Debra Lerma

Self-taught, I began designing jewelry three years ago, following a successful career in public accounting. Inspiration finds me through diversity found while living in New Orleans along with my southern up-bringing delivering designs that are fun, elegant, cool and confidant. Possessing French, Irish and Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry, a gumbo effect seems to be found in my jewelry. Never having been stimulated by fads, my work features lasting designs that rise above trends. I now focus more on the personal design for others, which is why I have started engaging in weddings. Full time devotion is given to my designs and my reward comes when seeing someone wearing my jewelry. I offer many one-of-a-kind designs and limited editions. Leaving the public workforce due to a diagnosis of Ocular Myasthenia Gravis, I donate a percentage of my sales to the MG Foundation.

Not Your Mothers Pearl Necklace Project

Not Your Mothers Pearl Necklace

I took the softest black suede cord, approx. 72 inches and after each knot I would string a freshwater pearl that was hand-wrapped with fine silver. I would repeat this pattern randomly to the end of the cord. Then I would double wrap and sometimes triple wrap making it a multi-stranded necklace. I finished it […]