tkmetalarts

FAM 1/12 - Candy Colored Rings

2012-02-03T11:08:00.000-08:00

A new design challenge on flickr - Four A Month, or FAM in short. We come up with 4 related designs each month. This will push us to think in terms of series or sets, or even beginning pieces of a full blown collection for future explorations. By the end of each month, we post our work on flickr to share with others. Here's the link to check out what everyone else makes.

Wide Band Candy Colored Rings - available in my Etsy store

For January, I came up with some rings. I was just dying to try to make some wide band rings, and I managed to find some delicious candy colored stones for them. The stones I used are (from top to bottom, left to right) blue chalcedony, lapis lazulli, amazonite, larimar, rainbow moonstone, chrysoprase, and tangerine orange chalcedony. What do you think? I already got a custom order to make a round amazonite ring (center) at a size 7. YAY!

Forging Communities, a MAGSF Symposium

2011-10-14T02:26:00.000-07:00

Just a quick shout-out about this very exciting event. If you are a local artist in San Francisco, it is a must! Here is the schedule (starting as early as next Thursday, November 20, 2011) and description:

Remembering MAG

Lireille Gallery, Oakland

October 20 – November 13, 2011

Opening Reception Oct 20, 5:30-8:30pm

Live music by Brandon Mei

3980 Piedmont, Oakland CA 94611

www.lireille.com

Remembering MAG is an invitational exhibition in celebration of the guild’s 60th anniversary and coincides with MAG’s November 12th symposium, Forging Communities, at the Oakland Museum. Selections from the MAG Permanent Collection will be shown alongside work from founding members Tex Gieling, merry renk, and Florence Resnikoff. The exhibition will also showcase past MAG Presidents work from the era they were president as well as a piece that represents their current aesthetic. Historical documents and photos
tracing MAG’s early years will be part of the exhibit.

Conspicuous

California artists in collaboration with Anzfer Farms

Monday Spaces, San Francisco

November 10-21, 2011

Opening Reception Nov 10, 6-9pm

2441 Balboa St @ 26th Ave, SF CA 94121

www.mondayspaces.com

Conspicuous, hosted by Monday Spaces in collaboration with MAG, is an intimate exhibition that speaks to jewelry and how we can put it on view in our personal settings. Conspicuous is a collaborative exhibition with Anzfer Farms who respond to the featured jewelry by creating interactive, custom displays for showcasing the work in a personal setting. Their interest is in exploring these objects as a visual experience and the role played when they are taken out of a functional context.

MOveMENT

California artists embracing the movements that define the Bay Area

724 Studios, San Francisco
November 4-19, 2011
Opening Reception and 11-11-11 Celebration Nov 11, 6-10pm
Live music by Ramshackle Romeos and DJ Nicky
724 Valencia St @ 18th St, SF CA 94110

The Bay Area has been defined by the many movements that have come through it, and often sets the stage for the rest of the country to follow. California metalsmiths respond to the theme of MOveMENT in this juried exhibition. Jurors Julie Muniz (Curator of Decorative Arts, Oakland Museum), and Harriete Estel Berman (artist, creator of The Professional Guidelines).

11-11-11 Celebration
Nov 11, 6-10pm
FREE
An Artist Reception for MOveMENT as well as a Pre-Symposium Party , the evening will kick off with live music from Ramshackle Romeos and hors d’oeuvres and drinks made by mixologist Scott Beattie from SpoonBar (Healdsburg). MOveMENT jurors Julie Muniz and Harriete Estel Berman will be present to discuss their selections for the show. MAG will recognize a dedicated, long-term member with a special award for their commitment to the field of jewelry and metals and the Metal Arts Guild. Party kicks into full gear with dance tunes by DJ Nicky in 70s power pop/glam and 80s punk/pop/garage rock. Local food cart vendors will be selling their bites well into the evening. An event not to be missed!

Plus see work by Forging Communities presenters:

Lola Brooks and Andy Cooperman

and work by Amy Tavern: This is How I Remember it

Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco
November 2-30
Opening reception for symposium artists Lola Brooks and Andy Cooperman, Nov 12, 7-9pm
Opening reception for Amy Tavern, Nov 4, 6-8pm
2015 Polk St, SF CA 94019
www.velvetdavinci.com

New Jasper Pendants

2011-09-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

Been neglecting this little blog of mine lately. Now that summer months are almost gone, I'm getting back into the show circuits. Here are a couple of pendants using some new materials I got recently. I was immediately captivated by their vibrant yellow and orange striations. This jasper came from Indonesia. Aren't they cool?

Right: Large Oval Jasper Pendant
Left: X-Large Long Oval Jasper Pendant

The large one (left) is huge, about 2-5/8 inches long. The shorter one is about 2 inches long. Both are set in heavy gauge recycled sterling silver for a strong sturdy frame.

RAW 52/31 - Black Tourmaline in Quartz

2011-08-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

Here's a ring where I used a quartz that has black tourmaline inclusions. According to Wikipedia, Tourmaline is a crystal boron silicate mineral compounded with elements such as aluminum, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium, or potassium. You can see the roughly triangular outline of the elongated crystal structure.

Tourmaline in Quartz Ring

RAW 52/30 - Pyrite in Quartz

2011-08-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

A cute button shaped quartz with glittery pyrites, and it has such a wonderful tactile feel. I might have to keep this one. :D

RAW 52/29 - Misty Mountain Ring

2011-08-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

Another incredible picture stone I picked up recently. It's a Montana Moss Agate that has landscape-like dentritic moss. I think it looks like one of those Chinese ink paintings where the misty fog hovers around a mountain top. To preserve the translucency of the chalcedony, I left the back of the ring open. It makes me want to stare at it to see if I can find any human inhabitant. Can you hear the two birds flying above?

Misty Mountain Ring with Montana Agate

RAW 52/28 - Labradorite Ring

2011-08-06T17:01:00.000-07:00

Blue Labradorite Ring

This labradorite has a really nice brighter blue sheen to it, which contrasts nicely with the silver. Ring is listed in my etsy store.

RAW 52/26 & 52/27 - Circles & Squares

2011-08-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

Using smaller stones, I created the next 2 rings for the Ring A Week design challenge. I used circles as a design theme for the first ring, and (rounded) squares for the second ring. Each stone sits in a blackened well to contrast with the stone and the silver. The stones used are blue sheen rainbow moonstone and a soft green prehnite.


Faceted Moonstone Sterling Ring

Prehnite Ring

New Necklaces

2011-07-27T16:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of new necklaces with some Montana Agates that has amazing picturesque coloration. Since these stones have translucent backgrounds, I left the back and parts of the sides open to allow the most light through but still securely holding the stones.

New Moon Rising

Tahoe Sunset

Apologizing for the Look Here

2011-07-17T23:39:00.000-07:00

7/25/11 Update: Looks like I have to reload every single picture to my Picasa Web album first for the pictures to "stick". I will try to do a few a day. *sigh*

7/23/11 Update: I tried to reload some of the recent photos, and checked those posts to make sure the photos are showing up. When I check back after a day or two, some of them are disappearing again. Anyone know of a fix?

Not sure what happened but I'm losing all the blog pictures from posts from last year as well as this year. I'll try to repost, but it will take some time.

Do check back later as I scramble to "rebuild". Ugghhh!!!

EtsyMetal Blog Carnival - July 2011

2011-07-11T00:31:00.000-07:00

Every month my teammates on EtsyMetal choose a theme for our blog posting. We call this our EtsyMetal Blog Carnival. For this month, the topic is "Artist's Work That Has Influenced My Own". Be sure to check out posts by the other participating members (see list at the end).
John Cogswell has been teaching jewelry making for thirty plus years and had recently retired from teaching at SUNY New Paltz. When I found out that he was going to be teaching stone setting at Revere Academy 3 months ago, I jump at the opportunity to learn from this man LIVE. Besides, I learn better by watching, and I heard he is a wonderful teacher. The class was a real joy, and he has endless funny stories to share.

If you don’t get a chance to attend John’s workshops, I highly recommend getting his book, Creative Stonesetting. Here are a few of the results of his class demo:

John demo-ing how to raise stitches

Shoulder Bezel

Tension Setting

Basket Setting, fabrication

Basket Setting, finished

Slotted Assembly

Hope you enjoy reading the other team member's blog posts on the same topic:
Kate Jones - http://www.katejonesdesign.blogspot.com
Fluxplay Jewellery (Maria Whetman) - http://www.fluxplay.blogspot.com
2Roses - http://www.jewelrytutorial.blogspot.com
Elizabeth Scott - http://esdesignsjewelry.com/blog
Andrea Ring - http://www.amuckdesign.blogspot.com
Nodeform - http://nodeform.blogspot.com/
Beth Cyr - http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com
Inbar Bareket - http://www.inbarbareket.net/
Cynthia Del Giudice - http://cynthiadelgiudice.blogspot.com
Evelyn Markasky - http://markasky.blogspot.com/
AdobeSol - http://www.AdobeSol.com/blog
Quercus Silver - http://quercussilver.blogspot.com/

RAW 52/25 - Indicolite in Quartz

2011-06-28T19:05:00.000-07:00

Indicolite in rustic cut Quartz

Indicolite encapsulated in white quartz. Nice tall bezel walls to protect this lovely stone.

