Jewelry and gelato

On Friday, Kelsey and I taught jewelry making classes on High-Interest Day at Washington Elementary.

It was fun and a bit easier than last year, when everyone got done stringing at the same time and we had to finish a bunch of necklaces in just a few minutes.

Fortunately we had the brilliant idea of finishing one end of the wire before we handed out the kits — which saved time and resulted in fewer dropped beads.

Still, the kids kept us busy.

One of the first things we heard: "I didn't want jewelry! I wanted gelato."

After we introduced ourselves, one of the boys raised his hand. "I need help," he said.

Also overheard:

"These look like marbles. I'm just sayin'."

"Are you a senior?" (This to Kelsey, of course, not me.)

And my personal favorite, as a fourth grader laid down in the corner:
"Do you have nap time?" (No.) "Then why do you have an awesome carpet?"

Good thing kids are resilient and move on from disappointments like dropped beads and no gelato. Everyone — including Kelsey, Jenna, and me — had a great time, just like last year.

Afterward, Kelsey and I had lunch in the gym: sandwiches, chips, and dessert — caramel sea salt gelato.

Jewelry making on High-Interest Day

Kelsey and I taught jewelry making for a high-interest day, and it was a blast!

Michelle, who organized the day's activities, let us snap some photos of her daughters, Julia and Jenna. Since we didn’t get permission from other parents, I’ve included just the jewelry from a couple of the kids.

I wish I had thought of this beforehand — one of the girls, who made the set with the big flower pendant, was thrilled. "Awesome!" she said. "Is this gonna be in the magazine?"

Everyone seemed to have a great time, despite a few dropped beads. And they made beautiful jewelry from the hodgepodge of supplies we gave them, mixing metals and materials, combining earth tones with gold, and even doing some color blocking. A boy made that last set for a Mother's Day gift; I love the pairing of the teddy bears.

There were about 20 kids in the first session, and everyone got done at the same time! Luckily Jenna was there to help. She took our class two years ago, so she knew how to attach clasps on necklaces and bracelets.

So thanks, Jenna, and all the kids we met. We had a great time and hope to be back next year. And who knows, maybe next time we'll pop into the other sessions — dog training, cake decorating, pizza and gelato making, it all sounds fun!

Keshi pearl necklace

My necklace is on the cover of the July 2009 issue of BeadStyle. It's an honor. And pressure, too. Even though stuff beyond my control — like the cover lines, the competition, etc. — has an impact on newsstand sales, I feel like the main image is what sells the magazine.

About the necklace: I bought the pearls at the JANY show from Lucky Gems. They carry unusual shapes, colors, and sizes (check out their dancing squares, for example). I'm all about the supplies — my approach is to start with the best gemstones I can get my hands on. I suppose everyone says that, but if you've ever been with me as I deliberated over a strand of gemstones, eyeing individual beads, you've seen how my mind works. I liked the luminescent pinks and blues in these pearls, which are the size of large cornflakes.

I got some design help from Jane, who talked me through my crystal quandaries (bicones or rounds? pinks or blues? matching or complementary?). She also helped me figure out which cones to use and gave me a thumbs-up on the chain I picked for the bracelet. You can find instructions for the projects (as well as for two earring options) in the magazine.

Big briolette necklace

Here's my big briolette necklace on the January 2009 BeadStyle cover. I bought those beads in March at the JANY show after much deliberation — and encouragment from Jean Yates.

Yes, that necklace is super heavy (better suited for display than for regular accessorizing), but I'm proud to say that I finally used the beads.

I did make an alternate that I love (and wore to my high school reunion). The clear quartz necklace is less dazzling but definitely more wearable. And right now, I'm liking gold more than silver.

Check out the issue for instructions for both projects.

Heartfelt earrings

Yesterday I made ten pairs of earrings. I was on a roll, knowing that the Team in Training bachelor auction is quickly approaching. (Note: Give the TNT crew a few days to get the site up. And then browse, browse, browse!)

My favorite pair of earrings so far: red hearts dangling from vintage gold chain. The beads are from a mixed tub I bought at Hobby Lobby. Even though the hearts are plastic, the ruby color is gorgeous and a bit pearlescent. (The assortment also had fun stuff like bright green dolphins, purple seals, and yellow teddy bears.)

