JET Interview - Mollie of Rough Magic Creations

This gemstone and copper starfish necklace reminds me of summertime on the beautiful coast of Down East Maine, where Joe and I are fortunate enough to live.

The arts have always held a fascination for me. I've tried my hand at drawing, painting, fiction writing, playwriting and, when the need to eat intruded, editing and publishing. In fact, my husband Joe and I own and operate a small publishing company, providing pre-World War I American plays to college and university bookstores. At one point, we even wrote two theatre related cookbooks, which we are considering reprinting for theatre gift shops and, of course, for sale on Etsy.

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These earrings embody the concept that I call "rough magic," mixing the rough of hand carved Maine hardwood beads, the magic of blue green Peruvian opals, and my old friend Copper

When I began designing jewelry, I named my brand Rough Magic Creations, inspired by a line in Shakespeare's play The Tempest. But long before I saw the play performed, the phrase "rough magic" had been stashed away in a corner of my mind. You see, one of my favorite novelists is the wonderful storyteller Mary Stewart, who entitled one of her "damsel in distress" thrillers, This Rough Magic. When I first read that book I had never dreamed of making jewelry, so it's a bit ironic that a valuable ring plays an important role in the novel.

This "rough magic" bracelet combines mixed gemstone stars with smoky agates, crystals, hand carved wooden beads, coin pearls and shells I collected from the beach

It was Joe who first suggested I start designing jewelry. When the idea took root, I envisioned myself working in sterling silver. But first I went to the local builders' supply and bought a role of copper wire to use for practice - before moving to the pricier sterling. A good thing I did, because I wasted that entire roll of copper trying to master the wrapped loop! After many hours … no, make that weeks … and goodness knows how many more rolls of copper wire, I took the plunge and bought myself several yards of sterling silver. Ah, what a thrill to see that beautiful metal, to feel it in my hands! And yes, I did enjoy working with it and still do. But soon I found my fingers itching for the warm, friendly and forgiving touch of copper.

I have to admit to being partial to these Gentle Folk Earrings. They're all copper, after all!

There's a saying among us copper-loving jewelry makers that copper gets under your skin - metaphorically as well as literally. My fingers and I can testify to that. I've come to look at copper as a faithful old friend whom I can bend, wrap, coil, pound, dip in this and that, and be assured that somehow or other, it will either do what I want or teach me a lesson. And for me, that's what life is all about - creating something beautiful or learning something valuable. More valuable even than the ring in Mary Stewart's tale.

"With This Ring" Romantic Copper Heart Pendant Necklace