‘Pie in the Sky’ jewelry colorful, vintage-inspired

Pamela Squires’ cottage jewelry industry was born one day five years ago when — trying to stave off boredom while recovering from surgery — she twisted silver wire into a necklace that garnered repeated compliments. When a sister told her with love and concern that her entrepreneurial endeavor was “pie in the sky,” Ms. Squires turned the term into the name of her handmade jewelry line.

The former executive with a national health care firm, unable to continue that career, found a new passion in Pie in the Sky. From her home in the Norman Rockwellian Pittsburgh suburb of Sewickley, Ms. Squires fashions hip necklaces, earrings, bracelets and pins from materials as diverse as found objects, black diamonds, papier-mache, gold, sterling silver and precious and semi-precious gems and stones. “I work with anything that can be molded, shaped and is sustainable,” she said.

She’s inspired by antique jewelry and has a fondness for incorporating hard-to-find sterling silver antique sports medals into pieces. Another Pie in the Sky hallmark is lavishly long necklaces that can be adjusted to accommodate different looks.

“I also do a lot of intricate beadwork, such as wide cuffs, pins and very cool bugs,” she said. Dragonflies and other bugs are popular items in her “Little Tarts” children’s collection. By special order, she does custom pieces for bridesmaid gifts, proms, and other special occasions.

“I was frustrated with the high prices one-of-a-kind pieces usually carry,” she said. “One day I was looking very closely at a fairly intricate necklace. I decided to make one and cost it out. I was amazed at the mark-up on jewelry! My mission is to make high quality, sustainable, one-of-a-kind jewelry at reasonable prices.”

Prices range from $32 to $375 and above for custom pieces. They’re available at pieintheskyjewelry.com and by appointment at her studio-boutique, where she also will soon begin offering jewelry-design classes. Reach her via the site, at prsquires@yahoo.com or at 412-741-7666.