Drawn to all things that shimmer and shine since ... since, well, forever, Aarti Gala always knew she wanted to be a jeweler. Yeah, she tried her hand at many occupations and interests. Dog groomer. Femme fatale. Purveyor of the land. Coin collection. But, if you think about it, all of those things can be rolled into jewelry; an art, you could say, wherein you mine the everyday for inspiration, search for beauty in small things ... And play around with fire. Aarti can spot a bonus when she sees one.

From her studio in the lovely Virginia piedmont -- and with no small amount of inspiration from an American cocker spaniel -- Aarti (pronounced not unlike a pirate's scowl with a "thee" on the end) creates unique, unforgettable pieces from precious and semi-precious stones and sterling silver. She's got a real thing for diamond dust and exotic currency, and many a strange sound have come from her cloistered workbench late at night.

But make no mistake: Aarti treads lightly, and so do her creations. All of her pieces are made with ecologically friendly techniques and environmentally conscious materials. For it's true that Aarti is young and beautiful, but she's old and wisened enough to have learned that the jewelry might outlast you and me, after all, but not the earth.

So when not at the dog park, or plotting to return private golf courses to their natural state, Aarti can be found behind that workbench, expertly crafting the latest, greatest, shiniest little piece of perfection, all with you in mind. "We're all god's little cakes and cookies," she is fond of saying. Agreed. Her jewelry, then, can best be described as the little extras that come on top of desserts: the roses and cursive asides spun out of colored frosting and confectioner's sugar. You've got to get a piece on your slice of cake, or it just won't be the same without it.