Redirect to Buy Bling catablog

If you're interested in seeing samples of my work, you'll find it on my Buy Bling site. Currently the slide show of necklaces, bracelets and earrings features techniques and materials with which I've experimented. Yes, prices are included. If you need more information, there's a link to my email on the page.

Back to Work

It's surprising what a change in weather does for your mood. Now that we've had a little rain and the nights are cooling off, I'm starting to look to look at working on some new projects. Which means I should also do something about clearing more room for storage. (See more on this at the end of the posting.)

Earlier this week I did a photo shoot in the garden of some of the pieces that had yet to be catelogued. Here's a preview of some of my most recent work. This one is a sweet teardrop pendant on a vintage brass chain. Turned it into a set with a pair of matching earrings but you won't find it on the BUY BLING

pages -- it's already sold.

But there are at least a half dozen new necklaces if you're in the mood to browse. Enjoy.

More about making room: I'll be gearing up for a jewellery 

party sometime early September. If you're in the Ottawa area and would like to come, please get in touch by email.

Have a good weekend.

Irene

Bling Blog problems

Just wanted to let you know there's a problem with accessing my catablogs directly. Wasn't aware of it myself until this past weekend when I  was updating other social media vehicles and realized the slideshows weren't showing at all. So I tried logging into the buybling blog directly and got a nasty surprise. 

Looks like someone has redirected my address to their site. Not sure if it's an aggressive advertiser or some phishing for confidential information. Either way it was news to me and I've contacted Google to alert them to the situation. Problem is there's no way of exiting the "interloper's" site to get to see the BLING. Did run a test to see if there was another way to access those pages and yes, it works if you're linking from this blog. For your convenience, here's the link:

BUY BLING

My apologies for the nuisance factor. Hopefully, Google will find a way to fix this before too long. In the meantime, I've added some new pieces in all categories so it's worthwhile having a browse if you're so inclined. Even though I've been lax in posting, I've been experimenting with new techniques and materials throughout the spring.

Am also gearing up for a jewelry party sometime later in summer -- have to clear out stock for more storage room --  so do let me know if you're interested.

Cheers

Irene

Reality check

Two weeks into the New Year and how is 2011 treating you so far? Don't know about you but Ive stopped making resolutions in recent years. Now I tend to look at what I want out of life instead. A good place to start is to stop beating myself up over things I can't change. Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish everything. Do what you can and don't forget to make time for yourself.

Part of making time for myself lately is experimenting with metal. This hammered brass disk with freshwater pearl dangle is part of a charm chain I created recently. You can see the rest of the necklace and some other new pieces on BUY BLING.

For me, the stamped message is a good reminder of how to look at the rest of the year -- and life.

Have a good one.

Memories and reflection

To make room for the new stock I picked up at the end of September, I started culling my stash of leftover supplies. Rediscovered some real finds that I'd put away for future inspiration and got busy. (Have a look at the Buy Bling site, necklaces in particular, for some of the recent creations.).

Also did a first experiment with beaded wire trees to use up some extra gemstone chips.

Later learned that the Ming tree art form covers a wide range of possibilities -- plaster, beaded or straight wire, silk,  and a variety of ways to display the miniature trees. I wired the base into an old piece of coral, a memento from my late aunt's last Florida vacation. She's been gone more than 15 years now and it's a nice reminder of happy memories.

Hope you had a good Thanksgiving this year and enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

Sign of the season

Listening to the radio over breakfast yesterday, I heard my first "days to Christmas" alert. Three months today it will actually be the day after now. I usually wait until Thanksgiving before I start seriously thinking about organizing the holiday gifts with exception of an early present to myself -- a visit to the annual rock and mineral show.

On this weekend, it's where I spent a glorious three hours Saturday afternoon, browsing, meeting old friends and searching for supplies and new ideas. And yes, I SHOPPED. When I was logging my purchases in inventory earlier today, for fun I totaled the linear length of strands I brought home. Almost 20.5 ft. of gemstone chips and freshwater pearls. That's equivalent to the average width of a two-lane road! And they're all gorgeous -- mostly pastel shades, especially the pearls.

Gemstone chips are fun to work with but I'm just starting to experiment with pearls. Sorry I don't have a picture to include with this posting, mainly because the new materials are still in bags. But if you want an idea of the variety of both shape and color in freshwater pearls, have a look at the bracelets catablog on Buy Bling.

