Hey there strangers! I know it’s been about a million years since I’ve truly blogged, but it’s been with good reason.  Sometimes life throws us curveballs and we have to do our best when placed in a situation that’s not exactly ideal. The long and short of it is I’ve moved twice in the last year and one of those times was halfway across the country. Despite all the changes and stressful moments (because there were many!), I’ve done all I can do to keep my little one woman show going without completely letting my emotions take over (sitting in bed watching Netflix for a week straight while weeping into several empty containers of Ben & Jerry’s is my ultimate coping mechanisim).  I have so much to say about work, life, successes, and failures this past year and I’ll definitely do so in the new year.  I also have a handful of weddings and custom projects to share but for now, I’ll leave you with some info about my my holiday timelines for jewelry orders and my upcoming Cyber Monday sale. Click on the add below to take you directly to my etsy shop!   Plan on ordering from Ivy ...

I met Aaron and Holly the night before Thanksgiving in 2012.  It was the first time my then boyfriend, now husband brought me home to meet his entire family (no pressure!) and some of his friends from home.  I remember sitting in this cool little bar area with comfy couches getting to know Aaron and Holly.  When meeting new people I have a tendency to be super shy and nervous.  There was something about both of them that made me feel instantly comfortable, almost like I had known them forever.  I found them so easy to talk to. It’s really special to be able to connect with people so easily. The more I’ve gotten to know them over the years, the more I find that they feel like friends I’ve known since childhood.  We pick up right where we left off and never miss a beat. Aaron contacted me about making an engagement ring for Holly while he was fighting wild fires in September 2014. Yes that’s right, Aaron is a Wildland Firefighter.  Originally from Central New York, Aaron travels across America and lives in the wilderness 5 to 6 months out of the year to fight fires. Pretty amazing ...

I met Carlene when I was about 13 years old. I distinctly remember sitting next to her in 9th grade french class with Mr. Underhill (who oddly enough was my mother’s french teacher as well).  While our teacher was a bit surly and often times intimidating, Carlene made the class bearable with her fun and outgoing personality.  I remember discussing tofu one day, something at the time I had never tried.  The next day we had class, Carlene was thoughtful enough to bring in a container of tofu for me to try.  It may not have been love at first sight for me and tofu, but it definitely opened the door to a new friendship. I know it’s such a silly thing to remember, and I’m sure that we have had plenty other moments, but I’ll never forget it. Carlene has always been a friend and a supporter of my work.  Year, after year Carlene would come out to the LarkFest Craft show to visit me and often times bought some of my jewelry pieces. This past fall I was completely honored when she asked me if I could create some custom earrings for her wedding day. Carlene had seen a pair ...

My “studio” one year ago It seems appropriate at this time to look back on how far I’ve come in just a year.  In April, I wrote a post about my journey in Upstate New York.  Owning my own store with my best friend Emily and all the adventures that ensued and led me here to Chicago.  In the past year my husband and I have successfully put together a really great home studio that I’ve completely fallen in love with.  However, it wasn’t love at first sight. Moving to a new place that you are completely unfamiliar with, during the winter time is a bad idea. Unless of course you’re moving to Florida or Hawaii where there is absolutely no chance the temperature will drop below -20 with a -40 windchill. I was told that Chicago was cold in the winter. So what? I grew up in upstate NY near the Adirondacks. I took my drivers test the day after a blizzard in February.  I frequently rode my snowboard up at Hunter Mountain and Belleayre in the Catskills. I knew what cold was.  Rather, I thought I knew what cold was. According to everyone that has lived in Chicago for ...

Recently, I feel like I’ve been placed in a time machine and sent back to my days at SUNY New Paltz where I was a young, hopeful artist studying metalsmithing.  I was, and admittedly still am, in love with pattern.  I’ve always had a serious love affair with my saw frame that I’ve owned since 2004.  This is the longest relationship I’ve ever been able to maintain. Even though it is unrequited love, I don’t care, so be it.  I’ve always loved piercing out complicated designs of wallpaper from the victorian era all they way to patterns featured on Origami paper.  I feel like I’ve been returning to this method almost systematically, every time I find myself with a custom request from a potential client. The first project of many to be featured over the next few months really ignited my passion for pattern and piercing.  I was commissioned for a pair of earrings in September that would be gifted to my husband’s Aunt from her guy. I had total free reign on design, with just a few guidelines which included: Sterling Silver and Sapphires. I quickly day dream metalsmithed, which I do frequently. It involves me watching myself  in ...