earl and cookie

Less jewellery more cakes!!

2012-02-13T09:54:00.002+11:00

Rin & Joe

i went to an amazing wedding on the weekend - so good in fact that i thought i'd share some pictures with you!
It was organised by my very good friend Pip Lincolne, who is one of the most capable & creative people i know, so when her daughter Rin & bf Joe decided to get hitched, Pip went into DIY action! there were pompoms in the trees, garden flowers in jars, lanterns, fresh pizzas coming out of the oven, live music & a wedding cake buffet! she had a team of loving people to help her & the place looked fantastic & if you'd like to see more pics, Pip has uploaded them to facebook & her blog.

Pip & Rinlook at the wedding cake! sooooo beautiful with 7 layers of colour! (& cute pompom toothpicks that i would like to put on everything now:))cake victory!

now to the wedding cake buffet table! a few people were asked to make cakes from the women's weekly birthday cake book - you know the one? maybe you had one of the cakes made for you as a kid? i really really wanted that book but i had to make do with the one my best friend had - i read it every time i visited! it was such a good idea to make the cakes a team effort - there were HOURS poured into each one & they were joyful & loving & delicious! so here are some of them - the final list was: Pink Elephant, Tea Party Cake, Rainbow Layer Cake, Heart Cake, Typewriter cake, Swimming Pool (!!!!), Chocolate Artist's Palate (cherry ripe flavour!) Yellow Chicken & the Fruit Tingle!

& all the cake-makers!

& here's a pic of me & my friend Jo (who made the Teaparty cake!)

valentine's day special offer

2012-02-07T09:08:00.004+11:00

i heart necklace 15% off until Feb 14th + other special offers too!

hello! have you had a good beginning to the year? i hope so - i've been laying low, making things but trying to plan things for the year too.
So, christmas has passed, now onto valentine's day huh? Well, it's always been a celebration fraught with mixed emotions for me, you too? I usually put blinkers on until the morning of the 14th then think 'it wouldn't hurt to do something a bit romantic today...' not that i need hallmark to tell me when to be lovey, or maybe i do? *shakes fist*
So to celebrate the love-season we've discounted the price of all heart-shaped pieces by 15% until Feb 14th!
So if you've ever had your heart set (ha!) on owning the 'i heart' necklace, 'two of hearts' earrings, 'little piece of my heart' necklace & ring or the new 'city lights' heart necklace then now's the time! Oh & you could pass this post onto your nearest as a bit of a hint:)
v

hohoho!

2011-12-20T08:13:00.003+11:00

the workshop has been moving at an eye-straightening pace this week so i thought i'd take this opportunity to wish you all a happy'n'safe chrissy. Our house is hosting christmas lunch this year so have gone all-out with a real tree & front door wreath (made from the discarded lower branches of the tree + some costume decorations:))
We'll be closing the doors on Dec 24th, to reopen late Jan. The online shop will remain open over the holidays but we will not be able to post anything between Dec 25th & Jan 3rd.
actually quite excited about it now:)
cheers
victoria

Polkadot earrings in the saint-nick of time!

2011-12-14T07:56:00.003+11:00

Polkadot earrings - $25, now available through the website

every year i say it.
"next year, i'll be a bit more organized & it won't be crazy like this" but you know what i realized? I choose this chaos! there, now, i've said it.
If there's a gap my the timetable, i fill it, actually, if i'm NOT crazy-busy at this time of year then something's gone wrong:)
So before i went to Markit a few weeks ago i made these earrings using the remaining enamel from the 'city lights' pieces but wow, they were such a hit that they now have their own palette & are available through the website.
We have 9 colours available online - spearmint, peach, lavender, blue, yellow, orange, red, dark blue & dark green.
So i'm going to happy with my 'busy', maybe you already are?

Good Stuff:Holiday Guide!

2011-11-16T11:44:00.005+11:00

oh my, how good is this!?
Pip Lincolne, from Meet Me at Mikes (& all round inspiring person) has launched an online publication just in time for some christmas encouragement.
It's called Good Stuff:Holiday Guide & what's even better is it's FREE!
Lots of ace people have contributed including Frankie's editor Joe Walker (with a very cute pic of her sitting on santa's lap), Jane Hall from (Salvation Jane), Sass (Ask Alice Stationary), Emma Greenwood (Emerge), Angie Hart & the super amazing artist, Gemma Jones! and many more of my most favorite people in the world sharing their christmas stories & crafty tips. There are also gift ides, recipes & even a Madelaine Stamer mobile that you can cut out & use!
so so good.
vic

Jenny the Donkey

2011-11-16T10:43:00.008+11:00

"There once lived a man called Chris who loved his wife, Trish, very much & wanted to have a special anniversary prezzie made for her...a silver donkey necklace!

How could i not? (i already had an appreciation)

So off i went researching donkey pictures & started the first version..

I found a picture of a happy donkey eating grass, so i carved a model in wax & sent it for casting but when she came back her mood had changed...

so i soldered on a tail, lifted her head, lengthened her ears, & slimmed her tummy hoping this may lift her mood but she was still as glum as ever - how can this be given a love token!!

So version 2!

This one is slightly smaller, head held proudly & ears alert - much better!

We decided that Trish's pendent should be slightly different to any others that i made so there are a few unique points including a little smile on the side that only Trish sees.

so here's version 3, the one that's available in the studio now ($180) & i will be taking with me to Markit@FedSquare in just over a week. It's not on the website yet & i'll just be bringing 2 to the market so please let me know if you'd like me to put one aside for you! Oh! & her name is Jenny cause that's what girl donkeys are called:)

(please excuse the pov modeling - it's just to show scale:))

Sunday drivers..

2011-10-31T08:03:00.005+11:00

so excited about seeing these two love-birds at the traffic lights! i especially love the 'wolseley car club' membership, his hat & the neat blanket folded up on the back headrest..do you think they have a thermos of tea in there too?

what i've been making..

2011-10-26T10:39:00.010+11:00

the start of something new & limited edition..can you guess what it is from this pic?
it's my foray into homewares & this prototype silver & steel candle stick is bound for my table at home. starting the setting that will hold the candle (here are the sides & base)
now that they are soldered, i add another setting which will hold the silver & steel together with a 'cold join' (those 2 metals will not join with solder).almost finished the silver part..one more thing..a spike for the candle!
because this one is for me, i've carved a detail in the top but only some of the ones i plan to make will have this - most will be plain i think.Engine part & setting waiting to be assembled. This piece came from a 1938 Ford engine & is BEAUTIFUL! it even has 'Ford' written in cursive on the base *sigh*starting to set the steel into the silver - i used a rivetting hammer for this job beacause it's tiny proportions were good for the strange angle it had to be held/hit on. (the same technique used for this repair a while ago)
Hopefully i'll have some finished pics tomorrow!
....................................................................................
it's now tomorrow! i thought i'd add these pics here instead of a new post:)
the setting needs a lot of cleaning up to disguise the push-marks so here it is being polished..the beautiful base! see how it says 'Ford'? wow.finished! ..the test model at least. The next one i make will be much plainer & will going back to the man who gifted these engine parts to me in the first place - omg i think i've made a man-gift!
& then i'll only have 6 left to make for the shop - if you'd like one please let me know:) they'll be $250 each.

Making 'ring pulls'

2011-10-04T10:55:00.006+11:00

More & more frequently i do commissions, especially when they're fun ones:)
This time the brief was to reproduce a business logo in silver so that they could be worn as earrings & lapel pins. So for this project a model (original) needed to be made & cast, then the duplicates made into the different items.
I started with a soft drink ring pull - the problem was that i didn't think it looked very good! All the drink ones i could find had this blocky profile (you can see that i couldn't even commit to it on paper!) So even though i started making this one i eventually scrapped it.
It turned out that ring pulls on food cans are MUCH better looking - how pretty is that one? (yes, far too much time alone) So i started on the 2nd version but not happy with the scale...
Even though I was happy with the shape of Version 2, it ended up being too big for an earring (especially since at least one was going to be worn by a man)...scrapped
So now that i was happy with the scale & design i could add the details that really make the little one have character. The carved silver needed to include the details to make it look like it was pressed out of a sheet of aluminium, so all the depressions & nicks were included. (this pic is of the reverse side)
& this is the front. In order for the finished piece to have character, the front & back need to have equal detail.
finished as earrings..
finished as a lapel pin..
& the next commission is an exciting one too! I've double checked & the gift has been (very!) happily received so i can show you pics of the donkey necklace very soon!

starting over

2011-09-14T09:59:00.007+10:00

this is my little box of silver tricks - i'm not even very sure what's in there, i only ever go through it looking for a specific size/shaped piece. What i really love are when there are remnants of other pieces i've started, like the silver which has the jagged edge left from where the first sharpening was cut.
So today i'm going to make some candle-sticks..not sure how yet but sometimes it's a really relaxing way to design cause there are no expectations or imagined market or any of those things that may suck the fun out of just making something.
i'll post some more pics when i've started!

