Baby bracelet... wedding drums...

I'll start with my weather snippet. Woke up to the clatter of ice pellets hitting the window. And usually with freezing rain like this, it's pretty mild temperature wise. Not today. I opened the balcony door to take a photo of the ice on the snow, but shut it right away since it's so windy and all the ice was blowing in. Freezing out there! What is with this weather!?

I had a really good week-end in online sales, yay! I'm having a sale in my shop this week-end, so I'm prepping, hoping for more good sales!

More custom orders:
Last week, I had the neatest assignment to work on. I was asked to make a bracelet incorporating beads that had been used on a hospital baby bracelet; Franca was born in a smaller city just north of Montreal and apparently at the hospital, newborns all wore these on their wrists instead of the standard plastic nametag. I cannot see today's overworked nurses stringing beaded bracelets for all the babies in their ward. The funny thing is they totally misspelled the family name (not too many Italian families in smaller-town Quebec 50 years ago), and the letters aren't anywhere in the right order on the original bracelet! Isn't this a great keepsake?



She's kept the bracelet for over 50 years, and always wanted to use the beads in another piece she could wear. She was great to work with - it's always nice when a client knows exactly what they want and don't want :) I am so touched that she entrusted me with the honours and I am thrilled to say that she was happy with the finished result.

The result is a simple design that works well in not overwhelming the precious original beads. Franca's sister also dug her baby bracelet out and she would now like a new bracelet too ☺

My friend Yukari, who is a potter (you can see her work here), came over to select all the beads and the pendant for her new choker - she's the only one who I keep the memory wire necklaces in stock for since she has a small neck and likes the close fit of the chokers. We came up with this bright summery look.

Again with the "taiko" ?
Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post, regarding my taiko mishap. It's hard to describe the place taiko has in our lives; I guess "big" would be the best word.

We even played at our wedding; to my mom's horror one of my taiko friends made a sling around my neck with the train of my dress hiked up with a piece chunk of material that I think he tore off a tablecloth; you can kind of see it well in the second shot below.

It was great though, because then I could hop around all I wanted. My mom wasn't so horrified really, as you can see her playing with us later. That's JF's mom on the left.

You know where I'm off to - coffee and work!

My spring sale is done but my work never is

I said I'd be a good blogger and post regularly, but it's been a week since my last post... giving myself a little kick in the rear end to get back on the wagon!

Well, I guess I have a bit of an excuse. My "Sprint into Spring Sale" in my online store went really well - thanks to everyone who purchased during the sale (^_^) ! Mostly sales from my distribution list, but some new customers as well. I'm still always amazed when people like my stuff, and then like it enough to want to buy it. I should get over this.

I'll show you some of what I sold. These are things that I particularly like - I am thrilled they have gone to people who will truly enjoy them:

My "Spring Sakura" choker:

My "Eriko" choker:

A few sushi platters:

"Green Lantern" earrings:

This "Fluttering" choker went all the way to Japan!

What I call "Your Most Comfy Bracelet" went to a Montrealer who has six ferrets!

I had never met a ferret before and they were a riot! Lovely animals they are, so sleek and flexible. When I got home my little cat looked like a chunky clumsy creature with an excessively large head. Just for the record, she is not.

I was so happy with these pink rhodonite "Perfectly Lovely" earrings, I had to make myself a pair too (wearing them right now). Sold lots of cards too, but won't post them all here.

Of course my time was not totally monopolized by this sale, but when I am "into it" or on a creative roll, so to speak, I'm in my studio all the time. Aaaalllllll the time. Ask my husband. I guess other artisans, artists, crafters, people with a home-based business face this same problem - work time versus time spent with spouse and family.

My day is not consistently productive, so I will often work in the evenings as well, time that I used to spend with my husband. I know my day would be more balanced if I was able to keep a regular 9 to 6 workday, but it's next to impossible when you work from home. If I feel like cleaning in the morning I will do it, partly since that urge rarely hits me so I'd better go with it, and partly because I know I can work at night... And I love what I do! Sometimes I just want to make something - don't feel like going out, or watching a movie, just want to make some pendants or work with my beautiful paper or get my hands on my beads...

My husband is truly the best; he does not complain, is always constructive in his comments, often makes supper when he gets home from work (while I'm still working), and makes really good yogurt (he loooooves his yogurt maker). But I know I would be annoyed if he were bringing work home every night and ignoring me...

We're lucky that we play taiko (Japanese drums) in the same group, so that we get some time together!

More soon, I swear.

Aftermath of a craft show

Ok, so maybe the word aftermath is a bit melodramatic.

But aaahhhhh... a day to relax a little. Slept in - well, I guess it was more like catching up for the sleep I missed this past week-end. It doesn't seem to matter how prepared I am leading up to a craft show, the night before I always find stuff that I forgot and I end up sleeping for an hour, if that. This time was good, I slept for an hour and a HALF.

I got the spot I asked for at the show, right in the entrance to the library. Good traffic, nice and bright. Oh yeah, and I also happened to be across from the biscotti makers who had samples for tasting - mmmmm, samples. My husband had to work this week-end so I was on my own for two whole days; not much chance to browse around which was good so I didn't spend much.

Sales were good on Saturday, and not so good on Sunday, so the week-end evened out to an "OK". Got lots of positive feedback which is always nice. People can be very generous.

I managed to take pictures of some of my stuff, but for some reason, not of my whole display. This is what my cards looked like:

I was psyched and prepared for Mother's Day card and gift shoppers, but there were not many of those (too early?). Many people were treating themselves to a little gift or two though, which is great, right?

I made some sets of chokers and earrings since I've requests for those; was thrilled when this Pink & Red Sakura set sold since I think it came together really well. I'll have to make another one like it!

Was a little surpised my Michi pendant set didn't sell - I was tempted to keep it when I made it last week. Maybe it's a sign...

I did sell quite a few chokers with these chiyogami pendants though (yay!). I love putting them together, picking the stones, blending colours, shapes and textures. And I got really good feedback on them and my bracelets, which also sold well. My new earrings did well too. I was pleasantly surprised.

These are some of the collages I've been making for a few years now that I also displayed this week-end.
This post will end abruptly, since I now realize I have to take some photos before the natural daylight is completely shot. The added white of the 20cm of snow makes for good bright light. Until next time...

I don't FEEL any different...

I celebrated 40 years on this planet last week-end.

It started with my sister taking me out for Indian food on Friday night (delish!); Saturday night my husband, JF, took me out for sushi, and he then cooked up an amazing brunch for family and friends on Sunday. Here I am carefully cutting my luscious St-Honoré (hubby didn't make that). Notice I am also wearing my Kodo concert t-shirt. (*see previous post for info on Kodo)

People were asking me if I feel any different now that I'm forty. Am I supposed to? The only difference this year is that my mom was not with me, which was a little hard. I know she would have been very impressed with all the food JF made.

Maybe I do feel a bit different in that I'm a little more comfortable with my own creativity. Might sound strange, but I've always put down what I do, what I make - just seems normal to belittle myself. Don't we all do that to some extent?

I made these chokers for a custom order today. Pretty happy with how they turned out - see how comfortable I am! I've got to work on more for my craft show next week-end.

And I listed these earrings. I'm having a good time taking photos, finding different backgounds for my pieces.