Holiday Treasures from Vintage Underground, Chicago

Happy New Year! I thought I'd kick start the new year by telling you all about this great vintage store that I found while walking around the brilliant city of Chicago during the holidays.
So anyway, I just got back from shopping at Akira, which is this trendy store for the up and coming designers of the area and I'd suggest that if you are ever in Chicago, this is one of the many places you HAVE TO visit! I digress yet again:p I just finished shopping at Akira clothing when i found this sign in one of the store windows for "Vintage Underground". Now, as if vintage was not an enough sign to draw you in, but together with the word underground just makes it all the more special to warrant a quick look. The store is a small basement space (very appropriate for their precious treasures). From brooches that date back to 1900s to old rickety furniture that would make a great piece for your city home, you would be hard pressed to leave the place without buying anything! And not just because of all the sparkly trinkets, but because their prices are incredibly reasonable. The photo above are the pieces I bought from Vintage and they were a steal! And I'm not even done! The owners, Caroline and Carlos are the nicest, sweetest, most accommodating people you will ever meet in an establishment. The store is almost like their home where they'd walk you around the store and talk to you about the pieces that catch your eye. So anyway, if you are ever in the Chicago area, please visit this store, it's so worth the time. And don't forget to check out their site, you can probably insist on the owners to sell some stuff online so that the rest who don't live in the area can enjoy their vintage treasures as well.

; )

DIY- Tiara making

$12.00

Please provide your email address so you can get the e-tutorial:

After a successful class on tiara making, I have decided to make my tiara making technique accessible for anyone who would like to create their own tiara designs! Have fun!

This e-tutorial is a part of wire wrapping fundamentals collection.

Jewelry Couture Designs

Hi everyone! Wow! These past 3 weeks have been very busy for me. I've started a new blog for interior designing. And I have been preparing for when I start to teach jewelry making classes at AC Moore! But the biggest news is my new line of jewelry couture designs. This collection features intricate designs and great detail, think of it as wire sculpture meets embroidery. Here is a preview of some of the items that I will soon be featuring in my online store! Hope you can visit me there!

I'll be resuming my DIY posts soon!!

;p

DIY: Bead Wrapping Technique

Whenever I design something, I don't remember half the steps that I took to create it. So after much reverse engineering and hair pulling, I am finally able to give you a more digested version of a wire wrapping technique that I had developed. I hope you enjoy it and have fun with it!

Today, I will show you a bead wrapping technique that I use to create simple but very elegant bracelets and necklaces. It is a take off from the the previous DIY project that I posted, DIY:Wire Wrapping Basics, so you might find the steps more or less similar to the previous post.

For this project, you will need large beads and 24 gauge wire.

Slip your stone into your wire. Don't cut your wire, you will save wire that way.

Measure about 2 to 2-1/2 inches from the loose end of the wire and form a loop with your round nose pliers. Coil the loose wire 3 times on the base of the loop. Your wire should look like the picture below.
Leave this side of the bead for now. Slip the bead up to the base of the loop you just created. Using your round nose pliers, make a loop similar to the one you just created. Coil your wires 3 times on the base of the bead as in the picture below.

From here, cut your wire so that the 2 ends will have the same length wire.
Then wrap the loose wires around the base of the loops. make sure you flatten the wires on the beads so the wire ends won't snag your clothing.

You're done! All you gotta do now is string them together with jump rings, add some charms or bead pendants

The picture here features 2 beadworks with different techniques. The gold and brown beaded one is a teaser preview of the next DIY project that I will be showing you all next time.
;p

The Madness of Artistry

If you're an architecture major,you are probably familiar with the Bauhaus movement: Form follows function.

As an artist, I find it difficult to follow this rule. Funny enough, I was an architecture major. But most of the time, I had to create a function from a concept that I had created. Although this Bauhaus school of thought might make my life a lot easier, putting the horse before the cart and all, my artistry forces me away from this path. Why can't I put my cart first? Why need a cart at all? This is probably why some artists are starving. We live for our craft and we are inspired by so many things. It's almost comical sometimes how I have to struggle with a concept because I have no idea what to do with it.

Be that as it may, our passion is what makes us what we are, artists. Although it might come out as mad to some people, I'm pretty sure a lot of us won't want to trade in that glint of childhood excitement over sanity. It's mad, I know, but what will this world become without a little bit of madness once in a while? I'll take the first shift now, you can have your dose of crazy later....

;p

DIY Basics: Wire Wrapping

Wire wrapping is a very interesting specialty to get into. It's been used by a lot of artisans to create masterful sculptures and wearable art. There is really no actual way to wire wrap, there are no boundaries in art. Each artist has their own style. Today, I would like to share with you a basic technique of making a stone into a pendant. Although there are a lot of tutorials that you see online to create this, I would like to share with you a style that's been used by a lot of jewelery artists lately. Let's begin!

