Freaky Jewelry

Hanging out at the International Gem Show at the San Mateo County Event Center

2009-12-02T21:21:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday I decided to check out the International Gem Show at the San Mateo County Event Center. It was overwhelming, as usual, but in a very good sense. I made the rounds and pestered the people behind the booths. It was great.

I met the proprietors of Liliana International, which features such Russian wares as matryoshka dolls, lacquered boxes and some very intriguing jewelry. There was an abundance of amber, and I saw for the first time amber pendants with cameos carved into them -- absolutely fascinating. I also loved the miniature Faberge egg pendants, which ran in price from $60 for the smaller, simpler ones to $120 for the more elaborate ones. (Santa -- I want one.)

Another favorite was Freedom Touch, which had ancient Roman and Greek coins mounted in sterling silver and 22 kt. gold jewelry. I enjoyed meeting Freedom Touch's jewelry designers, Dave and Beth, who are very charming. Beth showed me her line of jewelry, which consists of her small, colorful framed prints mounted as very delicate and lovely jewelry.

Of course, I couldn't leave the Show without checking in at Pema Arts. Their Tibetan/Nepalese jewelry never fails to evoke the contemplative side of my spirit -- very welcome during the Holidays! I tried on a massive bracelet that extended about two inches beyond the perimeter of my wrist, and was shocked at how much lighter it was than it looked. The gentlemen behind the booth told me it was hand-carved.

There was so much beautiful jewelry at the Show, and bargains abounded. It'll be back in San Mateo at the beginning of April 2010. The Show schedule can be found here for 2009, and here for 2010. And you can read my AC article coverage of it here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Some insight

2009-11-27T21:57:00.001-08:00

I had an interesting experience recently. For my sister's birthday, I sent her the doll necklace I made earlier this year. I heard nothing for weeks. I finally spoke with her yesterday, on Thanksgiving. She thanked me for the necklace, and shared with me some of the mixed reactions she got when she wore it. When she went to the movies with her family, her middle daughter said, "Mom, you're going to have to buy a ticket for your necklace." And her students (she teaches college) said, during student-teacher conferences, "I'm sorry -- I'm trying to listen, but I'm very distracted by your necklace."

This confirmed something I've long suspected -- (1) although I think I have something to offer as an artist, (2) I am a terrible jeweler. I shall explain. The primary purpose of jewelry is to adorn, and most definitely to flatter, the wearer in some form. The problem with art-as-jewelry is when the jewelry attracts more attention than the wearer, for whatever reason -- its creepiness (in this case), its outrageousness, or its size, to name just a few.

I often envy those lucky people who can pull out a bit of chain, beads, and beading wire and come up with something truly delicate, beautiful, tasteful and enticing. My jewelry does not always fall into those categories -- in fact, it rarely does. Nor does my art. I'm much better at creepy and "what the f#@% is THAT?"

Oh well. Maybe I should stick with painting, and leave the body ornamentation to others. I'll keep you posted.

Jewelry That Used To Be Other Stuff

2009-09-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

I love jewelry that's made from recycled or repurposed materials, particularly when it's done well. This Etsy artist, who goes by the street name Sword and Fern, crafts her pieces from junked cars. I find her work incredibly inspiring. Check out these earrings:

Here is Sword and Fern's Etsy address: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6391852.

An Amazing Jewelry Blog

2009-09-06T17:37:00.000-07:00

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite jewelry blogs:

http://www.jewelrybloguncovered.com/

Features lots of up-and-coming jewelry designers who design in unconventional materials (which I love). Here's a piece by a Serbian jewelry designer named Tanya Igic:

The blossoms are made of leather, and beautifully crafted. You can purchase Ms. Igic's jewelry at http://www.tanyaigic.co.uk/.

Steampunked

2009-08-28T22:51:00.001-07:00

I like this jewelry. Apparently it's called "Steampunk jewelry." The designer dismembers old watches and recombines the parts in new, provoking and very wearable ways -- way cool. What do you think? This woman has a shop on Etsy, and it's definitely worth visiting. Here's the link for it: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5927493. If you're visiting Etsy, the name of her shop is London Particulars. Tell her Freaky Jewelry sent you. And she'll say, "who the Hell is that?" :)

Here are some more contacts for London Particulars:

Twitter:http://twitter.com/SteampunkShoppeOn

Facebook: http://profile.to/londonparticulars/

Also:http://www.steampunkjewelry.ffxoh.com/

Have you heard of Novica?