Inky blue Indicolite Crystal

Isn't that the prettiest blue? Such an amazing stone, and that rough surface is incredible.

RAW 52/24 - Green Tourmaline in Quartz

2011-06-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

Rustic & Natural - Rutilated Tourmaline in Quartz

Another rustic stone with soft green colored tourmaline, trapped in quartz. I've only seen black tourmanated quartz, so this is an unusual find. Here, the band is not soldered to allow custom fit.

This ended up being a ring, along with the other 2 rustic top quartz rings, will be heading to Australia. Yay!

RAW 52/23 - Gold Rutilated Quartz, Raw and Natural

2011-06-23T18:06:00.000-07:00

Here's the gold rutilated quartz set in sterling. Instead of the usual gold rutiles running through clear quartz, these needles are buried in white translucent quartz. That surface is so bold and rustic, like touching the walls of a mine. Again, I want to protect this stone by surround it with heavy gauge sterling bezel walls.

The heavy bezel walls are very strong and fits around the stone very snugly. This allows friction to keep the stone from falling out.

RAW 52/22 - Raw Aquamarine Ring

2011-06-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

Raw Aquamarine Ring

Got this and a few other stones at the recent gem show. They have the split-face concrete block texture, which I've never seen it cut like that before. Of course I can't let these beauties slip away from me.

From the top left, blue aquamarine, gold rutilated quartz, indicolite (blue tourmaline) in quartz, and green tourmaline in quartz. I love how the cutter preserved the natural beauty by not grinding or polishing them to the usual glass-like finish. I'll be setting these in the next few days.

Can you see the little bit of pink tourmaline mixed in with the green tourmaline in the stone at the lower right? So amazing. Since I consider these as rare finds, I will only finish making them half way. This way, each of them can be customized to the client's specs - be it a ring or a pendant. Contact me if you are interested.

Willow Bracelet

2011-06-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

To go with my Willow Earrings, I made this out of one continuous flat strip and hammered it to shape.

Long Green Turquoise Pendant Necklace

2011-06-13T18:35:00.000-07:00

Green Turquoise Pendant Necklace

This long slender green turquoise (32 x 8 mm) matches the ring I listed in the last post. It is set the same way, and finished with the same texture on the silver. The heavy bezel provides such a nice frame to the stone. Yeah, a bit more silver used but so worth the uniqueness.

RAW 52/21 - Green Turquoise Ring

2011-06-10T10:45:00.000-07:00

Long Oval Green Turquoise Ring

Love the dark matrix and the long slender oval shape of this green turquoise cab. I thought of setting the stone horizontally and make it a two-finger ring. But then the stone didn't quite span 2 fingers. Hmmm, ideas are spinning for future rings.

RAW 52/20 - Faceted Carnelian

2011-06-09T01:35:00.000-07:00

Big Bold Orange Carnelian Ring

This is my 20th ring for the Ring A Week challenge - a nice bright orange carnelian with faceted top. And I'm having fun with the texture on the silver.

Another View

RAW 52/17, 18 & 19 - Moonstone Rings

2011-05-19T18:41:00.000-07:00

While working on a custom ring, I just thought I would make a few more. Each of the rings have an inner bearing, open back, and a U shaped band. Each bezel is treated slightly differently.

Pinstriped Moonstone Ring with a simple bezel.

Teardrop Moonstone Ring with a textured outer bezel.

Round Moonstone Ring with stamped squares.

Each moonstone has wonderful ice blue schiller, and they were fun to make.

Quick Tip on Separating Discs

2011-05-11T01:54:00.000-07:00

Separating discs are very useful in scoring metal for bending and when cutting tool steel like graver blanks. The discs are very hard but brittle. I use to get really nervous when using these discs to cut because I keep wanting to see if I'm cutting at my marked line or not. Here's a quick tip to make the task easier.

1. Here I mark a line for cutting.
2. As you can see, you can't see through the disc. It's like trying to drive in thick fog.

3. I use my pliers to make a notch on the disc. How much to break off? If the notch goes all the way to the screw edge of the mandrel, then it's too deep. Even with the notch, it will still cut like a new round one.

4. Now I mount the disc back on the flex shaft after the "enhancement."

5. See how I can see through the notched disc? Now I can cut or score with more confidence.

6. Another look at the modified disc at high speed.

And of course, ALWAYS wear eye protection when using separating discs. A dust mask is highly recommended as that disc can kick up a lot of dust.

(This post also appears on the EtsyMetal Blog.)

RAW 52/16 - Amethyst Crystal Cluster

2011-05-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

Amethyst Crystal Clusters

Amethyst Crystal Cluster Ring

Trying my hands on setting crystal specimens. This is a small cluster of amethyst where the crystals are left in their natural state. Amethyst is a purple quartz and the birthstone of February.

RAW 52/15 - Dovetail Ring

2011-05-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

Dovetail Ring

The dovetail joint is one of the oldest and yet most common joinery in carpentry. Examples can be found in tombs of ancient Egyptian, Chinese and Japanese civilizations. The concept is to rely on a series of trapezoidal shapes to interlock two pieces of wood boards. When fitted properly, it requires no glue or fasteners like nails or screws.

Since the dovetail joint and hundreds of others joinery techniques are not rigid connections, the wood (being a material that flexes a bit) can expand and contract in different humidity and temperatures, allowing some lateral movements from winds and earthquakes.

For the May 1 Ring A Week challenge, I wanted to spotlight the dovetail joint as found in many traditional Japanese structures. Had it not been for the tsunami, I believe many buildings would have survived the magnitude 9.0 earthquake in March earlier this year. This ring, together with many other artisan created rings as featured on flickr, is donated and the proceeds will go toward relief for Japan.

My ring was cut from one sheet of heavy gauge sterling silver. No solder was used to join the trapezoidal ends together. It is free to flex a little. Only a small disc of silver was soldered to provide enough thickness for setting the garnet. Fits like a US size 5.5.

1. I drew a template first for cutting.
2. The sheet was bent into a ring shape.
3. Dovetails are locked in and pilot hole drilled for the stone.
4. Finished ring, garnet is set with the pavilion facing out.

Willow Earrings

2011-04-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

Willow Earrings with Dark Patina

Willow Earrings in Golden Bronze

These earrings have the willow leaf shape and are cut out from flat sheets of bronze. After series of hammering and annealing, they are shaped into these swirling leaves. Quite time-consuming to make but well worth it. The curves lines have a lot of visual movement. They are available in golden bronze or a darkened bronze. The darker version has burnished edges and spine (back side) for a very dramatic contrast so you can really see the curving lines. Holes are then drilled and ear wires attached. I hope you like them as much as I do.

RAW 52/14 - Tension Set Ring

2011-04-22T01:07:00.000-07:00

Just finished today - tension set ring. Sterling silver and CZ. Tension rings rely on the stiffness of the metal to press the stone to hold it in place. That also means, the stone need to be sufficiently strong to resist the compressive forces.

RAW 52/13 - Willow Ring

2011-04-05T11:33:00.000-07:00

I was working on some new earrings, using bronze. Too lazy to change out the old pickle (which is perfect for copper based materials), I decided to raise a piece of the same earring material and shape (willow leaf) for this ring.

RAW 52/12 Kinetic - No Nuke Ring

2011-03-29T11:19:00.000-07:00

No Nuke Ring

This week's Ring A Week challenge is to create a ring with moving parts, a kinetic ring. I've never made one and thought I should. It took me so long to decide on a design concept, but I know that I've been following the news on the recent Japanese disaster. The reports have saddened all people around the world. Imagine, even an economic and technological powerhouse like Japan is at the mercy of the natural elements and nuclear catastrophe. It reminds us how vulnerable we are.

Closer to home and as of this moment, I still haven’t heard from our 5 year old nephew, Rui, living near Tokyo. I can only pray for his safety, not just from the events so far but also for the tainted food chains and for the uncontrollable radiation. Radiation particles have spread to the northern hemisphere.

My response to the ring design challenge is based on my views on nuclear power plants - we need to seriously focus on alternative clean energy.

Raw Materials - Sterling sheets, wires, and tubes.
I hammered 1 of the 2 pieces of sheet stock for texture.

The windmills spin and turn to catch the winds.

Another view of the No Nuke Ring

I'm having trouble loading the video, so you can see it on my flickr page - http://www.flickr.com/photos/tkmetalarts/5572047268/

Labradorite Necklaces

2011-03-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

Finally got a chance to make some new necklaces instead of rings for the Ring A Week challenge. Two different styles, but both with labradorite which is one of my favorite stones.

This one is more simple and contemporary.

Contemporary Labradorite Necklace

Vintage Styles Blue Labradorite Pendant Necklace

This one has wire formed scallops around the edges. It has a vintage feel, doesn't it?

RAW 52/11 - Steel Blue Flowers Larimar Ring

2011-03-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

Steel Blue Flowers Larimar Ring

A steel blue and white colored larimar set in a rectangular sterling bezel. Petite and comfortable ring.

