M.K. Designs, LLC, is a team effort made up of four partners who all share a common theme which is the love of colored gemstones. This passion combined with fine quality workmanship allows M.K. Designs to create affordable, unique and beautiful pieces of jewelry.
President and Designer: Marian Kaye Strickland
Marian worked in the health care industry where she was an R.N., R.N. First Assistant, and Clinical Director of an Outpatient Surgical Center. She has always had a love for unusual jewelry. After retiring from the health care industry, she enrolled in the International School of Gemology where she discovered the magic and allure of colored gemstones. She spent over a year studying with the International School of Gemology and is now a Registered Gemologist, certified in Watches, Pearls, Diamonds, Diamond Grading, Colored Gemstones, Colored Gemstone Grading and Synthetics. She offers rare and unusual stones in her designs, often spending many months locating these stones and relying heavily on her contacts with reputable gemstone dealers, many of whom she has met through the International School of Gemology.
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer: Pauline McClendon
Pauline has a Master’s Degree in Education and was Director of Curriculum for grades K-12. After retiring from the field of Education, she joined her sister, Marian , in M.K. Designs, LLC. Pauline, too, has always had a love of exotic jewelry and particularly colored gemstones. No doubt a tribute to Marian and Pauline’s mother who set the stage for this fascination with gemology. Pauline is responsible for all of the Data Entry, Inventory Control, Product Management and facilitates the Web Page work.
Peter Woodruff
Peter and Connie own Golden Image Jewelry Store, 30 Palm Avenue S., Sarasota, Florida and have been in the jewelry business for 23 years. Peter brings Marian’s designs to life. He is known for his carved work, and uses some of his own designs to showcase her exotic stones.
Connie Woodruff
Connie is the core that holds us all together. She evaluates the design as to wear ability, practicability and cost. She is also an excellent designer herself. In addition, Connie is head of our Estate Collection. She locates and presents extremely unusual pieces at amazingly affordable prices.
We are very proud of our business and invite all of you to browse through our web site. We send newsletters out monthly, add a fun fact weekly, and include a colored stone glossary as well as care instructions for these beautiful colored stones.
Sincerely,
The M.K. Designs Team
