Blog

Having grown up on the east coast, a balmy summer day that rolls into evening is nostalgic, and I’m currently in Trumansburg, NY soaking it up. With bicoastal CMD production studios, I have a chance to spend time a fair amount of time in New York during all four seasons. Summer certainly has the most distinct vibe...

This extravagant event is open to all. Join me and the CMD team as we spread festive arm parties everywhere we go. Required for attendance: lots & lots of layered bracelets. Location: anywhere & everywhere. I’m feeling especially inspired by bracelets as I prepare to launch FORTH by CMD, our latest collection. 

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.

This is a very special week, as my beloved grandma turns 100 years old on July 29! Does she look incredible or what!? I feel so grateful that my life has been surrounded by strong, inspiring women, and my grandma is a huge part of that unshakeable foundation.

Sam is creative and curious (and even moonlights as a tattoo artist). She cites our Black & Gold Mini Inflecto Necklace as one of her favorite CMD pieces because of the asymmetry and gold/oxidized silver juxtaposition. Sam’s a rockstar at her job, and we are all so glad she’s part of the team.

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. 

These earrings rarely leave our lobes from June through September. Whether we’re out for a night on the town, making jewelry in the studio or just tucking our toes in the sand, these shiny hoops are quite literally by our sides. (Plus, they’re an especially lovely complement to a floppy beach hat.)

Summer may not (quite) be here, but recent sunshiny days have us dreaming of long warm nights draped in layered jewelry and breezy fabrics. No matter what the climate, squared rings and hammered bangles are always in season. These bold rings make a statement, especially when paired with light-colored fabrics.

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. 

CMD runs on woman power, and we’re all the stronger for it. We were delighted to spend the last few days at our New York Production Studio, all the way across the country from our San Francisco HQ. While we may span time zones, our common passions, worth ethics and respect for one another keep us closely tied together. 

While we offer several variations of pre-made stacks, CMD also offers dozens of individual rings at our Ring Bar. This is a fun and creative way for our clients to participate in “interactive design” and put together stacks that are 100% personalized for them.

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.

Showcasing silver and rose gold with a hint of oxidized silver, she styles this piece uniquely by pairing it with a little black dress, chain resting against her neck, and the arc hanging on her back. Sam names this sleek and simple piece as a staple in her wardrobe.

I’m often asked about the design process, and I must admit it always starts the same way—with prisma-colored pencils, a BIC mechanical pencil, and blank sheets of paper of any size. This is the foolproof trifecta that’s served me well over the years. When I sit down to design, I just start sketching away...

As the year winds down and we look forward to 2017, we want to take a moment to thank each of you for supporting small business this year. We’re appreciative of each of one of you! Our very favorite part of the holiday season (next to spending it with friends and family) is the Christmas tree itself.