RAW 52/10 - Latte Ring

2011-03-10T17:15:00.000-08:00

Latte Ring, with Ocean Jasper

Trying to set this stone a little differently, using tabs. Instead of using a thinner bezel wall, I cut strips of heavier gauge sterling silver to surround the stone. The little tabs were cut and pushed over the stone to make a secure capture.

Latte Ring, with Ocean Jasper

With this opaque milky white ocean jasper, it works perfectly with a darken bezel wall to make the stone pop.

RAW 52/09 - Copper Saddle Ring

2011-03-05T13:25:00.000-08:00

I've always like forging - something about shaping metal with the hammer. It's very relaxing and satisfying. This week, I cut this ring from a flat sheet of copper and it has one solder seam.

Saddle Ring - with patina

Saddle Ring - without patina

Custom Moonstone Necklace

2011-03-01T12:56:00.000-08:00

Posting a custom designed necklace for a client who bought my Ring A Week 52/02 Marquise Moonstone Ring. Thanks, Nicole, for this wonderful collaboration opportunity.

Marquise Moonstone Necklace

Custom Moonstone Necklace, back

RAW 52/08 - Larimar Ring

2011-02-26T12:19:00.000-08:00

I'm suppose to be doing my taxes but all I can think of are rings. So this will have to do for now.

Handmade Larimar Ring

Handmade Larimar Ring

RAW 52/07 - Bud Ring

2011-02-24T06:01:00.000-08:00

Bud Ring

I had fun making this ring, making it up as I go. I used sterling silver (recycled, of course), copper, and a lab grown golden topaz (no excavation of the earth to get this gem). It's my first flush set piece and you have to be SO careful not to cut the opening too big or the stone will fall too low below the surface. This one turned out to be slightly on the higher side, but it did snap right in there.

Teh-dah, here's the inspiration for the piece. That's right, it's the bud bur. The bud bur is one of the burs that I used to cut the seat for this stone.

Bud Ring

RAW 52/06 - My Pearl Ring

2011-02-14T08:40:00.000-08:00

Ring made with sterling, bronze and pearl. I'm hoping to convey movements by setting the bronze skewed from the sterling band, and by setting the pearl off to one side.

I must admit that I had a nightmare trying to re-apply a patina to the bronze, so I finally just stripped it. I was hoping that the patina will darken the bronze in order to bring out the row of silver dots running down the center.

RAW 52/05 - Year of the Hare

2011-02-12T13:26:00.000-08:00

Year of the Hare Ring

This year is the Year of the Hare in the Chinese Lunar Calender. The Chinese paper cut arts inspired the design of this ring, although cutting sheet metal is not as easy as cutting paper with scissors. I saw pierced the design and soldered it onto another sterling piece.

Very late in posting this ring, but let's say I learned so much when applying a patina on it. Lesson learned is that the patina stays where you don't want it to, and comes off where you want it to stay. Arrrrgh!

RAW 52/04 - Green & Pink Ocean Jasper

2011-02-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

Green and Pink Ocean Jasper Ring

For the third ring, I used one of my favorite stones, Ocean Jasper. It is one of the orbicular jaspers which contains variably-colored orbs or spherical inclusions or zones, found along the intertidal shores of northeast Madagascar.

New Pendant Necklaces in my Shop

2011-02-03T12:17:00.000-08:00

Some new pendant necklaces I posted to my shop, using similar white druzy (or sometimes spelled drusy) agates. This stone is pure white like sugar or snow that glistens when light hits the different facets of the crystal points. They are the insides of geodes. I set them with prongs to let more light through the stones. The sterling setting is oxdized to a pretty mottled black. These pendants come with an adjustable black satin cord, 16 to 30 inches long.

Although the stones and the mountings are similar, I saw pierced the sterling backing with different designs.

You can find these in my shop.

Sweet Hearts Pendant for Valentine's

2011-01-20T08:54:00.000-08:00

I always have these designs in my head of what I want to make for Valentine's Day. I must be getting better because I made ONE of the designs this year. Such a procrastinator! Well, here it is. Thought the prong setting is more appropriate for this stone since it has uneven top. This is a tall stone too so a solid silver bezel will cost quite a penny.

Sweet Hearts Pendant

A secret heart on the back.

This white druzy (sometimes spelled drusy) agate has nice medium size crystals to catch the light. Whichever way it turns, some of the crystal points would catch the light. Lots of fun rubbing a finger across the top. The back of the stone has a glass-like polish, so I made a "secret" heart cutout. I put a mottled black patina on the silver setting to contrast with the white stone. Comes with a black satin cord.

I made three other similar but different pendants and will post them real soon. Stay tuned.

RAW 52/03 - Ring a Week, Rectangular Labradorite

2011-01-17T16:34:00.000-08:00

Here's my third entry to the Ring A Week challenge.

Labradorite Ring

Very flashy stone.

RAW 52/02 - Marquise Moonstone Ring

2011-01-10T04:03:00.000-08:00

This is the second ring for Ring A Week (RAW) challenge.

A relatively transparent piece of moonstone with a lot of blue pearly opalescence.

You can make out the ring band through the stone.

I kept the back open.

In this picture, you can see the profile of the band that I hand forged from a straight piece of round wire.

I sculpted out a curve on the bezel.

With the stone being a long marquise shape, I thought a delicate setting will be more suitable. It is a US size 6 and is posted on my website.

RAW52/01 - Hammered & Engraved Band

2011-01-04T16:49:00.000-08:00

RAW stands for Ring A Week, a ring making challenge project for a group of artists. For my first submission, I made a silver band with hammered edges that contrast with a matte background for engraved text. Aside from the matte texture at the center of the band (which I curved slightly for a comfortable fit), the ring has a high-polish finish, even on the 18k gold accent.

At my last show when I explained to a customer that I typically use reclaimed silver, he thought that was why my rings and pendants have matte finishs. To proof the point, I have the 2 finishes on this ring.

This design can be for men or women, a casual ring or wedding bands, with or without inscribed text. Yes, the text can be customized. On this prototype, I engraved the last two lines of Invictus, a poem by British poet William Ernest Henley. This quote was inspired by the movie, Invictus, that I recently watched.

New Pendants

2010-12-26T12:02:00.000-08:00

Finally got some time at the bench during the holidays, so I made a few pendants and will be posting them to my website. Links are below the images.

Reflections, a Landscape Type Jasper

Cripple Creek Jasper, also a type of picture jasper

Storm, Red Creek Jasper

Rhodochrosite

Seasons Greetings

2010-12-24T11:16:00.000-08:00

Seafoam Green Druzy Agate Pendant Necklace

Wishing everyone a joyous holiday season!

The Crucible Gifty Art Sale

2010-12-14T01:12:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was my last show for the year, and it was at The Crucible in Oakland, CA. It was an enjoyable weekend with lots of cool people. There were demos for some of the classes they offer, including blacksmithing, enameling, glass works, welding, ceramics making and wood working. Wish I live closer to take advantage of the classes.

Here's a video of the fire-dancing by their instructor. It was taken from my booth. Doesn't this look fun?

Don't try this at home!

A Few New Rings

2010-12-03T00:45:00.000-08:00

Managed to make these new rings during the past long weekend. They will be posted to my website and etsy shop real soon. You can also meet them in person at my upcoming shows as well. Click here to see my Events schedule.

ABDUCTED!!!

2010-11-19T03:41:00.000-08:00

This sweet boy, my 5 year old nephew Louis, has been abducted by his Japanese mother. The pictures here are the last pictures I took at our family gathering in December 2009. Little did we know that it was the last time we were to see him.

Louis (or Rui, his Japanese name) had been taken to Japan by his mother on a “business” trip in June 2010. They were expected to return to their Manhattan home in 3 weeks. The mother used all kinds of excuses to delay their return, only to buy time to settle in her home country, Japan. She never had any intention of returning to the US with Rui. Her flight was meticulously planned where she left little behind.

Unfortunately, Japan is a notorious country for parental abductors. It never signed the Hague Abduction Convention, which provides an expeditious method to return a child internationally abducted from one member nation to another. And there is no sign for Japan to change their civil codes to allow for joint custody or visitation rights of the left-behind parent. Japan has become known to be a safe haven for parental child kidnappers and do not recognize foreign custody rulings.

My brother-in-law, Brian, is heart-broken and has fallen into a deep depression from his loss. He is deprived of the most precious being of his life, and being deprived of the basic right as a father and legal custodian. At the same time, little Rui has been denied access to both parents when his mother unilaterally removed him from his home country, the United States. No doubt this is causing irreparable psychological damage to little Rui. As a part of the extended family, we are saddened by this unconscionable act by a very selfish woman who is protected by the Japanese courts.

I’m appealing to my readers to please spread the awareness of this serious injustice. We want the US and other countries to continue to put pressure on Japan to sign the 1980 Hague Convention and to resolve this social problem. On a selfish note, yes, I would like to watch this sweet boy grow, to see him laugh and read, to hear stories about his school and friends, and to attend his college graduation.

If anyone sees him in Tokyo, please tell him that his American family loves him dearly and is longing for his return to his daddy in New York.

