About JbugJules.....
I grew up with an obsession for all things sparkly! The more shimmer and glimmer the better! I’d cover an object in glue, dip it in glitter and in my eyes it was perfection. I developed a passion for identifying "diamonds in the rough" at a young age. I sought out flea markets, consignment and vintage stores to find one-of-a-kind unique pieces of costume jewelry. As a result, my collection became quite extensive. In my early 30's I realized I needed to find a way to put my keen eye for treasure hunting to good use, otherwise, my home would look like an episode of hoarders!
In 2011 I lost my mother to Leukemia. Calling her my best friend would be a massive understatement, she was my whole world. I had no idea how and if I would come out of this. I has lost everything and was a shell of myself. In college I minored in studio art. Every homework assignment, final exam, sketch, DOODLE, etc my mom would have matted, gorgeously framed and prominently displayed in every room of our family's home. She was EXTREMELY supportive of my creativity and adamant that I should pursue an artistic avenue as a career.
I remember cleaning out her closet and taking every single bauble she had. I wanted it all. I even took items like scarf clips and golf medals/pins she had won (my mom was a fantastic golfer). I remember thinking to myself WHAT am I going to do with all of this? I wanted to wear all of it but it was not my aesthetic or style. If I were to wear a pearl lapel pin I would look like I had just stepped off the mayflower. My mom had fabulous style but some of these pieces had been passed down from her great grandmother. I remember clipping her Skokie Country Club disk pin on to a Lanvin “LOVE” necklace and loving the look! It was unique, one of a kind and had a piece of my mother attached to it. I spent the next few days repurposing all of it! It was surprisingly theraputic!
Once I had gone through everything, I began piecing together antique and vintage finds using designer items from my own (embarrassingly) massive, costume jewelry collection. It was a breath of fresh air! Instead of going out and buying a new necklace, I could redesign one I already owned, giving it an entirely new look and feel. Not only did I love wearing these pieces that nobody else in the world would own, creating them was the most exciting part.
Before I knew it, this “hobby” had evolved into 100 plus necklaces! I knew this was no longer a passion project and time to share my creations with the world, starting with friends and family. I received an overwhelming positive response and from there JbugJules was born. That was my nickname I was given as a child, due to my enormous bug eyes, so I felt it was appropriate since all my close friends call me that anyway.
The Jbug collection remains authentic to my passion for glitz and glamour; however I am a chameleon when it comes to style. I design each piece for myself so if its listed on my site or in store I can assure you it is a necklace I love and adore. Each collection showcases various creative techniques. I have diversified each category to provide something for absolutely everyone. I work hard to ensuring each piece maintains its own authentic quality and easily evolves to the needs of my customer. It is indescribably surreal to see someone wearing a JbugJules necklace and saying they feel beautiful.
The components used in each design come from sources far and wide. Each neckpiece is a plethora of high end, handpicked, new and vintage treasures. Each item is a thoughtfully curated combination of colors, materials and textures resulting in a unique, one-of-a-kind, wearable piece of art.
Materials used:
Designer Vintage Antiques
Bronze
Swarovski Crystal
High quality brass
Mother of Pearl
Turquoise
Heliotrope Stones
Rivoli Crystal
Citrine
Seed bead's
Mixed media materials
Chains
Aztec beaded bibs
Tibet hand-beaded bibs
Vintage broaches, earrings and pendants
Clear, matte and multi-color iridescent crystals
Brilliant rhinestones in a rainbow of colors
Czech glass
Gold and silver
Tumbled polished rocks
Agate stones
Recycled material
Each necklace is a ONE OF A KIND original, handmade with love and care. JbugJules necklaces are the perfect accessory for a black tie event or with jeans and a tee-shirt (my favorite!).