2009-08-25T11:43:00.000-07:00

Novica (http://www.novica.com/) is associated with National Geographic and offers handmade items from all over the world for sale. The jewelry is particularly wonderful. Novica was create by Armenia Nercessian de Oliveira, who had prior experience as a United Nations officer for many years. It has helped many third-world artisans to get a fair wage for their creations. Here's one of my favorite items, created by Maria Belen Nilson, who was originally born in Argentina but whose designs are "inspired by Mexico and Frida Kahlo." You can view it in further detail here: http://jewelry.novica.com/necklaces/favorites/sterling-silver-chain-necklace-aztec-victory/164765/. So if you want to save the world AND amp up your wardrobe at the same time, definitely check out Novica. Namaskara!

My Last Link to Reality

2009-07-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

Did you see that article they released Sunday on new research yielding evidence that caffeine can boost memory and stave off Alzheimer's? Now, this explains why I'm not in the street, wandering around in my pink bathrobe ... here's the link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20090705/hl_hsn/moreevidencethatcaffeinecanjoltmemory

I have done extensive research on my own (mostly via the Internet) to convince myself that it is not a good thing to be a coffee addict. Unfortunately, I have not turned up ONE consistently negative piece of information about coffee, other than that overconsumption can give you the jitters. This is yet another stake in the coffin that is my resistance. Guess I gotta keep drinking the stuff .... Great.

Something Purple

2009-06-21T01:09:00.000-07:00

For some time now I've wanted to make a piece of jewelry combining silver and gold. I finally did:

Regarding the silver/gold combo, I like the "Timex-y" element to it. I think it's very quietly subversive.

The teardrop is natural polished amethyst, and it has a very deep, seductive purple color to it. Here's another photo:

The purple glass beads next to it I believe are Miracle beads, which are designed to signal Mars. Seriously, they look like they're floating in space, due to some tricky glass blowing. They are also wonderfully reflective.

That's it for now. I am having camera issues. I absolutely love, love, love my camera (it was a beautiful gift from my Better Half), but it is a point-and-shoot and not really suited for the task of photographing jewelry. Aside from that, it's fabulous! I am going to have to buy one of those big black SLRs that cost a gazillion bucks. This is not going to happen right away, but hopefully sooner rather than later. In the meantime, I will have to continue using my knees as a tripod when I shoot, which, although frustrating for me, is probably quite entertaining for my family.

Hope this posting finds you well and happy!

2009-06-20T00:32:00.000-07:00

I messed up. My Better Half tagged me about a week or so ago, and I'm just getting caught up with e-mails and postings now. To give you an idea, I just got through a ONE-PAGE to-do list.

Okay, here goes:

4 movies you would watch over and over again:

1. Fellini's "Romeo and Juliet"
2. Fellini's "Satyricon"
3. Amelie
4. Blade Runner

I had a tough time picking four, by the way. That was TORTURE.

4 places you have lived:

1. Port Washington, New York (raised there)
2. New York, New York (college)
3. San Francisco, CA
4. Walnut Creek, CA

4 TV shows you love to watch:

1. Discovery Channel's "PitchMen"
2. Top Chef
3. CSI (all of them -- terribly addictive)
4. Iron Chef (either Japanese or American -- I don't care)

4 places you have been on vacation:

1. Negril, Jamaica
2. New York, NY (I went to college there, but now we go for a vacation -- weird, huh?)
3. Hawaii -- mostly Oahu and Maui
4. Mendocino/Ukiah

4 of your favorite foods:

1. Creme brulee (My favorite one is made by Izzy's Steak House in San Francisco -- check it out)
2. Steak au poivre with brandy-cream sauce (ditto -- Izzy's is the best)
3. Gnocchi with blue cheese sauce
4. Chicken Scarpariella (my favorite from my past is prepared by Livorno Restaurant in New York City -- I'm not sure if it's still there or not. I can't find it when I Google for it.)

4 Web sites you visit daily:

1. http://www.cnn.com/
2. http://www.ebay.com/
3. http://www.sfgate.com/
4. http://www.msn.com/

4 places you would rather be right now:

1. In Paris, hanging out with my family. In fact, just about anywhere in Europe would be cool.
2. New York City would be awesome. I need to catch up with friends and family, and it would perk up my husband and son.
3. Driving down the California coast, photographing the sunset. (We have really wonderful sunsets here.)
4. I would like to check out Indonesia one of these days, specifically Bali.

4 things you want to do before you die:

1. Learn to cut gemstones.
2. Learn to cast precious metals.
3. Buy a house.
4. Watch my husband accept an Academy Award for a script, or an adaptation of one of his stories. I think I should start shopping for my formal gown now ...