Rui with my son, Cousin Wesley

To read more about Brian and Rui, you can follow Brian’s blog or tweets.

Etsy Front Page Today

2010-09-22T00:48:00.000-07:00

So cool to see my bangle bracelet making it to the Etsy Front Page today. Sweet! It is the third item down on the left column.

A lot of people would ask me the font I use. Well, it's really not any word processing fonts or any other machine generated graphic design. It's actually my handwriting, inscribed onto the object with a sharp tool.

The ingredients? Lots of concentration and a steady hand. The result is personalized scripts that average about 1mm tall for lower case letters. If I need to squeeze many words onto a small area, the inscriptions can be smaller. You might need to use a magnifying device to read them.

Rectangular Pendants

2010-06-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

Picked out a few stones from my stash. They are rainbow moonstones, labradorite, and turquoise. Unfortunately, the marquise shaped lab disappeared after dropping onto my floor. Maybe I'll find it, I hope. And then disaster hit the setting for the turquoise on the left. I'll try to fix that pendant next week.

While photographing these pendants, I'm beginning to understand why moonstones got that name. It's like the darker the surrounding, the more vivid the irridescence.

Check out the orange diagonal strip on the moonstone to the left. It is so striking and makes for a very interesting stone. On either side of the stripe are some gorgeous blue and green schiller. The labradorite in the middle is small but has an intense icy blue flash. The smaller moonstone has soft peacock color and a dash of orange. I chose to use a chain with rectangular links to go with the pendant shape.

To see more pictures, click here.

MAG SF at Maker Faire, 2010

2010-06-02T10:25:00.000-07:00

Besides checking out all the exhibits and demos at this year's Maker Faire in the Bay Area, I volunteered some time helping out at the Metal Arts Guild San Francisco (MAG SF) booth. I carpooled with Harriete Estel Berman (actually her husband dropped us off so we didn't have to pay $17 to park for one day) and was her helper at her Riveting workshop.

Here's Harriete showing the techniques of riveting. Since we were stuck under a large building overhang, the lighting wasn't all that good.

Our participants busy working on their pin or pendants

Riveting with the hammer on a horn anvil

Wha-la! A beautiful pin.

A pendant

A western-themed pin (note the cowboy hat on the bottom)

These are just a few happy students who were so proud of their own creations. It's just wonderful to see the big smiles on their faces.

Maker Faire 2010, Part 4 Pictures

2010-05-28T00:06:00.000-07:00

The last of the Faire pictures:

Giant piano keys?

Gerard's Paella - DElicious, and the chef is in black

Cardboard Tunnel

Other end of tunnel

Resident, perched right outside the cardboard tunnel

If you enjoyed these pictures, I hope there's a Maker Faire coming to your area soon. Currently the Faire is happening in NYC, Detroit and I believe Austin too. It's just neat to be surrounded by so many talented people who came to share their visions and inspirations.

Maker Faire 2010, Part 3 Pictures

2010-05-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

Vehicle and transportation at the Maker Faire, SF Bay Area

Raygun Gothic Rocketship where visitors can hike up to the metal hull.

Old Favorites

Decorated camper - Home Sweet Home.

Covered with Mirrors

Gotta love those teeth.

Recycling scrap metal???

One of my favorites - Cupcake Electric Vehicle from Acme Muffineering.

Big Bikes

An even bigger bike - with an antique feel

I don't know about this one - looks quite uncomfortable, if you ask me.

Maker Faire 2010, Part 2 Pictures

2010-05-26T00:18:00.000-07:00

Continuing from yesterday's post, here are some fire arts.

A fire breathing dragon.

Snail Cart with antennae that blows flames.

Flaming Lotus Girls

Closer look at a part of Flaming Lotus Girls.

Flames come out from the thin tubes at the top.

Pretty awesome snakes.

... to be continued tomorrow.

Maker Faire 2010, Part 1 Pictures

2010-05-25T00:31:00.001-07:00

The 2010 Maker Faire was another smashing success. The Faire is a DIY festival where you can find geeky projects and traditional craft demos. It is for people who like to tinker, build, and blow things up.

On Friday, setup day, a friend of mine asked me to help her set up her booth. There were seminars for the makers and volunteers. Dale Dougherty, founder of Maker Faire and publisher of Make magazines, spoke about his vision of bringing together the makers so they could inspire each other and others, and to get feedback about their projects and inventions.

Then Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine, talked about the Next Industrial Revolution, where every garage can be a micro-factory with entrepreneurial opportunities. I took so many pictures that I will split them into several postings. The following are some of the geeky techie projects:

R2-D2 was actually moving around and "talking".

Athletic stick robots that exercise for me - this one does arm curls and leg curls (above)

Robots doing push-ups.

The original Russell, the Electric Giraffe

Now, at 19 feet tall. Russell can walk, raise his neck, and moves his head. He has sensors so that when you stroke the top of his nose, he "talks" and tells you his name. Each year, he has added features.

Solar powered sewing machine that also embroiders.

Music by ArcAttack. They used 2 hand-built Tesla coils that throws out electric charges (like lightening bolts). The band was on the right side, and the robotic drum was on the left. It was really amazing.

HOME by PPR

2010-05-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

For those who cares about the environment, here's a movie that you wouldn't want to miss. It's well worth your time. Enjoy this beautiful film!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU

Transition

2010-04-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Please excuse the construction dust and noise, I'm in the process of re-organizing my business. This includes a business name change from Studio 618 to TKMetalArts. Stay tuned!

Storque Appearance

2010-03-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

On Monday, March 15, I was checking my view stats on CraftCult. I was blown away by the number of views and hearts. I thought "What nice artist friend has included me in their treasuries?" LOL

Couldn't believe it, but my silver bangle "But Never Doubt I Love" was featured on a Shakespeare themed Storque article on Etsy. I want to thank all the love I received in the past few days; it is very encouraging, especially for solo artists like me. I've blogged about this bracelet before and you can read more about it here. The bracelet is available at both my Etsy and Artfire stores.

Thank you all, once again.

Rings Large and Small

2010-03-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

Just finished these sterling rings 2 days ago:

Green and Chocolate Brown Turquoise rings with 14k gold dots.

Smaller Amazonite ring.

And a smaller Labradorite ring with a stepped design on the bezel.

Plum Flower Pendants

2010-03-09T14:22:00.000-08:00

Took me a little while to finish these 3 pendants but I'm pretty happy with how they turn out. The sterling flowers has a black patina and a hand-rubbed wax protective coating. 5 gold (14kt) dots and the shimmer in each the (sunstone, labradorite and star ruby) is a great light-play against the dark patina.

Plum flowers have a lot of symbolic meanings in the Chinese culture. It represents virtue because it thrives in the coldest of winters and signals the upcoming spring. Each of the five petals of a plum blossom stands for the five major ethnic peoples of China - Han, Manchurian, Mongolian, Muslim, Tibetan. Sometimes the five petals refer to the five elements - metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. And it is also the official flower of the Choy Lay Fut kungfu system.

Round Top Rings

2010-03-03T21:14:00.000-08:00

Here are 3 new rings where all round cabochons are 30mm in diameter. I used 1-1/2" diameter sterling backing so that there is room for tiny custom inscriptions on the edges adjacent to the bezel. They are huge and will certainly be attention grabbers.

I just bought stones of various types and sizes that can be custom made into rings to fit anyone or necklace pendants. You can contact me through my Etsy or Artfire shops. I've created separate listings at each shop if you want personalized inscriptions. This way, there is no obligation to have a piece of jewelry bearing any messages.

This cabochon is a Chinese jasper with striking maroon red, freeform color spots set against a gray background. It reminds me of the plum blossom painting at my parent's house, which has dark pink and red flowers against a white background. The painting was the work of one of the last Qing Dynasty imperial scholars, Yu Yao Yum. Click here to see a similar painting.

An agate that reminds me of Orange Dreamsicle.

A fossilized coral that looks like a photo of chrysanthemums.

Ikebana & Kusuma Necklaces

2010-03-01T17:51:00.000-08:00

Just finished these 4 pendant / necklaces:

1. Ikebana with Red Quartz. This red quartz is really unusual because it has these really sparkly mica inclusions, like pieces of glitters embedded.

2. Ikebana with Labradorite. I thought this half round labradorite makes a perfect "bowl" for this miniature ikebana arrangement.

3. Kusuma is an Indonesian name that means flower. These agatized Fossil Coral is a natural stone formed when ancient coral is gradually replaced with agate. They usually have small flower-like patterns. Each piece of coral can display different colors, depending on weathering/oxidation and original mineral content.

I added some 14k gold dots to complement the warm tones of these coral.

4. The back of this pendant is inscribed.

Ring for Haiti, Auctions

2010-02-05T13:26:00.000-08:00

I'm sure by now, you have been deeply moved by the sufferings of the Haitian people due to the 7.0 magnitude earthquake less than a month ago. A lot of you have made donations to your favorite charities. I'm appealing to all of you yet another fun way.

