About
The Artist
Hello! I’m Elsie and I’m the human behind Elsie Red Handmade (ERH). I design and craft every piece of the jewelry you see here by hand and with love and care. I cherish every aspect of the process that contributes to ERH, from designing and sourcing materials to making, photographing, and packaging your orders. ERH is my creative passion, and I’m grateful for kind souls like you who resonate with my style and aesthetics.
When I’m not playing with gemstones and gold fill wires, I’m a full-time researcher at a policy think tank. I live in Houston, Texas with my husband and our two children.
A few fun facts about me:
- I’m an identical twin, with my sister and I born just one minute apart.
- I moved across the globe from Taiwan to the US in 2013 as an exchange student and have lived here ever since.
- While I have always preferred savory snacks over sweets, my taste changed after becoming a mother.
The Art
After graduating from grad school and finding a job, I started ERH in the summer of 2016 as a hobby. Little did I know it would evolve to a serious passion. I now incorporate 14K gold fill wires and high quality gemstones, including rose cut and faceted stones, into my work. I use cold techniques, meaning I shape wires through bending, wrapping, and hammering without using a torch to heat up metals. Garnet, Sapphire, and Tourmaline are among my favorite gemstones, and prong setting is my current favorite setting method!