Anne Louise

Anne Louise

Snowflakes
Fire Mountain Gems and Beads' 2009 Crystal Contest
Finalist

Meet the Designer-Artist

My name is Anne Louise and my nickname is Daly. I live in Ponce, Puerto Rico. I used to work as a teacher, but I quit my job to take care of my two sons. Now they are grown up so I have more time to do some things I love to do, such as hobbies. I like craft works such as painting ceramic, sewing, and embroidery, but making jewelry is my passion. I started making my own jewelry 25 years ago. It happened that I have always wanted to wear a perfect set of jewelry with my outfits. Sometimes I found it so hard to get them that I ended up buying long necklaces in order to use their beads to make the set that I was looking for. Even though I had never taken any jewelry making lessons, somehow, I found the way to make them. When my friends and relatives saw them, they encouraged me to keep on making jewelry as a business. I was not ready.

One day I was watching a group of modeling students through the glass door of a modeling academy. It happened that its owner was a jewelry designer. He offered me a course. I took lessons immediately. He gave me an old Fire Mountain Gems and Beads catalog at the end of the course. He told me that I could get ideas from other designers but he did not mention anything about gems and beads. Neither he nor you can imagine the happiness that the catalog brought to my life. That is how I contacted Fire Mountain Gems and Beads. Since that moment, I stopped buying long necklaces. Fire Mountain Gems and Beads provides me what I need when I need it.

Share Your Background

Until now, I have been making jewelry as a hobby, and when my friends ask me to design and make them some jewels, I give them the pieces or I charge them only the cost of the piece because I love them. I have been also giving free beading lessons and donating my craftsmanship to some people that need my help. I would not mention these details if you had not asked me, because love is what really moves me to do it. My plans for the future are to sell my pieces at fine jewelry stores. I love to work with crystals and cultured pearls. My style is classic, but I can be flexible to please my clients. I will also design special orders, especially for weddings. And I know people that are interested in my future projects. During the next months I will be busy designing jewelry for two bridals. As soon as I am ready I will update my story.

Beading Success

My design Snowflakes is very special for me. It is my "climb." I started designing a winter bridal necklace in February, 2009 because I wanted to participate in the Beading Contest '09. I made the first "snowflake" and I showed it to my youngest son. He told me that it was beautiful and that it looked like a snowflake and "Snowflakes" would be the name of the piece. I decided not to use any other beads, just crystals. I kept making snowflakes and clusters. Then I had to stop my project because my son got sick with a pneumomediastinum. He was hospitalized in the intensive care unit. I was afraid that he could die. Nothing had sense for me. Thank God he got better and was transferred to the pediatric unit. I kept on making the snowflakes in that cold room, near my son. The 2mm faceted rounds fell on the floor and my son's friends helped me find them using their cell phones as flashlights. They also encouraged me to keep on designing jewelry. Some visitors wanted to purchase the "snowflakes." At last, my son was discharged from the hospital. Back at home he helped me take the photos I sent with my contest entry. For these reasons, "Snowflakes" is and will be special for me. Yes, it was my "climb" in the middle of a cold storm. "Snowflakes" is finalist in the 2009 Crystal Contest. I will forever be thankful to Fire Mountain Gems and Beads for giving me the opportunity to participate in this beading contest.

View all of Anne's designs in the Gallery of Designs.