Intentional Stones

Because I want to be more in touch

Life is overwhelming.   Whose isn't? 

I promised writing today, here I am.

It's the time of year for things to be waking up.  The flowers, the birds and animals, me.

This year I'm working much harder.  Period

I'm working to be more true to what I really want to be doing.  Working in gemstone.  Working in metal.  You won't see anything from me that's metal that anyone else has made, unless I've had it a while and I've drilled holes in it or added findings to it or taken it apart and put it together.  (see bracelet above, yes those beads were pretty, but only one hole?  Really?  for such a large bead?  they're almost an inch wide!  So I fixed them.)

I spent today working on findings and on the trinket rings that people seem to love.  Thank you all! 

I'm also working much harder on the kids' school.  It's like I have three full time jobs. 

Hence the blog falling off the face of the earth.

We went to Florida and saw breathtaking things, above and below the water.  I hope I'll have time to write about that. 

And the summer is starting to shape up beautifully. 

Save the Date on April 14th, we'll be showing at the Soutside Works I Made It Market's Chili at the Works!  More on this tomorrow.  I'm really excited.

 

Strands and strands

I have to reassure you.  If there's nothing posted here, it's due to the fact that I'm very very very very busy. 

Project Runway is on the TV on thursdays and it's vitalizing to see the design in process.

One last Sunday show is coming up at the Waterfront.  Look for us from 11-3 in the Pump House! I'll be there for their holiday market in late November, but I'm skipping the Biketoberfest on the first.  Maybe I'll stop in with my bike!  What a concept!

But, most of all, I'm getting ready for holiday shows.  I have many great pieces that I've started but need those last finishing touches or a necklace to hang from.  I have planned improvements to my displays to complete.  Photographs to get into the portfolio.  My tent needs repair or replacement.  (One gust of wind from Irene took it out [the storm never touched Pittsburgh, except that pesky wind]) And I need weights to keep that from happening again. 

Bedford's Fall Foliage Festival will be here in no time!  October 8th is coming up very very fast.  This one's a big time show and everything must be hand made!!! 

Then there's the listings.  I uploaded some photos to facebook, but they're not written up or listed yet!!!

School is in full swing around here.  Which is the primary reason for being too busy to blog.  It's like I have two full time jobs.  And while it's filling a lot of my time, I feel like my life is finally back where I want it to be.  We're having the most rich time working together and learning together.  And we completely back in control of our lives. 

Today in the studio I have strands of tiny stone beads getting ready to support beautiful stone pendants.  Woven chain with me all day long.  I'm finishing commissions and making a few larger gemstone rings.  OK, I'm overwhelmed by my aspirations.  

Still.  You get the idea. 

A little playing with pink

Thinking about color from last week, I was experiencing a bit of a dry patch at the bench, so I decided to jump right in. 

I had pink on my mind.  Several ideas I'd had before Mother's Day really wanted more pink beads and most of what I have is a pale peach pink.  Still it's a lovely color, so I grabbed everything I could find.  Pink's a color that can come in every darkness and hue.  Some pinks are very purple, while others are nearly orange.  Pink can be intense and pale.  They're all in the piece I completed.  

 

The donut beads contain a golden rutile and slashes of pink.  The pinks are tourmaline, which is more purple, quartz that's very pale and orangish.  I balanced the different tones with whites and greys of botswana agate and rainbow moonstone. 

Pink is a gentle color.  If you're "in the pink" you're at the height of good taste and quality.  It's a relaxing and content color.  It's also a big favorite of little girls everywhere.  (My daughter's wardrobe is at least half pink, only half because I shop for her.) 

Whenever I wear pink, which is rarely since I think it's not one of my best colors, I remember the childlish glee of a bubblegum ring. 

There are a lot of shapes in this necklace, geometric and rough.  I think my next experiment will have to do more with that aspect of the design. 

The necklace is very long-50 inches and can be worn long or looped around several times or knotted.  It has a sterling silver lobster clasp, just in case you want to wear it close to your neck. 

-Simbelmynë

 

If a Piece Sits in a Basement....

...And is never seen by anybody but the artist, is it still art?

A pretty good question, eh?  Does it become art once it's pulled out and framed or worn? Will we ever know?

Fact is, we have about 60 items listed between our two shops, and hundreds in trays in my basement.  How on earth is anybody going to see the basement dwellers between shows? 

One of the new habits I'm trying to cultivate is photography.  My new phone is helping with day to day pictures, yay for a decent phone camera.  The Tumblr blog has been pretty busy.  But it's still no good for really good pictures.  With all my frustration, I've been avoiding the real camera and good lighting and well thought out backdrops. 

So, the new routine is "get one good photo a day".  I'll take two or three, sure thing! But even one is better than leaving the camera and the pieces hiding in the basement.  Spring weather is helping out, sunshine, overcast-Sure!  bring it!  Just as long as we avoid the four letter word beginning with s, I'm fine. 

Here's one from today.

A little work and I can get some things listed.  Slow progress is better than none!

-Simbelmynë

Artist's weekend

My family will be out of town having the time of their lives.

