little trinkets and tiny affairs

my current tiny affair

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:47:00 +0000

... is my 16 month old son!

Jewelry-making is not on hold. I am currently teaching a few young students on wire-wrapping techniques as well as other styles of jewelry-making. However, I am moving all my blogs to one portal. Please check my blog hundreds of thingks for my entries on jewelry-making, photography and being a wife & mom. :)

See you there!

Making Beaded Butterflies With Little Butterflies

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:04:00 +0000

I've been extremely busy this past week. Managed to work on one pendant and then put in most of my time in the private after-school lessons I've committed myself to. The two young girls I have lessons with have been asking me and asking me to have a lesson in jewelry-making with them and I finally succumbed to their pleadings last week.

I found this real easy and beautiful Beaded Butterfly project in Craftbits and used it for the lesson. I prepared the beads (plastic and some glass bits I have in my bead collection), copper wire (20-g) and some glitter thread I found in a small school supply shop near my house.

I modified the Instructions and re-wrote them with simpler words so the girls can have some reading practice. Then I used the illustrations in the site to make a worksheet on sequencing using pictures and a blank chart I made for the kids.

We spent about an hour making the Butterflies. They asked that it be made into pendants they can use. I didn't argue.

We spent another hour completing the worksheets. I had to make it look like it was serious educational business. Lol. They seemed to like the activity and asked me when we'd do this again. Though I said I wasn't sure when, I do have another completed project for them to work on - Worksheets included!

*If you're a teacher and would like to see the Worksheets I prepared for this lesson, send me a message and I'll e-mail them to you. =)

The Flower Power Challenge (A Craftstylish Challenge)

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:28:00 +0000

I'm a member of Craftstylish. I check in almost everyday to find pieces and projects to inspire me. It's a great site for craftsters, members share new ideas to the gallery everyday!

They also issue out Challenges every so often. This time they have a Flower Power Challenge which encourages members to make pieces with the Flower Power theme incorporated in the design. Participants are required to submit their entries following the rules for a particular challenge.

I wasn't really set to enter this challenge. I was quite happy simply being inspired by the site. My sudden organization of my jewelry shelf plus my possession of a sketchbook are exercises which I credit to their contributors.

It is because of the sketchbook that I found myself making a flower bracelet one day. I told myself I'd try and make the sketches I made at least once to see if they were workable and if they looked as good made as they did as ideas. I sketched in flowers the way I like them - a bit like the 70's flower: a lovely round center, five rounded petals, simple lines. I thought they might look good as chain links.

And so I made these pieces. Then decided to wound blue jewelry wire around the petal wires to give it texture and to secure the center in place. I connected the flower links with simple bead links and found myself with a bracelet full of flowers.

Not bad, actually. I feel that I need to tweak it a bit more to satisfy myself that it was done - but as it is, not bad at all.

I then remembered the challenge I recently read about in Craftstylish and thought... what the heck, I'll post this as an entry. And so here we are. Flower Power Bracelet: The Blues came to be.

If you're a crafter, I suggest you join us in Craftstylish. I love the inspiration the galleries provide its members. And the challenges they use to nudge our creative selves into making something aren't bad either.

Make an Idea Happen

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 03:11:00 +0000

make an idea happen

I saw a post on sketching ideas and thought it was a great idea. Though I sometimes use my organizer to draw in some ideas, the sketches would sometimes get lost or drown in my other notes about other things which were not directly related to my jewelry-making.

I started using a pad of tiny post-its I had hanging around. I brought it with me everywhere. Came up with 10 sketches. Drew everything which have been floating in my head for some time and a couple which I used to practice "sketching." (Yes, I practiced to sketch. Weird but true.)

When I had about 10, I scavenged around the house and found a notebook with unlined pages and thought to use it. Just to experiment and see if it was truly helpful to me. I found out it was extremely helpful.

I posted my pink post-its on the first few pages. This would be my idea bank. Everytime I thought of trying one of the sketches, I simply peeled them off the bank and re-posted them into a blank page. I measured and counted beads to use, and noted them down on the sketch. I prepared the components and went and made a few pieces from my sketches. Most turned out to need more tweaking - with the notes on my sketches, I recorded where the mistakes were, too. This would help me make better pieces later - with the exact measurements I needed to make my pieces.