Peggy

2011-09-08T09:17:00.002+10:00

my little studio buddy (this was 6 years ago..she's a bit bigger now but just as cute)

well-timed gifts..

2011-09-07T10:41:00.006+10:00

made by Janet

i knew it felt right at the time, but i didn't anticipate that having an (occasionally) open studio would be as good as it is. After 7 years in a tiny 5th floor city studio, i hoped that moving to a ground floor shop would mean that people could pop in, kind of anonymously & have a look around without having to be ushered in & feeling any kind of pressure to buy. So every friday & saturday i open the doors & some folks just have a silent look around, some are on for a chat & a purchase & then last week, someone came in to drop a gift off! .
i first met Janet when she bought a 'granny square' necklace as a gift which the birthday-girl loved, so the next gift opportunity came along & she bought the 'saved you a seat' necklace! & then last weekend she came in with a little knitted pouch which she had made for me & even added an 'industrial detail' (!)
apparently it's made from a Japanese yarn (colour graded from grey to purple) in either a 'satin' or 'linen' stitch (visual thinker problem!) maybe you know which? anyway, it looks kind of woven.
after a pretty emotionally hard week it was the antidote that i hadn't expected & it reminded me that you never know how well-timed a small gift can be.

The Great Big Carlow House Garage Sale Open Studio!

2011-08-18T10:02:00.008+10:00

Craft Vic's Craft Cubed festival is on right now & this weekend it's open studio time!
this saturday 20th aug, at 10am Anna Davern, Nicky Hepburn and Cass Partington will be opening their studio doors so you can have a look at where they work, PLUS if you're looking to add to your jewellery tool or gemstone collection, they are are having a jewellery studio garage sale!
(I reckon they'll have some ace things for sale, so pop them in as your #1) While you're in Carlow House, be sure to pop into Lord Coconut, a jewellery gallery which represents over 20 jewellers & will be a great place to buy the man-in-you-life something special (father's day is soon huh?)
If you'd like to plan your day, you can find a list of other open studios here
ps. don't forget your cash :)

family portraits..

2011-08-12T13:08:00.006+10:00

do people have these done much anymore?
this is from the family vault..1970 (before i was born) but shows my lovely Nan & Grandad, parents, aunt, uncles & sister.
about a year ago (to the day), my nan died, but seeing this photo reminds me of her as the young & very funny woman that she was!

One sick puppy..

2011-08-07T13:02:00.004+10:00

..feeling a bit after-party-seedy this morning? well Peggy is...
i'm not sure what did it to her but probably something she ate - poor little thing was experiencing major, let's say 'tummy troubles' all through the night & was looking a little sorry for herself today. Time for some warm blankets & some resting (sounds good to me too:))

coloured tights appreciation society

2011-08-02T09:50:00.004+10:00

as a lover of the mid-warmth glory of a tight, i often get into chats with people about them...kind of like a secret society.
so just in case you're a fellow-fan of coloured tights - i wonder if you've tried these?
my new favorite brand..
fabric made in Japan, they're warm & opaque & delightful & i found them at this odd shop (they carry around 12 colours)

Ghostpatrol news..

2011-08-01T13:46:00.006+10:00

detail of the recent flyer for 'If we're going, then let's go' at Backwoods Gallery

here is another clue to the 'holiday carving' i mentioned earlier..
For the last few months Ghostpatrol & i have been working on designs for a jewellery collaboration & i'm very pleased to say they're nearly ready..
If you've been to the studio lately i may have shown you a sneak-peek of the 2 silver necklace designs (i've resisted uploading photos but it's great to be able to chat through ideas with like-minded people & i have really appreciated the feedback i have been given).
Each sculpture will be made in editions of only 99 which will be sold along with a matching editioned print.
So here are some examples of gp's work - his distinctive style is introspective, thoughtful & almost child-like (but i'm talking a really gifted kid, like a drawing Doogie)

gp illustration & logo for one of my favorite shops, owned by one of my favorite families

possibly the first drawings i saw of Ghostpatrol's were part of this pencil set series..tear-worthy-beautiful. These images found on Ask Alice's Blog under the title 'Dear Santa' :)

a collaboration between Ghostpatrol & Miso

'wolvien shadow' found on his Flickr page

& lastly, some softies made a few years ago from a collaborative work gp did with his good friend Cat Rabbit & featured on the blog handmadelife

Frankie - Tools of the trade

2011-07-26T12:24:00.006+10:00

from Frankie magazine #42 p.57

one of the most powerful moments for me, the time when i knew i would always make jewellery, happened when i was 18. I'd dabbled with making jewellery-ish things (wire, beads, some lead soldering etc) but as soon as i sat at the communal bench at SCA & were given our first project (saw-piercing perspex) i knew i was hooked. Those tools! ah.maze.ing.
It was a few years later that i started my apprenticeship & i was told that with each private commission (separate from my normal work) i should buy the specific equipment that i needed (setting plates or doming block etc) even if it meant that it would eat away any profit because that's how you build a good tool collection.
So it was with great pride that i took some of my most useful tools to be photographed to be included in this month's edition of Frankie magazine :)
I was very excited to see what tools other people brought especially Jane Laver's tattooing motors! Also featured are the tools of Mike Noga (musician, no words can explain just how good..), James Roberts (bootmaker from Captains of Industry) & the amazing Dawn Tan (love bubbles have popped over here recently)
thanks Frankie!

from Frankie magazine #42 p.53
Dawn Tan's page - so colourful! (& representing TeamMelb :) i spy a card from Cottage Industry, fabric from Ink & Spindle)

Making new things..Protractors!

2011-07-20T09:36:00.009+10:00

Protractor earrings, Sterling Silver $66

do you remember getting your first geometry set? I loved geometry, a little bit like art, more like 'organised drawing'. Maybe this is where i got my love of specialty tools??
So here's my tribute to Year 4 geometry & learning fun things :)

i started with a piece of 1mm silver plate, a jeweller's saw & a triangular file. i especially enjoy this bit, deciding what to include & what to leave out. I suppose this is one of the simpler examples but there are always choices when you're making something & knowing when to stop is one of the trickiest ones. I chose to make a draftsman-type protractor, a bit fancier than the one that was in my standard issue geometry tin (which i was surprised to see they still sell at Officeworks!)

Because it's so small, the original shape was a little too simple & needed some more detail so it could be recognised from a distance, so i soldered on some side extensions...& here is is, almost finished, with its little buddy. (I made them at the same time so that i could make sure their scale worked well when they sat together either as a ring set or mismatched earrings)

& rings available in the studio now in 3 sizes - $77 each (coming to the online shop soon!)

Making new things..Pencils!

2011-07-18T09:26:00.012+10:00

Pencil earrings, Sterling Silver $66

i've been meaning to make these for a while, then i was distracted by making this fortune cookie necklace (which turned out to be much more of a challenge than i'd hoped!)
So...pencils! I've taken pics along the way, first, dipping into my stash of sheet & wire offcuts. It's really nice to recognise bits of metal that have been in the box for years, like with this piece plate, i think the 'F' & 'E' were cufflinks that never happened (1995?)i used 2mm silver plate, cut into stumpy-pencil sized strips (about 15mm). These pencils are modeled on the trusty worn down ones with a metal-fastened rubber at one end - you've sharpened them down so much they're a little short to hold but they've been hanging around for as long as you can remember.& here's an example of exactly that pencil! Short, battered & handy! I used a coarse flat file to take off the corners of the plate then used a needle-file to sharpen the pencil (one sculpture at a time so i could limit any 'learning curves')learning curve #1 - i sharpened the 'pencil' a little too harshly & had to solder on the 'lead' as a separate piece of wire, that's why it appears grey. I decided to give it a 'sharpened by blade' look cause that's how mum used to sharpen my pencils when i was too young to do it myself! The lines were scored with the saw & deepened with a triangular needle file.
aww, tiny little thing! this is the first one done! If you come to the studio, i've now made Pencil earrings, necklaces & rings but so-far only the earrings are available to buy online (i blame the photographer for not taking clear enough, usable images of the others..sorry, ahem..)