And I'm staying home to have a party! (yes, I do feel like a teenager whose parents have left town for the weekend)

It's an artist's retreat at Simbelmynë's house!  I'll hit Costco and fill the house with food. I'm used to all sorts of eaters-picky eaters, carnivores, vegetarians, vegans, food sensitivities, OmNomNomNivores... Also I have hot and cold running WiFi, which is, of course, optional.  And, never fear, coffee.

Everything's ship shape with lots of room for big projects.  I'm not far from Construction Junction, really you could get pretty crazy. I'm planning to set aside areas for specific things, and we can adjust as people arrive with their projects and goals for the weekend.  I have lots of places to sleep, if you're from out of town or just don't want to leave.

The jewelry studio will be in full swing.  I have almost every type of equipment anybody could need-from torches to finishing equipment. I have tables and corners and quiet areas for writing, being quiet, meditating.  A park next door for walks and listening to the world around us.  A full crafting room with all sorts of supplies, if you forget anything.  I even have a macro photography studio, if you want to get some small photos.

We can swap, dump, laugh, play, work, meditate, trade secrets, teach, learn, whatever we want to do.

If you RSVP I can make sure I have what you need.  Or just show up, the more the merrier!

Stay all weekend or come and go as you please. 

Official Start is 7pm Friday, March 18 and end at 7pm Sunday March 20.

-Simbelmynë

(412)608-8986

235 Oakview Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15218

(Please ignore the photo it's from the highway, for some reason)

We're the last house on the left.

Tags

Crafting month progresses.  On Thursday, one of my class days, I was fighting that overwhelmed feeling, so I didn't get as much done. Funny how that works.  I ran our of torch fuel, I was just generally not doing well at the bench.

I did manage to stamp and cut out some tiny tags to add to single-gemstone beaded bracelets.

These need holes and a lot of cleanup. They're made from reclaimed scrap silver. My teeny torch doesn't do a great job melting large amounts, but I can get a little melted at a time. It's great for smaller pieces, as long as I have the patience to roll it out.  They're still a little irregular, but once polished up I think they'll be a nice addition. 

The more of each piece I'm making myself, the more satisfying beading and simple pendants get.  The whole point is to have fun, right?

-Simbelmynë

Project Runway 2010 week 2 Simbelmyne

Their challenge this week was much less crazy.

Design a look for a Marie Claire billboard on Times Square!

So a look that's "modern and fashion forward" for work and going out.  High fashion.   But also with enough color and detail that blowing it up to the size of a building will grab attention.

Kerchief style neck ornaments are very much a trend right now.  This necklace mimics the twisting, knotted, asymmetrical look of a scarf. Here are the colors.  The metal elements will be fashioned from sheet, I may add stones, but simply. 

-Simbelmynë

Project Runway 2010, Simbelmyne's first look

The poor souls on Project Runway got a challenge right off the plane-Choose something from your luggage, this will be the foundation of your look.  But wait!  Hand it to the person next to you.

The look of terror on their faces melted my heart.  And maybe it made me laugh.  Nothing's safe on a reality show!

Mina rummaged through her available stuff and pulled out this one:

I'm learning Chasing and Eastern Repoussé this week, naturally the choice of the "Coins and Dangles" necklace was perfect for me!  This piece has always reminded me of belly dancing, with it's coin shaped accent beads, multiple tiers and moving pendant.

I would start with an idea like this one:

The other constraint on the contestants this week was time.  Only 5 hours to create a complete look!  Since I'd want to do some metal work, I wouldn't do a lot of restringing.  Simple jumprings would bring the strands together into more of a collar and the chain would serve to hang the coins.

Coins gives me a chance to try some branding! So on to designing three coins for our belly dancer's piece.  (I'm jealous of Project Runway's tablet PC's.)  I began sketching up a name-themed pendant a while back, tho it didn't go anywhere beyond preliminary design.  But, in my mind, Simbelmynë is very floral.  I like initials in a maker's mark, to identify the artist more clearly. 

Well, something like this. (As you've probably noticed, computers and drawing are not my thing, that might be the class I take in the spring.) 

Mina's design would be more Victorian, perhaps an illuminated "M" with a rose, of course.

Intentional Stones has a script already, fortunately.  So our "IS" would be pretty easy. 

I need to keep it simple, since I don't have a die cutter, but 24 gauge silver  or even thinner and my shears could cut the finished coins out pretty easily. The letters stamped and chased in. 

Lots and lots of the coins.  Maybe even some bells, if Mood would provide!

-Simbelmynë

Where are they now?

Minor celebrities: These are pieces that seem to get a lot of attention when they're out on the table, and still they haven't sold! 

By Simbelmynë Kambaba jasper, dumortierite, aventurine and white howlite.  clasp and pendant are fabulous bead show finds, wire detail is hand made.

Here's the Listing!

Mina's piece:  Lapis Lazuli, pearl and sterling silver beads and toggle.

Lapis in Waves

In which we discuss individual pieces

Mina's Lovely two strand necklace of amethyst, moonstone and pearl

Simbelmynë's pale amethyst and rose quartz scarab bracelet

Sunshine and Happiness

Mina and I shall discuss in the comments our own piece and the other artist's piece. Please, if a particular piece strikes you, say why in the comments?