Things I’ve learnt (so far) from my one-piece-a-day jewelry challenge: 

Time is extremely limited. 
Everything that can go technically wrong, will.
Decisions have to be made fast. 
Always shoot 400 pictures to get 4 that work.
The natural light needed to take pictures is gone by 4 pm. 
It is possible to go from intense metalsmith mode to relaxed model pose in minutes.
Editing pictures of a piece takes longer than making the piece.
Photoshopping damaged fingers takes longer than all of the above.

Aligned ring.
Handmade with taupe moonstone and 100% recycled sterling silver.
Soon in my online shop.

The gift you get for making a piece, is that you get ideas for the next.

Gift ring.
Handmade with moonstone and 100% recycled sterling silver.
​Soon in my online shop.

No electricity all day. No power tools to work with. A dim studio. An afternoon doctor’s appointment that shortens the workday. The perfect combination to create a Whirlwind ring.

Whirlwind ring.
Handmade with moonstone and 100% recycled sterling silver.
Soon in my online shop.

Six years ago, I made a small jewelry collection to sell at a local design fair. I did not know what to expect, because it was the first time I showed my work, and my prices ranged from $20 to $50 dollars a piece, which seemed like a fortune to me. When most pieces sold by the first day, I could not believe my luck. People liked my work, and they paid money to own it! 

Today, my rings no longer cost what they used to, which makes me even more grateful for your support. Thanks to you, my work has evolved and matured, and I am now able to make pieces that are much more interesting. Because of you, I will continue to create uplifting jewelry for many years to come.

Tandem ring.
Handmade with pink moonstone and 100% recycled sterling silver.
Soon in my online shop.

Last week I began the challenge to make a piece of jewelry a day, five days a week. I thought I would end up exhausted, but making my creative work a priority fills me with energy. I’ve been wanting to make only one-of-a-kind pieces for so long, that it was a relief to begin this adventure. 

I’m always amazed at how complicated I can make my life when I loose track of what I want, which is to make jewelry that moves me and others deeply; to expore the beauty of primal and rudimentary forms; and to inspire others to do their best work, because this will make the world a better place.

I have set guidelines for this challenge:

I will explore all of my ideas. Often what seems too simple on paper, is very interesting in three dimensions. 

I will not judge my work. It doesn’t matter if each piece is amazing, what matters is that I complete a piece a every day.    

I will not let perfectionism stop me. I am doing the best I can.

I will relax, have fun, and get inspired on weekends so that I can return to my craft refreshed (this seems obvious, but when you are self employed, disconnecting from work is easy to overlook).

I've just added the five rings I made last week to my shop on Etsy (plus the ring I made the day I decided this weekly ritual). Although I worked on each piece individually, it was important to me that they also work as a group. Now that I see the rings together, I find that they come from the world of biology. I see insects, seedpods, and microorganisms.

Thank you for your encouragement and support on this adventure. I am honored that you chose to come along! May you always be inspired to explore your creativity, and may your path be filled with discovery!

Most of the decisions I make in my work are intuitive. If something feels right, I do it. This is how I chose the moonstones that I am going to work with this week. I am attracted to their soothing energy and their subtle neutral tones. They remind me of silver lakes and evening light. 

Subtle ring.
Handmade with silver moonstone and 100% recycled sterling silver.
​Soon in my online shop.

How do you find your voice as an artist? By making things. The more you make, the more creative decisions you will take. Begin by studying other artist’s work. Be like a sponge and absorb all you can. At first, everything you make will look like other people’s work. Don’t worry, you are filling your mind with ideas.

When you are ready to find your own voice, start to look within. Stop asking, “how would so and so do this?” and instead ask, “how do I want to do this?” This is the beginning of your own adventure. From this point on, you own everything you create. The good, the bad and the ugly.

Handmade with natural turquoise and 100% recycled sterling silver.
​Soon in my online shop.

Sign up here to find out when this ring is available.

I went on my rooftop to take pictures of the ring I made today. After being inside all freezing morning, the sun felt warm on my bones. I sat for a long time on the floor, observing my surroundings. 

We live in a house from the 1940’s that has since seen few repairs. If I were to leave this place, I’d miss its character. Just like I missed Mexico when I lived in the States. The buildings here are handmade and soulful. They age with the people who inhabit them, and they hold stories in their structure.

Temple ring.
​Amethyst and 100% recycled sterling silver.
​Soon in my online shop.

Advice I’ve found helpful: 

​Choose yourself.
Create your own opportunities.
Make the ring you want to wear.
Feel gorgeous.
​Use your intelligence.
Educate yourself.
Master a craft.
Share your process.
Do what you can with what you have.
​Kindle your own flame.

Fire ring.
​Handmade with carnelian and 100% recycled sterling silver.
Soon in my online shop.

I like goals. They give structure to my life and they awaken my imagination. My goal this year is to make a piece of jewelry a day, five days a week. Rather than a challenge, this is a gift that will help me go deeper into each idea and explore designs I’ve had for years. After six years as a jeweler, I know that my best work comes from working. I am exited to see the posibilities that will open up along the way.

Succulent ring.
Handmade with prehenite and 100% recycled sterling silver.
​Soon in my online shop.

We are the fortunate ones. We get to experience this planet in all its beauty. We can discover natural landscapes, swim in clear waters, eat fresh fruit. We can savor handmade corn tortillas, gaze at blue skies, and walk through fields of flowers. We are the fortunate ones.

Majestic ring.
Handmade with natural turquoise and 100% recycled sterling silver.
Soon in my online shop.

Creature. Fossil. Critter. Crawler. Where did you come from, ladybird? Seeing you reminds me to always trust my instincts. Whenever I get away from my work for more than a week, I tend to forget how powerful my imagination is. I have a short term memory when it comes to creativity.

Being away for too long makes me feel alienated. Voiceless. Restrained. But when I grab a hammer and silver, I come back to life. Something in me explodes with ideas. A path appears. I remember who I am, and what I am capable of. I recover my voice, and this keeps me coming back. There you are! The spark. The enthusiasm. The clarity. 

Home ring.
​Chalcedony and 100% recycled sterling silver.
​Soon in my online shop.

Two days ago, I posted my artwork to my online shop. Today I want to share how honored I am that you bought so many of my drawings. I feel like a five year old! I want to jump from joy because you value my work. Although I can hardly call it work, because to me, making art is fun. You bought what I do when I play, and that is awesome. THANK YOU for this gift. It means I can continue to make better, deeper, and unexplored creations. I wish with all my heart that you too can do more of what you love!

I just finished adding the biggest update to my online shop on Etsy since I began this website two years ago. You can now find all of the silver ink drawings from the 100 Days 100 Drawings series; collages; paintings from the Atlas series; one-of-kind sterling silver jewelry; and my brass jewelry cast collection.

"I use recycled sterling silver from photographic processes to preserve the environment and avoid open pit mining that uses cyanide to extract metal. I work from home, and I sell everything I make through the internet. I don't own a car, I mostly use raw materials made in Mexico, and I shop for them locally. The felt bags I use to package my jewelry are made by a single mother who sews them by hand."

MUSIBATTY was born six years ago and sells online to all parts of the world: www.musibatty.com