Dawn Tan!

2011-07-12T10:23:00.007+10:00

I am one of the MANY fans of Dawn Tan & am very excited to have one her 'banana cream tart' drawing in my studio now! (it makes cheer a little inside every time i see it) She is one super-busy lady but somehow manages to come up with time to blog, teach, zine, draw, PLUS is teaching a 'creative water colour painting for adults' class at Harvest Workroom on July 14th! (better be quick for that one cause there are only 15 places!)
but what made me love her work even more was when i saw these..
oh my! person-sized soft-sculpture food! (you can see more here)

new display

2011-07-08T09:21:00.003+10:00

ahh..mum's Silver Birch put to good use :)
the studio is open today & tomorrow if you'd like to pop by..& i can show you the new secret work i've been doing..

too good to burn..

2011-07-01T10:13:00.003+10:00

mum's beloved front yard birch tree was cactus.
So the tree-lopper arrived & within a few hours is was sliced into grill-sized pieces & loaded onto the wood pile for year-long seasoning...
but no! Birchy lives to see another day & has now arrived at the studio as part my new display :)
(the studio is open today & tomorrow if you'd like to have a look)

Fortune Cookie necklace available online!

2011-06-27T15:52:00.002+10:00

i'm very pleased to say that the Fortune Cookie necklace is now available for purchase online! It's $370, made in Sterling Silver (with 50cm chain) & comes with some pieces of water-resistant paper so you can write your own fortune & pop it in the necklace. If you're interested in seeing how it was made there's now a link on the website (or you can read about it here)

$100 000 can be hard to swallow..

2011-06-15T10:47:00.007+10:00

as you do when in the same room as a 5ct bright diamond - you take a photo. (it was not in my room, i was visiting!)
By the time this ring is finished (made in platinum with other diamond minions) it will be worth about $100 000, quite a gross amount of money by anyone's standards & really hard to get my head around for so many reasons.
But it was a truly magnificent thing & as a gemmological specimen, extraordinary. Diamonds are totally deserving of their grand Poo-Bah reputation (they win every race in terms of hardness & industrial applications) but the prices that they command are more to do with marketing than rarity.
did you know that the very property that allows a diamond to grow fist-size, like the Koh-i-Noor, also makes it 'D' colour & flawless??? how brilliant is that?!
so, i'd love to know, are diamonds your cup of tea or did you choose a different stone for your engagement ring? (me, i bought i diamond years ago, but it's still in a draw but it's the wonkiest thing you've ever seen, with HUGE carbon spots, lovely!)

mixed tape find

2011-06-14T07:06:00.007+10:00

since making this ring i have regretted throwing out all of my old tapes but look what i found in a back-cupboard clean up!
Eclectic to say the least (crowded house & tom waits??) i hope cj won't mind me showing this - a mixed tape collection is kinda personal but i met her at this age (high school) & it just reminds me of what a beautiful person she was then too. (heheh..Summer '87)

(just 4 more sleeps)

2011-05-25T08:54:00.001+10:00

getting a bit excited now!

Cassette tape engagement ring..

2011-05-19T09:05:00.010+10:00

pretty romantic huh?
a design so beautifully thoughtful that the whole time i was making this ring i was filled with joy for the 2 of them! I won't reveal all of his plans but the cassette tape idea was something that Ryan approached me with months & months before he was going to propose to Sharni & it was such a beautifully reasoned & personal design that i loved every minute of making it!
I took some photos along the way so if you're interested in seeing how it was made, here it is :)

very thick silver plate, heavier than what i need so that by the time it's carved & polished it will still be quite deep

i didn't have a cassette tape! so borrowed one from the very talented jeweller, Anna Varendorff (who, coincidentally, is having an exhibition in Brisbane at 'Ari Jewellery' which opens tonight!) The prop also doubled as our soundtrack after i'd measured it.

planning the details..what to include & what to leave out?

ready to solder the wide base pieces

base has been soldered, now scoring lines

soldering tiny side 'wings' - they are the guides that position the tape into the machine. Only after these were soldered on did it look like a proper tape! funny how the smallest things matter..

i used the thick wire to make the settings for the diamonds

soldering settings
ring shank ready to solder

ready for diamonds to be set

ring in hand clamp (clamp makes it much easier to hold the ring during setting)

finished silver & diamond ring!
congratulations Ryan & Sharni!

Making new things..Fortune Cookie necklace!

2011-05-05T10:44:00.012+10:00

it's always exciting-times here when i get to make some new pieces!!!
there have been a lot of 'beginnings' lately & frustratingly few 'ta-das!' so i'm very pleased to be able to share theses pics with you!
i grew up in the 70s, when the height of culinary exoticism was to dine out in a Chinese restaurant (even my father whose cooking specialties involved the term 'fry-up' attended Chinese cookery classes..) & my favorite part of the meal was the plate of fortune cookies served up at the end.
So this is the beginning of my tribute to the utter end-of-meal-joy which was the fortune cookie!

i didn't have any idea of how i was going to make it, so i did a practice piece in copper which is a bit softer even than silver so a bit more forgiving (& cheaper to make mistakes in :))

bending & annealing a few times..

even being as soft as it is, it's a bit of an unnatural shape for metal (probably a bit easier in biscuit dough)

once i was feeling more comfortable, i made one in silver..

pretty close! but a bit too neat?

the biscuit version has a bit of a 'lip' so i thought mine needed a bit more character..

all the bending caused a bit of a split so i had to reinforce some parts
the chain fit nicely through the piece which i prefer than having drill holes & rings

each necklace will come with some pieces of water resistant paper (replaceable) so you have the option to include your own fortune.sneaky peek

I was having a bit of a think about affirmations & i think this is my one for now :)
boring but true..

the 'Fortune Cookie' necklace ($370) is only new so not available in the online shop yet but there will be one available for sale in my studio this week (open fri 11-5, sat 11-3) or you can email me if you're interested. I will hopefully have some ready for MARKit @ fed square which is in just a few weeks!
ps. the price is higher than others & that's because of the time it takes to make + the amount of silver that's made of (twice as much as my other necklaces)

Beatrix Cafe..

2011-05-02T11:44:00.009+10:00

If you're lucky enough to live in melbourne then as an extra bonus you get the chance to experience the AMAZING cakes, sandwiches & coffee by the most excellent Nat Paull at her new cafe called Beatrix. (even if i didn't know how good she was before, it wouldn't have taken me long to work it out...)Nat's growing collection of vintage beaters! how beautiful do they look?every week Beatrix will be posting their upcoming sandwich menu on their facebook page (so if you 'like' the page you can plan which day you'd like to visit :))

as well as being a BRILLIANT chef, Nat's also a nasty-in-a-good-way hula hooper!

some of the cakes that were on offer the day i went. Nat has such an amazing repertoire of cakes & pastries though, you'll just have to pop in & see what's she's made.

cute packaging

& proof that the cakes are really made on the premises! (i snuck into the kitchen for that pic..thanks Nat!)

Beatrix
688 Queensberry Street
(cnr Lothian Street North Melbourne)
Melbourne 3051
open every day except tuesday

Anime animal rings..

2011-05-02T09:26:00.006+10:00

2 new additions to the collection!

just in time for MARKit @ Fed Square on May 29th are the complete set of 'anime animal' rings! These 3 little beasties are inspired by Astro Boy's imaginary pets & are made of Sterling Silver.
The 'fantastic fox' & 'bear hug' & the 'run rabbit run' rings are available in 3 sizes (or sized to order) & are $220 each.
Hopefully they'll be in the online shop soon but for now they're only available through my studio in fitzroy (open on fri 11-5 & sat 11-3 :) or just email me your request :)
see you at May's MARKit!

Bonne Journee!

2011-04-27T08:36:00.005+10:00

seen on the pavement in france..

..what can make you happier than seeing this on the street?!
hoping that the good feeling can propel me into work after a delightful weekend at home..
wish me luck!
ps. is anyone else having this problem?

writing's on the wall..

2011-04-25T14:42:00.002+10:00

seen on a Fitzroy wall..

before mobile phones...there was chalk
:)

#EbayFail

2011-04-19T08:06:00.010+10:00

Clearly i need to be asking more questions before i buy through ebay...but off we went (me & my lifting team) to Doveton to strap this hefty puppy to the roof-racks of our little hatchback & drive back on the freeway (slowly & carefully :)) When i got there i saw there was a problem but really, it had been such an effort & it was almost perfect...so i took it anyway.

my new/old drafting desk...can you spot the problem?

i'm guessing they're not the original legs! #ebayfail

holiday carving..

