Jewelry Care

We use only real 925 sterling silver for our jewelry. This metal is 92.5% sterling silver

(hence the number designation) combined with copper. Silver needs to be combined with other metals because on its own, silver is so soft that it won’t keep its shape. That little bit of copper allows our craftspeople to create the intricate designs that make our jewelry unique.

Our silver contains no nickel to ensure that people with this sensitivity will not have an allergic reaction to our products.

We use recycled silver whenever possible, sourcing from secondary refiners whenever we can. We also use farm-grown mother of pearl. Both practices lighten our impact on the environment.

Jewelry made from natural materials will discolor over time. So the best way to keep it looking great is to keep it away from humidity, air, and heat.

If you have a small zip-top bag, keeping your piece in it is an effective way to keep it looking like new. Make sure your jewelry is dry and free of dirt, oils, and grime before you store it away.

It's best not to sleep with your jewelry on.  When we toss and turn in our sleep we risk bending pieces out of shape.  

Classic silver pieces are must-haves in your jewelry collection. But real silver tarnishes quickly. Storing your silver in individual plastic zip-lock pouches will keep them bright for a long time. But if you prefer to display your silver bracelets, earrings, and necklaces you’ll need to keep the tarnish in check.

Keep a polishing cloth nearby.

Like brass, you can keep your silver looking smart by polishing it after every wearing with a microfiber polishing cloth.

A Sunshine Polishing Cloth removes dirt and oils that contribute to tarnish and returns   luster to your silver, brass, and gold jewelry. Store it near your jewelry, and you’ll be able to work out light tarnish on an as-needed basis. Polish your jewelry after each wearing and it will help you stay on top of it. They run about $2.50 per cloth.

Professional-grade polishing wax will keep silver bright.

Renaissance Wax, a high-quality, professional-grade polishing wax, works just as well on silver and gold as it does on brass. Use it to clean away the spots and to coat your silver with a thin layer of wax that discourages tarnish. Museums and other institutions use it to clean and preserve fine articles around the world. I love it for keeping silver bright and beautiful.

A jar, which costs about $16.00, will last for many years.

Everyday household items can also lift tarnish.  

Baking soda and aluminum form the backbone of a great DIY method for cleaning silver and is, hands-down, the best way I’ve found to clean silver necklace chains.

Place one tablespoon of baking soda, one tablespoon of sea salt and one-half cup of vinegar in an aluminum baking pan. Pour in one cup of boiling water.

Place silver pieces in the pan, spacing them out to make sure they’re not overlapping and that each piece is touching the aluminum. Pour in more boiling water to cover, if needed.

Leave silver in the water for 30 seconds to one minute and remove with tongs. When jewelry is cool enough to handle, buff with a soft cloth.

You can also use DIY brass-cleaning methods for your silver:

1. Coat your silver jewelry with a tomato-based product, such as ketchup or tomato sauce. Allow it to sit for at least an hour then clean with hot, soapy water. (The acid in tomatoes helps loosen tarnish.)
2. Sprinkle salt on half a cut lemon and rub the salted surface directly on your tarnished jewelry. Re-salt and repeat as often as you need to. When the tarnish has lifted, rinse, dry, and buff with a soft dry cloth.

Brass is one of my favorites. Its deep, yellow warmth is versatile and it has a satisfying heft that adds a sophisticated accent to almost any outfit. As brass ages, however, it will tarnish. The good news is that you can always return brass to a high shine:

Purchase a polishing cloth.

A microfiber cloth, such as the Sunshine Polishing Cloth, removes dirt and oils that contribute to tarnish and makes your brass pieces shine again. Keep your polishing cloth close to the place where you store your jewelry and wipe down your brass after each wearing. At about $2.50 per cloth, it’s a small investment.

Invest in a high-quality wax polish.

For stubborn bits of tarnish, I like Renaissance Wax. This professional-grade polishing wax cleans away the spots and leaves a thin protective coating behind that prevents the formation of tarnish. Museums and other institutions use it to clean and preserve fine articles around the world. It will work beautifully for your jewelry, too.

One little jar, which runs about $16.00, will last for years.

Try a more affordable brass cleaner.

Can’t justify the pricey stuff? There’s a less expensive alternative. Drop by your local hardware store and ask for a brass cleaner.

Though not specifically a jewelry cleaner, it will clean your earrings as well as it does candlesticks or cabinet hardware.

Follow the safety precautions on the label and use only on the portions of your jewelry that are not in continuous contact with your skin. Avoid using on ear posts, the inner surface of a ring or bracelet, necklace chains, and the like. If you have sensitive skin, use one of the other cleaning methods.

A bottle typically runs about $6.00.

DIY your brass care.

Materials that you already have at home can shine your brass jewelry, too.

