As part of our countdown to the August 1st deadline for our Made in the South Awards (hurry to get your entries in!), I'll be posting cool Southern finds that embody the sort of thing we're after. Sure, we're looking for handmade sporting goods and the like, but we're also hoping to see a few items that might not immediately come to mind: such as jewelry.

Case in point: McGowan and McClain Jewelry in Chattanooga, Tennessee by artists Marian and Laura Jones. The duo sculpt each of their pieces in wax first, cast them in sterling silver, and finish the designs off with an oxidized silver or gold vermeil finish.

I loved the cuffs below (fashioned to resemble leaves) and the simple geode necklace.