My metalsmith friends and I have decided to donate one of our handmade rings to be auctioned on eBay to raise money for the relief. There are a total of 50 rings, and they will be posted on eBay at the rate of 2 new rings per day. All money will go to the charity, GlobalGiving. Each auction will last 7 days, beginning tonight with a ring I made. Starting prices are set low to entice donations for this worthy cause. The link to eBay is http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290397426403&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT ViewItem&item=290397426403&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT. This auction ends Monday, Feb 8. Please help by bidding on these rings and/or spread the words. Merci!!!

*To see some of the rings donated, you can go to my friend's blog for a sneak peak:http://metalriot.blogspot.com/search/label/fundraiser

**To see more artful rings in current auctions and to bid on them, please check here - http://shop.ebay.com/modbaubles/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686 _nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686

Friday Finds - 09 Sep 25

2009-09-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

Wow, can't believe fall is actually here. Just earlier this week marked the First Day of Autumn. Leaves are starting to turn colors. I can just smell the apple cider brewing. My friend Dianna's better half is already back from the wine grape harvests. The other day, I even saw a little kid with a black cap on his shoulders, test driving his costume.

Here are some treasures I found that just suits the occasion:

Clockwise from top left:
1. Autum Equinox by SusanClarkeOriginals
2. Autumn Neckwarmer by Ebruk
3. Cats Cats & More Cats Wallet by zaibboo
4. Handmade Journal with Wine Cork by BBesigns
5. Build A Flower Card by tigerlilyol
6. Pumpkin Inspired Earrings by BelladonnasJoy

Raised Bead Setting

2009-09-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

This is my latest commission piece - a 14K gold pendant with a 4mm round faceted ruby. Due to the high cost of gold (eeek!!! $1,004 per oz as of this very moment), I sweat solder a piece of 14K with a piece of 10K, to achieve a .006 inch (1.5 mm) thickness of this pendant. Hey, you skimp where you can , right? The rest of the necklace is all 14K.

The ruby was set with bead prongs that were raised from adjacent materials. This technique is the basis of pave stone setting, which is one of the most challenging of all stone setting techniques.

After setting the stone, I put a sandblasted texture on the front and back. Edges are brought to a high polish. Finally touches are the quality stamps and then I signed on one of the edges. Ah yes, I still need to design and have a hallmark stamp made. Soon!

The group of photos below are my progress pictures.

Friday Finds - 09 18 09

2009-09-17T21:46:00.000-07:00

Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown today. This will conclude my series of features for this High Holiday. Each year, we get together with some friends and have lunch together after the morning service. Happy and sweet New Year to everyone! Shalom!

Clockwise from top left:

1. Sacred, watercolor print and verse by mishmishmarket

2. Kiddush Cup with Pierced Blessing by agru

3. Magic Bird Town Hamsa Print by doodlage

4. Fused Glass Menorah by toocraftyladies

5. Shalom Floral Wall Hanging by sieberdesigns

6. Ahava is Love (in Hebrew) by inbarbareket

7. (Sale) Rosh Hashanah Cards by tamarhammer

8. Petite Copper Star of David by oakgeorgia

9. Happy New Year Cards by karmabee

Friday Finds - 11 Sep 09

2009-09-10T23:48:00.000-07:00

Our Etsy Chai team is growing by the leaps and bound. Today, I am continuing with the Rosh Hashanah theme featured by more members. It's amazing how much artwork are inspired by this one holiday. Follow the links to see more photos and related products.

Clockwise from top left:

1. Chai Wire Kippah by lindab142

2. Silver Menorah Earrings by beadsofparadiseshop

3. Handwoven Prayer Shawl, Tallit by poemweave

4. Kiddish Cup by ceramicsbymarcelle

5. Nisan Mezuzah Case by hautefelt

6. Pools on Mars Hair Barrette by claybeadsandmore

7. Judaic Greeting Card by anjalicreations

8. Days of Awe by downtoearthcreations

9. Recycled Ms Nivea Meets Mr Peroni Earrings by markaplan

Friday Finds - 04 Sep 09

2009-09-03T23:31:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe that Rosh Hashanah is only two weeks away, and it is Year 5770 on the Jewish calendar. I am featuring many handmade items that will get you in the mood for the High Holidays. They are all created by my fellow team members of Team Etsy Chai.Clockwise from top left:

1. Blue Lace Agate Necklace by fleurdeirk

2. Forever Stripes Lampwork Beads by dorsethillbeads

3. Jewish Holiday Gift Bag & Tag by bbesigns

4. Rosh Hashanah Cards by handmadeinisrael

5. Bird on a Wire Tallis by kippahmitzvah

6. Israeli Flag Illusion Knit Tote Pattern by acacheofjewels

7. Blue Dove Cards by anothercreation

8. Knit Shabbat Challah Cover by blazingneedles

9. Yad and Scroll by lbolter

There are more goodies than what I can show here, so don't forget to peruse their stores.

Friday Finds - 28 Aug 09

2009-08-27T22:12:00.000-07:00

If you have a little one at home, you'll like the pink and cute theme for this Friday's Finds. Aren't they just adorable? If you are crafty, you can even make the little Petunia Piglet yourself. The links to these items are just below the pictures.

Clockwise from top left:

1. Petunia Piglet, Pattern by funkyfriendsfactory

2. Baby Poodle Hound Dog, Friday by raewadolly

3. Bella Octopus Pin by lizzieboo

4. Piper, Creature Toy by adoptanalien

5. Annie, Sock Creature by beezmiller

6. Sadie by sereneonion

Friday Finds - 21 Aug 09

2009-08-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

It's a sad day for me, I just sent my son off to college today. There ought to be some support groups for emptynesters. Anyway, I'm so proud of him because the acceptance rate to this awesome public university is only about 26%. And there is no brownie points for me being an alumni. Anyway, in honor of the occasion, my theme for this Friday's finds is "Berkeley".

Clockwise from top left:
1. Berkeley Sunset by streambound
2. Berkeley Telegraphy by laselle2
3. Berkeley, CA Road Trip Badge by minorthread
4. Berkeley Steel by jbpainting
5. Peace Crane Origami by localcolorist
6. I Love Golden Bear Football Onesie/T-shirt by flyduds

Friday Finds - 14 Aug 09

2009-08-13T23:04:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, I was out of town so I wasn't able to post any handmade favorites. Here are some fun treasures of varied media that I hope you will enjoy. Clockwise from top left:
1. Vintage Brown Telephone by kingsroad
2. Maple Cutting Board by ripperarts
3. Bridge Over River, China by designbyhelen
4. Labradorite Chunks on Brass by kizzdesigns
5. Iolite Nugget and Sterling Earrings by blackhorsedesigns
6. Andalusia Mod Flower and Dots Bag by bizzielizzie

Latest Work

2009-07-31T00:16:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple pieces that I worked on these past few days - a ring and a neck piece. Each flower is raised from flat sheets of bronze. They are mere studies and practices, which means they are just for me. So please excuse the lousy photography.

Friday Finds - 31 Jul 09

2009-07-30T20:39:00.000-07:00

This Friday, I'd like to thank some of my blog readers for following my ramblings. I really appreciate your continuing support. :) Below are some favorites I find in their Etsy shops.Clockwise from top left:
1. Blue Carambolas Necklace by danugs

2. Tire Swing Earrings by mikicatdesigns

3. Peppermint Rosemary Vegan Soap by deshawnmarie

4. Crochet Purse in Periwinkle by peanutscreations

5. Funky Peach Cupcake Pincushion by sewbutterfly64

6. Bluebird Scrabble Tile Pendant by prettywhimsical

Be sure to check out all the other goodies in their stores.

Friday Finds - 24 Jul 09

2009-07-23T22:06:00.000-07:00

Do you like green? Then this weeks featured items are just for you. You can take a closer look at each item by clicking on the link below these photos.Clockwise from top left:
1. Chalcedony Shades of Aqua Necklace by unicorngem1994
2. Green Clusters Bracelet by snowbell
3. Faceted Natural Crystal & Green Amethyst Necklace by southpawstudios
4. Mermaid's Heirloom Necklace by mermaidencreations
5. Angela Earrings by nightskyjewelry
6. Island Cooler Bracelet by realisationcreations

Temple of Herod

2009-07-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

Now, here's a model of biblical proportions. A retired farmer has spent more than 30 years building an enormous scale model of Herod's temple - and it is still not finished. Alec Garrard, 78, has dedicated a massive 33,000 hours to constructing the ancient temple, which measures a whopping 20ft by 12 ft.The pensioner has hand-baked and painted every clay brick and tile and even sculpted 4,000 tiny human figures to populate the courtyards. But Mr. Garrard, who started the epic project in his 40s, says his masterpiece will not be finished in his lifetime. "I have an interest in buildings and religion. I thought maybe I could combine the two and came up with the idea of doing the temple. I'd see one or two examples of it in Biblical exhibitions, but I thought they were rubbish and I knew I could do better."
"I have sculpted and painted 4,000 figures, each measuring just half an inch and they all wear their correct costumes. Each one takes about three hours to make and there are 32 versions of Jesus, although no one can ever spot him no matter how religious they are." Visitors come from all over the world to see the model, and Mr. Garrard provides binoculars so they can see all the details. "I personally know all the top archaeologists from Jerusalem and I've had experts from the British Museum visit," he says.
But he chases the money-changers out of the temple: I've had a lot of offers from people to buy it, but it's not for sale." He says his wife Kathleen thinks he is mad. He adds: "She wishes she'd married a normal person." Mr. Garrard, from Norfolk, spent more than three years researching the temple, which was destroyed by the Romans 2,000 years ago and deemed to be one of the most remarkable buildings of ancient times. He then started to construct the amazing 1:100 scale model, which is now housed in a huge building in his back garden. "Everything is made by hand. I cut plywood frames for the walls and buildings and all the clay bricks and tiles were baked in the oven then stuck together," he says. In its heyday the temple complex covered 36 acres - four times the area of Windsor Castle. The Temple was probably located on the site of today's Temple Mount, and it is also the location of the Islamic mosque, Dome of the Rock.

