FAQ

Payment:

As of now, the only forms of payment I accept are Personal Checks and Paypal. All goods paid for by personal check will remain the property of Shawna Hudson Designs, LLC until the check has cleared the bank.

Return/exchange policy:

Any money that has been paid to us will be exchanged in the form of a store credit only within two weeks of date of purchase. Exchanges or store credit will be granted upon approval via telephone. All products that are being exchanged must be unworn and must include original tags. No funds will be refunded under any circumstances. By engaging in any transaction with Shawna Hudson Designs LLC, you agree to this Refund/Exchange Policy.

We are committed to protecting your privacy. I have never nor will ever sell any of my Client’s personal information to anyone. End of story.

Custom orders:

Please contact me if you would like me to make you something specific using my materials, such as a custom pair of earrings that go with a necklace in my listings. I do not charge an additional custom fee to do this. In addition, many, but not all of my earrings can be changed to include sterling posts instead of ear wires, and vice versa.

Packaging:

Each order comes packaged in a beautiful turquoise box with a ribbon, so there is no need to wrap it if it’s given as a gift. In the box, you will find an organza bag which contains your jewelry along with a small polishing cloth to help you keep your silver and stones beautiful and shiny. The hand-written tag will not reflect the price but will need to be included in any returns for exchange or store credit.

Props:

I sometimes use props in my photos, including garments, which are just that – props and are not included in the listings.

What are 100 year old French Metal or Steel Beads and how do I take care of them:

These beautiful antique steel and metal beads were made over 100 years ago and give your piece the wonderful look and patina that no other beads can. I have painstakingly harvested them from antique beaded purses and because they are not the stainless steel of our generation, they do require a little extra care to keep them this way. If they get damp or wet and are allowed to air dry on their own, they may develop spots of rust. To prevent this, simply dry them off as soon they come in contact with moisture. A hair dryer is the best way to make sure they are dry on the inside too. If you notice that they have developed some spots of rust from direct exposure to moisture, a little buffing with a very fine grade of sandpaper should do the trick.

What is “Bridge Jewelry”?

“Bridge jewelry” is jewelry that bridges the gap between cheap, mass produced costume jewelry and premier lines of “fine jewelry”. This type of jewelry features glamorous touches such as semi-precious stones, and dazzling sterling silver, platinum, rose gold and gold vermeil finishes.

What is Matrix?

Matrix is the term used to describe the contrasting material in a parent rock – usually turquoise. Matrix can be thick channels or delicate fine lines like a spiderweb. Matrix can add texture to the stone as well as a bit of glimmer in some cases. It is usually made of iron pyrite and can look like flecks, spots or distinct veins. The most common matrix colors seen in turquoise are black, brown and caramel.

What is Sterling Silver vs. Fine Silver?

Sterling is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by weight of silver and 7.5% by weight of other metals, usually copper and is widely used to create jewelry and its components both in the US and abroad.

The fine silver beads I use to create my designs are made in Chiang Mai which is a city in the mountainous region of northern Thailand. All of these beads are made by the Karen Hill Tribe silversmiths using traditional tribal methods. Each piece is made by hand using primitive tools, so a lot of work and detail goes into each bead. As they are all created by hand, the silver used must be soft and malleable, thus contain a higher silver content and contains 97% pure silver to 3% of other metals. Each purchase of these Thai silver beads sustain a traditional craft and provide the Karen people with a reliable source of income. Each one of these beads are a beautiful work of art all their own.

Both sterling and fine silver will tarnish over time and will occasionally need to be polished to retain its luster. With each piece you purchase, you will receive a small polishing cloth that can be used many times to clean your silver. As you use your cloth, it will eventually turn black with tarnish but you can keep using it as it will still clean your jewelry. This cloth can also be used to polish the stones in your piece.