Over the Rainbow - A Ribbon of Rainbows!!!

This week, I've taken part in a new (I mean new for me), weekly theme project. The inspirational theme for this week was "vibrant chaotic rainbow".

Here is the necklace that sort of beaded itself in my hands.
I "crash-tested" it and I absolutely love it - it's one of those se pieces that just make you feel great...

You should definitely check out the
Thursday Sweet Treat blog to see all the amazing craft inspired by this theme.
This is a generally thrilling blog kept by Natasha of Doodle Star.

Latest Whim on the Block

I've had this idea mulling on a backburner for some time and now it's out there and I'm really happy about it.

I find sometimes a bad pun does a lot towards brightening a dark day— plus this is actually pleasant to wear in a striking-but-not-too-flashy way. If I'm the one saying it...

So here it is — a bright piece of dazzling humour — my Queen of Clubs Ring & Bracelet set. Yours if you'd like to get it on Etsy or on DaWanda.

Merry-go-round - How do you do it ?

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women from around the world as they link hands and tell you a little bit about their lives in craft.

Do look up the answers from the rest of this band of crafters (links to your left). If they haven't posted yet, remember we all live in different time zones and check again later...

This month's question:

Explain how you do your craft

Hmmm. Good question that.

Very much in keeping with last month's question to me, right now. I am actually spending a lot more time working on acquiring new skills - and exploring the internet for tools and supplies - than getting anything really "showable" done. I've ordered my tumbler. Yay! And just gotten a myriad new design stamps etc. Also bracing myself to start on soldering stuff - not to worry, I do have the goggles.

So.

Normally, what I do is start from a piece (some chain, a charm, a stone, a pearl, a cab...) and work around it. Like recently, I wanted to make a special something for my best friend's special birthday (can't say which, obviously). Months ago, i had come across this amethist focal piece and bought it right away because she likes amethist and amethist likes her. As I did not want to spoil it. I spent the next few months with this focal on a back-burner. I knew it would be a necklace, but that still left quite a few possibilities.

Eventually, of course, even though I had gotten the focal well in advance, I was late with my present. But once I had the amethist on my (drawing-room/loft/study/workshop) table with a mess of silver findings, the necklace came together as of its own volition. I used what I had that fit best... and three days later she was wearing it to work.
Phew.

Right now, I'm working on a bracelet for a special niece with a special birthday coming up.

And the (very bad - sorry about that!) photos shows the mess that is pretending to be leading towards a beautiful piece. Only, I still have a few month. So, I cannot make up my mind yet... So I'm sort of working on making her bracelet and another one that I'll put up for sale.

Lucky there's no dinner party coming up any time soon...

Especially as I have also taken out some materials to create a couple of Muscha glass pendants...

Oh and I forget - the last photo shows my bits and bobs (formerly and elegant 'thirties bottle bar table) side table, with a piece of bead-weaving waiting for new supplies, and exotic finds that I have high hopes about (like my small stash of vintage "mascaron" fèves/cabs)...

It HAS taken over my life.

SOLDES - SAINTE HONORINE - SALE

Bientôt la Sainte Honorine, le 27 février : "A la Sainte Honorine, honore tes copines" (nouveau dicton).
Profitez de mes soldes exceptionnels sur Dawanda pour faire à vos amies des cadeaux aussi uniques qu'elles !

Merry-go-round - What Next?

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women from around the world as they link hands and tell you a little bit about their lives in craft.

Do look up the answers from the rest of this band of crafters (links to your left). If they haven't posted yet, remember we all live in different time zones and check again later...

This month's question:

If you had the time/money etc, what new craft or art would you like to try this new year?

"If you had the time/money" - Love that part!

These days, I have so very much no time at all that money is not even an issue anymore. Well. Nearly not.

What I really want to look into, and am beginning to, in a teeny-tiny way- see above- is metal work. I have begun getting supplies and tools and information. I have also tried my hand a little at metal stamping. I really look forward (as in waaaayyyy ahead) to trying my hand on soldering.


I like words and symbols, they are really how I function, if you see what I mean. However frivolous and superfluous, my pieces (beading and all) jsut have to "mean" something to me. Colours and shapes are crucial too, but I need to be able to find a word to stick on it, if I'm going to want to really make a piece. That is probably why I'm so touched when someone likes/buys one that I particularly like. That is also why I find it "easier" to make a piece with someone in mind. That's "easier" with inverted commas around, because I find it more exciting, but it tends to take longer...
So stamping is the thing right now. Still need more time to work on all the finishing... and finding perky phrases.

Further ahead still: art clay. I've seen this and what some can achieve with it (Ruth - hat up!) and I'm so frustrated that it still hasn't come to France!
So, at some point, I will have to get a tumbler and art clay shipped all the way to France from North America... Bracing up is what I am doing right now.

I also mean to take up off-loom bead weaving again. I love the prospect of all the possibilities this will give, when I have had time to practice...

Nourriture Spirituelle / Food for Thought

C'est parce que la vitesse de la lumière est supérieure à celle du son, que certains ont l'air brillant avant d'avoir l'air con.
Ce n'est pas de moi mais qu'est-ce que ça correspond bien à mon expérience !
Alors je diffuse

It is because the speed of light is higher than the speed of sound that some will seem brilliant before they seem daft.
Not mine — but it does correspond to my experience of people, of some people anyway!
So I thought I'd pass it on.

AVANT-PREMIERE / PREVIEW

L'année dernière (!), sur le marché de Noël de Bordeaux, sur un stand qui vendait des santons de provence, je suis tombée sur un lot de fèves inutilisée... aux quelles j'ai tout de suite trouvé un fort potentiel bijoutier.
Au grand étonnement des propriétaires, je suis repartie avec tout un lot de miniatures, en particulier des reproductions de mascarons et d'assiettes en faïence.
Comme d'habitude, je laisse les idées tourner un peu dans ma tête avant d'utiliser ce genre de pièces uniques, mais je me suis déjà mise au travail : j'ai commencé avec les mascarons en faisant un collier et une broche très vintage, mais aussi une paire d'assiettes "souvenir de Paris" qui sont devenues des clips pour une amie parisienne.

Last year (!), roaming along the alleys of the Bordeaux Xmas Market, I found a display of unused "fèves" (small objects traditionally hidden in Epiphany pies and cakes - the person who finds it in his/her slice gets to be "king/queen" and choose his/her "queen/king").
Some of these are "mascarons" (typical sculpted ornaments found on 18th century façades here) and others are tiny miniatures of antique porcelain plates.
I like to let designs mature in my mind before I do anything too definitive with unique pieces like these, but I've already gotten down to work - with mascarons first (a necklace and a brooch, both very vintage-looking), and with a pair of Paris plates which were turned into a completely unique set of clip-on earrings for a friend.