2011-04-15T08:08:00.005+10:00

the start of something VERY exciting (& the collaboration i mentioned a few weeks ago)
When we were away I didn't have any tools other than the scalpel & a large file so it was a really slow & lovely process..but probably an extra 30 hours or so compared to using burrs & drills!

choux la la..

2011-04-04T06:18:00.007+10:00

Paris-Brest-Paris a choux pastry delight apparently made in honour of a famous bicycle race run between Paris & Brest (& meant to resemble a bicycle tyre)
some of the many macaroons we had - here we have earl grey tea, chocolate, coffee & salted caramel

a very fine version of a Kouign Aman - a specialty from Brittany & one of my new favorites

not too sure about the name of this one - but delicious! & from a great bakery called 'Dalloyau'& a croissant made by my cj (one of the many fantastic pastries she made while we were there)

...just a small sample of the large samples i've been indulging in (oh yes & there are consequences to be had for 'learning' so much about pastry!)

me & my tight pants

Foux Da Fa Fa..

2011-03-17T03:45:00.009+11:00

my unofficial soundtrack thanks to this lady :)

still loving Paris, the weather has warmed up - even had a swim at the Jos esphine Baker swimming pool (a 40 min walk from home & on banks of the Seine... où est la piscine?)
Yesterday we went to Colette, a store which is famous for being amazing(?)- this was told to me by so many people who have completely different focuses (fashion, product, music, sneakers, books..it's ALWAYS said to be the best - how can that be??) ahh it just is. because they are geniuses.

everything in Colette is amazingly well thought out & it houses the best brands in a huge array of products so there are the most incredible watches, shoes, books, clothes, jewellery, musical equipment, beauty products, magazines, you name it, all in a really thoughtful space - the shop is even scented! wow.
Tomorrow we go to London by train where i'll be attending a design lecture at the V&A museum which sound like fun :)

"I would like a croissant. I am delighted. Where is the library? Here’s my passport. Ah, Gerard Depardieu. A baguette! [laughs] A baguette! [laughs] And now the trip to the supermarket. Grapefruit Pineapple Orange juice Beef Soup of the day Camembert Jacques Cousteau Baguette! Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello, mister. Hello my small foreign currency exchange office. How are you doing? I’m doing okay. How are you doing? I’m doing okay. Voilà! A conversation in the park! "

bonjour sugar daddy..

2011-03-08T16:14:00.005+11:00

very cute packaging :) (reminds me of a Dawn Tan drawing! i probably mean subject)

cutely shaped little sugar cubes

bought from Pain de Sucre
& is probably my most favorite dessert i have ever eaten! (white chocolate, green tea & coconut mousse, pistachio, sultanas...)

Ahhh..yep, i could have posted a pic of the Pompidou Centre, or maybe even Eiffel Tower but no, the here is my diary of Paris through food & its packaging!
We're here for a whole month while cj attends some pastry workshops & i go to some art classes & flea markets. While neither of us speak french we give it a go - & at day 5 haven't resorted to english yet (except to each other :)).
It's pretty cold here, about 8* during the day & at night, about 1*! Yesterday morning we went to the 'Puce de St. Ouen/Clingancourt', it's a centuries-old market filled with antiques, very very beautiful & it was very very cold - if someone had plunged my feet in warm water i think they would have shattered!
In the evening we headed off to the.most.beautiful.food.hall.ever. 'Le Bon Marche' (thanks for the tip Michelle!!) where we bought dinner, wine & cheese.
It's only 7 am here - my body clock has reset to get up easily at 6 & it seems that parisians are not early risers which makes the mornings very calm (compared to the major over-crowding chaos of the day).
My idea of a crowded train has changed..sheesh! The first carriage at Rushall's 8.30am train at can be pretty mean but add another 100 people to each carriage AT ALL TIMES & you're closer to what happens here. so so many people...it's clear that space is a real commodity so everyone is in your face, pushing past (on the trains young people push old people & women with babies!)
so off we go again, more exploring today - i'll let you know what we find :)

my secret away-project :)

I've also pack some jeweller's wax which is part of a new project..a collaboration with a very exciting artist! so i have some basic hand tools & some of his drawings & so *fingers crossed* i'll have a few done before we return.

no use crying..

2011-02-28T12:36:00.007+11:00

spilt milk brooch by 'Lost in the Woods' (Simon MacEwan)

& when i saw this brooch at Cottage Industry the other day, i gasped a little, then bought it.
Made by the uber talented Mr Simon MacEwan, his work is so beautiful it makes me a bit happy/emotional (hand sawpierced!) His work is beautifully understated & thoughtful, i actually struggle to find the words that explain how rare i think this quality of work is.
It makes me think of how important it is to keep things in perspective & not panic - a valuable thought as i try & organize things for our trip away (how can going to Paris be the least bit stressful???) It also reminds me of my late friend James Burnicle who i worked with (for years) at woolworths when we were both at high school. I realised that i friend-loved him when he was called to mop a dairy-spill & he said "well then, no use crying". loved him. (i fell out of contact with him then much later, 2003? found out that he had died a few months before)
so this is what Simon's work does for me. so go & have a look & see what happens for you :) quickly.

Chocolate Tea

2011-02-23T08:23:00.003+11:00

Not sure if you feel like a cup of cocoa or an English Breakfast?
from the makers of 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner & the mullet comes 'Chocolate Tea'!
didn't know you needed it huh? :)
mmm fancy a cuppa?

you could win a bracelet! & (i will be) leaving on a jet plane

2011-02-14T09:43:00.006+11:00

'love letter', 'little piece of my heart', 'new edition' & 'tiny plane' charms

lining them up

finished piece! 'Leaving on a jet plane' bracelet, $198 (available from the studio only)

not since the late 90s (when i finished my apprenticeship at a country jewellers) have i made a charm bracelet :) Those couple of years were filled with 'fob chains, 'shields', 'gate bracelets' & charms..my favorite one that came in a few times was chock-filled with dogs-of-the-world, two on every link..very funny...
but every day of the last few weeks has been filled with planning an upcoming month-long trip to Paris (EEP!) & when a customer came in to choose a 21st gift for her niece who had finished studying & was about to go OS, it was a great excuse to make a bracelet i'd been planning.
But you could win one for yourself too!
& as i am a great lover of the skill-less competition, you don't need to do anything more than add a comment to the facebook post here before Tues 15th Feb (tomorrow) & i'll draw a winner!
..on the topic of Paris, does anyone have any tips for cute shops to visit? maybe like Little Salon or Meet me at Mikes-types? i've been reading 'Paris:Made by Hand' by Pia Jane Bijkerk (thanks for the lend Mollie!) which shows some great open studios which i can't wait to see.
good luck with the comp!

Making a simple bangle

2011-02-08T07:36:00.008+11:00

Ahh..bit more jewellery-as-therapy :)
I've been having fun lately making settings & abstract shapes & bangles - different things to the detailed figurative pieces, so here is a step-by-step of how to make a bangle.if you take a 20cm piece of wire (mine is 5mm round wire) it will make a bangle with about a 60cm diameter. the wire was annealed (softened) when i bought it which makes it easier to bend around the bracelet mandrel with a mallet (& a bit of pushing) but if it's too hard to bend then best to anneal it first.

Neaten the join by running a jeweller's saw between the 2 ends until they meet...& handy to have a large soldering torch nozzle (i've used it more than i thought i would when i bought it)
pop the soldered bangle onto the mandrel & make it round using a raw-hide mallet (you'll have to hit it pretty hard) I hold the mandrel on my lap to do this but i've seen others have it upright on the bench, whatever you find easiest.
i wanted to anneal the bangle so that i could make it a neater round shape. To avoid it looking like a machined piece i textured the outside with hammer marks. Also, beating the bangle with a steel hammer will work-harden the metal & make it better wearing.
The bangle is sitting on a 'wig' made of steel wire - good space for annealing cause it's a solder-free area (my soldering mat isn't as spotless as some :))
Voila! Here is the finished bangle, it's available in the real-life store (not online) & is $250.

pudding charms

2011-01-31T10:19:00.004+11:00

this year's christmas day was spent with our good family friends & the honorary Gran whipped out a little bag of silver pudding charms! the silver ones were already in the pud but i quickly snapped a pick of the beautiful card before it disappeared..
do you think there is a possibility that these will return or is it all too dangerous now? (were they a choking hazard back in the day?)

