Chainmaille Earring a Day

Date: 2010.05.02 | Category: At Events, earrings | Response: 0

I’ve been busy…. with lots of things. A little peek into my life away from creating chainmaille jewelry – I’ve been running my Grade 3 daughter around to her dance classes all weekend including some auditions today for the competitive dance troupe at her studio. When I’m ‘taxi Mom’, I often have either some knitting with me or, especially if I’m prepping for a big event, I’ll have my rings and pliers with me and you’ll see me weaving chainmaille as I patiently wait. We also had my Mom’s birthday to celebrate this weekend and my little boy’s soccer practices… so now, as I reflect on the weekend, I’m surprised that we’ve already reached the end of Sunday evening and that Monday is already around the corner.

Box Chain Anodized Titanium Chainmaille Earrings

Nonetheless, I did sneak in creative moments left right an centre and earrings were the name of the game.  Stay tuned as I present one earring a day over the course of this week.  First up, I was playing around with my favourite, the anodized titanium rings in a muted rainbow mix of colours.  I created a short dangle using the box chain weave and then finished it off with a moebius chainmaille flower.  The ear wires are made from natural coloured niobium which is said to be hypo-allergenic so these earrings are great for individuals with metal sensitivities.  They are now available in my Etsy shop

Watch this spot for more new earrings!!!

In event news, I just added my next confirmed Christmas show to the event calendar – the Abbotsford Arts Council Christmas Craft Fair which will take place the weekend of November 27-29!!!  It seems like a long way off but I always fool myself into thinking how far off events are and the next thing I know, the time as snuck up on me!!!

Spring Has Sprung

Date: 2010.04.29 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

Well, it’s been spring for a while but I’m finding I’m just coming out of the winter doldrums/hibernation. Life has been busy in so many different ways.

First of all, to follow up on my last post, I’m still working on the web site but I got a lot accomplished this past weekend. I’m almost happy with it but do come back in the near future to check it out when I’m all finished. There are more pictures that I need to add to the galleries and other things that still need updating. If you happen to be a “local” and want to check out where I’ll be selling next, you can always check the side bar or the Upcoming Events page to see details about my comings and goings.

I do have some great news as far as event planning goes. First up, to get my feet wet for the season and to support one of our local elementary schools, I’ll be at the Hall’s Prairie Country Fair and Market on May 15^th from 10 am to 3 pm. This will be a fun family event and I’m really looking forward to being a part of the event and to celebrate the school’s 125^th birthday. It’s only a bit over two weeks away and I’m praying for nice weather. An outdoor event like that can be a great time but if the west coast wet weather does not cooperate, it can be pretty miserable. I’ll be digging out my outdoor event tent!!!

I’m excited about the Hall’s Prairie country market but I’m even more thrilled to announce that I’ll be at Portobello West Art and Fashion Market in Vancouver for the summer months. I’ll be at this fabulous venue the last Sunday of June, July and August and I’m working hard to have fabulous pieces ready for display and sale.

One of my latest pieces has been this great bracelet in the little picture. The bracelet is woven with a combination of 2 traditional chainmaille weaves, the European 4-in-1 and the Half Persian 3-in-1. Right now, I have the one in the picture ready to go as well as one where the colours of the centre spine are pink and green (really pretty colour combination). I can imagine this bracelet as well in solid sterling silver and also combined with anodized Niobium as the centre colour accent.

Speaking of spring and summer, I’m also contemplating several anklet designs, as I’m sure, we will, one day be ready for shorts and sandals. Right?

Playing with the Site

Date: 2010.04.24 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

We’re under construction.  I am working on the site this weekend so please excuse the construction debris if you happen to stumble upon it this weekend.

I’m in Love

Date: 2010.04.20 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

I’ve experimented with my funky stretchy chainmaille jewelry for a couple of years now but I really haven’t taken it very far. I’ve used tiny, tiny rings to make fun anklets and bracelets and they are fun to wear and fun to look at but they are also so much work. Look at the tiny rings that go into one of these:

There are also my standard, Half-Persian 4-in-1 stretchy bracelets which you will always find at shows and in my shop.

These are all fabulous pieces!!! Comfortable to wear, funky to look at and experimenting with the bright colours is great fun.

This weekend, I wanted, however, to get away from my standard pieces and play a bit. I’ve experimented with the European weaves a bit in an attempt to come up with some stretchy cuff style bracelets that I liked. I always tried to go for the Euro 4-in-1 with 3 rows but by the end, they always looked to skimpy or floppy with just not quite enough structure to them, let’s call it “oomph”. Once, a long time ago, I tried to incorporate Euro 6-in-1, innately know that this was probably the weave that would work but I never got very far. Maybe a few inches and it seemed too laborious. I must go back now and see what I was trying to do because maybe, I was doing it wrong way back then. I sat down this weekend and tried again and the result worked. I love the outcome of this funky wrist cuff. I’ve since started one in pink and my hubby thinks one with a smashing of bright yellow would look pretty cool, too. Well, let’s just say that since I’m totally in love with these, there will probably be many, many different colour combinations coming out very soon. Blue is ready now (it’s actually a turquoise) and pink is next. I just have to add the outer layer of rings to either side of the cuff. I love the width of the cuff this way but if you want it not quite as wide, I quite like it with just the 3 centre rows, too.

Speaking of European 6-in-1, I’ve got tiny, tiny little sterling silver rings in my inventory with a clasp that’s out of this world just waiting for me and my pliers. It will be a European 6-in-1 slinky bracelet. Same weave, much more delicate. One of these days I will tackle it. It will be gorgeous and it will be fabulous to compare it to the above stretchy bracelet. You’ll see the same weave and you’ll see it in a whole new light.

