At the age of 12, I discovered beads.

A medium that would lead me through life.

Always in search of a (w)hole.

One bead at a time.

Beads as paint.

Nature as inspiration.

Patience as practice.

And then came silver.

The texture of life.

Nature as inspiration.

Symbols of our lives.

Gratitude for blessings.

Contemplation in creation.

Joy in sharing.

Michelle Riley • Life of Riley Designs

The Precious Metal Clay Process

Precious Metal Clay (PMC) was invented by the Japanese to cleanly capture silver from x-rays as well as electronic & computer parts. The recycled silver is finely ground & put in a clay base.

The clay can be rolled thin, stamped, textured, molded & shaped when wet & carved when partially dry. When completely dry the edges are filed smooth, holes are drilled & other elements added.

The pieces are then fired in a small kiln at high heat. The binders  are burned out & what is left is nearly pure silver (99.9%), known as Fine Silver. (Sterling is only 92.5%).

My handmade charms are then brush polished, tumble-polished, patina’d and finally hand polished before being included in my jewelry designs. One quality of fine silver is its ability to show patina as a rainbow of colors.

Design options are endless & I enjoy working with customers to create a custom charm or piece of jewelry using symbols with personal meaning.