I can't find quite the right words to express the emotions felt last night when the news broke about the bomb blasts in Bali ... again. Shock, deep concern, despair, anger, confusion are such inadequate terms.
Will the madness ever end?
More wirework! This glass pendant in delicious hues of iced tea and lemon features swirls in tarnish-resistant goldtone wire, accented by three faceted smokey quartz beads. "Uno, Due, Tre!" hangs off a cream pleather cord. Two little 14K gold-filled balls sit cheekily atop the pendant.
Simple yet elegant: Black onyx floats on a ribbon (from the US) of wire mesh in gunmetal gray. This choker-style necklace would look good with a sharp suit and would also add that extra touch of understated glam to a little black dress.
Clasp and extension chain at the back are 925 silver.
The camera is back at last (woo hoo!), but since it's late and the lighting is poor, I've taken photos of just a few of the creations that have been made in the past few days....
Here is a pair of ear-rings which features more of my favourite labradorite. Labradorite is a stunning stone which doesn't photograph well: you have to see it in person to take in the misty hues shot through with dancing blue "lights". This pair has a gorgeous filigree frame in bright 925 silver. Swarovski crystals add to the sparkle. Ear hook is also 925 silver.
Tonight, I had a brief but interesting conversation with someone about guidelines, blogs and the internet. In my personal opinion, whatever the medium, true freedom of expression is about communicating RESPONSIBLY.
And while some may baulk at things such as guidelines for blogging, for example, and think that they are restrictive, I think that guidelines are commonsense reminders for responsible communication. I see blogging guidelines as the equivalent of a reminder to "think before you speak". The internet is not a private space, after all; and a blog is not a private diary under lock and key.
OK, I'll get off the soapbox now.
We had a Bling Parteee of sorts today. Vivian, Anne and I went to JJ's home and had a bit of fun with Indian glass beads and wires. Here are just some photos (this time taken with JJ's souped up mobile phone) of the blingfest. The top pic shows bracelets modelled by their creators. Clockwise from top: Vivian, JJ and Anne. The bottom pic shows the handphone charms, ear-rings and pendants created.
Tomorrow we're doing "market research," a term we much prefer to "shopping" :-)
Here is the second batch of lucky gemstone handphone/bag charms and the only pic that will be posted until Sat/Sun when I get my hands on the digicam again. A few more pendants and necklaces have been made, so look out for them this weekend! Anyways, on to what each stone means:
Yellow ~ Smokey Quartz: Attracts good luck, helps get rid of negative energy and promote a sense of well-being. (SOLD)
Black ~ Onyx: Improves concentration; said to help those with heart problems too. (SOLD)
Blue ~ Turquoise: Used in meditation, improves speech and helps develop intuition. (SOLD)
Red ~ Garnet: Revitalising stone which is said to attract love and help increase energy. It also boosts self-confidence. (SOLD)
Wirework is lots of fun! Here is the result of an experiment, and I may do something similar in the future. As you can probably tell, I've a thing for curves and while fiddling around with a length of tarnish-resistant goldtone wire, this pendant frame emerged. It reminded me of the grape vines we saw in Cyprus last year, so I hung jade leaves and Swarovski and freshwater pearl "grapes" off it. Hmmmm .... this gives me an idea for another design; just have to find the right stones now (haha! another excuse to go shopping).
This is the amethyst cousin of Jade Garden and looks quite regal and a touch opulent.
Dangling off filigree-capped deep amethyst beads are drops of soft lavender amethyst leaves, Swarovski crystals and little gold-filled beads. This pair of ear-rings would be great for someone who loves purple or whose astrological sign is Aquarius, as amethyst is the birthstone associated with that sign. Chains and ear hooks are 14K gold-filled.
If your name starts with "A" and you like Swarovski crystals and pink, then you're in luck. These are the only two monogram handphone charms I've created and until my wirework skills improve, I won't be making them anymore. These A's took a heck of a long time to make and my fingers are still protesting :)
Wire is goldtone tarnish-resistant. Each is at the low, low limited edition price of S$6 (postage not included)! The first buyer gets the one with more crystals; the second buyer gets the one with two crystals and a dose of good luck 'cos that was the very first made. And I'll be sure to attach the alphabet to the handphone thingie before sending it off.
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