How to make a basic square setting..

2011-01-10T14:57:00.006+11:00

i wanted to make a setting to play around with, not to set a stone in (which is what it's usually for :)) but the technique is the same. This would make a setting for a large square gemstone. (there are a couple of different ways to make settings, including the easiest/most accurate which is using a 'setting block'..but they're a little bit pricey if you're just experimenting)

Start with a 1mm thick strip of metal which is as wide as the height you want your setting to be (mine is 10mm wide )
Can you see the markings on the surface? this maps out the length of the sides (14mm) with a bit of a gap between each (approx 1.5mm)
Score the middle of the markings using a jeweller's saw then take a square needle file & remove a deep V in the plate (this will help it fold neatly at right-angles)
Use pliers to grip the plate near the V shaped groove & bend it 90 deg
the last join is a bit tricky but i needed to run a saw blade through it a few times before it joined neatly.
Use binding wire to hold the piece tightly together & then solder the setting on the 4 corners using hard solder.
Volia! messy but on its way to being something..maybe - or maybe just the thing i needed to do to get back into the swing :)

it's Legs Eleven, Bingo!

2011-01-10T14:22:00.005+11:00

ahh.. the year of binary goodness (like tomorrow's 11/01/11 - see? just fun times ahead!)
Christmas was spent in Sydney this year - a city that i love with my second heart, (melb got my first :)) & being away from home & work & creative things for a week made me totally excited to get back into it, to make a new range of jewellery & to rearrange the shop & get my act together a bit better in general. I couldn't wait to get back into it, somebody hold me back! i had all of these ideas, i went into work last tuesday and then..
then..
nothing.
i blanked.
i took Peggy in with me & her face pretty much spells the mood..

Peggy - looking how i felt

How does that happen? how can pure excitement for the return turn to apathetic mush?
..but it's better now, after taking a few (more:)) days off i came in & started mucking round with some new ideas, including making some settings - sometimes it's good to just start somewhere huh?
so in the spirit of new beginnings i'll gather my 'how to make a basic square setting' pics & i'll upload them today..stay tuned!

let's talk shop

2010-12-21T07:50:00.002+11:00

i know it's not the end of the year yet, but there's something about the enormous lead-up to christmas day that makes me think it would be far more logical to have it be the final day of the year too.
these last few weeks in particular have been a HUGE learning curve - opening the shop doors for the first time was a monumental step - i've always had enormous respect for makers who have shops too (hello to Pip, Geneine & Matt!) but it's increased by ten-fold now.
on saturday i had a strange experience where i felt the vulnerable side of retail were i think i was scoped for a future robbery. awful, awful feeling.

But there's been lovely exciting things too - meeting lots of people, making good things & having fun hanging out with my new studio ladies have all been highlights of the last couple of months.
So thanks to everyone who stopped by at the shop to say hi & stopped by the blog too (even though i've been a little absent lately)
I can't wait for next year!
hope you have a great holiday :)
victoria

3 new necklaces online:)

2010-11-24T08:47:00.003+11:00

run rabbit run necklace, sterling silver, $198fantastic fox necklace, sterling silver, $198

australia necklace, sterling silver, $175

these 3 pieces are now in the online shop - i love how cj can change an ordinary photo (& by ordinary i mean bad..blue background, half in shade kinda thing) & make it look a bit profesh..
i've taken some pics of the rings too so they will follow soon!

MARKit this sunday!

2010-11-23T10:30:00.011+11:00

i'm very excited to be attending MARKit this sunday. it's only the second one that's been held & there are LOTS of great people that will be there too, so plenty of opportunity to do some chrissy shopping! here are some of the stalls i'm looking forward to buying from:)

love by Geneine Honey

ink & spindle

Hamb
tshirts

corky saint clair

Dawn Tan
illustrations (also, i just had a look at her blog then & saw that she's made some huge soft sculptures of packets of sweets! wow!)

Brkish
amazing clothes & jewellery (i can't find link but it's really worth having a look :))

Betty Jo
beautiful brooches & homewares

Beci Orpin
homewares::& jewellery::& & haven't got enough words to say how much i love what she makes!

A Skulk of Foxes
jewellery & tshirts (cj has some of the tshirts & they're great!)

Ask Alice stationery
Sass has designed an amazing range of gift cards & notebooks - perfect as prezzies!Okt-ober dee::Bags & jewellery

see you there!
v

there's a bear in there

2010-11-22T13:48:00.005+11:00

'bear hug' original, waiting (on a luggage tag) to have a rubber mould taken of him

I've been working on the new necklace this week, wondering if i'll be able to have him ready before MARKit this sunday (!). So far so good - here he is (above) ready to go back to the casters. An original design usually goes back & forth between the bench & the casters about 3 times til that early process is finished. So here he is at the end of stage 2. I've added a couple of pics (below) to show you some of the process.

Here he is at the start of stage 2. At this point he is the only one i have, he was originally carved in wax, sent to the casters & returned in silver. He is really heavy (it's hard to make things fine enough in wax) so it's time for a crash diet..
I loved how chubby he was so instead of removing metal from the outside, i took it from the inside, the reason he's black is that i made a section too thin & had to resolder him!

Cleaning him up now that he's in silver allows me to get finer detailing & a good surface as well as being able to make him the weight that he needs to be - he's now ready to be sent back to the casters, this time for rubber moulding.

Here is his first progeny, destined to become a necklace..*so proud*

I'm happy with how he looks but he still needs a hallmark + a place for the chain to go through.

To make the hallmarked plate i use 2 x letter stamps & a gooseneck 925 (silver) stamp & a small piece of silver plate.

ahem..

so here's nearly the end of stage 3..he just needs a bit of polishing then he heads back to the casters to make a mould of him as a necklace!
so, fingers crossed i'll have one to show you at MARKit this sunday :)
..& i'm hoping to have the other new necklaces on the website some time this week!

what is art & why is it in the tree?

2010-11-17T08:23:00.002+11:00

seen above Merri Creek, Clifton Hill

someone went to a lot of effort..
very arty huh?
discuss :)

My creative space..making Bear Hug

2010-11-11T08:51:00.007+11:00

beginning stages of the newest member of the anime-animal series..
(made of sterling silver, the surface is whitish & sandblasted - this is what it looks like when it comes back from the casters)

As a companion to 'run rabbit run' & 'fantastic fox'..'bear hug'. The photo doesn't show it well but he has a curved huggy kind of back, loving but shy...& his head is a bit wonky so he looks a bit quizzical too.
This one was carved out of wax (like the rabbit & fox) but in my excitement to have him cast i forgot to take a photo..oops.
If you would like to see other creative spaces, be sure to visit Kootoyoo!

'run rabbit run' & 'fantastic fox'

StudioShop opening times!

2010-11-03T16:37:00.005+11:00

oh, & this is me, just in case we haven't met before..

starting this friday & saturday the StudioShop will be open from 11-5pm!
so if you're in the area i'd love it if you'd stop by, if you have some spare time you could also do a very lovely shop around..i recommend starting at the Nicholson St side of Gertrude St, Fitzroy... Mattt Bags then my place:) Cottage Industry, Little Salon, Sonido (for coffee & arepas..yum!), Meet me at Mikes then maybe up a bit to Third Draw Down then down Brunswick St to Naked for Satan for a cheep&cheerful lunch (& maybe a cider :) we went there recently & it was really good..the pixantos were only 50c each!..but that may only be for a limited time)
hopefully see you soon!

Victoria Mason StudioShop
5/19 Gertrude St
Fitzroy
Vic 3065
open 11-5pm Fridays & Saturdays

the truth about backpacks

2010-11-03T15:23:00.002+11:00

after many years of wanting one, i bought myself my favorite backpack EVER..the Japanese school-kids' bag of no-choice, the 'randoseru'.
Big enough for my laptop, boxy enough that i don't feel like a sports-fraud.
As i headed off to the city wearing a lovely summer dress i re-learned an embarrassing lesson that i'd long forgotten..
Backpacks. Eat. Skirts.
that's all i'm saying *blush*

His creative space & what makes a good prezzie?

2010-10-28T09:24:00.008+11:00

sharpening necklace made by Bill (photo by Madeleine Beatty)

give me 'thought' any day...
i met the lovely Madeleine recently (Madz Has Runaway) who let me in on a secret..her boyfriend Bill had miss-timed buying her the sharpening necklace so instead fashioned one out of the real-deal! how. good. is. it.
in my books, the best kind of prezzie!

