Glass community.

Here is a little reminder to check out the upload features on the fun page, where you can contribute your comments, questions, and photos on what you find at the beach or just about anything to do with beach glass.

We invite any of you to share a short story of your beach impressions (funny, sad, or exciting) and get a link to the website or blog of your choiceon the fun page.