Back to Work

Date: 2010.04.14 | Category: New Listings | Response: 0

Many of my friends and customers know that I am equally as passionate about my chainmaille jewelry as I am about the world of fibre arts.  Well, during the last couple of months, I’ve been just glued to my loom, my needles and my spinning wheel creating many lovely fibery pieces of art.  Well, boom, the jewelry muse has struck again and I’m back – not that I ever stopped creating and designing chainmaille, I just didn’t do it as excessively as I often do.  I created my “standard” pieces for my customers but I didn’t make quite as many new pieces – I guess you could call it keeping the status quo.

As spring sprung, I’ve done a few things that brought me back around to gathering lots of ideas and inspiration.  I taught at the Fraser Valley Bead show and that was a fun first experience.   I hope to teach there again, maybe in the fall and am already thinking of the possibilities.

I’m in the middle of planning out all my Christmas shows and I think I’m about “this” close to being fully booked.

Last weekend I went on a bit of an earrings spree with a stainless steel box chain bracelet thrown in.  I’d forgotten how slinky and cool box chain looks like – take a peek:

New Earrings and a Bracelet

Well, and I have lots of work to do on this site, too.   These are all listed in my Etsy and my Artfire shops.

Featured on CanArtisan

Date: 2010.01.06 | Category: Features, Uncategorized | Response: 0

One of my pieces, the Jen’s Pind sterling silver toggle necklace was featured on a great blog promoting Canadian Artisans today – go take a peek and look around to see many of the other wonderful Canadian artisans.  There is a lot of Canadian handmade artisan talent!!!

CanArtisan Feature

Saturday Night’s Sparkly Inspiration

Date: 2010.01.02 | Category: New Listings | Response: 0

I have had this bracelet design in my head the entire Christmas break.  I bought the beads on December 23rd and knew almost exactly what I wanted to do with them.  I didn’t realize the design until tonight because I must admit that I didn’t do much jewelry work over the holidays.  I mostly worked on my fibery pursuits as well as spending time with the kids and my husband.  I did some weaving, some spinning and a fair bit of knitting.

This particular design uses a very simple chain structure but the sterling silver leaf clasp and the gorgeous lampwork teardrop beads add the pizazz.   This bracelet will make its way into my Etsy shop in the morning some time (Jan. 4) but I have made a mental note that I MUST make myself one as well.  For myself, I might go for black or purple beads as that will fit with my wardrobe more.  Take a peek!!!  Let me know what you think of it.

Happy 2010

Date: 2010.01.01 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

Thanks to all my friends and customers for a great 2009.  2010 is here and I have lots of plans for new jewelry as well as new works with my passion for the fibre arts.

Watch my blog for updates and pictures of new jewelry and new creations.  Also, if you’d like to follow what may be more day-to-day type updates on new listings in my on-line stores etc, please, don’t hesitate to “become a fan” on my Facebook Creations by Uli page.

Back in the Swing of Things

Date: 2009.12.14 | Category: New Listings | Response: 0

Craft show season is done, for this year and after the first weekend in Coquitlam, I’d like to thank all my customers who bought a piece, or two or three.  I’d also like to thank everyone who stopped by and let me know what they enjoyed about my creations.  It was a hectic and busy three weeks but also very much fun and rewarding.

I took a bit of a break last week just to ground myself and also catch up with some of my other ventures like my fibery creations.  I sell some of those out of a little country store out in South Langley.  I’ll link to it at some point but right now, the fibery inventory is limited.  They almost sold out of things, especially my funky hats knit from handspun and my woven scarves.  I am working hard to replenish the inventory there.

I have lots of plans for 2010, some of which are already finalized and committed to and others are still in the planning stages.  Watch this space for regular updates.

With no more shows upon me, the snow falling outside and Christmas almost here, I am trying to get ready to my regular routine of listing new items in my Etsy and Artfire shops.  Tonight brought the first of several new listings that will come up in the next few days and it’s my Bermuda Blue Cosmic Oval pendant.

Lovely, right?  The sparkle on the Swarovski Cosmic Oval is just gorgeous and the Bermuda Blue just works beautifully with the gleam of the sterling silver.

As you can tell, my picture galleries and all the links aren’t perfectly working yet.  This is a work of progress and I will continue working on this during the holidays when I actually get some time off from my day job.

Abbotsford Show is Done

Date: 2009.11.29 | Category: At Events | Response: 0

I’m tired and exhausted but let’s just say that this weekend was absolutely fabulous.  Thanks to everyone who came out to see me and to support what I do with such a passion.  I met some wonderful people and it’s just awesome to have chatted with so many of you and shared a little piece of me with you all.  If you engaged me in conversation and asked me about the jewelry I create you probably got an earful.  I could go on forever. 

I didn’t do a lot of shopping myself this weekend.  I bought one stocking stuffer which I don’t want to disclose at this point in time.  There were a few other things I wanted but there is always a next time.  These things were just for me so I didn’t need to overindulge.

If you’ve stopped by as a result of picking up a card at this weekend’s show you’ll see that I’m still under construction here.  I don’t have too many of my gallery photos up yet but you can always pop over to my Etsy shop or fan my Facebook Business page.  I’ll keep everyone up to date there.

Back to my real job tomorrow and a week of trying to create some more pieces for my next and last event of the season.  I’ll be in Coquitlam next weekend – Friday Dec 4 through Sunday Dec 6 – at Poirier Community Centre.  See you there!!!