The first thing that we need to do is gather our basic instruments: the round nose pliers, the long nose pliers and cutting shears/pliers. For your materials, you will need a 22-24 gauge wire, whatever fits into your stone. For this project, I shall be using a pearl and a crystal for my stones.

Slip your stone into your wire. There is no need to cut the wire, you will save wire that way.

At about 10 cm from the loose end of your wire, make 2 loops with your round nose pliers.

Then coil the remaining loose wire on the base of the loops you just made with the use of your long nose pliers or you can just use your fingers. Your wire should look like the picture below by now.

Slip your stone up to the base of the loop you just created. From the base of the pearl, loop the wire up and around the pearl as in the picture below

From here, coil your wire firmly around the the pearl to your desired length. Cut your wire and voila! you're done!

For stones that have the holes on the top like this crystal in my next example, you can use the same basic principle only you simply bend your wire and coil it around the base of the loop.

Now you know a great technique and you're ready to create a set of your very own pearl and crystal earrings with gorgeous artisan accents. Enjoy!!

;p

Stones With Meaning, A DIY preview

When I was in college, my friends used to wear these necklaces with stones that were supposed to be "charms" of some sort. I had a friend that had a pink stone for love. It didn't really work for her (probably needed a bigger stone) but it was a good inspiration for this set that I made. I started out with just one piece and got carried away because I needed something to match any color that I was wearing that time. I would like to say each of them represent something to me:

pink stone - for love
red stone - for passion and seduction
yellow stone - for joy
blue stone - for inner peace
green stone - for prosperity
pearl - for elegance and grace

I'm not sure if the metaphysical properties involved with colors and stones are true but a lot of people make their living telling people that they are.

They don't usually work with your day but at least they work well with your wardrobe:p

Further down the road, I will be posting a tutorial for creating these simple wire wraps. I don't really follow a rule on wire sculpting because it's mostly free form but I will teach you the basics and some styles that you might like to use in your own projects.

;p

DIY Earrings: The Hoop With a Twist

I love using organic stuff in my jewelry. Since I'm an island girl, most of my jewelry is combined with cut shells. So for this project, I used cut shells that you might see used in some of those old puka necklaces you have and never ever use anymore! Wouldn't you just love it if you could recycle them and create a whole new piece especially created by you?



First thing you need to do is gather all your materials and tools for the project:

22 gauge wire at about 12 ft per earring
2 hoop earrings
4-5 mm beads/ shells with holes drilled in the middle. In this project, I use 4-5 mm round cut voluta shells. the unique patterns on each shell give more personality to the piece. You can also use other cut shells or other shape beads for this project.
20 gauge wire to make the jump rings. Also don't forget your round nose pliers, wire straightener, nose pliers.

First step is to create your jump rings. Jump rings are those circle wire things used to connect jewelry. Jump rings can also be bought in packages but you can make your own with some round nose pliers and 20 gauge wire.
Coil wire around the round nose to create a ring just about the same size as your beads. In this case, I'm using 5mm flat shells so my jump rings will be 5mm in diameter as well. If your shells are thicker, adjust the rings and see if you are able to close the jump ring. Use common sense.

chain the jump rings with 1 shell in each jump ring as in picture below:

create 1 of 6 chains,

2 of 5 chains,
2 of 4 chains.


Take your 22 gauge wire and fold the wire in half so that one side forms a loop. Take your hoop earring and then starting at the middle, loop your wire about 3 times around the hoop earring and the jump ring of the 6 chain that you made.


Then coil just the hoop earring about 8 times before adding one of the 5 chains. As in the picture below. Repeat this process for the 4 chains and on the other side.

Just add the earring hooks and you're done! Enjoy!

; )

Some more designs for you!

If you were as lucky as I was, you'd have a dad who was a natural artist and a mother who had the best taste in just about everything.

These napkin rings are a perfect example of my parent's influence. It combines creativity along with functional style.

Got creative instincts? Here's a tip! Gather old pendants and brooches around your home. AC Moore I believe sells random 1 ft ribbons in a bag for a buck so grab a bag and get creative! Create your own napkin rings and I guarantee a dinner filled with awesome conversation.

Interested in my original designs? Let me know! I'd love to design for you! Whether you're planning a holiday dinner or want to give these as presents or even something for your wedding. I live for my designs and I love what I do! Thanks for visiting!

Modern designs for tableware accessories

With the holiday season coming up, I decided to create these fun, modern, chic dinnerware accessories.



This original handcrafted design is a modern and more personal take on the table napkin ring. It has silk ribbons to tie around your table linen and is made out of genuine mother of pearl shell with a unique silver wire sculpted around it. This piece is a favourite of mine and it certainly livens up any dinner party!

If you're interested in my designs, please feel free to contact me. Whether you would like this piece for yourself or you want me to create a special one just for you, please don't hesitate to ask.

I live for my designs and I love what I do!

I'll be posting my other designs as soon as I take more photos. Thanks for visiting!