Maria Elena Uzcátegui has been making jewelry since she was a child in her native Venezuela. Today, she still culls inspiration from her homeland—crafting her designs out of the country’s exotic tropical stones—as well as her travels to Paris, London, Mexico and the U.S. Now based in Miami, her signature jewelry line consists of creatures cast in 14kt gold hugging bits of stone or slivers of oxidized silver. Equally singular are her new handbag designs which feature everything from delicate clutches to roomy hobos constructed of rich python skins.