4 books you wish you could read again for the first time:

1. Walden (Henry David Thoreau)
2. The House of Mirth (Edith Wharton)
3. The Sound and the Fury (William Faulkner)
4. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)

Tag 4 people you think will respond:

http://katieschwartz.wordpress.com/2009/06/07/dish/

http://albertsworldofartsyfun.blogspot.com/

http://writerofblogs.blogspot.com/

http://tanyaespanya.blogspot.com/

You've been tagged! :)

My Latest Pounding and Swearing Effort

2009-06-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

Here are some earrings I'm proud of, because I've had this design in my head for some time, and I finally managed to put it together. That doesn't happen often with me. Partly because I'm new at this, and partly because messing around with sterling silver is SCARY. And EXPENSIVE. The fuschia thingies are Swarovski crystals.

Here's a good necklace to wear with blue jeans

2009-06-14T13:13:00.000-07:00

Hey, if your biggest problem is that you don't have a necklace to wear with blue jeans, I'm jealous! This one is made from sterling silver, and the links (squiggly pieces) are .999 silver, I am proud to brag. The beads are glass, Swarovski crystal and cloissonne and are wire-wrapped. It has a lobster clasp and it's about 20" long. The best thing about this necklace is that it's extremely light -- it's easy to forget that you're wearing it, which is my favorite kind of jewelry!

The Jewelry Industry’s Über-Mag

2009-06-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

I recently decided to subscribe to JCK, one of the biggest trade magazines in the jewelry industry, and I have to tell you that these people are just going nuts. In the space of about a week, I have received three magazine issues (one current, two past), their Jewelers Choice Awards catalog, and the JCK Look Book. All filled with beautiful, splashy gemstones with pricey settings, stunning models and alluring landscapes. A year's subscription is about $59.00, but still a respite from the issue price of about $12.00. Their online presence is http://www.jckonline.com/, which is a little cheaper ... this is a great subscription to have if you want industry information, or just want inspiration and to see what everyone else is making these days. JCK covers trade show information all over the world as well -- apparently there's a really large one coming up in Mumbai. Can't miss that one!!! What I love about this magazine is the opportunity it offers to take a complete break from my day-to-day reality --these publications are glossy, lush, and some are huge (The JCK Look Book measures about 10 1/2" x 14," for instance) and filled with very, very expensive bling. The image here is the cover for one of their newsletters. Never thought I'd say this, but this magazine is waaaaay better than Vogue! I say check it out!

Wear these beads and pretty soon you won't need light bulbs ...

2009-05-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted to blog about these, and I finally get my chance. Feast your eyes:

These are DEPLETED URANIUM BEADS. The image on the bottom is what the necklace looks like under a black light.

For the lady who would like to (eventually) glow in the dark !!!!!!! By the way, this necklace is bidding right now on eBay for $6.06. I say snap it up!

I wonder how many atom splitters are going to flame me for being "stupid." Let's wait and see.

Just Me Being Me

2009-05-21T22:12:00.000-07:00

Here's yet one more squiggly necklace. It's 20" long, made with sterling silver components and a faceted natural green chalcedony gemstone pendant. The chain has a hammered finish and it fastens with a lobster clasp. I am always looking for strange ways to hang pendants, and this is pretty strange.

I'm getting used to the fact that part of making jewelry is adjusting to the path as I proceed. In other words, I can be totally stoked about an idea, but sometimes it doesn't work out. And then something even better comes along. I was originally going to use a black onyx teardrop for the pendant, but it just didn't look that hot. I had the chalcedony from a prior project that crashed and burned, and it was just right. So I went for it.

A New Piece of Freakbling

2009-05-13T00:15:00.000-07:00

Well, after weeks of preparation and hammering and swearing, I present the results of my first venture into metalwork. It was an interesting experience, and my first opportunity to pound a chasing hammer against a bench block. The noise was deafening, and led my Better Half to eventually scream, "ENOUGH!" I think I even traumatized our frat boy neighbors downstairs (a thought that fills me with secret delight). My son was intrigued by the noise (and particularly the hammer), and even tried his hand at smashing some silver himself. Here is the final result:

I call this my "Squiggly Necklace." It was inspired by my favorite jewelry squiggler of all time, Paloma Picasso, and by my second favorite jewelry squiggler, Sharilyn Miller, who creates jewelry of a substantial nature that hies to earlier times, kind of what I imagine Cleopatra would have worn. Lots of heavy-duty wire wrapping, wire smashing, gemstones and objets d'art. Funny that I can list my jewelry inspirations at the drop of a hat, but ask me who inspires me in terms of art in general and I'm completely stumped.