Oh, and if you have any ideas of pieces for me to make, feel free to get in touch. 

Working through puzzles

If you've ever been stumped by a "how did they do that?" then you'll relate to my fascination with this chain maille pattern that features caged beads. I'd seen finished pieces on display at a local bead shop and tried to recreate the design on my own but somehow the bead always dislodged. It wasn't until I took a workshop that I finally understood. Aside from learning the technique, I was also privileged to see a demonstration of natural teaching ability which I'll remember whenever I do the pattern. Thanks Miriam.

Here's the "stitch that provided the inspiration. You can have a closer look at what I've done with it by visiting the Necklace catalogue on Buy Bling

Revisiting the Passion

I've always had a fascination with glass. I originally started with stained glass years ago and even though I still have my tools and a supply of materials in the basement, I moved on to other techniques. While I greatly enjoyed the thrill of glassblowing and lampwork, one-day workshops I took over successive holidays, I also knew I didn't have the right facilities at home to continue with either activity. But thanks to the new studio I mentioned in my last post, I now have a place to work.

After a three-week refresher course, I'm hooked again. No wonder. There's something addictive about working with flame. It's not just working with volatile materials -- a combination of propane and oxygen -- to melt glass, but it's also honing your skills to give it shape the way you want. The simple act of forming a glass bead is not easy at all, although the experienced lampworker makes it look effortless. Here are a few shots taken during instructor demos at my workshop. to give you a sense of the process.

Shaping the bead is step one. The creative process gets more interesting when you start looking at embellishments -- adding dots, stripes, different colours, encasing your bead in clear glass to give a 3-D effect. Once you're satisfied with the design, you then move it to a kiln to start annealing. Simple explanation: the bead needs to be "baked" and gradually cooled for it to be hard enough to last. Once out of the kiln and cooled, the bead needs to be cleaned and finished and this means removing the metal mandrel, any residual bead release coating on the inner core and sanding all sharp edges.

Even though it will undoubtedly be some time before I'll be sharing the results of my experimentation with you, thought you'd like to see what can be achieved when you have some knowledge. I bought this barrel bead recently from a local lampworker and created a simple coiled bail for display on a black leather cord. Enjoy.

I'm Back

Apologies to all who have checked in for updates over the last few months. I guess having a blog is like an exercise program. Doesn't do you any good unless you spend time with it on a regular basis. No excuse. I just lost track of time.

Since my last post, I've taken a few workshops including one on wire-wrapped rings. Great fun. Not something I'd list on the Buy Bling site since size matters. Rings need to be customized to both fit the hand and the wearer. Enjoyed it though but the bling I've added to my own wardrobe.

Have also experimented with some new materials like stainless steel wire which is harder to handle than expected. To date, I've played with some pendant designs. Looking forward to a bangle bracelet workshop at the end of June where I hope to pick up some new techniques.

Earlier this month, I also enjoyed the second annual Bead Bop staged by a handful of independent bead shops in the Ottawa Valley area. The concept is you buy a passport for a nominal fee which entitles you to some discounted prizes for the duration of the event. Each shop also provides some goody give-aways and you're eligible for a grand prize draw at the end. Great way to support local merchants and develop new sources.

Thanks to the Bead Bop I also found a new lampwork studio. It's been a few years since I've worked with this technique so I'm now taking a refresher workshop on making my own glass beads. Will have to wait for next week's session to see what came out of the kiln.

Most of my free time is invested in yardwork these days -- planted half the vegetable bed this week -- but I still have a few new pieces to share with you. Enjoy.

On the right  is a close-up of the FIVE Swarovski crystal rivolis used in this wire and beadwork endless chain necklace. Unfortunately the photos don't do justice to the beauty of the Volcano crystal. Sorry, this one isn't listed on the Buy Bling site since I decided to enjoy it myself. But there are some new items on the Necklace
catalogue.

Confession

I am -- a morning person. Skip to the eye candy now if the idea makes you queasy since I'm going to give you a glimpse of what that really means.

Most days, I'm awake by 4 a.m., weekends included. I force myself to stay in bed for another hour. Usually I read, everything from mysteries to manuals, latest is a series on working with polymer clay. Haven't moved my idea notebook to the bedside table as yet but that may not be a bad idea since this is an ideal time to work on new designs.

