Madame Magpie-Andrea Robinson

Today's guest who unapologetically lives her joy and follows her dreams is Andrea Robinson, fondly known as Madame Magpie (she likes shiny things!) Andrea has a memory from when she was young of tugging her mom's skirt,looking up at her, and saying as earnestly as only a very small human can, "I'm going to be an artist when I grow up!" A gift of seed beads and a loom started her on the journey. At 21, a friend looked at a necklace she was making and asked, "How much for that?" A light came on and that’s when jewelry became the path for her. Her education in metals began in high scholl as the only girl in metal shop class, having no idea that she would end up wielding a much smaller set of tools less than a decade later. As a silversmith, she began as a repeir jeweler and worked her way around to the side of designing. Her gem obsession started with, “Ooooh, that’s pretty!” and eventually grew to, “Hmm. That rhodolite sparkles differently than that rubellite and they’re the same color. What gives?” That last question took her to California where she spent six glorious months at the Gemological Institute of America learning the answer. Andrea earned her Graduate Gemologist degree for Christmas that year. Andrea lives in Sierra Vista, AZ with her husband, pursuing the art of making jewelery design her living. She rides a motorcycle and her quiet nature reveals a spit fire just waiting to emerge, just like the jewelry she creates. http://www.mmemagpie.com