I think at this point we all know my obsession with finding charms that represent my son — so far I’ve collected as many “G” initials as I could, had his silhouette made, his birth stats handstamped, I created a breastfeeding charm after not finding anything I liked online and I treasure a vintage locket with his photos in it. I’m always on the hunt for new pieces, especially ones that are completely custom. I screamed out loud when I saw the tiny footprint charms that Bling Advisor creates from the footprints you’re given the day your little one is born. It’s funny how there are these “traditions” that occur with big moments like bringing a new life into this world. I didn’t think much of the little white card with Gino’s footprints that were given to me after 18 hours of labor, but now that he is almost 17 months and running all over with those once teeny tiny feet, I look at them and instantly remember that moment.
So, more on Bling Advisor — they are a mother-daughter team, which is very inspiring! They are also black-owned and have been in the jewelry industry for 30 years. Their platform, Bling Advisor, is a newly launched B2C custom fine jewelry destination where you can turn your jewelry vision into reality. They specialize in walking you through the process, as customer service is a major priority. And I got to experience just that when making these cute little footprints.
It was fascinating to me to see what I provided (which was a snapshot of the footprints, which I received from the hospital the day Gino was born) and how just that alone was able to be transformed into a 3D rendering…and eventually into gold detailed footprints. My first step was to take the photo of the footprints — I just used my iPhone and took the photo in the sunlight. I then sent it over to Amber who then replied a few days later with a CAD rendering of what the charm would look like. She adds details to the rendering so the feet “come to life” with the little lines and wrinkles. The next step I didn’t do, but you can be sent a wax model of what the finished piece will look like to make any final changes on size or details. Next, I customized the piece even more by choosing to add Gino’s birthstone to the bail and had his name engraved on one and his birthdate engraved on the other!
I’m so happy with how they turned out and grateful to Bling Advisor for the lovely experience. It was a pleasure working with Amber and I look forward to creating more treasured pieces in the future. If you have a jewelry project you’ve been eager to get started but unsure of where to go — I highly recommend Bling Advisor!