[This was originally an email sent by a friend. It is such an incredible project that I had to share it. All photos in this post were taken by photographer, Geoff Robinsin, and included with his permission.]

Friday Finds - 17 Jul 09

2009-07-16T22:27:00.000-07:00

A blue and purple collage for this Friday's Finds. I hope you all enjoy browsing their shops.
Clockwise starting from top left:
1. Toddler Messenger Bag by meeabee

2. Hand Painted Silk Scarflette by silkartfrombrazil

3. Lagoon Ring by clevergirl

4. Purple Tranquility by houseofsixcats

5. Map Pieces by madmaggiedesigns

6. Sapphire Swirl by bellissimadesigns

Friday Finds - 10 Jul 09

2009-07-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

This Friday's theme is metal, which is my favorite medium. Aren't these wonderful?Clockwise from top left:
Become Rose Garden Shawl Brooch by meltemsem
Leaf Neckpiece by bullfrogstudios
Cherry Blossom Sakura Ring by studiometalsmith
Simple Swirl on Square Necklace by limegreenmodern
Urban Life 2 - The Salvation of a Smile by canadianrockies
Bond Brooch by freeforged

Friday Finds - 03 Jul 09

2009-07-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

This Friday, I'd like to showcase some fiber arts. If you'd like to check out each item, click on the links below the group of photos. Clockwise from top left:
1. Red Hair Buddy Clip by bagsandbuds
2. Mrs. Carmen Scarflette by warmandsoft
3. Nuns n Roses, the rock star by nunofakind
4. Lateralus Rose by zuppaartista
5. Crocheted Rag Rug by kelleylivingston
6. Cozy Kittens Pillow by rokstudy

Premio Meme Award #2

2009-07-01T13:35:00.000-07:00

Last weeks, besides Julie Magers Soulen, my friend Jodi Bombardier of Jewels-by-Jules also awarded me the Premio Meme Award. Jodi is a wire wizard, making amazing wire jewelry and writing wire wrapping tutorials and books. If you want to get some expert advice, visit her beautiful blog. Her bracelets are some of my favorites, showing the perfectionist side of her. Thanks, Jodi! Jetson – Copper Wire Woven Bracelet

The award rules are simple: I list 7 facts about myself then pass the award to 7 people.
1. Proud mom with a son who will be attending UC Berkeley (my own alma mater) this fall.
2. Never had any interest in jewelry until I started making them.
3. It is not a real vacation unless it is a tropical one.
4. Love being my own boss.
5. Need to join "Diet Coke Anonymous."
6. I’m a shortie – only 5’-3” tall.
7. Got 6-7 scars from ankle surgeries.

I am happily passing the Premio Meme Award to some of favorite artisans:
1. roiaobrien
2. nunofakind
3. prettywhimsical
4. quirkydolls
5. tialeyvintage
6. meeabee
7. ju’screations

Premio Meme Award #1

2009-07-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

Couple of weeks ago, Julie Magers Soulen of Julie Magers Soulen Photography awarded me the Premio Meme Award. Julie takes amazing pictures and here’s my all time favorite. As I am posting write-up, she is relaxing here on this porch. Thanks, Julie!

Golden Bliss

The award rules are simple: I list 7 facts about myself then pass the award to 7 people.

1. Proud mom with a son who will be attending UC Berkeley (my own alma mater) this fall.

2. Never had any interest in jewelry until I started making them.

3. It is not a real vacation unless it is a tropical one.
4. Love being my own boss.
5. Need to join "Diet Coke Anonymous."
6. I’m a shortie – only 5’-3” tall.
7. Got 6-7 scars from ankle surgeries.

I am happily passing the Premio Meme Award to some of favorite artisans:
1. purifiedart
2. cindypack
3. melt’m
4. deandymentstudios
5. mandibeads
6. ligiarocha
7. solheart

Friday Finds - 26 Jun 09

2009-06-25T21:14:00.001-07:00

More Friday finds here. If you’d like to take a closer look at each item, the links are below the photo group. Check out other gorgeous pieces in their shops too.

Clockwise from top left:
1. birdie tote - echino fabric by washwhendirty
2. Flower Power Blank Note Cards by madebyswirlygirl
3. Restful Dream original monotype by deandymentstudios
4. Happy Denim Purse by huggermugger
5. Baby Blue - Chalcedony & Pearl Beaded Watch by roseofsharonjewelry
6. Earth Blooms Mosaic Keepsake/Jewelry Box by tkdesigns

Handcrafted Creations Directory Sign-Up

2009-06-23T10:44:00.000-07:00

A shout out to my readers that you can submit your website link to Handcrafted Creations for their blog consideration. They have an impressive directory with different catagories such as handmade jewelry, wedding jewelry and accessories. Check out the featured artisans and their unique crafts.

Victoria Joanne of Custom Wedding Garters makes custom garters in a rainbow of colors. You can select a design by theme, by color or by materials. I've never seen such a huge selection of designs, but then I got married way back, before the internet was born.

So head over to the two sites, take a look, sign up to be featured, and spread the word.

Blog Award - One Lovely Blog

2009-06-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

Lori Dean Dyment of DeanDymentStudios bestowed the honor of the "One Lovely Blog Award" to my blog, and I am ecstatic because this is the second time I received this award in the past month.

Lori is a very talented painter and printmaker, living in beautiful British Columbia. Take a moment to check out her Etsy shop and her blog which is filled with great links.

Thanks Lori! Now it's my turn to pass it on...Here are the rules:
Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.
Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Here are my nominees!

AOS Leather
Kathryn Cole Jewelry
Timberwerks Studio
Lietdeco
A Bead A Day
Urban Junkies Artist Lounge
HJM Art
Holly Wilcox
Kim Mitchell
Lost Sentiments
Patricia Wood
Lime Green Modern
Blueberry Cream
Art on Paper
Healthy and Happy

Blog Award - Kreative Blogger

2009-06-19T15:03:00.000-07:00

My friend Meltem has given me the Kreative Blogger award. I'm just thrilled and honored because she makes such wonderful silver jewelry. Check out her two shops, Meltemsem, Warmandsoft, and her blog.

Here are the rules of the award:
1. The winner may put the logo on her blog.
2. Put a link to the person you got the award from.
3. List seven things you love.
4. List seven blogs you love.
5. Leave a message for your nominees.

Here are the seven things I love (in no particular order):

-watching my son succeed and maturing

-jewelry making tools

-China

-Chinese martial arts

-hanging out with my friends

-warm summer nights

-traveling

Seven blogs I love and for you to visit:

- jenkiabaphotography

Friday Finds - 19 Jun 09

2009-06-18T22:42:00.001-07:00

So Father’s Day is just 2 days away. Here are some of my favorites that will make dads smile. Click on the links below and enjoy. Don’t forget to browse other items that these wonderful artists created.

Clockwise from top left:
1. Arnold - The Gym Rat Robot by reclaim2fame
2. Two Level table by timothyadamdesigns
3. Dark Chocolate Dream Caramel Apple by doubledippedsweets 4.Music in Rome by starrybluesky
5. Beach Chairs by lauratrevey
6. Diving Eagles by aosleather

Lucy in the Sky with Diamond

2009-06-18T12:59:00.000-07:00

Scientists found the largest diamond in the universe. Lucy, named after the Beatles’ song, is 2,500 miles across and weighing 5 million trillion trillion carats (34 zeros after the one, or 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 carats). OK, that’s a lot of diamond rings. This rock chunk is virtually crystallized carbon, measuring about 4,000 km in diameter, is approximately 50 light years from Earth in the Constellation Centaurus.

For sake of comparison, the largest cut gem in the world is the Cullinan I found in South Africa. This finished stone is 546 carats was cut from a 3,100 carat rough, which was the largest diamond found on Earth. Lucy, if mind and cut into wearable sizes, would deflate the gems market, making diamonds a dime a dozen.

Technically, Lucy is BPM 37093 and is a crystallized white dwarf. The carbon interior of this white dwarf has solidified, resulting in this galaxy’s largest diamond.

