My name is Laura Crawford, I'm 29 and I live in Long Beach, California.

To my mind, a great piece of jewelry should intrigue both the wearer and the viewer. It should demand a second look and elicit curiosity. With each piece, I delight in making jewelry that asks you to look a little deeper... jewelry that incorporates a bit of playful complexity... jewelry that is beautiful for non-traditional reasons.

As a transplant to Southern California from Oregon, I look for ways to bring nature into all aspects of my life — especially my jewelry. I enjoy incorporating not only silhouettes of trees, but also actual bits and pieces of them. My recent work includes real leaves, bark and seeds — all sealed and protected for durability. By bringing these elements into my jewelry, I can introduce nature into our daily lives in a very accessible way.

I design, craft and fabricate each piece of jewelry by hand in my Long Beach studio. Because nothing is "machined for accuracy," each piece is a unique work of wearable art. In creating all of my jewelry, I use high-quality Sterling silver, copper, traditional metalsmithing tools and my imagination.

Using natural materials isn't just something I do to be different. I believe that there is as much, if not more, value in a leaf than any traditionally-precious gem. And because I value nature so highly, and believe in leaving a light footprint on the planet, I am committed to producing jewelry and running my business in a sustainable manner. I utilize materials that are renewable and/or have a high recycled content. I creat high-quality, long-lasting pieces. And I utilize sustainable tools like my bicycle and wind power — all to ensure that I am doing my best to respect nature.

Every day, I feel incredibly lucky to have found my two passions in life – metalsmithing and sustainability – and it thrills me constantly to be able to explore both of these arenas and to twist them together into my jewelry and other creations.

Watch my artist profile to learn more about my work and to see me in action...

Follow more of my journey on the Tangerine Treehouse Blog.