Each of my lines is inspired by a fabulous woman. Rather than spring, summer, or fall, my lines are Alanna, Maria, and Nellie Bly. With them as my inspiration, I strive to create pieces that last — jewelry that resonates both emotionally and aesthetically. Read below to learn how the stories of these amazing women imbue the jewelry I create.
Alanna
The name for this line comes from the heroine of my favorite childhood book. Alanna was brave, driven, and independent (not to mention a magical knight). This line is about the strength we derive from having heroes (whether real or fantastical) to live up to. It is about striving, reaching, stretching to live up to ideals.
On a personal note, this line is also about love. Alanna was my favorite story, one I read and re-read over and over again. Some time back I met a wonderful man, a guy who laughed at my jokes and loved my art – and somehow in the few belongings he had with him in his rental apartment, he had a hard copy of the first edition of my favorite book, Alanna. I married that man.
Striving and love, reaching and being vulnerable. The pieces in this line are a combination of smooth edges and rough surfaces. In recognition that each of our attempts will always be unique, each piece is hand-made and slightly different from the rest.
Part of the Alanna line. Inspired by the strength we gain from heroes and all of our quests for love.
100% recycled sterling silver is hand-hammered, hand-cut, and individually soldered to a copper tip. Together the two metals merge seamlessly as one. 18-inch sterling silver fluid chain.
As part of the Alanna line, each piece is handmade and unique. No two pieces are exactly the same.
Part of the Alanna line. Inspired by the strength we gain from heroes and all of our quests for love. Pressed and hand-hammered into shape with hand-made rivets. Each piece is continuously malleted until the metal has the precise combination of strength and flexibility that makes it a dream to wear.
In this edition, one half of the cuff is sterling silver and one is bronze. It is meant to be a symbol of union, of coming together whether in friendship, family, or love.
Also available in bronze with nickel silver rivet, and in sterling silver with brass rivet. 14 karat solid gold available upon request; email custom@libbybk.com for pricing and more information.
As part of the Alanna line, each piece is handmade and unique. No two pieces are exactly the same.
Part of the Alanna line. Inspired by the strength we gain from heroes and all of our quests for love. The copper drops are hand-hammered and hand cut with sterling silver ear-wire individually soldered to each piece. The warm color of the copper blends and contrasts with the clean brightness of silver.
As part of the Alanna line, each piece is handmade and unique. No two pieces are exactly the same.
Offered with the ear wire in two gauges. The standard is 20 gauge. If you have particularly sensitive ears, we can custom make these earrings for you with 22 gauge ear wire. Note that the thinner wire will be more fragile and takes 2 - 4 weeks to make. Email Libby@LibbyBK.com to enquire about this option.
Copper drops with sterling silver wire.
Maria
This line is inspired by my incredibly brave friend, Maria. She is an amazing climber, but in October of 2012, she fell 60 feet from a cliff while climbing in Maine and was seriously injured. Friends and community members from her small town joined together to help her through her recovery. She was skiing again that winter and won a 9-mile trail race up and down a local mountain that spring. She's not just recovered, she's overcome.
The fundamentals of each piece are taken from the knots used in climbing ropes. Just as knots connect one climber to another, the knots in this line signify our connections to each other. Like our relationships, knots become stronger when we pull on them. These knots represent the love that connects us and the strength gained from adversity. Each piece in the Maria line explores this theme in a slightly different way.
Part of the Maria Line. Inspired by Maria's resilience in life and in rock climbing, as well as the community that surrounds her.
A tangled pile of interwoven strands floats lightly on the ear. Similar in shape to a pearl earring, these tangles are a funky alternative to an eternal classic.
Climber’s ropes get tangled and so do our lives. It happens just when we need it least or when we are in the biggest hurry. This piece is about patience during times when patience is hardest to find. It is about sitting back and working through the tangles, whatever they may be. It is about having someone hold onto the loose end until we gain clarity and it is about the peace we find when we’ve worked through challenge together.
Available in 18 karat antique gold-plated bronze (shown) and sterling silver. Also available in 14 karat solid gold upon request. Please email custom@libbybk.com for pricing and more information.
Part of the Maria Line. Inspired by Maria's resilience in life and in rock climbing, as well as the community that surrounds her.
A double figure eight knot adorns the center of the wrist. Figure eight knots are one of the most important knots used by climbers on their ropes. The figure eight knot tethers climbers to each other for protection in case of a fall.
A perfect gift for a person that has caught you in one of life's many falls. Also a perfect gift for yourself as a reminder of all of your own recoveries.
Available in 18 karat antique gold-plated bronze (shown), sterling silver. Also available in 14 karat solid gold upon request. Please email custom@libbybk.com for pricing and more information.
Part of the Maria Line. Inspired by Maria's resilience in life and in rock climbing, as well as the community that surrounds her.
A half-inch bowline pendant hangs loosely on a delicate 18" chain. The bowline is a knot used by climbers and sailors to create stable circles in their ropes. This piece is about the strength of the circles in our lives, our families and communities, our significant others and our friends.
Available in sterling silver (shown) and in 18 karat antique gold-plated bronze. Also available in 14 karat solid gold upon request. Please email custom@libbybk.com for pricing and more information.
Part of the Maria Line. Inspired by Maria's resilience in life and in rock climbing, as well as the community that surrounds her.
A row of alternating loops (half hitches) wraps softly around the wrist. Overlapping ends give a new take to the classic cuff.
The half-hitch is a knot that rarely stands alone. Combined with some knots, it acts as an enhancer, giving extra strength to what is already strong. Coupled with another half-hitch, it allows a climber to move along a rope without having to face the insecurity of being untied. This piece is about the power we derive from joining with others, how reliance on our relationships can be a grounding force through even the hardest transitions.
Available in 18 karat antique gold-plated bronze (as shown) and sterling silver. Also available in 14 karat solid gold upon request. Please email custom@libbybk.com for pricing and more information.
Note: this piece is meant to bend in order to wear it, but it's not indestructible. Only bend your piece as much as is necessary get it on and off your wrist.
Nellie Bly
Nellie Bly was a journalist and explorer in the mid-late 1800s. She launched her career by purposefully getting committed to a women's mental institution in New York City. She then penned an exposé on the abuses she witnessed inside, and she is widely considered to be the first American investigative journalist.
She soared to international fame when she set out to circumnavigate the globe faster than Phileas Fogg, the fictional protagonist in Jules Verne's Around the World In 80 Days. Bly departed from New Jersey and journeyed by train, boat, and burro. She returned 72 days, 6 hours, and 11 minutes later.
The pieces in this line are reflective of treasures one might encounter when traveling the globe. Although our pieces don't date back to Nellie Bly's time, they are all the types of things that she surely would have seen. This collection is a tribute to exploration. It is meant to inspire the adventurer in all of us.