Ten Things About Me

2009-06-13T15:50:00.000-07:00

Following several team members' footsteps, here are a few tidbits about me:

1. Proud mom with a son who will be attending UC Berkeley (my own alma mater) this fall.

2. Never had any interest in jewelry until I started making them.

3. Couple of fortune-tellers told me that I lack 2 out of 5 elements (per Chinese astrology) - water and metal. That kind of explains my attraction to metal jewelry, huh!?

4. LEED AP - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Accredited Professional.

5. Avoided being cornered into becoming an interior designer, which happened to a lot of women architects.

6. Total martial arts fanatic - movies and books. Acquired 2 levels of black belt in Chinese kungfu before an accidental landing while doing a spinning jump kick. Competed in local and international tournaments, and would return to the training again in a heartbeat.

7. It is not a real vacation unless it is a tropical one.

8. Love being my own boss.

9. Need to join "Diet Coke Anonymous."

10. Get annoyed when people question me being Jewish.

Friday Finds - 12 Jun 09

2009-06-11T23:59:00.000-07:00

It’s Friday again, and I get to bring to you some of my Etsy favorite items. Enjoy these beautiful images and items that these artists created. If you’d like to take a closer look at each item, the links are below the photo group. Check out other gorgeous pieces in their stores too.

Clockwise from top left:
1. Hidden Doorways in a Gothic Church by jenkiabaphotography
2. Golden Bliss by juliemagerssoulen
3. Pearl Moon Necklace by melissamemandesigns
4. Sassy Teapot with Attitude by creativewithclay
5. Southwestern 1, artisan lampwork beads by artfaerie
6. The Original Handbag pdf knitting pattern by bijouxboutique

Friday Finds - 05 Jun 09

2009-06-02T01:04:00.000-07:00

This is the roll-out of Friday Finds here on my blog. Featured items are handmade by artists and artisans that I find on Etsy, Artfire, or other similar venues. For the initial showcase, I picked my favorites from a few of my EtsySecrets teammates' shops. EtsySecrets is a membership-only team created by Tim Adams of Timothy Adam Designs, Handmadeology, and Found Handmade. Tim is a self-taught metal artist and can always be found providing information on social networking and on how to succeed on Etsy.

Take a closer look and read the details on these item by clicking on the links below the photos. Be sure to check out other fantastic creations by these talented artists. Have a fabulous weekend!

Clockwise from top left:

1. Set of 4 Home Sweet Home Ceramic Coasters by tscrapper

2. Light Blue Atomic Dots Tote by apiarydesigns

3. Hoot Owl Scrabble Tile Pendant by jessejanes
4. Chewbacca Mouse by TheHouseOfMouse

Blog Award

2009-05-26T14:35:00.000-07:00

Mandi of MandiBeads had given me the One Lovely Blog Award. She painstakingly weave each delica beads into a super-cute pen cover. This process typically takes 2-6 hours to complete. I admire her patience and good eye-sight. My favorite is her Hug Me pen.

Thanks Mandi! Now it's my turn to pass it on...Here are the rules:

Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

1. sassydlite
2. bycoco
3. dgdesignstx
4. mygemstonebox
5. chezchani
6. jannadu
7. imagesbyjer
8. jewelryelegance
9. ardentdesigns
10. artisanjeweler
11. washwhendirty
12. abeadedaffair
13. perfectlytwistedjewelry
14. sandtcreations
15. kickingbear

These are my eSMArts teammates, and they are the ones who encouraged and supported my blogging endeavors. I hope you enjoy visiting their blogs.

Playtime with Metal

2009-05-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

Anticlastic raising is one of the many metal techniques. It is a surface having two curvatures (transverse to each other) that lie in opposite directions - convex in length and concave in breadth, or vice versa.

Below is a sequence of pictures to show my progression.

eSMArts Team & Shop

2009-05-21T17:23:00.000-07:00

Today, I'd like to talk about an Etsy street team, eSMArts and our team shop. We are a support team within the awesome artisan community. Our team has global members who work in a variety of media, and our common bond is social networking, online marketing and online promotions to increase exposure of our artwork. Team members are super talented, encouraging, helpful and fun.

The Contest Winning Quote Is...

2009-04-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

Three weeks ago, I introduced my Giveaway Contest for a new bookmark design. The deadline was last night and I received some excellent and inspiring quotes. As promised, I've selected the winners by popular votes and by generated numbers on Random.org. Here's the results.

There is actually tie between "When words fail, Music speaks." by Hans Christian Andersen and "We are the music makers, And we are the dreamers of dreams..." -Arthur O'Shaughnessy. These two entries received one vote each by other readers. To break the tie, I get to choose one out of the two quotes to be used as my new design. It was a tough decision but I selected Andersen's (posted by Evelyn) since I'm a minimalist person when it comes to design concepts. The other winner, (quote posted by Victoria), will receive a bookmark with O'Shaughnessy's quote on it instead.

The winners are:

Evelyn (hotmail address)

Victoria of wigglejewellery in UK
Emilie of Grocery Price Blog (#26 as generated by Random.org)
Valerie B (#9 as generated by Random.org)

Congratulations, and I will contact the winners soon. Thanks everyone for participating. Until the next contest, I hope you all have a wonderful spring.

Shaolin Temple Day T-Shirt

2009-04-15T20:47:00.000-07:00

In case anyone missed the breath-taking performances at the Shaolin Temple Day 2009 (March 21) in the San Francisco Bay Area, here's a chance to snap up a commemorative T-shirt at 20% off, while supplies last.
According to Gene Ching, Associate Publisher of Kung Fu Magazine & http://www.kungfumagazine.com/, "A portion of the proceeds of these limited-edition commemorative shirts goes to the Friends of Shaolin, a special committee of the Tiger Claw Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to promoting martial artists and assisting martial artists in achieving their goals."

For good karma, get your T-shirt already before they are all gone.

check out the Kung Fu Magazine forum posts for additional blog and video links.

Passover Haggadah + Jews in Shanghai

2009-04-09T17:03:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine, Julie, sent me this link where you can get a newly published copy of Passover Haggadah – China. It is a traditional haggadah mostly written in Hebrew and English. There is an introduction of the Passover holiday written in Chinese by Professor Xu Xin of Nanjing University. Artwork includes traditional Chinese paper cuttings and historical photos in the Chinese Diaspora.

Shanghai Jewish life began as far back as early 19th century. The first settler arrived in 1848, and the first wave of Jewish immigrants to Shanghai was Sephardic Jews from Baghdad and Bombay. They included the successful families of Sassoon and Hardoon, who built many of the city’s landmarks. In the 1870s, the community from Baghdad rented their worship spaces. In 1887, they organized the Beth El Synagogue. Established in 1920, the Ohel Rachel Synagogue opened its doors on Seymour Road (now 500 North Shaanxi Road). In the same complex were the Shanghai Jewish School, a playground, library and mikveh. The Ohel Rachel Synagogue was the first of seven synagogues built in Shanghai, and it is still standing today.

The second wave of Jewish immigrants (1920-1937) came via Sibera to the northeastern Chinese cities of Harbin, Tianjin and Dalian. When Japan occupied Manchuria in 1931, the Russian Jews move to Shanghai, numbering to 4,500 in the 1930s. The Serphardic/Baghdad Jews were substantially wealthier than the newly arrived counterparts, but they extended charitable help to these Ashkenazi/Russian Jews.
The third wave (1938-1952) comprised of fleeing European Jews during WW II. This time, the Sephardi and Ashkenazi communities worked together to help these European refugees. At the time, Shanghai was the only place that did not require entry visas. Up to 20,000 refugees came from Germany, Austria, and Poland. When the Japanese occupied the area around Shanghai, these Jews were relocated to the Hongkou district known as the Shanghai Jewish Ghetto. By 1945 (the end of the war), there were about 24,000 Shanghai Jews. The community dwindled after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, when many Jews emigrated to Israel, the United States, Australia and Hong Kong.

Today, there is an active and growing Jewish community in Shanghai. They came from many different countries, living and working in Shanghai. They regularly hold Shabbat services, educational and b’nai mitzvah classes, and even enjoy kosher meals. In 1998, Shanghai’s mayor pledge over $60,000 to help restore the Ohel Rachel Synagogue. In a 1998 visit, then First Lady Hillary Clinton commented, “So, for [the Ohel Rachel Synagogue] to be restored, I think, is a very good example of respect for religious differences and an appreciation for the importance of faith in one's life."

