Sneak Preview: The *Safi* Earrings in Saffron

I'm on an earring-making kick!

I couldn't stop at just one pair of *Safi* earrings...

...I had to make more...

I've had lots of fun playing with bold colour combinations.

This saffron-hued pair speak of Summer and sunshine...

The AAA chalcedony briolettes are a beautiful pale aqua...


...there is something so lovely about chalcedony!


I'm loving the exotic 'tilak' cut, too...

More earrings coming soon...


And some necklaces too!


~*~


I had my back turned for all of two seconds while I was outside taking photos of these earrings when...

...somebody discovered a lovely puddle of mud in the driveway...

...I was laughing so hard I could hardly hold the camera still to take photos!

Thankfully India, ever the princess, wisely decided to steer clear of the mud and pick flowers instead...

Moroccan earrings and mud pies...who could ask for a better day?! ;-)

My creative space...

...is a riot of colour!

But then again, when ISN'T my creative space a riot of colour ;-)

In between cleaning, unpacking, and settling in to our new place in Melbourne,


I've managed to spend a few (exceedingly) late nights playing with these Moroccan motifs...

I love the versatility of this simple little design...

Eventually, it will be earrings...

Pendants...

And even rings...

I must be trying to wash away the Melbourne grey with all this colour.


How I am missing the West Australian sunshine!  I had forgotten how grey and cloudy Melbourne can be...day, after day, after day...


At least the sun decided to make an appearance today so I could take some photos!


~*~


My silver and tools are still packed away in boxes.  I am itching to start up the torch and do some soldering!


This chunky beaded rope is just calling out to be finished off with some custom made silver bead caps...

See what other creative people are up to at Kootoyoo, and add your link if you'd like to play along!

My creative space...

I feel as though I am being pulled in so many different directions at the moment...creatively speaking.


Sometimes I wish my Muse would switch off, or at least take a nap for a little while.


I'm working away on my collections, but my Muse also yearns to create something epic, something laborious and time-consuming...


...and also get back to bead embroidery...


...and also crank up the torch and try some silversmithing...


...and...


...and...


...and...


Do you ever have so many things that you want to do but don't know where to start?  


*le sigh*


I put this down to the fact that our big move from Perth to Melbourne (a mere 3,000kms, give or take) is only about six weeks away, so I'm a bundle of nervous energy right now...desperately trying to cram in as much creating as possibly before my entire studio is packed away into uninspiring brown boxes.


*le sigh*


Rant over, thanks for listening.  You're the best :-D


Here's a little something I've been working on for my *Moroccan Odyssey* collection...

It has been dark and rainy all day today, so I had to take these hideous photos with my daylight lamp...blerk!

The gemstones are smoky quartz and the MOST beautiful AAA grade yellow chalcedony...


...it's like a little ray of sunshine... *le sigh*


More creative spaces over at Kootoyoo.

My creative space...

It is well and truly Winter here.

There is a chill and a crispness in the air.  The trees everywhere are bare, the ground covered in sepia-toned leaves.  My two year old daughter likes to dance over and around the leaves, fluttering like a fairy...I can't help but stomp on them to hear that wonderful *crunch* when we go for our walks around the neighbourhood.

Whilst I enjoy the little treasures that this season has to offer,  I desperately miss the days of endless sunshine!  I have been craving warmth and sunshine and flowers...

Alas, my beaded flowers will have to suffice until Spring blooms again...

I have been working on some petite lilac blossoms...

...which will soon find their way into a petite necklace...

...with some petite gemstones...

They measure 3cm from petal tip to petal tip, and whilst I hate repetition, these little blooms are just begging to be clustered together en masse.

See what other creative people are up to today at Kirsty's blog.


Thanks for looking, and be well!

Daffodil bracelet

When I looked at the date that I had begun this bracelet, I was horrified to see that it was waaaaay back in March.  Really?  Surely not!  How on earth could this have been sitting on my desk for the last few months, untouched and unfinished?  


I'll tell you how...


I procrastinate!  In fact, I procrastinate so much that I have procrastination down to a fine art!


But anyway, I digress.  I'm good at that too.


So here *finally* is my completed Daffodil bracelet.  

It's not everything that I had hoped for.  My creative vision didn't manifest into the beautiful bracelet I had envisaged... 

My stitching looks a little wonky in places, mostly due to the memory wire I used as a base for the bracelet.  It was not the best choice of armature...it is so darn springy that it holds its shape which in turn scrunches up my beadwork (but can I plead ignorance because it was my first time using memory wire?!)

But you know what...it doesn't have to be perfect.  It is only a first prototype.


I realise that creativity is a process, and that it may take me many prototypes to perfect a design and create something that I am really happy with.  


And although this design turned out to be a dud, I'm very happy with the daffodil itself.  So Daffodil Mk. II is already underway in a lighter, softer colourway (see here for a sneak peek).  And Daffodil Mk. II will not be a bracelet, but a necklace.


And this time I'm skipping the memory wire.


Thanks for looking, and be well!

My creative space...

It has been a busy and productive week, with a few new projects to show...but more of that later.


Here is my creative space today...I'm working on a variation of a daffodil bracelet which I showed a little while ago and have only just completed...(I just checked the date of that post...eek, it was back in March! *ashamed*)

To give you an idea of scale, I've thrown a five cent piece into the photo (of course, this will only make sense to my Australian readers! LOL)

The aforementioned *completed* daffodil bracelet will be making an appearance here soon.  Stay tuned!


Head on over to Kirsty's blog to see what other goodies are being created today.


Thanks for looking, and be well!

My creative space...

During my recent online travels, I came across Kirsty's blog.  Apart from creating cool stuff, taking gorgeous photos, and writing an interesting blog, Kirsty hosts 'My Creative Space'.


Every Thursday, artists and crafters from all over the world amalgamate on Kirsty's blog to show off what they're working on.  It's all a bit of fun, who doesn't love a sneak peek!  And I want to be part of it.  


So here is 'My Creative Space' today:

Now, usually I don't like to show you what I'm working on because (a) it may turn out to be a dud design, or (b) I may never get around to finishing it.  But by showing you a preview, I'm forced into (a) turning it into a success design, and (b) finishing it!  Win-win!


Pop on over to Kirsty's blog to see what other artists are creating today...


Be well!