Experimenting

I saw these oversized metal chains and couldn't resist - I had to have them. My aim was to mix a sort of old-fashioned Victorian style with a modern-goth vibe, but I don't know if this experiment worked so well. I think I need to tweak this one some more.

The maroon ribbon is made of polyester with the ends sewn shut, and the charms include a black cameo and a white nugget pearl. It's a variation on the pink cameo piece.

Yeah, definitely needs some tweaking.

More cameo

I came home from my commute from hell today and immediately started working on this piece to decompress. Usually my commute is pretty smooth and even relaxing (I sit on the train with my e-book and my iPod, enjoying myself) but today there was some kind of a delay, which caused the whole world to converge at my stop at the same exact time. It took me almost an hour to get out.

This necklace is asymmetrically arranged and composed of a sterling silver chain and pink velvet ribbons, with a pink cameo pendant and a charm made up of one white nugget pearl and one Swarovski crystal. The ends are sewn shut, and the whole thing can be slipped over the head. It may not look it, but this was pretty labor intensive (somehow I find that working with ribbons has turned out to be this way.)

Here is a close-up.


TV TALK

Last night's Heroes was really exciting...I think the show is finally over its slump (at least I hope so). I won't spoil the ending here except to say that it was a thrilling surprise and I can't wait until next week!

Ribbons and pearls

This is what I came up with in the first of the ribbon designs - twin blue ribbons interlocked with silver link chains, with white nugget pearls hanging from the second chain. I feel like it sort of has a delicate, vintage feel to it. It's too bad this picture is a little on the dark side.

The ribbons were really slippery and were very tricky to work with - not at all like sturdy, dependable wire - and I had a hard time figuring out how to close out the necklace at the back. Finally, I was inspired to whip out my mom's old sewing kit and just so happened to dig out a blue thread that matched the shade of the ribbons perfectly, so I took that as a good sign. I ended up sewing the ends shut. My stitches are a little on the big side, but it doesn't look half bad and with more sewing practice I hope to make them neater. My mom taught me how to sew and she would have been proud to know that I'm putting the skill to use!

And finally, I was informed that my #2 most loathed person in the world actually does not shill for Vitamin Water as I mistakenly thought, but for Smart Water (ironic, since that is the last word I would use to describe her), so I feel better knowing I didn't act against my principles. However, I'd still like to remind you all to check out the link to her name on yesterday's post. I had the best time doing a Google search for the perfect picture of her.

Ribbons and things

I popped over to the craft store in the afternoon, where I was only going to "quickly" pick up a "couple" of things. Yeah, right. Many, many hours and $40 later, I came away with some really awesome goodies. My favorites are these vintage-looking keys and buttons pictured at the top. I was thinking of incorporating them as pendants with maybe some Swarovski crystals.

I am also going to start experimenting with using ribbons in my designs, so I picked up a few spools in different colors. I'm a little anxious to see how this turns out. I couldn't resist getting the pink and green polka dot ribbons, though at this point I'm not sure how or what I'm going to use them for.

Additionally, I decided that I'm finally ready to use a jig to make more complicated wire designs, so I got me one of those, too, but I need to practice first before I turn out results that are good enough to be put in necklaces.

As a side note, I was so thirsty after all that craft shopping that I decided to go to the grocery store in search of a cold drink. Nothing really appealed to me except that Vitamin Water stuff that comes in different flavors (everything else in the cold cases were carbonated drinks, which I wasn't in the mood for). So I reluctantly bought a Vitamin Water. I say reluctantly because ever since Jennifer Aniston became their spokeswhore, I vowed to boycott this product. She is #2 on my list of people whom I completely loathe and anything she endorses is fair game for a boycott. (Mr. HD calls this my "irrational hatred" of her, but I swear I've never been more coldly rational about anything in my life.)

However, I'm sorry to say that the Vitamin Water actually wasn't half bad, and so if I ever get stuck in the desert by myself with no signs of civilization or even an oasis for miles around, maybe I'll consider getting this product again. But only then.