About

The Vital Element features handcrafted jewelry, decor and local educational workshops, featuring carefully curated materials with unique attributes.

"Inspired by the natural beauty of minerals, crystals, plants and flowers, I create adornments for body, home and life using stones I cut & polish, settings I design and metalsmith, as well as botanical elements I cast in silver, bronze and gold from plants and flowers that I grow. All made with love, at my Atelier in Downtown Milwaukie, OR. 

In addition to creating pieces to sell, I am gratified to share my skills with others in workshops. To lead these classes is immensely gratifying, as I get to see the wonder and delight of my students as they discover new facets of their creativity and capability."
- Cassandra

FOUNDER

Cassandra Lenzini is a jewelry designer, metalsmith, lapidary artist and workshop instructor living and working alongside the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. A self-taught artist of many forms of media and creative MacGuyver, she shares her artistic passions by combining metal and stone into natural adornments for body and home.

When the Market season winds down, she can be found leading creative and botanical workshops in the surrounding communities. Made for both adults and kids, her workshops aim to bring out your own creative spirit. Whether creating jewelry or playing in the dirt, she seeks projects that show attendees they're all capable of creating beautiful things. 

FOUNDATION

Creativity and handcrafting runs in the family. With her love of art, nature and education, creating a business that incorporates and shares all these elements was a natural evolution.

"Growing up in my Mom's art studio taught me to always look for the vital elements of each project - those little, inspiring details that make a piece special. I credit this experience to much of the ingenuity being a self-taught designer and business owner requires." - Cassandra

WHERE TO SHOP & LEARN

In addition to our online sales channels, The Vital Element can be found in person at The Atelier, through local retailers, as well as at local craft markets throughout the year:

The Vital Element Atelier
Open for walk-in shopping every other Sunday from 10am-4pm and open Tu-Fri by appointment. Please call ahead for booking availability.
2027 SE Jefferson Street
Suite 204
Downtown Milwaukie, OR 97222

MAP & DIRECTIONS
  • Home of our studio and showroom, as well as our primary workshop location
  • Botanical and Gemstone Statement Jewelry, including:
    Necklaces, Earrings, Bracelets & Cuffs, One-of-a-Kind Pieces
  • Life Accessories such as bookmarks, greeting cards and more
  • Our customer favorite Mystery Stone Goody Bags
  • Agate Suncatchers
  • Crystal specimens, pocket stones & crystals 
  • Local Coffee by small-batch roaster Succulent Coffee
  • Tallow Balms made locally by Oak Grove Tallow
  • and more!

    Milwaukie Farmer's Market
    Every Other Sunday 9:30am to 2pm, May through October + November Holiday Market
    2000 SE Harrison St,
    Milwaukie, OR 97222

    • Market-friendly curated selection, including botanical and gemstone jewelry, components for custom designs and a wide selection of gift items such as our Gemstone Mystery Bags, gemstone bookmarks, friendship bracelets and more.  

      Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thevitalelement and join our email list for updates on special markets and holiday craft fairs throughout the year, as well as special product releases and updates.

      MATERIALS

      I work with natural minerals, gems, botanicals and many client-provided elements. Each element is hand-curated, ensuring quality with a focus on beautiful specimens with unique coloring, shapes, and forms. 

      Some pieces such as my affordable selection of chains and ear hooks utilize silver and gold plated materials to make my designs accessible to more people. To ensure skin sensitivity is never a concern, I always specify if an item is made with plated materials and will always have upgrade options to other metals.

      To keep my prices affordable without sacrificing quality, I also use gold filled or sterling silver wire and chain. "Gold filled" materials are created when a substantial layer of gold is permanently pressure-bonded to a strong underlying metal (generally copper or brass) - saving you money and adding durability, while extending the potential life of your jewelry decades beyond gold plated. However, if solid gold is your preference, we're happy to create a custom order for you.

      I cast my botanicals into solid precious metals such as silver, gold and 3 colors of bronze (yellow, white and red). All of these metals are available for custom casting requests, though I may advise one over another depending on the needs of each project.

      PROCESS

      The design and creation process explores both the aesthetic and functional natures of each piece. All works are created with a high level of care and attention to detail, focusing on the process and the handiwork involved in each step. 

      Most lapidary (the cutting and polishing of stones) is completed in-house. This allows me to polish stones found by clients on their journeys, turning them into showpieces and wearable jewelry. I also utilize local gem faceting services for custom faceted gems.

      All my botanical elements are created from real plants and flowers grown around home and studio. Through a process I've jokingly dubbed "lost plant" casting, I transform each organic element into solid precious metals such as silver, gold and bronze.

      When incorporating organic materials, such as my cast botanicals or unique stones and crystals, pieces become truly one-of-a-kind. Due to the nature of earth-crafted elements, each piece will have different characteristics, contributing to the overall design aesthetic and unique nature of the work. These characteristics showcase the jewelry’s handmade authenticity and further impart a personal touch and handcrafted feel.

      Each design requires different tools, materials, and techniques; often ranging from cutting, polishing, and drilling stones to hand sawing and hammering raw metal sheets, forming wire, riveting, soldering, casting or any combination of techniques.