This is another photo of an earlier squiggly necklace I made -- my "test" necklace. I have included it so you have an idea of what these necklaces look like draped around a neck (in this case, mine).

So I guess that's it for now. Have a great week!

Hiking in Mount Tamalpais (Cataract Falls)

2009-05-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

Hello, all. I just thought I'd pop in and leave some photos of the fabulous hike my Better Half and I undertook last Friday to Cataract Falls in Mount Tamalpais. Here's a photo for you:

We dropped our son off at school and had a "date." It was a great afternoon.

Here's another photo:

If you've never visited Mount Tam, I heartily recommend it! My husband introduced me to Mount Tam when we first met, so I associate it with everything fun and romantic!

If you'd like to see the rest of my photos from Mount Tam, I've posted them on Associated Content. Here's the URL for it: http://www.associatedcontent.com/slideshow/16511/hiking_in_northern_california_photos.html?cat=16

And here's a picture of my Better Half taking a picture of me (although WHY he took a picture of me, I don't know ... I'm nowhere near as cute as he is) ...

Take care, and I hope to post some jewelry for you soon. I'm waiting on some silver chain ... long story that would bore you. (Hell, it bores ME.)

I decide to play "tourist"

2009-04-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

This weekend I decided to take a break from writing and hang out at Sutro Heights Park for a bit. This is where we drag out-of-town friends to give them a dose of San Francisco history (whether they want it or not). Sutro Baths was formerly on this site, and you can still see much of its original foundation, etched in concrete in the ground. I have never understood the reason behind leaving this wreckage intact. I mean, it's not like it's the Coliseum or anything. It's basically just a crater with a few bricks around it. And when I say wreckage -- piles of rubble, huge concrete blocks with twisted wire and rebar coming out of them ... it's not exactly pretty.

I discovered this little tunnel that had been bored through the rocky mass (cliffs?) that border the ocean. I never knew it existed before ... and when I told my husband about it, he didn't know about it, either, and he grew up in San Francisco. It's fairly spooky and very dark. It leads to a beautiful view of the rocky shore of the ocean. No beach here. There is an imposing sign at the end of the tunnel with a barricade insisting that one not explore the rocks, but Darwin's theory can be seen everywhere -- there were many tourists hopping from rock to rock. Oh, well. It's not like the Coast Guard has anything else to do besides rescue battered tourists from a nasty undertow ...

By the way, I am not implying that the Sutro Baths were anything less than spectacular. They were -- I have seen many photos. If you'd like to check them out yourself, your best bet is to look them up on Google Images. Or you could click here: http://www.cliffhouseproject.com/environs/sutrobaths/sutro_baths.htm. I would not be averse to the Baths being rebuilt, in a modern format that echoes the spirit of the original. And I do understand the whole landmark concept. But for something to qualify as a landmark, I would at least have liked the original building facade preserved, if nothing else. Not just a hole in the ground.

The Metalworking Idiot (Me)

2009-04-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

Hello, all. I apologize (again) for my extended blogging absence. To explain (but not to excuse), I am trying to obtain some metalworking knowledge for my next project. This will either be formal instruction (preferred) or informal (me teaching myself - blech). I will know about the formal part of it about halfway through May. If I can't go that route (a very real possibility), I will have to teach myself. I will begin the self-teaching part in about a week (since I can't count on the formal stuff coming through), and you can expect to hear lots of rants and raves about it, "fer sure." Sorry to be so vague about this. This has been a big headache for me.

So -- in terms of jewelry I've been working on -- well, I haven't been! How's that? Too busy filling out forms !!!!! Aaaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh! I am really feeling sorry for myself right now!

Some of my favorite bloggers

2009-03-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

The coolest thing by far about keeping a blog is getting to meet some of the talented bloggers out there, who are shaking up the Blogosphere in their own unique and scintillating way. Here's a list of a few of my favorites:

http://katieschwartz.blogspot.com/ If you want to step out of your day-to-day reality and fall down the Rabbit Hole, look no further. Katie tells it like it is, pulls no punches, and will make you laugh like Hell. Heartily recommended.

http://cormacwrites.blogspot.com/ A talented noir writer, who is following in de Maupassant's footsteps with the shocker endings. He has a flair for regional dialects and an appreciation for the bizarreness of Life's Domino Effect.

http://albertsworldofartsyfun.blogspot.com/ I went to art school with this gentleman, who continues to astonish me with his creativity and empathy (having done so for the past 30 years). A stellar human being and artist. And he's also very funny, I might add.