I've never been a huge consumer of new things, i hyperventilate a bit when i get caught in a 'gift store'...all that landfill..

It's a funny situation though, when you make things - how do you resolve putting more 'stuff' into the world? i think about that a lot & it's part of the reason i resist the pressure to put out a whole heap of new designs before they're ready (& part of the reason i don't do too well at trade fairs :)) I only release new pieces when they're fully resolved. I make sure that all of the pieces are really thoughtfully made, repairable & solid silver so that they can be potentially refined (remelted). Even though what i make kind of sells alongside fashion (which is notoriously disposable) i figure that when you're finished with it, you could always pass it on to someone else.

So thanks Madz for showing me this! that Bill's a keeper...:)
for more creative spaces, be sure to visit Kootoyoo!

to market to MARKit

2010-10-22T13:21:00.004+11:00

new necklace (not on the website yet but will be at MARKit next month)

new run rabbit run necklace..

it's been a while since i've posted anything & i've really missed it!
I had a case of technology-overload where i started getting into facebook & twitter (i mean reading mostly & then POOOF! all my posting time got zapped up & i had a head filled with what 40 people were doing that very moment..)
So i missed giving a bit of Finders Keepers wrap up (but done really well here by Lucy), i missed writing about the 'Craft to Consumer' talk i did at craft vic, & it was my 1st ever go at public speaking (unless you include giving a eulogy at my granddad's funeral). The thought of it was terrifying at first but i'm all for giving things a go & it turned out to be a great experience.
& i also missed telling you about my beautiful nan passing away. (wow, even just writing that made my eyes well-up!)
So all-in-all a very busy couple of weeks & today will be spent trying to apply for the next Finders Keepers - this time in sydney.
oh! & i'll be at MARKit @ Fed Square in a couple of weeks so i'll keep you posted :)
It's getting to be such a busy time of the year & i really appreciate you visiting this blog & thanks for sticking with it!
what have you been up to?

Hello? is it these you're looking for? (& free things:))

2010-10-04T15:45:00.006+11:00

a tribute to Lionel..'hello' earrings & could be yours for nix!Since Lionel gee'd up the crowd on saturday (least likely song for getting football fans going doncha think?) i though it perfect timing to introduce you to a pair of conversation starter earrings...just walk up to someone, let them check out your ears & off you go!

As these are just for fun i was thinking of making you an offer & it involves the Finders Keepers markets which are on this weekend in Melbourne (first time!!)
If you come to the markets & buy ANY piece of jewellery from me & mention the 'hello' earrings..i'll give you a pair for free!!
so this is just between us huh?
i'll make as many as i can between now & saturday, then if i run out on the day we'll work something out. does that sound ok?

making new things - Granny Square ring

2010-09-13T10:24:00.007+10:00

some new granny square rings...

I've been busily enameling some new rings - part of the-prep-that-may-be-beyond-me for Finders Keepers which is quickly approaching (eep!) After years of making mostly earrings & necklaces i think it's time to branch out..or branch back really cause it's rings that i used to make when i started selling through shops but the whole re-sizing thing was often a deterrent for retailers & they much preferred to just stick with the quick sellers.
but with a new space soon to be opened, i now have the technology :)

the first square, crocheted by the very talented Kirsty

first silver casting of the granny square

shaping the square into a more ring-appropriate shape using a doming block & wooden punch - it kinda looks how the wool squares look before they're made flat by stitching them together..

lining up the pieces for solderingthe finished piece painted in blues..and in red..

& the undersides needed to be done..

soon to be on the website but until then just our seeeecret..
($220, available in any size)

Pineapple cocktail

2010-09-09T11:58:00.004+10:00

Three of these came from one oppy-outing..i'd already walked passed 2 in different shops (& left them) - who needs to buy wooden pineapples??? but by the time i passed one a third time the idea had grown on me :)
#4 came a couple of months later followed quickly by #5, gifted by this most excellent opper.
After at least a year on the dining table they are now taking residency on the new studio wall..

weighting, for a new benchtop..

2010-09-02T11:45:00.004+10:00

rolling mill, setting plates, doming block & bracelet mandrels handy for when you don't have a clamp..

still making weekend progress..
part of the studio delay has been finding a good piece of old wood for the top of the 'return' (reno-speak :)) so after a tip-off from the reclaimed-wood-wizard Lauren (who also makes a great coffee) we went to A&R in Campbellfield...OMG, an amazing amount of good stuff there.
So thanks to cj & Neil's bag of tricks, it's nearly done!

you were always on my mind..

2010-09-01T09:50:00.003+10:00

seen on a laneway wall in melb's china town

Personally i think he's singing Willie Nelson's version..

studio..brought to you by ikea, ebay & roadside..

2010-08-27T12:15:00.004+10:00

Cabinet bought on good ol'ebay - it has now been fitted into the wall-gap (in the next photos)

Expedits functioning as the wall

..after a hard day defending the fort

Slow progress, but the front of the studio is getting better after every weekend :) It's got a little further since these photos but still a couple of weeks off opening the doors.

OK::IHeart::Megan Gale

2010-08-25T10:28:00.004+10:00

ooh! if you squint you may be able to see her necklace & most excitingly, it's not the fake one!! ((which is massive & often brass..on that note, i exhibited at the life in style trade show 2 weeks ago & quel horreur! there was a distributor selling the rip-off just upstairs!! Can't say i did a smooth job of it (damn nerves) but i went & had a chat with them & they very nicely agreed to take it down..))
this celeb outing was spotted by a keen-eyed friend in last week's OK! magazine...thanks Nat!!

not so shop-dog..

2010-08-18T10:29:00.006+10:00

Peggy catching a brief glimpse of sun...

In the midst of this cold cold weather i've been loving the heating in the new studio. The other new freedom (apart from not having to wear gloves & coat while i'm working) is that i'm able to bring Peggy in! The only problem there is that she's totally highly strung & barks at EVERYTHING. The other day when someone knocked on the door her bark gave me such a fright i nearly swallowed my pen..
So the dilemma is, how can me taking her into work, work?
It breaks my heart to leave her at home but shop-dog she ain't...

& thanks for all the lovely & supportive comments about the rabbit ring! I'm trying to work out how to make the fox/cat (who'll be just a fox i think) into a ring too, but so-far he sits a bit tall..maybe just a head? or does that sound a bit spooky? :)

Making the run rabbit run ring...

2010-08-16T09:48:00.008+10:00

It's been a while since i've blogged owing to a camera problem that has now been resolved (bought another one :)) so at last some trapped photos have been released!
Do you remember this little rabbit i made a couple of weeks ago?
well I've just finished making him into a ring & had taken a couple of piccies along the way...be warned - many 'how to' photos ahead!I had some silver plate which i decided to use but you can also buy silver strip which would save you having to saw it. I kept my options open with how wide i wanted the band so i started at the same width as the rabbit's widest part (about 14mm)Using 'round-flat' pliers you curl the strip into a vague ring shape, it's not necessary to have a perfect circle, just as long as the join is neat - the shape will be made using a 'mandrel' (a tapered steel rod) after soldering.Check the size by using the mandrel, i usually make the first ring about a size M (but that's just because it will fit me, the popular sizes are from L-R)Solder the join using 'hard' solder (there are 3 grades, easy, medium & hard,which have different melting points. Using hard 1st means that when you solder your 2nd join with med, the 1st one won't melt at the same time)Put the ring back on the mandrel, hit it with a rawhide mallet to make it round (& check the size). A rawhide mallet will not alter the size of the ring but using a metal hammer would.I decided my band was way too wide so scored a line 6mm from one edge & saw-pierced a section off.et voila! 2 rings..

The band looked too blocky when it was parallel so i've tapered it (filed the top part to be thinner than the base) so that it's a gentler shape - otherwise the rabbit would look kinda awkward...
Solder one side at a time, it makes things much simpler..
you may notice that the band is a little heavier than before, that's cause i decided that it was way too light for the top & started again! much better now though :)
Polished & lovely..
kinda like it's running across the ring huh?
This ring hasn't gone on the website yet but if you'd like one let me know :) they are $220 in any size.

studio blues..

2010-07-20T10:12:00.004+10:00

oh..so many memories! 2010 (old studio at Swanston St)

old studio in 2003 (before the hoarding! i didn't even have a desk chair!)

old studio filled with stuff! 2007 (much more comfy)

new gertrude st studio...starting again but this time with much more space!

