I first found SpaceMermaid through Francesca Lia Block's website - in her recommended links section and was amazed and excited by the beautiful fantasy jewelry Stephanie made. Her website describes it as jewelry inspired by the sky and the sea, creatures real and imagined. All of the rings, necklaces, bracelets are handcrafted by Los Angeles-based designer Stephanie Carbone using semiprecious stones, sterling silver, freshwater pearls, crystals, shells and other natural materials. They are the jewelry fairies would wear to an elegant faieie ball, or mermaids in a moonlit underwater cavort. - Lake
glowinthedarkstars: how did you become interested in making jewelry?
SpaceMermaid: I have been making jewelry for as long as I can remember, probably starting with fruit loops, shrinky dinks and play-doh.
glowinthedarkstars: where do you find inspiration for the pieces?
SpaceMermaid: Inspiration is everywhere... in the sky, the clouds, the ocean. The raw materials I use, particularly crystals, are also a great source of inspiration. They come to life and practically design themselves.
glowinthedarkstars: what are your passions & obsessions?
SpaceMermaid: pippi longstocking, dolls, puppets and miniatures, fairies, mermaids, rocks and crystals, rain and clouds, Art Nouveau design
glowinthedarkstars: favorites:
SpaceMermaid: book- Dangerous Angels and Necklace of Kisses by Francesca Lia Block; Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach
film- Wings of Desire, Hair, Fantasia
author: Francesca Lia Block
artist: my mother. Other favorites: Julie Taymor, Beatrice Wood, Georgia O'Keefe, Antoni Gaudi, Louis Comfort Tiffany
glowinthedarkstars: what materials do you prefer to work with?
SpaceMermaid: I love working with copper-- it's a very soft metal that's fun to sculpt. And I really enjoy working with rough-cut crystals, which are closest to their natural form... each piece is a beautiful miniature world.
glowinthedarkstars: what challenges have you found in your work?
SpaceMermaid: I have notebooks filled with ideas and sketches that I haven't had time to work on yet. Because the business side of my work takes up a majority of my time, I'd say the biggest challenge is finding a balance between the daily necessities of running a business and making time for creativity and play.
glowinthedarkstars: what current projects are you working on?
SpaceMermaid: I am working on a few new collections right now... Fairies and Unicorns; Creatures in Space; a collection of strange cuffs; and a collection of headpieces (masks, tiaras, barrettes, etc.). I'm also making treasure boxes and magic wands.
glowinthedarkstars: what do you do besides jewelry-making? do you have other creative interests?
SpaceMermaid: I don't have much time these days for anything other than jewelry, but I also enjoy drawing, painting, photography, making collages and papier mache sculptures, and dollmaking.
glowinthedarkstars: do you prefer a certain type of jewelry to work on (ring, necklace, bracelet, earrings, brooch)?
SpaceMermaid: My favorite pieces to work on are free-form copper and crystal sculptures that can be turned into anything... rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, brooches, hairpieces.
glowinthedarkstars: your jewelry is filled with things of the sea (shells, mermaids,pearls, starfish, seahorses) and winged creatures (birds, fairies, butterflies) - (all of my favorite things!
SpaceMermaid: me too! )
glowinthedarkstars: what is it that draws you to the sea and the winged beauties?
SpaceMermaid: I wish i could tell you!
glowinthedarkstars: i adore the bird rings - do you think you will branch out in that area in the future - maybe fairies - butterflies - dragonflies?
SpaceMermaid: Yes, I am working on some more winged creatures... for rings, pins, necklaces, barrettes, and hats.
Check out the wonderful jewelry inspired by moons, mermaids, faeries and magic of Stephanie Carbone at www.SpaceMermaid.com.
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