I couldn't help noticing, after listing these, that the one thing I greatly value in the people I hang with, is wit and charm. You will find that in all of these blogs. Thanks for reading! Namaskara!

2009-03-18T11:37:00.001-07:00

Here's the Gemstone Phreak again, with the latest whims and mood swings to afflict my tattered mind. By the way, if you would like to read my latest blather on purchasing synthetic gemstones, here's my corresponding Associated Content article: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1539733/the_advantages_to_purchasing_synthetic.html?cat=46. Truth be told, I prefer gems that come from the Earth. But if you're one of those people who wants to inspire serious envy with your massive diamond stud earrings, you really should look into their synthetic counterparts. Like I say in the article, in this case, synthetic would get the job done for a whole lot less money.

If you want a funny real/fake gemstone mind-bender, check out this article on Mariah Carey, who is my favorite temperamental diva with a serious set of pipes to back it up: http://blogs.modernjeweler.com/blog/2008/12/04/mariah-matches-rhinestones-and-diamonds/
Mariah apparently had a singing engagement where she wore diamonds and rhinestones TOGETHER. (Even her mike was studded with rhinestones.) Now, THAT's self-confidence.

2009-03-14T01:55:00.000-07:00

Hello, Gang. How the heck are you?

Here's my latest effort. The gemstones are carnelian, and the metal is all gold-filled (most of it 14K). I am proud to say that there is not one split jump ring in the whole necklace -- I even made the connectors for the chain pieces -- and only one soldered jump ring (in the clasp). I was originally going to make earrings with the gemstones, but I literally couldn't find two stones that matched! I think they look better as a necklace, anyway. It's about 20", by the way. Just a bit longer than a choker.

I guess that's it for now. Sorry for the long space between posts.

Hello again from the Gemstone Phreak

2009-03-03T11:54:00.000-08:00

How's it going? By the way, did you happen to see Angelina Jolie's emerald drop earrings at the Academy Awards? Those were REAL EMERALDS, reputedly worth $2.5 million. It's rare to come across unblemished emeralds that large, so her earrings are a big deal. I'm ordering mine right now ... don't tell my husband ... :)

2009-02-24T12:34:00.000-08:00

Okay, here's where my jewelry officially enters the "freaky" stage.

It took awhile for me to get this project underway -- lots of technical difficulties that I will not bore you with.

At this point my goal is to produce jewelry that is interesting and maybe a bit disturbing; jewelry that stimulates discussion. When I was in college, I used to make a lot of jewelry that would prompt other students to say, "what is THAT you're wearing?" Or, "Why are you wearing a subway token around your neck?"

A bit of background on this piece -- as a very small child -- a baby, actually -- I had a doll aversion/phobia (yeah, I know that's weird). I carried this around with me for almost four decades. It took me a long time to realize that the correct response to a phobia is not, "No! No! Don't hurt me!" but closer to, "Okay, I'm ready to take you on." So this pendant is a symbol of transcendence and mastery. How's that?

By the way, I diverged on this project from my usual policy of only using precious metals. The cabochon setting is silver-plated, and the necklace is made of steel wires. I couldn't find a suitable setting in sterling silver, so I threw in the towel and went with silver-plated. Rules are made to be broken, I guess ...

The Oracle Will See You Now ...

2009-02-18T13:29:00.000-08:00

I am beside myself. I just checked out the current reportage on New York Fashion Week -- here's an AP article on it that you might enjoy: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5icUCtH7dekpZBfXpq3dgJyCEbKDwD96DONSG0. It appears that the prevailing theme for this year, at least in what's been shown so far, is "Tough Clothes for Tough Times." Lots of "Mad Max" type clothing and accessories. I am hecka excited because I predicted this for jewelry trends in 2009 in my Associated Content article of November 2008: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1252750/forecast_for_contemporary_jewelry_design.html?cat=46. This was my first attempt at any kind of a forecast, and I am really starting to think I should hire myself out as some kind of a fashion consultant (half-serious here). Of course, that doesn't mean that anyone will take me up on it! But I can dream!

2009-02-17T12:00:00.000-08:00

Here I am again -- sorry about the long absence. I'm trying to do too many things at once. At any rate, you should check out this beautiful gemstone. This is a dragon veins agate pendant. I didn't do much to this piece, aside from slapping a silver bail on it and stringing it on a choker. I did not mine or polish the stone, although I wish I had.