It was very sad to finally move out of the Swanston St room i've been in for 7 YEARS!
I've now moved all of my stuff across & am slowly clearing a good space to work in. It's amazing how much longer it takes to make pieces when everything's being 'stored' on the floor :)
Two things that i'm mclovin about the new space is my new room-mate Miss Pip & central heating!!!

Oye!

2010-07-16T11:43:00.006+10:00

a picture of Ashton wearing a necklace she got for her 16th birthday :)

i got a lovely note yesterday from Jeni Oye (of Oye Modern) saying that they're running a photo competition & this was one of the entries - how cute is it?
& it's an amazing feeling to know that i've made something here in melb that's really close to my heart & now someone in America has it & it means something totally personal to them...wow.. (please make the giant circle-shape with your hands :))
thanks Ashton for letting me show your photo! & thanks Jeni for such an excellent competition!

run rabbit run..

2010-07-13T12:55:00.002+10:00

anime animal # 2..
(a rather surprised looking rabbit :))

MARKit this sunday!

2010-07-09T19:23:00.007+10:00

this sunday i'm off to the new market at fed square called...er...MARKit!
there will be lots of ace people including Little Salon, Beci Orpin Design (yay!), Matt, Corky Saint Clair (who i'll be next to) and Craft Hatch so make sure you come along :)
It will be a really good day i think - partly cause i think that doing markets can be a bit like speed dating (in a friend way) and partly cause there is another market on at the same time called the Melbourne Design Market which is HUGE so i'm expecting that lots of people will be visiting both & when it's busy it's fun.
see you there!
ps.i'll also be bringing some granny square necklaces which have some different colour combos to the ones on the website...

making new things (FoxCat identity crisis)

2010-07-05T10:13:00.011+10:00

beginnings of a new range?
i've been thinking of making some little anime-style animals for a while now. (did i mention that when cj & i went to japan last year i had an emotional experience in Studio Ghibli? that's why i couldn't stop thinking of making this little friend)

i actually started making a couple of models in the christmas holidays & this is the beginning stage of one of them - it looks a bit like a cat now but i think it'll end up being a fox (needs a bit of a pointier face & a fancy tail me-thinks)
i thought i'd add this piccie too - i don't usually do wax carving first (i'm much more comfortable making in silver cause you can be a lot more precise) but christmas was spent in the country so it seemed like a perfect place to do some carving!
the different coloured waxes (green, blue, pink, beige) have different hardnesses, the green being a bit like carving plastic & the beige can almost be moulded with the heat of your hands.

CatFox wax original

Granny Goodness available in the shop!

2010-06-25T09:04:00.006+10:00

Granny square necklace in red & pink

Granny square necklace in dark blue & light blue

ahh...at last the granny square necklaces are available to buy online!
I'm so proud of these pieces, i especially love them because each one reminds me of my very talented & generous friend, Kirsty (of kootoyoo) who hand-crocheted the first one & now each of her stitches (hooks?) is preserved in silver.
& they also remind me of my mum who has had a stash of wool/hooks/& squares next to the armchair (near the telly) for as long as i can remember.
If you're interested in seeing how this piece got started then you can have a look here, here, here & here!

morning Ralph...morning Sam..

2010-06-24T09:35:00.003+10:00

...bearing a striking resemblance to our former Prime Minister

well, the bundy clock has been punched & our Milky-Bar-Kid has stood down..
& we have our first female Prime Minister!!!!!!!
onya Julia :)

First pics of the new studio!

2010-06-15T14:14:00.004+10:00

Proud proud moment :)

so here it is!
there's a lot to do in the next few weeks (i'm actually a bit terrified) but every time i visit the new studio it makes me happier & happier :)

It's part of a set of offices (1970s?) which are pretty anonymous but i TOTALLY love them, i think cause they remind me of a cross between the cute shops in japan (if you really squint, hehe, maybe even close your eyes) & the office my dad worked from in the 80s...funny how those things are comforting.

can you see the similarities???? like twins
image from here

...and if you really squint you can see the Mattt Bags sign a little way down the road (if you haven't visited his shop yet then you should go & have a look, it's just beautiful!
...more pictures soon
v
PS. & i just realised that you may not know that there are loads of brilliant shops along this street including Cottage Industry (i'm wearing some of Pen's gloves this cold cold morning), Little Salon and Cutler & Co!

sometimes i drink tea as an excuse to eat biscuits..

2010-06-08T10:41:00.006+10:00

Tea for 3

It's tea's all round at our house with cj's lovely mum visiting from Cairns (a bit of a climate shock but she's coping well) English Breakfast before 4 & Rooibos after :)
Currently enjoying "future bake gluten free belgian bliss cookie"now that i've found a shop in Gertrude st Fitzroy that sells them :) (oooh, just when i looked them up I found out that they are in Collingwood! ahh...unintentionally keeping it local)

and speaking of Gertrude st...it's been a very eventful couple of weeks where i got to learn the joys of signing a commercial lease!
so after 7 years of being in the Century Building in melb i'll be moving..aarggg! ...but in this new place i get to share with some lovely ladies and have central heating - two things that i think will make work very exciting :)
photos soon

rip-off update

2010-05-28T09:45:00.007+10:00

Thanks to the Age for mentioning the whole rip-off thing in yesterday's paper!
the most recent installment of that saga is that they have hit melb stores.. (or 'store' more accurately)
on my way back to work i popped into MYL to see if i could find a coat but was shocked to be looking at the real-life rip-off in the cabinet! (i'd only seen them online & from OS)
To my own surprise i heard the words coming out of my mouth "that's my design, it's been ripped off"
the shop assistant wasn't too concerned but polite - asked my name - & when i told her she said "oh, you sell to Corky Saint Clair don't you?" i said "yes", then she said "yours is smaller" (!!!)
OMG she even knew the piece!
then she said "do you have copyright?"
i tried to explain the issues (original design, too small a producer to be able to afford high costs etc")
she replied "you should get copyright." brilliant
I left the store dejected but armed with the contact details of their buyer.
weird weird feeling...

new mini necklaces online..

2010-05-25T13:35:00.010+10:00

Tiny Paper Plane necklace, Sterling Silver, $66 Love Letter necklace, Sterling Silver, $66 Apple a Day necklace, Sterling Silver, $66

New Edition necklace, Sterling Silver, $66

some more new things available online...

(right now i'm enjoying a cd-sing-along day! & i can't hold a tune so it's a luxury i only really do by myself or with cj :) so far i've been listening to lily allen & amy winehouse..and someone else i'm a bit sheepish to mention..ok..joan armatrading! (who i affectionately like to call joan armor-plating) does anyone want to admit they know who she is? total corker to sing along to!)

hot-dog with the lot...

2010-05-24T09:47:00.005+10:00

Peggy, enjoying the fire

If you live in melbourne then you know the weather is turning cold cold cold.
In our house, (with no effective heating) it's been as chilly inside as out, so on the weekend we invested in half a TONNE of red gum...& a troupe of happy campers we are now!
Here is Peggy, showing off our new friend
hope it's warm where you are :)

new earrings available online!

2010-05-19T08:39:00.009+10:00

apple earrings sterling silver $55 sandwich earrings, sterling silver $55

love letter earrings, sterling silver $55

new edition earrings, sterling silver, $55

here are some new earrings that are in the shop now (just in case you have a birthday coming up & you want to leave someone a linky-hint :))

big hottie..

2010-05-13T15:23:00.005+10:00

Hottie' - sculpture by Kate Spencer

A few years ago i visited Mars Gallery in Port Melbourne & upstairs was this beautiful sculpture of a hot water bottle (it was made out of latex rubber - just like a real one & see what she's holding? it's the stopper! bless..)
i thought about it for weeks then contacted the gallery to ask the artist's name (just so i wouldn't forget) & they sent me this lovely photo too, well, the one they sent was a proper shot of Kate (with face) but considering it was kind of a personal email i thought it's more polite if i just 'suggest' Kate :)...how cute is she?
wishing this was filled with hot water & sitting under my feet....sooooooo cold in the studio today..
ps. i finished something new (very excited!!) & have given it to Kirsty to show you tomorrow, here's a hint or two :)

lunch in the park..