I also got a bunch of hearts from Rings & Things. Personally, I like the 20mm pink glass hearts on a length of geometric silver chain, but I'm making a variety. Each pair is a little different. I also made some 12mm earrings with just the hearts (no chain) in clear, gold, or peridot. I figure that some gals like more conservative jewelry. And some actually hate hearts, but I can't worry about that right now.

I do hope that someone finds love (and not just a good story) at the bachelor auction. Call me a hopeful romantic.

Winter 2008 JA New York show

The reason I'm in New York: the JA New York show. It used to be in late January, but they decided to have it in March this year. I thought that I'd enjoy better weather, but the city has seen some umbrella-inverting rainstorms and, through the wee hours of this morning, winds that rattled the hotel windows. By the way, if you bid on hotels on Priceline, it's worth opting for the three-star (rather than the two-and-a-half star) hotels. Of course, I'm assuming that three-star hotels have working heat and a free wireless connection.

On a happier note, I met up with Jean Yates at the show, which features finished jewelry from more than 800 vendors plus a few loose bead suppliers. I fell in love with, deliberated, and finally decided to buy a strand of aqua quartz briolettes. These are the biggest beads I've ever bought. Imagine: chunky beads the size of the watch face on a man's wristwatch. I'm planning a necklace with the stones overlapping in a 3-D-ish effect.

Jean is so enthusiastic about jewelry, she not only encouraged me to buy the briolettes and other strands, she also gave me a handmade pair of silver hoop earrings with charms, pearls, crystals, and lampworked beads. This was such a thoughtful gift, and it was sweet of her to remember that I love big hoops.

We stopped by to say hi to one of my favorite designers, Ray Griffiths. I tried on beautiful drop earrings and a smoky topaz ring that looks very much like the pink amethyst ring I bought from him. Every JA show, I think fondly back to my first show in 2004, when Ray humored me as I fell in love with, deliberated, and finally decided not to buy a brilliant round amethyst ring. You could say I have a teensy bit of buyer's remorse at not getting it. What's strange, though, is that I could still get it. I just haven't because I feel like the moment has passed. Does that make sense?

Anyway, I also found a couple of new favorites: Shondra Leigh and Moritz Glik. Shondra and her partner walked us through their collection, which features briolettes, organic metal shapes, and tiny wire wraps. And Moritz dazzled us with his white sapphire rings, which have tiny diamonds floating inside — clever feats of engineering.

After we wandered the show floor for a couple of hours, it was time for lunch. We happened upon Trestle in Chelsea, where we ate veggie omelettes, drank tea, and talked about books, jewelry, and matters of the heart. Could this day get any better?

Dogs and gemstones

The brilliance of machine-faceted crystals has its appeal, but it can't compare to the natural beauty of gemstones. Things in nature aren't always perfect. That's why I like gemstones. Green or pink amethyst, kyanite, chrysoprase, tanzanite, pink tourmaline, turquoise — I love them all. And while they may be dyed, heat treated, or enhanced in some way to improve their appearance, the illusion of natural beauty is still powerful.

That could also be why puppies are so compelling, with their promise of newness and perfection, enthusiasm and boundless joy. They even smell fresh. And though they're untrained, their preciousness is always unquestioned. Why does it cost more to adopt a puppy than an adult dog? Does an animal's value decrease as it ages?

I have inexplicably developed a love of old dogs. (Explicably, I do spend a lot of time away from home and don't have a ton of energy to invest in training.) Tonight I visited Simon at the Wisconsin Humane Society. I spotted him online, and his expressive eye conveyed a friendly and loving spirit. Yup, he has only one good eye. The other one is closed and slightly indented. I don't know what happened to it, but he doesn't have any trouble with balance or orientation, so he must've lived with it for a while.

The adoption counselor ran down a list of behavioral traits: he loves affection, isn't especially motivated by toys, gets whiny when he's nervous. I spent about half an hour with him, and at first he was distracted and seemed more comfortable with the counselor. Within a few minutes, though, he was playing fetch with his squeaky toys, trotting back to me and awaiting praise, then sitting on my feet. (Not at my feet.) This 68-pound charmer takes treats gently instead of nosing at my closed hand. Awww.

