Leather Bracelets

I sell to a lot of small gift shops in temples and they are always asking me to make something more affordable.  Ok, cheaper-but with the same style and quality all my pieces. So last month I was tinkering around in the studio, trying to come up with another great Bat Mitzvah gift.  I remembered that my daughters always come home from camp with an arm load of friendship bracelets, that they made or traded.  The bracelets stay on until they inevitably fall apart, and off.  They are really cool and a bit bohemian.  I really like them, so I see do many high end jewelry designer, so why not make a Jewish version.
I found a great American made company that makes leather cording in great colors.  I designed a bunch of silver charms, a chai, star, heart, hamsa and a shalom charm.  After a lot of experimentation I decided on a double strap design with a silver button closure. 

I'm still experimenting on the colors I should offer.  I've showed them to a couple shops and they have really liked them.  So Im making more and will have them on had for the URJ show in San Diego in December.

They are about $32-$34 retail. 

Niche Award Finalist 2014

I checked my email this morning and I was delighted to find that my Freedom Mezuzah was chosen as a Niche Award Finalist in the Judaica catagory.

I created the piece especially for an exhibit at the Museum of ImaJewnation last year in St. Louis, called Freedom Imagined, Freedom Lived.  Here is my Artist Statement about the piece.

Freedom Mezuzah

Rachel Kranzberg Miller

Fine Silver

We were slaves in Egypt, imprisoned and forced to build the temples and mausoleums for Egyptian Gods and Pharaohs.  The pyramid shape and hieroglyphics texture represents this. The doorway, recounts the connection between the lamb’s blood on the lintel and door posts of the Israelite homes in Egypt on the night of the exodus, protecting the Jews from the 10th plague-- the killing of the firstborn in Egypt.  The Ten Commandments are represented at the top of the piece, the ultimate prize for the Children of Israel.  Inside the Hebrew script texture provides a safe and loving home for the scroll.  For me, the Jewish home is the most important element in my life and my art.

This mezuzah, unlike most traditional Mezuzot, opens and unlocks, from the front, thereby allowing one to free the scroll from its home and examine or study the text inside.  

The Niche Awards are given out by Niche Magazine, as an award for excellent in fine crafts for American and Canadian Artists.  

The Mezuzah was purchased by the Karma Fine Crafts in Newton, Mass. and is available for purchase as well as many other creations from Rachel Kranzberg Miller