Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Earrings

Jewelry design by Angèle van Diessen
Photography by Angèle van Diessen

In honor of my cousin's request for a cheesecake-inspired pair of earrings!

These earrings are my favorite so far. The main bead is a raspberry colored glass rondelle bead. I framed it with clear Swarovski crystal bicone beads on pale pink wire.  Some of the wire curves and flows in fancy swirls, while some wire sleekly contrasts.

My new Etsy shop, Receptivity, is now open! www.etsy.com/shop/Receptivity  I'll be adding more listings, so check back often!  : )

Tomato Garlic Shrimp with Risotto

Photography by Angèle van Diessen

Cooking is one of the things that I simply love to do, and I will take the time to do it.   I love to experiment with new ingredients or methods. 

This dish tastes great and it's quite simple. First, I seasoned the peeled and deveined shrimp with some kosher salt and ground black pepper. Then, I sautéed them in olive and minced garlic. At the very end, I threw in some diced tomato and a few torn basil leaves. I served it atop a risotto with a very mild flavor. It's flavor comes from the chicken broth I used to cook it and a little grated Parmesan cheese. The mild creaminess of the risotto paired with the bold flavors of the shrimp is a great combination!

The key to well-cooked shrimp is high heat for only a couple minutes. Shrimp cooks extremely quickly, and you also have to take into account the fact that it will continue to cook in the residual heat. So, you have to stop cooking the shrimp before they're fully done.

Risotto is not something you can leave to itself. It needs constant stirring to release the starch that will give you the creamy consistency as you gradually add the cooking liquid. It should take somewhere around 20-25 minutes to cook. This is probably the most labor-intensive part of the entire dish, but the creaminess is worth it!

My new Etsy shop, Receptivity, is now open! www.etsy.com/shop/Receptivity  I'll be adding more listings, so check back often!  : )

Chandelier Earrings

Jewelry design by Angèle van Diessen
Photography by Angèle van Diessen

For my mother's birthday gift, I wanted to make something a little more classic. These earrings fall in the more classic chandelier design. The deeper colors are a little more mature, but I added some copper to brighten it up a bit and add some interest.

My new Etsy shop, Receptivity, is now open! www.etsy.com/shop/Receptivity  I'll be adding more listings, so check back often!  : )

Earrings Inspired By Eyes

Design by Angèle van Diessen
Photography by Angèle van Diessen

I find myself (maybe like most artists) discovering interesting or beautiful things in everyday life. Sometimes, I immediately have an idea for something I want to make. At other times, I won't even have any ideas right away, but that color palette, shape, or impression tucks itself away for another time.

These earrings were inspired by the color of my sister's eyes. Her eyes turn more brown when she wears green and they'll turn more green when she's wearing brown. I remember growing up it was interesting to see how a certain outfit would change her eyes. Or what color would this eyeshadow make them? They're always moving along that spectrum between brown and green. So, I chose the 2 different brown wires with the green main bead. The shape and construction of the wire elements expresses the flow from very brown to green and the intertwining of the colors along the way.

My new Etsy shop, Receptivity, is now open! www.etsy.com/shop/Receptivity  I'll be adding more listings, so check back often!  : )