Design Lessons

I’ve been getting a new lesson on design from Allison. Collaborative, creative chaos can be a good thing at times.

I started my Chinese Knot earring like this, but the transition between the Maille and the bead was too stark and not smooth enough. The chi wasn’t flowing as perfectly as it could. So…

Hmm… the knots on the ruby made it too bulky for such a dainty piece (these are 20g rings with 22g connectors). So, in untypical Hui fashion (usually I hide while I’m creating), I started colluding with Allison about it. After a lengthy conversation consisting of “Hmmmmmmm” I finally came up with this.

I have to admit that I was initially hesitant to try what she had suggested, but biting back my pride and ego, I went with it. And holy crap, watch out because what started as a simple earring has turned into a necklace and bracelet design. It’s really true, that sometimes, you can’t do everything by yourself.

Early Morning Rambling

I do my best creative work in the dead of night. Apparently, I also do my best tidying too. The weather has been warm, so the apartment heats up a lot, even with the fan on and all that. So after we finally got baby to bed (apparently he didn’t like my chicken and wanted baby food instead), I woke up at 2am, sticky and annoyed. I turned on the AC for a bit, then started tidying up the apartment since I’ve neglected doing so since before Jesse left on his trip. Yay for nesting and tidying. As much as I’m a fan of creative clutter, it bugs me when it gets too overwhelming. Yes, my husband is slowly beating the hoarder out of me, which is good for everyone. I have kids to set an example for!

Baby has been sleeping in his crib now because he loves to rotate 360 degrees and he’s just growing so much that 9 month footie PJ’s are starting to get tight in the feet. I got him some 12 month PJ’s and OMG, he totally fit them, no problem. My baby is getting too big too fast! He crawls backwards and walks backwards in his walker at Mom and Dad’s. He had his first real temper tantrum today. I was feeding him a banana and he was trying to eat his rattle at the same time. I took it away and he just started bawling, big tears and everything. Oy, this kid is going to be sassy when he’s older. Thankfully he can’t talk yet, but he’s getting there soon. At least he’s cute.

Today I made 3 pendants. That’s pretty good considering my lack of energy/effort/time. But the ideas needed to manifest and it did. I’m really excited about all the possibilities that are starting to present itself with this very simple design. Whoo hoo! I should make cute earrings to match. Oh, that would be so cute! Yay for being creative, rested, and happy. And on that note, back to bed.

A Jewelry Update!

Hey look, I found a picture of the 20g Perfect Ring I mentioned in my previous post!

Yeah, right as I say I’m taking a creative break, baby starts sleeping, and I get creative again.  Oops.  So much for trying to ride a linear curve.  Nope, it’s just as sporadic as baby’s sleeping habits. :-O  So, what’s been crackin’ at the Hui Hui factory?  Let’s see…

Chandara (a.k.a. Biggest Fan/Best Customer) ordered this ruby and rose gold bracelet.  Lucky for me, it arrived just in time for her birthday!  Whoo hoo!  Apparently when I say I’m “getting back to basics”, I default to using beads and chainmaille bits.  Usually in a pattern consisting of CB-Bead-CB.

Fairly predictable, but I yam what I yam.  Wow, I write about this more than I thought…

I was contacted by a lady who was referred to me for custom jewelry.  We’ve been going back and forth via email to figure out the perfect necklace for her.  She likes thick and heavy chains, so some kind of chainmaille is in order for sure.  We just haven’t figured it out yet.  It’s been a fun challenge trying to figure out what suits her best.  I haven’t given my creative juices a hard enough workout for awhile and this fits the bill quite nicely.  Here’s a cool work-in-progress piece I came up with last weekend.  It’s pretty epic with the wall flower and the double sprial in sterling and rose gold.  Be still my rose gold heart.

I found this wire stand at Michael’s and I think it makes a pretty decent earring display.  My only gripe is that I need something to weigh down the bottom of it in the basket.  I’ll probably get some of those glass pebbles in a cobalt blue to match the postcard.  I feel so professional!

Hubby and I have a few errands to run later on this morning, then I hope to spend the rest of the day lounging around at home.  Probably play a few rounds of Dominion, then get him all packed for his trip to Pittsburgh.  Happy Saturday everyone!