As the days are now getting longer, the cat goes out earlier so that's my cue to get moving. Once the computer is on, coffee is brewing, both indoor and outdoor felines fed -- a few of the neighbours show up for early backdoor "buffet -- I can retreat to my workbench before the rest of the household is up. Since I set up my space in the laundry room, I'll also throw on a quick load while either starting a new project or finishing what's in progress. By the time the washer is done, I've gotten my daily " fix" and am ready for breakfast.. And most of this happens before I have coffee.

I'll be the first to admit this is not a lifestyle for everyone. But it works for me. By  7 a.m., I'm ready to get on with the rest of the day having satisfied my creative urge first. It also means I have some quiet time to work out ideas and come up with new projects.

The latest is this variation on a celtic knot. I've been experimenting with chain maille and Swarovski crystals lately and wanted to try a different look. The bracelet came first and the earrings just seemed a natural pairing. This is also the first set I've produced -- look for it on the Bracelet  and Other Accessories catalogues on buy bling.

Now if I could just find a way of working photo shoots into my daily routine, I'd be able to update both blog sites more often!

Finding the solution

Can't believe we're almost at the end of January. I've had an active few weeks, creatively, and I wanted to share with you one of the latest projects on the workbench. This is a necklace that's a collection of both ancient and modern techniques -- kumihimo or Japanese braiding, wire wrapping and polymer clay findings.


What's interesting about this piece is how it evolved. I've been playing with kumihimo for about six months, starting with making my own disk and experimenting with different fibres. There's something very rythmic and soothing about the braiding process. Adding beads creates a whole new look that varies with density. Good to experiment but sometimes it's a challenge estimating the finished length. Since both cords used the same selection of beads, I thought they'd work well together as a single necklace if I could figure out a way to join them.

No luck finding anything the right size commercially -- drove myself a little crazy looking in the process. So I decided to make my own using polymer clay. Perfect solution since it's lightweight, can be shaped and textured as you wish and there are virtually no colour limitations. I'd describe the look of the piece as edgy organic.

Thanks to several kind friends, I was alerted to a problem on the Buy Bling page. The necklace catalogue was not displaying properly. Hopefully I've now fixed the problem. Please do let me know if you have any difficulty accessing the images. Here's a link Buy Bling if you feel like browsing.

Happy New Year

I'm so glad the holidays are finally over. Don't get me wrong -- I enjoy seeing family and friends and a change from normal routine can sometimes be as good as a rest. That didn't happen to be the case this year since we were nursing a sick pet.

Our cat spent five days in kennel over Christmas while we were out of town. Normally, she's fine with boarding but this time she came home listless. As the week progressed, she got worse -- stopped eating, drinking and the prescribed antibiotics just upset her stomach. End result: she spent New Year's at the emergency clinic, hooked up to intrevenous to bring down her high fever and build up her her fluids. By noon the next day she was doing better and was able to come home that night. Her appetite is coming back and she's started getting into mischief again -- always a good sign.

This is the story behind this necklace. In the catelogue I've called it "New Year's Morning". Alternately, it could have been named "Waiting for the vet to call".

I took advantage of the holiday break to add some new bracelet stock as well. Enjoy the browse at the buy bling site.

All the best for 2010.

Go neutral

For those of you who responded to the request in my last posting, thought you'd be interested in seeing the results of your design feedback. I stuck to neutrals mixing natural stone with the marbelized polymer clay pendant and disc beads. You can get the full view on the Necklace slide show on my Buy Bling site (click here or on the icon to the left).

I've updated all three catalogues for those who like to browse. There's a series of new cuff bracelets and I've also now added earrings to the other accessories selection. Quick tip: it's easy to increase the size of each individual page. Simply move your mouse over the Google Docs tools to select the option you want -- go forward, go backward or see a larger version of the page. Makes it easier to see the details and read the type. Enjoy!

Fresh ideas

It's been a busy few weeks since my last posting in October. The same week the Buy Bling site became operational, I also held my first jewellery party.  You invite in some friends, who bring a few of their friends to an open house-style gathering where they can see and try on stuff. Fun way to shop or to sell since it's relaxed and a pleasant way to spend a few hours. Enjoyed it tremendously and I'll be repeating the experience at someone else's home next weekend. For those interested, I've updated the necklace catalogue today with a half dozen new offerings to replace some of the stuff that's been sold. Reminder - just click the Buy Bling box on the left side of the blog to go to the catalogue site

I've also been busy experiementing with new materials like what you see in this photo. Polymer clay has great versatility -- takes shape & colour well, and once it's baked, is hard yet light to wear. All in all, an ideal material. These are some early samples of marbling, a combination of black, silver & ecru which look somewhat like a greyish agate. I've also played with different fnishing techniques, using wire wrapping to create this five-piece set. But now I'd like to get a fresh perspective on how others think these pieces should be combined. There's enough here for a necklace of at least 22" or 55 cm. length, provided a few other elements were added. Would love to hear your ideas both in colour & other materials you think would work well. Especially, if it's something you think you could see yourself wearing. Look forward to your feedback.