Some Shanghai Ghetto survivors:
-Dr. Jakob Rosenfeld, who spent nine years overseeing health care for the Communist army.
-Michael Medavoy, a Hollywood executive at Columbia, Orion and TriStar Pictures.
-Peter Max, American pop artist.
-W. Michael Blumenthal, served as the U.S. Treasury Secretary.
-Eric Halpern, a cofounder of the Far Eastern Economic Review and its first editor.
-Shaul Eisenberg, who founded and ran the Eisenberg Group of Companies in Israel.
-Charles K. Bliss, whose Chinese experience inspired him to create Blissymbols.
-Rene Rivkin, Australian financier.
-Laurence Tribe, professor, Harvard Law School, Carl M. Loeb University Professor

-Gunther Gassenheimer, Rabbi, Temple Israel, Alameda, CA

FREE - Giveaway - Contest

2009-04-06T10:34:00.000-07:00

In order to show my appreciation to my friends/supporters and new friends/supporters, I’m having a contest for my next bookmark design. My bookmarks have been my most popular online sales. There are so many inspiring quotes in the literary world that I always have a hard time deciding which one(s) to use. Instead of guessing what text to engrave next, I thought it would be more fun to pick the brains of all you lovely people.Rules of this Contest:

· For examples of my finished bookmarks, you can peruse my store.
· The inspiration will be the charm pictured above with musical notes.
· Only one quotation entry per person.
· The engraveable space is 3-7/8” long. As a guide, I can fit as much text as one typed line in Word document, using 10pt arial font. This includes the author’s last name. I like to give credit where it is due. Please don’t send me your dissertation. :)
· Copyright-free materials only.
· Enter your quote and author’s name by posting a comment below. Include your contact information, like your email, so I can contact you if you win.
· Contest deadline will be 11:59pm, April 26, 2009.

To earn 4 additional drawing entries, you can leave separate comments with your email address below:

· After you tweet about this contest and follow me on Twitter. Leave me a link to your Twitter.
· After you blog about this contest and follow me.
· Join my Facebook Page
· Visit this post before the deadline to vote on your favorite submitted quotes.

Contest Winners will:

· Receive notification by email and with an announcement/blog post here.
· If I use your selected quote for this charm, you will receive a bookmark of this new design.
· I will also pick two winners by random number drawing by Random.org.
· Of course there will not be any S+H charges to you, or I won’t call it FREE.

In summary, you can have up to 5 entries, and there will be at least 3 winners, maybe more there are more participants. Bookmarks will be shipped 1 – 2 weeks after the contest. Have fun! I can’t wait to see all the different ideas.

Hammered Rings

2009-03-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

Haven't quite finish all of them yet, but here's a sneak peak of the rings I've been working on. I'm really excited about how they all turn out.
I started off with very heavy gauge, uniform straight sterling wire. Each of the wire piece was then hammered into these different shapes. Due to the designs, you can make slight adjustments to these rings when needed.

I can leave the hammered texture, which has it's own appeal, or I can sand it smooth and give it a matte finish, or I can bring it to a high polish finish. The high polish finished interior gives these rings a luxurious feel when slipping them onto the fingers.
Each is made to order. More designs to come - watch for them as I post them to my store.

Shaolin Temple Day

2009-03-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

It was such an exciting weekend where I was reconnected to my gongfu, or more commonly known as kungfu, past by the visit of Venerable Abbot Shi Yongxin from the legendary China Songshan Shaolin Temple. (The abbot is the leading monk who makes the final decisions in important issues at the temple.) Shaolin Temple USA is an official school directly connected to China’s Shaolin Temple that was established in 495 AD and is renowned for their martial arts. These exercises were first developed to promote blood circulation after long periods of meditation.

The Abbot arrived at SFO from Beijing on March 18 and I joined the welcoming party. The two times I went to China’s Shaolin Temple, I didn’t get a chance to meet him. So I felt so honored meeting him up close in person. He is not that tall and has gentle demeanor, unlike the superhuman impression when reading about those legendary warrior monks in the gongfu novels. Although it is not a requirement to the most skilled in gongfu to become an abbot, I would imagine that Abbot Shi Yongxin is highly trained underneath that modest appearance.

On the next day, March 19, there was a Grand Opening celebration at the San Francisco Shaolin Culture Center. There were two parts to this traditional celebration. First portion was the Buddhist ceremony where the eyes of the three new Buddha statues were symbolically dotted. In the light of their eyes, we can feel the presence of the Buddha. During the ceremony, there were recitals of Buddhist sutras, blessing all the visitors with health, peace and happiness. Comparing to Jewish synagogue services where we get to sit and stand during the entire event, the Buddhist services seemed rather “punishing” where we had to stand during the entire ceremony. My recovering ankle was really protesting towards the end. The second portion was the unveiling of the entrance door plaque, marking the official opening of the cultural center.

The Abbot stated the mission of Shaolin Temple USA that in the past 30 years, Shaolin Temple was visited by millions of friends from many different countries, and that he felt obligated to reach out to the world to spread Buddhist teachings, much like when Budhidharma traveled from India to China Songshan in 517 AD and started Chan Buddhism. The Abbot emphasized that the Shaolin Temple is not just about gongfu/martial arts, instead it is a way of life. The cultural centers offer places for people to study Buddhism, to meditate, and to stay healthy by eating well, to exercise their bodies, and to build communities.

Saturday, March 21, was Shaolin Temple Day celebrated at Union Square, SF. There were numerous booths with information on the origin and history of the Temple, a photo gallery meandered on the public square, a display of monastic attire, free books on Buddhist philosophies, video viewing and sales (where I volunteered), vegetarian food sale, weaponry display, T-shirt and magazine sales (by Tiger Claw). The major attraction was the performance stage where the Abbot prayed for peace and harmony for the US and the world, dignitaries gave their speeches, the students and Shaolin monks demonstrated their skills, and free lessons given by the monks. Like many people, I took advantage and tried out the super-easy qi gong (or Chi Kung) form, Baduanjin (sometimes translated as Eight Section Brocade). It is a simplified set of breathing and stretching exercises based on the famous Yijinjing.

Sunday, March 22, was the theater performance, Magnificent Shaolin. The monks displayed their prowess, strength, and flexibility, all choreographed into beautiful sequence of artful, gravity-defying moves. We saw hard chi gong, single and double weapon forms, fist forms, animal techniques (tiger, dragon, snake, eagle, toad, mantis, monkey), drunken forms, bare hands and weapon sparring. Students performed during the intermission. What I really want to learn is their taichi form (which has some similarities to Chen style tai chi YiLou form) and RouQuan, a soft and fluid fist form that combines soft and hard explosive powers. Unfortunately, no photography was allowed so I can’t post any pictures to share.

Now I just wish they will open up another center near me so I can join the fun. Currently, there are only 4 official schools in the US – San Francisco, Fremont, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Each of schools is run by direct disciples of the Abbot. Be sure to go and check them out if you live in those areas because it will be a lot less expensive than going to China to see them. Otherwise, you can see some incredible action photos on their website, or some awe-inspiring videos on YouTube.

Aik Chien's Posts on Giveaways

2009-03-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

Check out Aik Chien's blog. Her blog has lots of information on product giveaways. Be sure to follow her so you can claim your freebies from some very generous artists.

Aik lives in beautiful Malaysia, which is on my list of Must-Go Places. She is quite an accomplished musician and photographer. Following bloggers from other countries really expand your understanding of their culture and their country. Aik's Chinese posts will let me keep current with my language, even though I'll struggle a bit with the Simplified characters because I was taught the Traditional characters only.

Again, a giant thanks to Aik for featuring my work.

Meet My Friend at Ardent Designs

2009-03-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

Joelyn Welch of Ardent Designs creates top quality hand made fashion jewelry from only the highest quality materials, including solid gold, silver, semi precious stones and custom made fused glass.

Ardent Designs is a supporter of independent artisans every where. If you are not already aware, there are millions of independent artists that create unique one of a kind items that are of superior quality than anything you can find at a big box store and typically it is priced competitively. Find out more about independent artisans and the hand made craze on the Ardent Designs blog or visit Joelyn’s online store on Etsy.

Joelyn started out in 1998 with a passion to bead jewelry. Practicality, along with a unique elegance, are the priorities that guide Ardent Designs. Joelyn enjoys using natural stones, crystals and glass. She also loves to work with contrasting metals and colors.
Joelyn has always had a fascination with glass and in 2008 she added fused glass creations to her collection. She is excited to be expanding her techniques with warm glass and look forward to creating wonderful and stunning pieces in this new medium. Find out all the most recent news about Ardent Designs and other indy artists on her blog.

Joelyn is located in Michigan, with her husband, daughter and their puppy. Her husband’s wonderful birdhouses can be found at their Etsy store as well. Now that is a truly talented family. Bet you’ll be seeing some of their daughter’s work real soon.

Confetti Cuff - The Making

2009-03-09T17:51:00.000-07:00

This is my latest bracelet listed in my etsy store. I'm using the photos to send with an application for a show in October. My friend, Jodi, bless her sweet heart, took photographs of the creation process:

Materials I used - bronze sheet, sterling wire

I use my AutoCAD software to plan out my design and figure out the amount of materials I need to cut. This creates a template for tracing onto the metal sheet, as well as keeping a record of my designs. I only use the computer for some of my pieces, not all of them.

Here, I transfer the design from a heavier paper stock template onto the metal sheet.

I saw cut the bronze insert part out from the sheet material.

Filing the edges smooth. Then I cut enough sterling wire to frame around the bronze insert.

Soldering the 2 materials together. Then I release Jodi so she can go home and get ready for work. Sorry, no pictures of me with the hammers, dust mask and eye protection.

The bracelet is bent into an oval shape. Now comes the FUN part (eyes rolling) - sanding and finishing.

The finished product. I could have skip the silver edging, which would save a ton of time. But here with the two-tone look, it seems to add so much to it. What do you think?