MEGAN AUMAN

Join the mailing list be the first to know about new jewelry and art, classes, and writing!

black and white plaid with black and white statement necklace

by Leave a Comment

fall winter holiday style: black and white plaid shirt with black and white chunky gemstone statement necklace

Sharing this black and navy plaid shirt the other day reminded me that I’ve been meaning to share these other images I took of this Contra Composition necklace with a black and white plaid shirt. (Maybe I didn’t share them before because I wasn’t having quite as a good a hair day when I shot it! But it was a studio day, so #messyhairdontcare)

While it’s easy to keep plaid in the fall bucket, I do love it for casual holiday style as well! Especially if your family gatherings tend towards more casual. A plaid shirt feels festive without being too fancy. (Of course, if you need to dress it up, you can always pair it with a midi skirt for a full on White Christmas inspired holiday look!)

[Read more…]

Contra on pattern

by Leave a Comment

one of a kind handmade gemstone statement ring with painterly pattern midi skirt

When it comes to my aesthetic, I’m of two minds. I really love clean, modern design, but I also have a soft spot for layers of pattern on pattern. (It was even the subject of my MFA thesis.) Which is why one of my favorite ways to wear (and photograph) pieces from my Contra Collection is on top of pattern.

So whether it’s statement rings on patterned skirts or dresses, or statement necklaces on a floral patterned top, I just love seeing these stunning stones layered over pattern!

[Read more…]

mixing black and navy: casual style edition

by Leave a Comment

casual fall holiday style: black and navy plaid shirt with chunky gemstone statement necklace

This time last year, I was celebrating one of my favorite ways to break style rules, mixing black and navy, with a fairly fancy holiday outfit. So it seems only fitting that this year I celebrate my love for black and navy with a much more casual outfit. (But still with an awesome Contra necklace, because if nature can mix black and navy, so can I!)

[Read more…]

pretty up your keyboard (with unique handmade rings!)

by Leave a Comment

silver on steel handmade stacking statement rings

Thanks to technology, we spend a lot of time staring at our hands. (Or if you’re me, you spend a lot of time staring at your hands while editing pictures of your hands.) That’s why I love rings so much. They add some visual interest to the sameness that is staring at your keyboard all day.

Above picture features the Small Silver on Steel Circle Ring and the Medium Silver on Steel Circle Ring stacked together. (I’d recommend sizing up one whole ring size to make this stack work!) And the image on my computer screen features a Silver on Steel Stacking Ring worn as a thumb ring! (You can see more pics of that ring in this post!)

[Read more…]

highlights from Jewelry: The Body Transformed exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

by 1 Comment

highlights from Jewelry: The Body Transformed exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of the highlights of my trip to New York City Jewelry Week was the opportunity to see Jewelry: The Body Transformed, the blockbuster jewelry exhibition at the Met. (Ok, technically, I saw it twice while I was on the trip. And once more last weekend, since a friend and I had to go to New York anyway to coach a cross country meet in the Bronx.) But can you blame me? The Met is my favorite museum in the world, and to see my chosen profession given top billing in such a prominent exhibition just makes me incredibly happy.

Just seeing the introductory text is a thrilling testament to the power of jewelry:

[Read more…]

morning rituals: handmade tea cups, thumb rings, and statement necklaces

by Leave a Comment

artist maker morning flatlay: handmade ceramic tea cup, mixed metal chain link statement necklace, handmade silver on steel thumb ring

As an independent maker and designer, it’s really easy to fall into the trap of busy-ness this time of year. You only have to follow a few artists and makers on social media to see an endless stream of talk about stress and overwhelm. But I’ve never been a fan of that mentality this time of year, so I’m always looking for ways to slow down, savor little moments, and try to keep stress at bay.

Besides taking time to enjoy my morning cup of tea (in a handmade mug, like this one by Elizabeth Benotti), one of the other ways I’m trying to slow things down is by making it a point to document a lot of jewelry that’s leaving my studio. Like this Maya necklace (I shipped out three in the last week) and these silver on steel stacking rings.

Not only is photographing these pieces a nice way to slow down AND flex my creative muscles, I know that, years from now, I’ll appreciate being able to look back and see what I was working on (and obsessing over) at this moment in time!

[Read more…]

New rings are in the shop!

by Leave a Comment

small, medium, and large handmade mixed metal silver on steel circle rings

In case it wasn’t clear from my recent blog posts (like this one, and this one, and all the ones of me holding things), I’ve pretty obsessed with rings right now! Which is why, even though I’m knee deep in holiday orders, I couldn’t resist sitting down to make these three new rings that I’ve had kicking around in my brain recently! And because I want you to have a chance to rock them this holiday season, they’re already available in my online store!

Pictured from left to right: the Large Circle, Medium Circle, and Small Circle Silver on Steel Rings!