How long have you had your line?
Since 2004.

What sparked your interest in jewelry design?
I actually wanted to get into clothing design first, but whenever I approached it I was always concerned more with the "embellishment" aspect of it, rather than fit and shape. This didn't register in my head until I started making accessories to compliment the clothing I made. I realized I became more interested in the jewelry and accessory-making process. I wasn't trained at all, so up until now my approach to jewelry design was a bit more unique than others.

Do you remember the first piece of jewelry you designed?
Yes, but it was more of an accessory. I used to recycle party favors, fur, vintage jewelry and trim to make various necklaces and fingerless gloves. Alife picked them up in N.Y., then Seven New York. That was all by luck back then.

What are some of the biggest inspirations for your line?
I always pull inspirations from my childhood (the Philippines, Catholic School—especially Catholicism) and combine that with my experiences in San Francisco as a pseudo club-kid, going out to mega-gay clubs and making my outfits for the occasions. While I may not be a club kid anymore, I still make my outfits to this day. Fetish wear and occult imagery have always been great fascinations of mine.

Do you have any favorite pieces or ones that you would consider "signature"?
Oh yes, definitely. The Dark/Light Cross necklace and Cross Cuff are definitely signature, as well as my Triangle Rosary and Cage series, where I create frameworks for different icons and make them into various jewelry pieces.

Your website references "gothic iconography." Like what?
Well, crosses are a big symbol I always use, which is common in medieval and gothic icons, as well as scapulars and other religious reference points. Skulls and bones are symbols I use often as well, mixed with spikes. Triangles are very spiritual symbols and those are icons I use often too.

What's your favorite memory of the '90s?
Oh god, there are so many. I mean, seeing all the supermodels from George Michael's "Freedom" video, as well as Janet Jackson starting to get "sexy" for Herb Ritts' "Love Will Never Do," to dancing in the movie theatre to Madonna's "Truth or Dare" movie. Seeing Deee-Lite live at the Warfield in San Francisco, fainting at the Stud cause I saw crazy-ass performance art at their Jesus parties, performing on top of a pool table at Marlena's after working all week to finish my outfit. Oh yeah, I went to London, visited my good friend and ended up bleeding on Julien Macdonald's bed! I mean, I could go on and on...

What bands, movies, books, etc., had a big influence on you?
Bands and artists: '80s and '90s Madonna, Janet, Stereo MCs, the Soup Dragons, EMF, Sonic Youth's Dirty album, the Cure, Deee-Lite, '90s house. Movies and TV—Truth or Dare, Paris is Burning, Basquiat, Overboard, Gregg Araki movies, Pretty in Pink, The Golden Girls, Wigstock the movie...

What creative outlets do you have aside from jewelry design?
I illustrate and design prints on occasion, but I am always styling or crafting or doing some sort of hand-sewing. It's a project I am actually developing and will be hopefully debuting soon-Labour of Love.

How long have you had your line?
Since 2004.

What sparked your interest in jewelry design?
A trip to New York and the desire to play with my own ideas.

Do you remember the first piece of jewelry you designed?
My Exhalation of Skylarks range—laser cut and painstakingly hand-assembled with silver rivets and spirographic thread weaving. All done in my living room.

Do you have any pieces of jewelry that you wear every day?
I have a ring that says "Shalom" in Hebrew lettering that was my mother's. I don't wear it every single day, but on the days I don't I'll carry it in my handbag.

What are some of the biggest inspirations for your line?
I am inspired by unconventional things: the light in the morning, an old record, flower markets, textures and patterns, music and film.

Do you have any favorite pieces or ones that you would consider "signature"?
The solid resin "Tough Love" series is signature at the moment—The Oversized Tough Love Pendant is my favorite piece.

Who would you consider your muse or the girl you design for?
The girl who isn't afraid to stand out and be noticed. She knows who she is but has nothing to prove. She doesn't try to fit in, and she is happy that no one truly understands her.

Who are your style icons?
Catherine Baba, Iris Apfel, Marchesa Casati.

If you had a mantra for living, what would it be?
Don't sweat the small stuff.

What kinds of materials do you like working with?
I love resin because of the infinite color, texture and form possibilities. It can look so glossy and polished and precious when finished well, yet it's so inexpensive you need no hesitation to experiment and play.

Do you and your brother David [who owns Family Bookstore in Los Angeles] ever collaborate on ventures?
David and I have never directly collaborated as such, but we have always been supportive of each other's creative and professional ventures. I love that he stocks my jewelry in his amazing store, and I did the cover for his first record release for ASKA. We will be working together with our other brother Benjy on my mother's upcoming 60th birthday present, a book/album we are collaborating on and dedicating to her. It will make her so happy.

What creative outlets do you have aside from jewelry design?
Cooking! My incredible boyfriend and I are a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen. We like to make everything completely from scratch. Bread, pasta, stock, cakes...anything! We are both rather OCD and it can get a little intense in there, but it is the most amazing outlet and the humble sense of satisfaction is incomparable.

How long have you had your line?
Since 2006

What sparked your interest in it?
I have a background in painting and was feeling frustrated trying to get people to come to my studio, so I started making smaller portable paintings inside of old lockets and then gradually learned about casting jewelry and started printing my drawings on t-shirts.

Do you have any pieces of jewelry that you wear every day?
I wear the wolf ring everyday. I had it made in 14 karat gold before gold got crazy-expensive. He's my little hypoallergenic pet.

What are some of the biggest inspirations for your line?
Animals and nature, especially miniature versions of ferocious animals.

Do you have any favorite pieces or ones that you would consider "signature”?
I would say the twig rings. I have a few versions but the newest one is a two-finger ring cast entirely out of twigs that I found in the park near my apartment in Brooklyn. It's tough nature!

What kind of materials do you like to work with?
I like finding vintage and found object pieces like animal bones and twigs that I can alter in a new way. I usually have the pieces cast in sterling silver.

Who would you consider your muse or the girl you design for?
The person I design for would be the cool weird girl (or boy) in high school who kind of does their own thing.

You've got a great joke on your "About” page. Another!
The only other joke I know involves an octopus that can play any instrument put in front of him except for a set of bagpipes, which he doesn't understand because he gets so turned on by it that he wants to remove its "plaid pajamas" and then... you get the just of it. It's dirty.

Where did you grow up?
Tiverton, Rhode Island, but I was born in Fall River, Massachusetts in an old house that Lizzie Borden's uncle had owned—Lizzie Borden the famous Victorian murderer.

What is your favorite species?
I like the idea of snakes and wild wolves but, honestly, I really love cute little dogs and cats the best.