Elegantly Eccentric Designs, LLC is a one-person studio, nestled in the woods in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I’m Rachel Rogers-Rodgers, that one person. I have been designing and making jewelry for 25 years, selling pieces locally for almost 20 years, and selling on Etsy since 2015. I’m a public history and archaeology volunteer and a nontraditional college student (NOVA Social Sciences: History AS and Public History and Historic Preservation CSC). I’ve also dabbled in many different traditional art media and done a little historic costuming over the years. My personal research focuses on the ancient Mediterranean, particularly the Phoenician expansion, but I also have a soft spot for Roman material culture, which definitely shows itself in this shop.

My jewelry designs tend to fall into four categories:

• replicas or reimaginings of odd museum pieces

• pieces based off of old portraits (particularly intended for costumer or theater use)

• wirework and sheet metal adventures

• nature themes

This has resulted in a proliferation of freshwater pearls and Czech glass beads, both of which I particularly enjoy using in my work.

A fifth category of commemorative/ satirical jewelry is now available. My public historian side has been waffling on what, if anything, to do to commemorate America’s 250th. The results are in the 250! shop section.