CMD Process

For me, one of the most important aspects of design is iteration, iteration, iteration. Ideas for new pieces often come to me when I least expect it: while walking on the beach, taking a shower, during a meditation session or while driving. Ideas tend to arrive at rather inconvenient [...]

Those who know me know that mixing metals is one of my signature aesthetics. I just adore the way that the dark, matte silver pairs with bright gold. To achieve the darkened look, we purposefully oxidize sterling silver in our studio to create the gorgeously distinctive and stunning surface treatment that you see in so [...]

CMD is all about the mixed metals, shapes and...finishes! Today I wanted to show you the difference between signature MATTE and SHINY finishes on our jewelry. The cuff on the left has a SHINY, high polish finish. If you look really closely, you can even see my reflection in the bracelet. This gives a "blingier" look [...]

Those who know me know that mixing metals is one of my signature aesthetics. I just adore the way that the dark, matte silver pairs with bright gold. Read on to learn how to preserve your oxidized silver jewelry as long as possible, and how to re-create the effect at home! Who doesn't love a good DIY project, anyway?

There’s a touching human connection element to handmade products that you just don’t get with mass-produced jewelry. When you have something in your hand that someone else made, it feels different than if it was made by a machine. It tells a story [...]

These pieces are near and dear to me. The matte gold is soft, but stunning, and highlights the subtle but gorgeous transition between the two metals. It’s sweet, but bold… different. These pieces are available in matte and shiny, and combinations of the two. My personal favorite is matte all the way.

Sometimes, you don’t realize where the gaps are until you see what people gravitate towards and what seems to be almost lacking in a collection. This gives me a really good sense of where to start, and what pieces I should be focusing on. A great coach of mine advises me to “listen to what they want; give them what they need.”

I often get asked what my favorite part of being a designer is. For me, it’s surely the creative design process – the part where I sit down, put pen to paper, and sketch and sketch and sketch. When I’m in the studio by myself, there’s something about the quiet that allows my brain to flick on… well, on a good day anyway.

An interesting part of the design process is forcing myself to pivot direction when need be. Sometimes what I expect to be a winning sketch just doesn’t come to life the right way. The design process is truly a process, and it’s important to listen to the metals as I’m working with them.

While our retail side is open Tuesday-Saturday, every Monday is a dedicated behind-the-scenes sketching day—even on days when creative inspiration is lacking. Those times are often when fresh ideas spring forth. Without a clear vision in mind, sitting down to sketch circles is unforced and lends itself to new thoughts. 

We’re grateful to spend each day working with our hands and stretching our creativity. The benchmark of Colleen Mauer Designs is hand-crafted design, and our pieces take many forms—quite literally and figuratively—from sketches on a pad to finished jewelry. 

Our TRI collection has quickly become a signature CMD style, and we’re often asked how we achieve the tri-toned effect within a single piece. We love taking you behind-the-scenes in the studio, so read on to learn about the process that brings TRI to life.