What should I do? I thought that I was done considering a second dog after Ginger didn't get along with Jake. But I'm still contemplating: would this snuggly good-natured dog fit into my household? Regardless of where he goes, I'm sure he'll appreciate in value.

Bead shopping in Santa Monica

Traveling gives me an opportunity to visit new bead stores: this trip, I went shopping at Beadniks in Santa Monica. Even though the owner, Shannon, was busy — she just got back with tons of stuff from Tucson — she took time to chat with Yukie and me.

Yukie bought a shell bracelet (she prefers finished jewelry to the hobby) and I put together a project for Under $25: a strand of wood beads, to be accented with a couple of metallicized ceramic beads. Add the clasp and a silver piece for each earring, and we're still under $25.

The store is beautiful: Asian themed with hardwood floors and lots of gold mirrors and fixtures. It's also inviting: you can rent tools and sit at one of the big tables to work on a project. And, it's walking distance from the Santa Monica Pier and Third Street Promenade, which has a farmer's market and all the shopping you could ever dream of.

Gemstone nuggets under $25

I'm working on projects for BeadStyle's Under $25 special issue. And finding that it can be challenging to make pretty gemstone jewelry for under $25. (It can be challenging to make gemstone jewelry for under $75, for that matter!) So, I wanted to show you my latest score: a strand of faceted lepidolite jasper slabs from Lima Beads.

Even though I was a little apprehensive — 35mm faceted gemstones for $15.50 a strand? — I decided to order them anyway, because Lima Beads tends to have nice stones at reasonable prices. They didn't disappoint: the strand arrived a few days later, looking very much like the one pictured. Chunky, faceted slabs with purple, lavender, and beige hues. Maybe the beige isn't as visible in the photo, but it gives the stones added depth and dimension.

Lima Beads sends a coupon and a handwritten thank-you note with all of my orders. They also suggest other products I might be interested in, like new cuts of CZs. All of this makes me feel like they appreciate my business (and, it's good marketing on their part). That's no small thing, given how much atrocious customer service is out there. It's refreshing to find a company that cares about my loyalty.

Another great thing about Lima Beads: they sell half-strands. That's really handy when I'm making a bracelet or just need a few accent beads. Gotta keep those costs down, after all.

Thinking green

This was a weekend of green.

When Denise and I got to Irish Fest on Friday night for our shift, the marketplace was crowded with people buying sweatshirts, caps, ornaments, and other souvenirs. Although everything sold like hotcakes, the green t-shirts and classic hoodies were especially popular. (I picked up a green shamrock ornament, no surprise there.) Irish Fest is my favorite summer festival because we get to volunteer with kids and retirees and everyone’s in a good mood, including the customers. After our retail stint, we usually wander the fairgrounds and eat some shepherd's pie. This year, though, we decided to try something new: reuben rolls and a baked potato with cheddar, sour cream, and bacon bits. I’m not a fan of corned beef, but I can appreciate it when it’s deep-fried in an egg-roll wrapper. There's nothing like sharing fried food and good conversation with a friend.

On Saturday, I went to Planet Bead to buy gemstones. My no-brainer buy: a $40 strand of gumball-sized round turquoise. The colors in the photo look murky, but the actual strand is mostly green, with a lone blue nugget and three brownish pieces — can’t wait to combine the beads with tiny Swarovski crystals in smoked topaz, chrysolite, olivine, and maybe even jonquil or indicolite. I try to avoid metaphors about beads speaking to me, but this strand seemed like an obvious choice, even surrounded by the store's huge selection: round is one of my favorite shapes, and the colors don’t require much embellishment. Green is good.

My third brush with greenness: the avocado. It's huge, about the size of Ginger's head. Ginger is a 50-pound dog. That's a tennis ball next to said avocado. (By the way, I think tennis balls should be used to gauge size in photos. Everyone has an intuitive sense of how big a tennis ball is.) This avocado reached me via my neighbors, who went to Florida and procured it from their friend’s tree. To make a story out of this, I'll conclude by saying that I used half of the avocado to make guacamole and gave the other half to my parents, who then asked me to make guacamole.

Hope you had a colorful weekend, too.