2010-05-05T11:09:00.005+10:00

"Lunch in the Park" necklace set $140 (made up of 3 single charms; 'sandwich', 'apple' & 'new edition')

"Lunch in the Park" ring set $175 (made up of 3 single rings; 'sandwich', 'apple' & 'new edition')

thanks so much for all of your kind, supportive comments (& re-blogging), i ended up having a great weekend & tried not to think about the Bad People.

on a brighter note :) here are the new ring & necklace sets (but for the wind-chilled melburnians you have to pick your timing well to enjoy lunch in the park at the moment!)

but wait, there's more...rip-offs

2010-04-30T14:51:00.007+10:00

i'm wearing a new skirt, my lipstick is just the right colour & i have an exciting evening planned...but i've been on the verge of tears all day & eating chocolate like it's pop-corn..
here's another 2 sightings, now brought to you by Etsy :(

Rip-off by beadfullthinking - 'Tape Measure Heart Charm '
(OMG!! would someone really buy this?)

Rip-off by RetroSkor - 'Measuring Tape Heart' ..ooh! late Edit! this item has now been removed!!!

i did a bit of emailing this morning, to the sellers & to Etsy's complaints department, i haven't heard back from anyone yet but i did just notice that one of the sellers has removed the item. YAY!
thank you so much for the supportive comments - it means a huge deal to me and makes me feel not alone at all :)
vic
ps. and thanks Peta & Jade for being on the lookout!

OMG I've been ripped-off!!

2010-04-29T13:07:00.008+10:00

in a long line of recent rip offs, one of my designs can be added to the list.
i made a necklace called 'i heart' a few years ago and i spent a very long time on the design - maybe 8 months before i was comfortable that it was exactly how i'd imagined it & i would be proud to sell it. (i ended up making a few versions, including one which, when curled into the heart shape, had the numbers stamped upside-down & another that looked like it had 'ears')

and then a lovely customer emailed me the bad news - 2 online retailers, one UK & one US have been selling the same design under different names.
sure the quality is not the same - i've always been pretty confident that it would be hard to remake my jewellery & make a good profit, cause they're so labour-intensive...but i was shocked about how it made me feel when i saw it.

it completely broke my heart, (no pun intended), i felt gutted.
it seems pretty common to have original ideas stolen & reproduced, it was only recently that it happened to Made By White & Simon MacEwan's lost in the woods, (mentioned in an article here) & maybe it's just a casualty of the internet but gee it's a horrible feeling.

Rip-off by ShopCuffs - 'necessary measures'

Rip-off by LoveheartAndCrosses - 'i love you this much'

i've emailed both ShopCuffs & LoveHeartsAndCrosses and so far have had a reply from Shop Cuffs saying that they're sorry that this has happened, they're not the manufacturer & they'll contact them to see what they have to say. I'm relieved to have had this reply but now have to presume that there's another player that is selling them onto to others. How many others?
if anyone sees these copies around, could you let me know please?

my original necklace - 'i heart'

New edition (making books)

2010-04-21T11:07:00.005+10:00

...& this is the last of the 3 in the new series; apple, sandwich & book...called 'Lunch in the Park'
these were really fun to make, i started off planning to make a neat, new book which turned out to have NO character at all so i took out the Charlotte Bronte i've been carrying round in my bag for a couple of weeks (it's a slow read but i'm determined!) & messed up its hair.

i saw-pierced a bookish shape out of 2mm plate

marked out the 'pages' & used a saw & burrs to carve silver away

voila! a really boring looking book...(now with 'spine' detail)

to make this book look more like the one i have in my bag, soldering on a 'dog-ear'

getting a little better but needs to be more crumpled

soldering on 2nd 'dog-ear'

a book that looks like someone's been reading it

polished, but still needs a little fine-tuning

Stamping with a maker's mark + 925 hallmark (silver stamp), i usually stamp on the back but thought here was better :)'new edition' earrings $55

apples & love letters..

2010-04-14T08:04:00.006+10:00

Apple earrings in sterling silver $55

L0ve Letter earrings in sterling silver $55

at last these earrings are ready-to-go :) i took them to Bowerbird markets a few weeks ago & craft hatch last saturday & they got a great response & now are now available at Pussycat Black!
ps. thank you to the lovely people who came to craft hatch & said hi!

Craft Hatch this saturday!

2010-04-08T14:23:00.004+10:00

apple, 'love letter' & 'little piece of my heart' ring - sterling silver, 3 sizes available, $65 each

this saturday i'll be showing some new designs (including the new apples & love letters) at Craft Hatch :), so if you have some free time, please come in & say hi!

also there will be - Adelle Frittitta, Belinda Crossley, Dawn Tan, Gemma Johnson, Harvest Moon, Kylie Bickerdike, Mae Finlayson, students from NMIT’s Gold & Silversmithing course & Sharon Margaret

Where: City Library gallery, 253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Date: Saturday 10 April
Time: 11am to 4pm

making a spoon with Granny..

2010-04-08T11:40:00.013+10:00

Granny Square spoon, made with love (and with the help of two clever crafters) Spoon 'bowl' made using 1.2mm silver plate which has been domed in an oval doming block

spoon handle made from stock gauge (a commonly bought shape of metal, like a square rod & is often a handy starting point) it's been put through the rolling mills to give it that tapered shape, then evened out with filing.

groove cut into the end of the handle so that there is a strong connection point when the two pieces are soldered

'bowl' & handle propped up ready for soldering, anything can be used to prop it, i've used some tweezers but it could also be an old file (or an old coin but that's not right is it? but common)

lining it up by eye - there's no other way to do it, i just normally settle in to do a couple of correction solders, you just have to start somewhere :)

after soldering (& correcting :) )
it's all lined up now & ready for emerying. the spoon handle will now be arched back (just using hands cause the metal is quite soft after being heated. the black surface is copper (a component of sterling silver) which will be removed with acid, emery & polish

surface has been fine emeried. even though i'm going to solder it again when i put the granny square on the end, it's easier to clean up the edges now.

granny soldered to the end (the original crocheted granny made by the very talented Kirsty of Kootooyoo)

granny detail

i had to deliver this piece to the gallery on the same day it was finished (why do i leave things til the last minute?!) but i was unsure how to package it - but thanks to another very clever crafter, within just a couple of minutes she'd whipped up this granny-pocket & now it has it's own carry-case!

& i know it's very short notice, but if you live in melb there is an exhibition opening tonight (& continuing throughout april) at Hand Held Gallery called 'One Cup - an exhibition of 48 teaspoons' & granny will be there along side 47 other spoony-themed works!

Hand Held Gallery 'One Cup - an exhibition of 48 teaspoons'
6-8pm Thursday 8th April
exhibition continues throughout April
Suite 18(upstairs) Paramount Arcade 108 Bourke Street Melbourne, 3000 (03)9654 4006
www.handheldgallery.blogspot.com

My creative space..big plans for a little granny

2010-04-08T09:24:00.003+10:00

here is the (pretty rough) casting of Kirsty's granny square - & i think it turned out beautifully!
...more photos soon

Bowerbird Bazaar wrap-up

2010-04-07T09:55:00.004+10:00

here are some piccies from the markets i went to last week! (& judging from the amount of Adelaidians who told me it was "about time" there was a market like this one, i reckon people were pretty pleased :) )

'picnic themed' display, there's a bit of gingham, turf & wood

cause i was flying solo this time, i had to be really sparing with the displays - even as it was, i had 22kg of stow-away & a 'cheeky' *ah-hem* amount of hand luggage.

there were lots of melbourne peeps there including Rebound Books, Twiglet, Maru, a Skulk of Foxes, Matt bags & Octoberdee, so even though i was by myself there were plenty of friendly faces.

thursday afternoon set-up

beautiful ceiling of the Queen's Theatre, (better photos here)

didn't have much time to leave the stall so had to run for this shot..

My creative space..

2010-03-25T10:50:00.003+11:00

this beautiful little granny square arrived in my letterbox last week & it's destined for rubber moulding...
does anyone recognise it? it's been lovingly made by a very talented crafter (who has the neatest mini-stitch in the land, huh?!)....yes, from our MCS host!!
to see more creativity pop on over & say hello to Kootooyoo

new season apples...

2010-03-24T09:13:00.007+11:00

saw-piercing shapes out of thick silver plate

rough shapes to be filed

basic shape being carved

fingers are sore - took a photo break

used ball-burrs to creative dip in apple

just before polishing

finished apple earrings (where possible i try to have 'left' & 'right' earrings, i think it's a nice nod to traditional jewellery, so the stalks are facing different ways, with the love letters, the stamps on the back are vertical & horizontal)

last year when i got sick, just about all i was comfortable eating were apples & chocolate. i got really frightened of food cause i didn't know what was making me ill & these were 2 food groups i was fine with.
so *cheers* to the humble apple, my favorite snack-fruit.
(they'll be for sale at Bowerbird markets! $55)