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