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After making jewelry for a decade, Lea Peot continues to create one-of-a-kind designs for her customers.

Prior to starting her business, she had experimented with bead weaving on a loom, which led to the creation of her now signature pieces — Treasure Bracelets and Treasure Pendants.

“These very wearable bracelets and pendants are woven on a small hand loom using Czech seed beads as the base. The top is embellished with semi-precious stones, freshwater pearls and Czech glass,” shares Peot who is self-taught.

Lea Peot

“I have always loved designing and creating things that did not require instruction or patterns and was searching for something that would fulfill my need to create something colorful and usable, but would be entirely self directed,” Peot adds.

She also creates other bracelet and necklace styles, along with earrings.

Over the years, Peot’s customer e-mail list has grown to more than 800 people. “It is really those people who are responsible for my success. I am very fortunate to have customers who come to find me at shows and I try very hard to always provide them with new and exciting designs,” she says.

While Peot describes her work as “very calming and therapeutic,” it does take time.

“My most complex and time consuming items are the Treasure Bracelets and Pendants,” she explains. “Some of the simpler, narrow bracelets only require five to seven hours, but the wider bracelets, where I design a pattern in the base and then sew on all of the semi-precious stone and freshwater pearl clusters to coordinate with the base, can take 15-20 hours.”

Color, balance and wearability are the starting points for every piece that Peot fashions. She admits that color is likely her strongest motivator when selecting the direction a piece should take. She does not sketch her designs, but rather goes with what comes to her naturally.

“I am often complimented on my use of color and my unique and vibrant combinations,” she says. “This certainly springs from my own personal love of color, but I also feel that we all wear so many neutrals and a pop of color can really pull a simple outfit together, make a dramatic statement or just make you feel good wearing it.”

Each of Peot’s creations is either very limited edition or a one-of-a-king piece, so custom sizing if often incorporated into her work. “I love to work with the customer to incorporate their ideas into a design specific to them,” explains Peot. “They might be inspired by something they see at one of my shows. Or, they might like a color or a particular stone, but not the design on display. We talk about when the piece would be worn, the type of neckline and most importantly, the style of jewelry they are most comfortable wearing.”

Peot has even had customers send her fabric samples and photos of dresses. While the designer doesn’t specifically create wedding jewelry, she has made custom works for mothers of the bride and groom to complement their attire. Brides-to-be also have selected jewelry for their big day.

For more information on her work or to order a piece, visit Peot’s website at leapeotjewelry.com.