Southwest-inspired wire wrapped and enamel jewelry

This Valentine's Day, my husband gave me a really nice surprise: the chance to accompany him on a business trip to El Paso, Texas. He has a client who's based in Las Cruces, NM, so we flew into and stayed in El Paso, which is about a half hour away. We then traveled around that area of Texas and New Mexico for the next few days. The trip was last-minute -- and we flew out in the middle of a storm! -- but we had a wonderful time.

I've always loved the Southwest. The scenery is amazing, especially in the National Parks and there is a lot of history to take in. My parents first took me to that area of the country when I was 8 and we spent the summer driving across the United States. We visited pretty much the entire area: Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. We went back to that part of the country when I was 17; I then traveled there with Jon a few times. However, until this past trip I'd never been to Texas! Now I can add another state to my list.

When in the Southwest, I almost always purchase some type of jewelry. Much of it is made by the various Native American tribes; in fact, you often see stands on the sides of roads where pieces are sold -- and where you can watch the artists make their items. I don't know what the prices are like these days, but when I was a kid, you could buy a handmade shell necklace for just a few bucks... which was way underpriced for the labor put into these items. I still have a few of my pieces, including a purple shell butterfly necklace, but after making my own jewelry, I have much more respect for these artists' talents and craftsmanship. On this trip, I bought a handmade clay pin, which was made by a regional artist. Since I don't make pins, I figured I'd buy something that will help support a local jewelry designer.

One thing that I love about Southwestern-style jewelry are the colors. A lot of reds, blues, blacks and silvers are used. I like that color combination because the hues are extremely vibrant. I've used these colors in a few of my wire wrapped jewelry designs. I have a long way to go before I can make pieces that are as intricate and complex as some that I've seen in, say, Arizona, but here are a few of my Southwest-inspired items. You can see more of my jewellery at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Silver wire wrapped rings Native American style with turquoise and red Swarovski crystals

Though I've traveled around the world, one of my favorite places to visit is the Southwestern United States. I've taken several road trips through that area over the years and just love the wide, open spaces and natural beauty. It's about as different from New York City as you can get! I also love the Native American jewelry with its bold shapes and bright red and turquoise stones. In honor of this jewelry, I've designed two modern rings which refect that traditional Native American design. I didn't model these geometric rings after any particular Native American symbol or designs or a certain tribe, but more on my impressions of visiting that area. For instance, the bold geometric shapes were inspired by the shapes used in sand paintings. The combination of silver, red and turquoise was inspired by the color combination which is used in much Native American jewelry. The ring itself is made of 18 gauge silver plated wire, which I wire wrapped with turquoise beads and garnet red Swarovski crystals. I love the way the colors look together, which is part of the reason why I was drawn to Native American jewelry in the first place.

To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs. To read about my travel adventures, head to Naomi The Traveler.