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Golden Dreams

This is my latest project… I made Jesse go pick up the package from the post office on Saturday because even though it clearly said, “Deliver to Front Office”, they left a signature confirmation note instead. >.< When I opened the box, I was seriously wondering what I was thinking when I ordered everything. Mind you, this was probably the Monday before I went into labor, so anything before Tuesday I seriously do not remember. It took me awhile to figure out what the heck I was thinking.  I have a significant portion of it finish already and I anticipate it to be finished by the end of the week (giving myself ample time with the baby).  It reminds me of something Emily Gilmore would wear with one of her St. John suits… hehee.  I made it in silver for a custom order and felt the need to make one in gold.  Here’s the one in silver:

I’ll be finished with it either tomorrow or Thursday.  It really depends how much baby lets me get done.  Today’s been long and I pretty much slept most of the time he did.  But at least I put away half of the laundry.  I’ll get to the rest soon.  Bleh.  The weather has been calming down and slowly transitioning into fall.  I love the transitional seasons.  Now I’m just waiting for the tape on my incision to fall off so I can start wrapping my baby pooch.  Apparently that’s one of the few ways to get rid of it… wrap it in 100% cotton fabric.  Again, the body is a miraculous thing.  I did a little bit of yoga and bellydance yesterday, but it seriously wiped me out.  I may have to just start with the yoga to get my muscles back into a little bit of shape.  But nothing too strenuous or else I’ll seriously be a zombie trying to feed the baby.  Not cool.

Part of me is looking forward to getting on with my life after lockdown, but part of me is enjoying it a little too much.  I mean, yeah, taking care of a stubborn baby who screams bloody murder because he can’t figure out that he has to move his tongue down in order to eat is enough for anyone to go bonkers, but that aside, lockdown has been nice.  I don’t have to deal with anyone except family and close friends, I get to sleep as much as possible, and when I’m not exhausted, I get to make jewelry.  And Mom brings me yummy home cooked food.  Who wouldn’t love that?

My super duper secret squirrel project supplies ships out tomorrow.  Excited to work on it and gather my guinea pigs.  No announcements until the Big Reveal.  Until then, enjoy some clips of Emily Gilmore.

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Monday Musings

I have the urge to learn how to carve wax and play with molten metal (i.e. casting).  No idea why but maybe part of it is that I want my future backyard to be part blacksmith studio.

I have a few things I want to get done… Mondays are always the day I plan for the week.  So here’s my to do list:

• Pick up Dominion and iPad covers from mailbox
• Buy crib mattress
• Take jewelry photos
• Post on Etsy
• Post on Urban Maille
• Organize chainmaille instructions in pretty Martha Stewart file folders
• Sort through baby shower stuff
• Clean out car for baby crap
• Clean up office
• Clean up leftover stuff at Mom & Dad’s

I have a significant collection of Swarovski crystal figurines.  I have the original 2 that I bought in Austria as a teenager, but my collection over time has gotten lost in the piles and piles of stuff in what used to be the old office.  I might be overzealous in my attempts to actually go through all this stuff, but I want to find all of those figurines. /sigh  Being a hoarder doesn’t pay.  And, I should attempt this cleaning before September while I’m still mobile. >.<

Of course, I got home tonight and went into “it’s hot” + food coma.  Killed a few monsters on Diablo, and worked on a chainmaille order while watching Season 6 of Buffy.  Got 2 necklaces listed on Etsy, so it really hasn’t been a total loss of an evening.  Click on the picture for the Etsy listing.

All and all, not a bad day.  Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Yummy Garnets

I needed the extra grounding yesterday so I picked up these delicious 8mm garnets and started playing.

Hui.1 has given me gestational diabetes. Great. I see a lot of nuts in my snacking future. Eh, there are worse pregnancy things so I’m trying to keep leveled headed about this. The way I see it, this is the Universe saying “welcome to 30.”

Ooo Shiny!

Lots of new shiny things and new pictures.  I’ve been inspired to use my wedding china as a backdrop.  What else am I going to do with it if I don’t use it for entertaining?  Yeah, next dinner party, I may just bust it out…

So this is what happens when I have a Saturday to leisurely sit on my butt and “rest” while Jesse occupies himself with Diablo 3.  Someday, I will play video games again, but not until I replace my crappy computer.  But hey, it lets me do all the stuff I need to do online, so I’m not complaining.  Besides, one can only do so much “running around and killing things” before one’s butt gets tired of sitting.

