Blog
Finding {bronze} treasure
When I am at the beach, I like to hunt for treasure from the sea.
It's exciting when I turn over a shell or a rock.
Because I never know what I am going to find!
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I've got an ocean {curl}
Sometimes
I just want to reach out
and touch my jewelry pieces.
If you want to be first to reach out and touch new pieces, then you must get on my email list. {sign up below, you know the drill}
Learning art {jewelry} appreciation
I am learning to appreciate my own jewelry as "art". You can see, I have laid out all these pieces (mostly learning pieces) as a centre piece on my table. I get to see them and touch them and play with them daily.
I didn't take art appreciation or any of the classics in high school or university. I have wandered through many of the great museums in Europe, but I definitely gravitate more to the "craft" side of arts and crafts.
And while I have always been creative with a huge imagination, I had not really embraced the fact that I am an artist! I viewed my work and the works of people I admired in the craft world as "artisan" work. Now I understand the nuances of the words - my work, if not art, is seen as less valuable than "real" art (sculpture and painting, mainly). This is patently untrue! What I do is create art!
It has been interesting for me to see my work in a new light, to make that mind shift and appreciate it. And now I am ready to declare myself as an Artist!
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Warning {mad} artist alert!
Don't be alarmed, though, I am not out to hurt anyone!
Since I am on "staycation" this week and with my perspective shift, my creative ideas are swirling around.
So I am spending some studio time whipping up some prototypes to see what is calling to be made.
I am starting to work in a new way. That is, I am working towards limited editions and one of a kind work then releasing items all at one time. This will be a gradual transition and the pretties in my shop are not going away. Soon I will start to announce shop updates ahead of time.
But for now, if you want to be the first to shop new items, then you had better get on my mailing list by signing up with your email below!
Shift {your} focus?
What happens when you change your focus? Do you focus on something else?
Or do you see something different in what you have been examining? Perhaps you expand your focus to take in the whole picture, when before you only saw a tiny piece?
All of these have been happening for me since I took a step back and saw a bigger view of my art, how it fits in my life and how I want it to fit in my life.
This creates subtle shifts in how I am doing things, including creating my art and is very exciting.
If you want a front row seat to see how all this comes out in my collections, then sign up now to be an Insider. Insiders always shop new items and collections first.
Make mine a {grande} bronze bead, please!
I am working on some new things.
These grande beads are 3 inches long (an inch longer than my large beads). I have been playing with single grande bead designs - as a bar necklace.
And as a large and long drop necklace.
If you want to make sure you scoop one of these up when they are released in July, then sign up below with your email and become an Insider!
More tropical colours that go with {bronze} jewelry
I have been highlighting the hot tropical colours from a Bali Batik - reds and greens and gold.
But I have also found a couple more tropical colour palettes. First up, some oranges, pinks and yellows.
Then some sea greens and blues, with pops of accent colours. It all depends on your definition of tropical!
Best of all, my Cayo Coco necklace goes with ALL the tropical colours!
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Bronze {drop} necklace and Minoan earrings
My Capella necklace is what I am wearing these days. This one is with the large (2 inch) bronze bead drop.
I like to pair it with my Minoan earrings, shown here in my favourite size with my medium coral reef beads.
Both the Capella and the Minoan come in multiple bead sizes, so you can get the ones that suit you the best!
PS: I am working on some new designs, including some bangles! If you want to be the first to shop any new releases, sign up with your email below.
How to choose a top to wear with a classic art {jewelry} necklace
My Ballenas necklace is in the classic style and I wanted to show it with various tops. First, a V-neck in a shade of grey. I like this necklace against the skin. The colour of the top doesn't necessarily highlight the bronze, but it also doesn't detract from it.
Next up is the royal blue t-shirt like top. Now I love the bronze against this colour of shirt. BUT the neckline is a bit too casual for this classic style of necklace.
Lastly, we have the round neck shirt. I like this combination of neckline and colour the best for the Ballenas. The bronze stands out against the fabric and the necklace hangs nicely. The best way to figure this all out is to try and see. You will know when it feels right.
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How to style an art {jewelry} necklace
I got some new tops recently, to add to my spring wardrobe.
I decided to show you how my Dominica necklace looks with the differing colours and necklines.
Which one do you like best?
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Classic, organic bronze {bead} necklace
The Ballenas necklace is my take on the classic necklace.
Of course, being an artisan jeweller, it is not all matchy matchy.
The bronze beads are my hand carved coral reef ones, in three different sizes, giving the piece an oceany organic feel. Yet it is graceful and elegant at the same time. You can get your own Ballenas necklace in my store.
You never know when being an Insider will give you exclusivity - sign up now and be ready to shop first on new releases.
{Bronze} earring egg-stravaganza
I know - silly Easter pun. I think we could all use some silliness in the face of the world situation right now, don't you?
These are all my coral reef bead earrings - current (Skye and Minoan) and those to be released vewy vewy soon. (The laughs just keep coming...)
Look for the collection release some time in the next week. AND if you want to be first to shop these lovely earrings, then sign up to my email list, pronto.