I have always had a passion for art, creation & anything vintage. I remember playing in my grandmother’s jewelry box as a child. It was always such a treat. It held such beautiful sparkly costume jewelry. When I was pregnant with my first daughter, my mom signed us up for a basic jewelry beading class just for fun. I loved it! In 2005, we moved from southern Louisiana to the Charlotte area after Hurricane Katrina. I was a new mom in a new city. I decided to start making jewelry utilizing the skills I learned in that beginner’s jewelry class, teaching myself new techniques along the way but with the images of those jewels in my grandmother’s jewelry box always in my mind. I wanted to find a way to incorporate the beauty I remembered in those cherished items in a new fresh way that would be easily translatable for the styles and fashion of today.

Eclectic Orchid Jewelry seeks to uniquely mix the sparkle and beauty of vintage pieces of the past along with new components, earthy elements, hammered metals & handmade fabric pieces. An eclectic mix of wearable art where old meets new, bohemian meets modern, simplicity meets luxe. I search for interesting vintage or vintage inspired pieces including glass jewels, crystals, beads and charms, then combine them with my hammered, hand cut brass, stamped/personalized charms, gemstones, handmade tassels, new supplies and faux leather fringe. Each piece is thoughtfully constructed by hand, with most made in limited quantities due to the vintage components used.

You will also find my fine art photography in my Etsy shop Bellawonderella:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/BellaWonderella
My passion for photography grew after starting Eclectic Orchid. I realized I adored the process of photographing my products, from lighting, to designing little vignettes, and editing. I also started to see the world a bit differently after my daughter was born- the ordinary seemed more extraordinary, more vibrant, colorful. Through her eyes, everything is magical, like dreams coming to life before our eyes. These inspirations melded together, and Bellawonderella Photography by Eclectic Orchid came to be in the summer of 2010. Bellawonderella prints are most often a combination of the everyday with a twist of whimsy and a bit of magic.