This is my spring necklace… I love what I did with it.

Old fluorite necklace I revamped with this big @$$ focal bead.  It’s certainly a show stopper.  I should post it on Etsy, but that’s a task for another day.

Teeny tiny multicolor tourmaline beads on yellow gold filled.  I blame 2 things for the creation of this necklace… my friend who is obsessed with tourmaline and the fluorite necklace.  It took me all day and I tumbled it all night (yay for fan noise to block out the tumbler noise!).

With matching earrings, of course.  Well, I never make matching anything, so this is a big accomplishment.

Rose gold filled and sparkly sunstone.  Yum!

And a work in progress tourmaline necklace.  This is the lighter strand.  The darker strand is in sterling silver.

The Artist’s Way ~ Week 8 Recap

Morning Pages ~ Everyday!  Yay!

Artist Date ~ Went to the post office, then decided to walk around a shopping center and tried a cookie shop I’ve never walked into for 22 years.  OMG, those are the best cookies EVER!

It’s been a really long week.  Tiresome.  Filled with PMS and therefore cleaning/purging/tossing of stuff, ideas, and people.  Well, not really people.  Jesse’s leaving for Costa Rica on Wednesday and I think the anticipation of him leaving for 2 weeks has been getting to me, but I’m not sure.  All I know is that I’ve been extra crabby and pinchy this week.  Enough to say that I need to stamp myself a pendant with a Cancer symbol and says, “I Pinch”.  That would be awesome.

Dealing with the notion of balance and time management again.  Again, tiresome.  But there’s not much I can do about it right now.  Just gotta suck it up and go with the flow.  Sometimes the flow sucks, but whatever.  Whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.

I need to get back to organizing my stones.  I miss them.  I have a few necklace ideas for the stamped pendants but I need time to cultivate it and put it into motion.  Boo for being busy, yay for new ideas.  So far I have the idea of a charoite and tigereye necklace or bracelet with a tag that says, “Work hard, play harder”.  I really like that one.

I will post more this coming week… but for now, off to frolic with Jesse and his sisters.

The Artist’s Way ~ Week 4 Recap

Morning Pages ~ Everyday except Thursday, but only once got to 3 pages.

Artist Date – Monday; went to the bookstore, David’s Bridal, and got a cookie.

The reading deprivation really didn’t work because I love reading blogs and stuff.  This week was so long and boring, I decided to bust out my copy of “7 Highly Effective Habits for Teens” and then started a day early reading about Week 5.  But like I said in an earlier post, I understand the concept of not reading when you want to create.

Something creative has been awakening inside of me again, though.  I started slowly working on a chainmaille necklace whenever I’m on the phone or when I have a few minutes to make a little bit of chain.  Then I came up with an idea I need to test out and design.  I’m really excited about the idea and wondering why I didn’t come up with it sooner.  So yes, the system is working.

I’ve been meaning to write out what my ideal environment is, so I’ll describe it here.  I thrive on natural, unobstructed daylight.  With Gilmore Girls playing in the background, I’m as happy as a clam before it’s steamed in a garlic butter sauce.  That’s pretty much what I did before dinner tonight.  Watched an episode of GG and worked on a pendant I’ve been meaning to make more of, but never had the time or patience to sit down and make it again.  This morning, I also cranked out a pair of Can Can earrings in happy spring/Easter bunny barf colors.  It’s been a good jewelry weekend for some reason.  I’ve also been drinking a lot of chamomile tea instead of my usual Tazo Zen Green tea.  I guess I’ve needed the zen?  I haven’t had any since I was sick with a horrid sore throat that lasted for a solid 2 weeks during the holidays.  Yeah, that sucked hairy monkey balls.  And ever since then I haven’t been able to drink it until now.  Crazy.  Right, ideal surroundings… chamomile tea, Gilmore Girls in the background if I’m not creating something new, daylight, and probably Jesse peddling around nearby (silently because I’ll train him not to disturb me while I’m in artist mode).

Here’s the pendant base I made.  Haven’t decided what kind of stone to display yet… no, I take that back, I decided on an iolite because I need to wear more of it.  Next one I make will be with a garnet.  Then a smaller pendant to showcase smaller hanging stones.

Oh yeah, I should tumble my fluorite necklace that I upcycled with a new focal bead.