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 'Picasso'
'Earths Blue Treasu res'
'Earth's Green Treasures'
Mabe Pearl Set
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Updated: May 6, 2012
Welcome to Simply Living Jewelry's / Carmel & Michael's home page.
Colored By Nature!
The Art of Stone Jewelry
We create wearable art using hand cut & polished natural stones, shells, pearls, fossils; we specialize in unique cuts and unusual materials; cutting & polishing many stones in our studio. All artistically melded into a hand forged/fabricated fine sterling silver setting created by us in our studios.
This year, 2012 we are celebrating our 14th year of creating wearable art, allowing the wearer to share mother earth's wonderful creations with everyone!
We have new stones & designs that we are currently working on.
Rock collecting . . .
We have many stones to cut yet from earlier collecting trips but we enjoy collecting activities and getting out in the field so collecting is our recreation. We live close to Michigan's Upper Penninsula so we take day trips there collecting in the old copper mines.
During January this year we spent some time in the South West. We went on four collecting trips. Three in western Arizona and found Red Hematite Jasper, Green Banded Rhyolite, and Birds Eye Rhyolite. The fourth collecting trip was in South East California for Earp Red Jasper-Agate. Each trip was quite successful.
For 2 weeks in April 2011 we went on once in a lifetime Fossil & Mineral collecting trip in Morocco. Unique Agates, Jaspers and Fossils!
And before that, January 2011 we toured a couple of mines in Argentina. Our trip to the mines was beyond our expectations. Very difficult travel though. We flew into one airport (Catarmaca) from Buenos Aries and then at the end of the expedition, out of another airport (Salta) back to Buenos Aries. For the mine visits and rock hunting, we drove approx. 1200 miles, mostly on unpaved roads. There were no gas stations for most of the trip. We were in a new 4wd Toyota. Our driver had ~40 gals. of diesel in the back of the truck. We visited two mines, altitudes of up to 15,000 ft. For 4 days we were never below 9,000 feet. Beautiful scenery!
As time allows, we will be preparing these materials from both of these collecting trips for use in our designs.
We are always in search of new, natural stones & materials!
Please Note-This Is Not A Selling Website.
Most of the pieces shown have been sold.
Although most of our work is One-Of-A-Kind, we re-create similar pieces using similar stones.
Please 'Click' on the 'Show Schedule' button to see our show list.
We hope to see you at a show!
Thank You For Visiting! Carmel & Michael
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'Royal Splendor'
'The Forest'
'Opal Sisters' 
'Eclipse' 
'Eclipse' Ring
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Carmel & Michael - Artist Statement
Our passion begins with memories of childhood vacations, discovering natural treasures, carefully placing each find in our pocket.
Dreaming of what lies atop the next hill.
A treasure anchors each of our creations.
This central stone cries for accompaniment;
color and texture.
Completing a design bestows a winning feeling.
The stones melded artistically.
We stimulate memories of childhood collections in the form of wearable art.
Our artistic talent is revealed by experimentation and the delight expressed by others.
We develop a natural bond with our customers, sharing similar memories.
They love the way we build a team of natural stones, bursting with color.
How grateful we feel as customers add to their collection.
Known as educators, we share the story behind the elements of each piece, as well as our lapidary process, followed by metal fabrication.
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'Ablaze'
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Sea II'