Meet Miriam
Classic Semi-Precious Gemstone Jewelry and Spectacular Conversation Pieces...
One-of-a-Kind Designs by Miriam Never Go Out of Style.
"For each piece of jewelry I design and craft, I use only carefully chosen, high-quality semiprecious gemstones and pearls, sterling silver and bronze,and a variety of materials from diverse worldwide sources. I hand select each component to ensure that each piece is as unique as the woman and men who wear it."
Miriam Bat-Rachel is the name I chose to honor my beloved mother Ray (Mrs. Larry) Gold, a talented artist and devoted mother, who passed away in September 2002. I took my mother's Hebrew name (Rachel), joined it with my Hebrew name (Miriam), and then added the Hebrew term Bat, meaning "daughter of"...and Miriam Bat-Rachel was born.
- My Mother had a great sense of color and design that she expressed in many works of art. In addition to needlepoint, she worked with an ancient technique called paper tole. Mom's paper sculptures of people and animals were thoughtfully framed and sold in a local shop near my father's shoe store, with others given lovingly to family and friends. As Mom grew older, she stopped working with paper sculpture because her arthritic hands could not manage the delicate maneuvers of the tiny scissors and other materials...nor could she withstand the fumes of the glue that would hold the sculptures together. My Father also had an artistic eye that he expressed in beautiful photography. His photos of animals taken at the Bronx and Phoenix Zoos were among his favorites - next to the photos he took of his children and grandchildren. Especially for "Pop," I take all the product photos for the Moonbeams website, as well as for all the Moonbeams advertising materials.
In memory of my mother - and my dad, who passed away in October 2000 - I opened the online portal to Moonbeams Lilacs & Roses in fall of 2003. I first began selling my handcrafted beaded pens, pewter bookmarks accented with beads, and gold and silver plated letter openers and magnifying glasses, and a variety of other beaded accessories for the home and office on Beaded Accessories. As my business and vision grew, so did my offerings. Moonbeams Designer Jewelry includes a unique line of handcrafted gemstone jewelry. I design and handcraft each pieceI using high-quality semiprecious gemstones, Kazuri and other ceramic beads, freshwater pearls, sterling silver, and handcrafted bronze – all from a variety of worldwide sources. I personally select each component to ensure that each product is of the highest quality.
I've been asked many times, why I chose the name Moonbeams, Lilacs & Roses. The company name is also derived from personal experience. "Moonbeams" is from Rosh Hodesh, a Hebrew symbol of renewal, celebrated at each new moon. It is a powerful opportunity to consider our lives, our commitments, and our goals. "Lilacs" were my mother's birth flower and treasured scent, and "Roses" were another of her favorite flowers - and one of the first flowering bushes she and I watched my father plant in front of our home, where my parents lived for more than 50 years. Moonbeams Lilacs & Roses is a gift from my parents that I cherish each day. Every item I create is my way of sharing that gift with my friends, family, and customers.
I know my mother would have enjoyed using the pewter bookmarks in her collection of cookbooks. And she would have loved wearing my jewelry, especially the Amethyst necklaces - her favorite gemstone. The pens would have been my father's favorite product, proudly placed alongside his collection of ballpoint pens - which numbered in the hundreds! When I started to work with beads it was to soothe my soul over the loss of my parents. I never imagined it would grow into a business. But it did! My custom line of designer jewelry has been featured at the Spertus Museum of Chicago's Gift Shop and several specialty shops in Chicago and Scottsdale. But my main focus for sales is my website, which allows me to reach out to both domestic and international shoppers. I design each item of jewelry around the shapes and colors of the natural stones. I spend many hours arranging the stones and sterling silver beads on my worktable, moving them around until I like the way they look. When I design the silver wire accents, I spend a lot of time bending and twisting the wire, so it looks natural on the focal stone - literally as if it were part of the natural texture of the stone. I take the same care in designing the arrangements of the beads I use on the pens, letter openers and magnifying glasses, and the bookmarkers.
I love creating new designs, and take great pride in my work. Each beaded product I create is something I would like to have on my own desk. Each jewelry design is something I would feel good about buying or wearing, or giving as a gift. I spend time reading about the history of beads and the origins of each gemstone, so I can describe it accurately online, as well as showing the photographs.
- To read about Marion's personal journey, click here.
- Miriam was interviewed by Just A Number online magazine for women. Click here to download the article.
- An interview with Marion & Miriam on Biz Women Rock...Click here to download the podcast...
- Miriam was interviewed by Fire Mountain Gems about her fascination with gemstones and jewelry design. Click here to read the entire interview...
- To learn more about Marion as a writer and book author, visit www.mariongold.com.
"I would love to design a necklace using your choice of colors and stones. Have a great day, and thanks for visiting Moonbeams Lilacs & Roses."
Many people are surprised to learn that a successful book author, marketing consultant, writer and editor — also designs jewelry! Actually, there is a great similarity between creating a press release, ghostwriting an article or editorial, or crafting a tactical marketing plan—and designing a piece of jewelry. Words or gemstones ~ Both need to be carefully considered in order to meet the needs of the client and the target audience. As my jewelry-designing persona, “Miriam Bat-Rachel,” I design each item of jewelry around the shapes and colors of the natural stones — How they look and feel to the touch — Choosing and then arranging the stones and sterling silver beads on my worktable, and moving them around until I like the way they look. When designing the silver or bronze wire accents, I bend and twist the wire, so it looks natural on the focal stone—literally as if it were part of the natural texture of the stone. Working with so many wonderful natural stones is both a creative and spiritual experience. Words and gemstones ~ Working with either takes great precision. They both light up my creative spirit!