Friday, June 22, 2012

I am seeing stars!

This is what I cast this week - it was like holding a handful of pirate treasure. This photo was taken as I was starting to clean them up - I really could do with minions. I gave myself a disastrous manicure with the buffing machine!

This weekend John will put up the second of the Berlin pendants from 17th and Riggs. We also took delivery of our ten new dining chairs. They are the Navy chairs from Emeco. It was very exciting to get home after a day at the studio and have 5 big boxes so beautifully packaged waiting for me. We just have to get a dining table made now - it has to be narrower and longer than our current table. I really wanted to get a burnt orange formica table made, very mid century modern - but they have discontinued the colour that I like.  So maybe it will just have to be white, which will be fine.


I thought I would share how my day progressed yesterday. Although, I have my bench set up, 
I don't have a clean space yet to complete my pieces. But that's what dining tables are for - right?


This is what it looked like just a short while later and below is a photo of the chaos at its peak!


Anyway, I got a lot done and below are the fruits of my labour. 
It is a little more conservative than my usual larger pieces but not everyone likes big! 

Star pendant with turquoise beads and fresh water pearl

Star bracelets with aqua marine beads and a freshwater pearl.
Flower bracelet with African glass trade beads, turquoise and a fresh water pearl.

 

This pendant is a work in progress and I am just working on how to space the dangles 
so that you see them all once the piece is being worn. 

Sterling silver, turquoise, aqua marine and fresh water pearl.

Colored copper with textured copper discs and sterling ear wires.

All in all a productive week. I am off to England next week and will do my best to post when I can and will keep you updated with my travels.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Is it a dress or a shower curtain?







I went for lunch today at the Gypsy Den at The LAB - the antimall in Costa Mesa. I love it there!  This is what they say about themselves - "The LAB, recycled from a night vision goggle factory, began its journey to combat retail monotony almost 20 years ago. In the midst of Orange County’s suburbia and perfectly planted palm trees, we recognized a need for a homey, indoor-outdoor hang out with shops and restaurants geared for the young at heart, and not offered in every mall on every corner. The “LAB” stands for “Little American Business” and that’s what we are, and what we continue to support." Yeah, The LAB!  While I was there I came across this fab little book.  How super is this book -  I surely must be able to do two things a day!


This is so me!
My photo didn't work - but this it what the LAB looks like.
So, woke up today and I had a mission. Last night I decided to make a new dress - out of a shower curtain - as you do!  I was unable to find my pattern (my garage really needs to be on the list) so I cut around one I had made earlier.  I was a bit scared as I have a love/hate relationship with sewing machine - if it is behaving, happy days - but it just randomly misbehaves and drives me crazy.


When I was in Santa Monica last week I picked up a shower curtain from West Elm. It was in the sale for $14.99, although I just checked their website and online it was $49 reduced to $24.99. Bargain!


So, hurray!  I achieved one thing off my list today. I found it a little tricky trying to make the bias binding - it really challenges my mind trying to piece it all together.  So forget those brain training games - just cut up fabric and make long lengths of bias binding.  So, guess what I am wearing tomorrow? And I guess that clearing the dining table goes back on the list tomorrow!



Thursday, June 14, 2012

Something old...

This is one of my older pieces that I thought would be nice to share as I am working on a new flower pendant at the moment.  I had a "great" idea that I would make stands for all my jewelry and they would live on the stand and be displayed like a piece of art whilst not being worn.  This piece is a silver and amethyst ring.  I say that it was a "great" idea because it actually took me longer to make the flower stand than it did to make the piece - doh! - back to the drawing board.  I think that the concept is a good one - but I just need to refine it.


I had a wonderful time last Friday at the Contemporary Crafts Market in Santa Monica. It is a show that I would like to sell at in the future and thought it would be a good idea to check it out.


I got to meet one of my jewelry heroes - Kit Carson. I have admired his work for a long time and it was a real honour to talk with him.  OK, I admit it - I was a little starstruck! But, hopefully more of this later.
I have lots of pieces all in various stages of completion and will post them as soon as I have photos.  Seem to be staying on task at the moment - which is a miracle!