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Bracelet by Jewelry Designer Danielle Stirling

Celeste Bracelet

This bracelet is a blend of some of my favorite stones- rainbow moonstone onion briolettes,cornflower blue kyanite rondelles,perfect sky blue topaz rondelles and large faceted rainbow moonstone nuggets.
All of the smaller gemstones are carefully wire wrapped with sterling silver headpins and the bracelet is finished at 7.5″ with a sterling silver toggle clasp.All of our jewelry comes lovingly wrapped in gift boxes to ensure safe travels. Length can be adjusted at no extra cost.

Bracelet by Jewelry Designer Danielle Stirling

Bracelet by Jewelry Designer Danielle Stirling

PRESS:

“Danielle freely mixes metals, Swarovski, lampwork beads,
glass and silver all so inventively and so beautifully that you can’t help but be totally mesmerized by her pieces!”
-Beadboard.net

“Danielle Stirling is a Canadian jewelry designer from Calgary, Alberta. She’s a creative sort and seems to have picked up the handmade bug as a child, but she loves making jewelry. And it shows. She does beautiful work…”
-Designingdivas.com

“We’ve found many gorgeous examples of affordable jewellery pieces in our routine Sweetspot scouting. The only problem? Plenty of other women have found them too. And while showing up in the same pair of earrings is less embarrassing than discovering our dress-twin at a party, it’s still a blow to our unique ego….The wish-we-found-it-sooner solution: Accessory shopping online at Elle Jule .”
-Sweetspot.ca

ELLE JULE
We are gonna have a fun-filled day today as we explore Alberta, Canada’s Calaway Park, the city’s largest amusement park. We have got plenty to choose from like the dizzying mechanical arm of the Air Gliders, the splashy vertical drops of the water ride Shoot the Chutes, and the gut wrenching twists and turns of the Vortex rollercoaster. Canada is also the home of featured jewelry designer Danielle Stirling.

What I find so great about jewelry designers and creative people in general, is that their passion to create is innate.

It begins early, while they are young. Stirling is no exception. Her eye for beauty, fascination with nature and color began in her youth. Her interest peaked after her mother bought her a bead loom.

In fact, she and a friend established a jewelry business in the 6th grade. “We created friendship bracelets from embroidery thread along with friendship pins. We’d set up shop at lunch and sell our bracelets for 15-20 cents a piece.” While in the 7th grade, she began creating beads and working with Polymer clay.

Over the subsequent years, she continued to expand her jewelry-making knowledge. In her adult years the size of her family also expanded, “After I had my third child, it was important for me to be able to stay at home with them,” she says. In 2006, she launched her company Elle Jule, “It gives me a creative outlet while allowing me to be with my children whenever they need me. Who could ask for a better job?”

Stirling’s attraction to fairy lore, art, colors in nature, as well as her own moods inspire her wonderfully ethereal, custom jewelry creations. She admits that inspiration can come randomly and unexpectedly such as the Forbidden Love Bracelet part of a limited edition jewelry line inspired by Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight book series.

Stirling carefully selects the materials she uses–freshwater pearls, Bali and Argentium silver, topaz–to produce her delicate jewelry. “I am a self-representing jewelry artist, which means that I create all of my jewelry myself from materials that have been hand picked from responsible suppliers that practice fair trade and provide good working conditions and fair pay to their employees.”

The joy Stirling brings to her incredibly beautiful designs is matched by her clientele’s response to the designs. “The thing I have come to love the most about my business is the feedback I have received from customers. It warms me to be able to share a part of myself that way.”

Stirling’s collections include the fairy-inspired, Bower of Bliss; the vintage-inspired Nostalgia Collection; and the Afterglow Collection featuring items inspired by the Twilight book series. She also designs custom bridal and men’s jewelry, and her Salvation Bracelets tell the story of Jesus in colorful gemstones.

Today’s featured Saturday Sparkle piece is this designer paper pendant titled Fall Fruits, from Elle Jule. Elle Jule is based in Calgary, Alberta and run by owner Danielle Stirling. In addition to a great selection of designer paper pendants, Danielle designs and creates a wide variety of beaded and metal jewelry for men, women, children. She also has a stunning selection of bridal and wedding jewelry available on her website.
I had an opportunity to interview Danielle about her designs and company this week, and here is what she shared with us.

Danielle, how did you get your start in jewelry design?

I started making jewelry in grade school, it began with friendship bracelets, moved into seed beads, which evolved into loomed bracelets and polymer clay….and so on! I have always loved shiny things and had the drive to learn how to make them.

What inspired you to turn your love for making jewelry into a business?

After I had my third child, it was important for me to be able to stay at home with them, yet we needed to supplement our income, so it was just natural for me to dive into Elle Jule Jewelry Design. It gives me a great creative outlet while allowing me to be with my children whenever they need me, who could ask for a better job!

When creating a design, what are your top three sources of inspiration?

My top 3 sources for inspiration when I am designing are –

Fairies-I have always been fascinated by folklore and fairy stories and have taken that influence to many of my designs.

Nature-I am in awe of nature, the transition of the seasons, all of the wonderful colors and shapes available to all of us, and love to bring even a little of that into my designs.

Randomness-I pick up inspiration from everywhere, it depends on the day, my mood, the season etc. Sometimes I will notica a fabulous pattern on a skirt and rush home to record ideas, other times it might be an especially yummy dinner that gets my creative flow going. I never really know where it will come from next, which keeps things really interesting for me!

Who in your life has provided you with the most support for your business?

I’d have to say my mom has been my biggest supporter. She has often come to help me with large trade shows, get orders together for wholesale customers, and is always honest and open. I am really blessed with a wonderful support system though, my dad and my husband are always really there to cheer me on as well.

If you had any advice for someone who wanted to make the leap from making jewelry as a hobby to selling as a business, what would it be?

I’d have to say, don’t expect to list your items and sell out the first day! This is a very fulfilling and wonderful job for me, but I spend more time working than I would at a full time out-of-the-house job, so do your research, and get ready for an interesting ride;)

To learn more about this bracelet, visit Danielle Stirling.

See more – Splendor: A Celebration of Jewelry Designers.