CATELOGUES UP!

It's taken more than four months but I'm finally able to announce that MY CATALOGUES ARE ONLINE.

Look left for the BUY BLING icon. Click on it to go to the separate Catablog site where you can browse the collections -- necklaces, bracelets &other accessories -- to your heart's content. And if you feel like shopping, hopefully you'll find it easy.

But not to worry if you don't. I chose to segregate the two sites for that reason alone. Some people would just prefer to read the content and have a look at what I've been up to. Now that Buy Bling is launched, I trust I'll be able to get back to a more regular schedule of posting.

Please note that my email address has also changed. You can now reach me directly at imc accessories

Serendipity

It's been a beautiful last weekend of summer.While the nights and mornings are now cool, the days can still be warm and sunny. Took advantage of the good weather today to move around some lilies and peonies, tidy the vegetable beds and tie up the tomato plants that still need to give up fully ripe fruit. Yesterday I picked the first monster tomato I've ever seen -- weighed a full kilogram! (For those interested, the variety was Hawaiian Pineapple, an heirloom variety that I've grown from seed before but never with this type of result.) Picked it partially green since it looked to heavy for the rest of the plant. Expect it will be ready for a taste test by week's end.

Took a well-earned coffee break about noon and decided to finally take a picture of my patio buddy. This blue butterly was an early experiment in garden accessories. It's been floating in part shade over top of a hydrangea bush for the last few months -- love the way it sparkles when it catches the sun. Thought you'd enjoy it as well.

Silversmithing

I rarely take holidays but last week I treated myself to a "staycation".

I took a five-day course in "Basic Silver Jewelery" offered by our local community college so from 9-4 I sawed, soldered, filed, sanded, set stones and learned about finishing techniques.

At the end of 35 hours I'd made several rings, pendants, earrings and a pin plus had a new respect for the skill and patience it takes to work with metal. Enjoyed it tremendously but I doubt if my nails will ever come clean again.

Here are a few of my class projects.

Good intentions

So much for posting on time. Over the last weeks I've been busy creating a series of new catelogues (see more on this later). I've been doing some experimenting with a new wire tool I picked up early May and photographing my collection for future display. But I wanted to share this project with you now.

I picked up the pendant focal piece at a local bead fair this past weekend. The fact that it's not real amber doesn't matter to me -- I thought it was striking. Trust you'll agree. It will be added to the necklace catelogue when it's ready to be posted.

Here's the commercial message: I'll be setting up separate bracelet, necklace and other accessories catelogues to make it easier for you to review my work. Once payment mechanics are in place, everything will be published so you can start shopping. If you have any suggestions while the system is being built, please feel free to pass them along. Feeback is always good.

Learning curve

Well that was less than successful. There were only three responses to the poll I posted last week concerning online purchasing. Guess I have to take partial responsibility for the lack of results -- anyone who's part of the "blog feed" process only sees the latest posting, not the full blog. To get access to the survey, they would have had to go to the url. Live and learn.

Bottom line, I think I'll have to keep researching. If you have any suggestions, I'd welcome your feedback. Feel free to email me directly if you don't want to post a comment on the blog. BTW, I've completed a few projects using a new tool I picked up several weeks ago. Should be able to post some new pics within the next few days. Enjoy the warmer weather.

Feedback time

I'm looking at different ways to make it easier for everyone to buy my accessories. To help with the research process, I've added a simple survey --- please scroll to the bottom of the page. Would love to get the feedback of the people who have been visiting my blog. Response is anonymous so don't worry that participating in the survey means you've made a purchasing commitment. The survey will be up for a week until May 22 and I'll definately share the results with you. The questions are pretty basic but if you have additional remarks you'd like to make, please feel free to either to comment on this posting or email me privately.

Thanks in advance for your help. Look forward to hearing your views. Enjoy the Victoria Day holiday weekend if you're in Canada.