Here are my favorite natural cleaning methods:

1. Scrub your brass jewelry with warm soapy water and a toothbrush to remove dirt and oils. Dry with a soft towel and buff with a microfiber polishing cloth.

2. If there's still tarnish, coat brass pieces with thin layer of a tomato-based product, such as ketchup or tomato sauce. (The acid in tomatoes helps loosen tarnish.) Allow it to sit for at least an hour. Clean with hot, soapy water.

3.Grab a lemon, cut it in half, and sprinkle salt over the cut surface. Rub the salted surface directly on the jewelry. Re-salt the lemon and repeat as necessary. When the tarnish has lifted, buff with a soft dry cloth.

All wood pieces in our collection are hand-carved. Treat each piece like a little sculpture. Store it in a dry, safe place and make sure it’s not kept in a jumble with other pieces that could damage any delicate edges.

To care for your wooden jewelry, condition the wood periodically by rubbing a bit of olive or coconut oil into the wood to keep it from drying or cracking.

Mother of pearl is one of the most delicate and enchanting materials we use. All pieces are hand-carved miniature sculptures, so keep them in a dedicated place that’s dry and safe.

Mother of pearl is a natural material that can collect fingerprints, dirt, and grime. Wipe it away periodically with a microfiber polishing cloth. If you find more stubborn spots on the fragile surface, try cleaning with warm, soapy water and a soft-bristled brush.

Yes! All of our earrings--even those made of brass--have sterling silver hypoallergenic ear-wires. We want to make sure that as many people as possible can enjoy our designs.

Our ear wires run on the thick side of “standard,” which the industry defines as anywhere between 22- and 18-gauge wire.

In our experience, only a tiny minority of people with particularly small piercings cannot wear our earrings. About 99% of our customers can wear 18-gauge wires.

We use the thickest possible standard wire because it’s necessary for the stability of our designs. It gives us the freedom to design earrings with really long ear-wires that won’t bend out of shape. Thicker wire also gives our craftspeople a larger connection point for soldering the wire to the decorative part of the earring.

One of the most appealing things about some of our earring designs is the long, curved  ear wires.

Since these wires are primarily made from sterling silver, they can bend when inserted into the ear. Sterling silver is a bit more malleable than a base metal but it’s also the best material for sensitive skin.

To put on earrings with long ear-wires, think about threading them through your piercing.  Grasp the wire at the closest point to your piercing, and slowly thread it through.  As you continue to move the wire through your piercing, work your finger and thumb up the wire, close to the ear. This will stabilize the earring and keep it from bending out of shape. Take them off the same way in reverse.

Yes. All designs with long ear-wires come with a set of backings. You won't necessarily need them, but some designs, like our spirals, need special backings. These earrings come with sturdy rubber backings that slide easily up the long ear-wires to snug up against the back of the ear.

If you need to replace them, you can find the ones I use at Rio Grande (Item number 631018 at riogrande.com). The trick: cut off the tip of the rubber backing before using them.

It can be difficult to tell from an online photo where a particular necklace chain will fall on you or on the person you’re buying for. The best way to decide is to simulate the length by draping a piece of yarn or string around your neck and bringing it together in front where you’d like the ornament to hang. Remove the string, keeping your fingers on the points where it came together, and measure. Then check our chart and order the length that’s the closest.

We do! Here are the details:

*Contact us within 14 days of receiving your order.

*Return item within 21 days.

*To qualify for a refund, all items must be in the same condition in which you received them, and retuned in original box and packaging.

Conditions of return

Buyer is responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.

If there’s a problem with your order or item, we will make it right. Shoot us an email at annie@theblissful.co and explain the situation. We'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Your order will be packed in a silver linen foil-covered jewelry box and placed in a muslin pouch. All our jewelry boxes and padded mailers are made from a minimum of 50% post-consumer content and are recyclable. We try to be as eco-friendly as we can be!

If you'd like each piece packed in its own box, leave us a message during checkout. Otherwise, we'll default to our environmentally friendly packaging practice of including multiple pieces in one box when possible.

Yes! Options beyond our standard packaging are available. We can wrap your gift and even hand write a brief note to the recipient on your behalf! Gift wrap includes a silver linen foil jewelry gift box tied up with gold woven thread, topped with a tassel, and placed in a soft muslin pouch.  We will handwrite your personal note on our custom gift tag and tie it with a bow onto the muslin bag.  Send us a note with your order requesting gift wrap, include the gift message you'd like us to write, and don't forget to say who the gift is from :)

We only send electronic receipts to the buyer. That helps us save paper and makes it easy for you to conceal the price from your loved one. (No fishing out the receipt or hurrying to remove a price tag!)

 Please send an email to inquire by clicking HERE. I’d love to hear what you have in mind!