This is a fantastic idea! I suggest crafters to try this for a few days. It's definitely a great exercise in creativity. Plus, it made my crafting more scientific, more organized. I simply love this idea!

Kudos to Kathy Cano-Murillo from Craftstylish who shared her "Why You Should Have a Sketchbook" post with everyone. Thanks for the nudge in the right direction!

All Done Up

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:08:00 +0000

I spent most of yesterday afternoon and this whole morning organizing my jewelry shelf.

It has 4 shelves. I used the first to showcase my handmade pieces. I bought the jewelry organizer in a local steel shop. They have such a selection to choose from! I saw revolving organizers, floor stands, shelf bars and these cute ones I got! Each organizer has 3 rungs which can hold 16 earrings. I modified it a bit to accommodate my necklaces, pendants, bracelets and rings.

The second shelf was for my beads, silver components, stored pieces and reference books on stones and jewelry. I was inspired to organize my beads by color by Craftstylish' Susan Beal in her post: "Organize Your Beads and Charms." The beads are stored in Krisbow containers. Each has 18 dividers. Imagine my surprise when I found out I filled in most of the 5 containers! That means I have 90 different beads - and I haven't even added my glass beads into the collection! I'm buying more containers later so I can store my glass beads and silver findings.

The third shelf holds my tools and spools of copper wire. I use the copper wire for practice as they're cheaper than silver. I have spools and spools of different gauges of these beautifully colored wires.

The last shelf holds another Krisbow container which I've had since I started beading in Bali. Currently it holds odds and ends which includes some forgotten projects, glass and plastic beads and other whatnots. I'm going to go through them later and see which ones I want to keep. I might eventually use that container (bigger than the ones I bought recently) to hold my silver wires.

I'm glad I finally organized that hobby shelf of mine. It looked horrible when I simply stashed stuff into it and was quite an eyesore. A sad statement when we know how beautiful the beads and jewelry pieces are. Now, it looks real nice and tidy - plus I know exactly what I have and where everything is at!

Friends in Far Places

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:29:00 +0000

Haven't seen my friends in Jakarta for some time. We all arrived in Indonesia at the same time and they've been fast friends since. I thought 'twould be nice to send them some of my little creations.

I made a Tree of Life for one of them which I featured in an earlier blog entry. Made three more: two for friends and one for a friend's sister.

A pair of Nest Earrings for one simple lady.

In The Nest

These Nests are made with Pearls, Copper & Silver. Together it gives its wearer a greater sense of personal integrity while facilitation quick wits and improving communication skills.

Pearls give purity and promote faith, charity, and integrity, truth and loyalty. Silver is mystically considered to improve speech, bring eloquence. Copper is said to benefit mental agility.

A pair of Dreamcatcher Earrings for her sister.

Protected Pair

This Dreamcatcher uses New Jade, Peridot, Aventurine, Silver & Green Wire. Together it gives its wearer a sense of calm and love for all.

Jade is a stone of fidelity and generosity. Peridot is a stone of compassion. Aventurine gives a sense of calm and balance and enhances happiness. Silver is mystically considered to improve speech, bring eloquence. Green stimulates healing resulting in greater self-love, and thus, love for others.

A Dreamcatcher Pendant for one girly girl.

This Girl's Dream

This Dreamcatcher uses Silver, Cherry Quartz, Rose Quartz and Purple Wire. Together it promotes harmony, encourages unconditional love and opens communication with the environment.

Cherry quartz promotes harmony. Rose quartz is a stone of unconditional love. Silver is mystically considered to improve speech, bring eloquence. Purple is the color for strength, spirituality, passion and meditation.

I made Earring Cards for the earrings. Barb Macey's "How To Make Your Own Earring Cards" was a great help.

I'm sending them out today. I hope they like them. *smile*

For Your Nightmares & Your Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:44:00 +0000

Dreamcatcher for the Innocents

This dreamcatcher uses pearls, silver and blue jewelry wire. Together they promote healing, calm and harmony. Pearls give purity and promote faith, charity, and integrity, truth and loyalty. Silver is mystically considered to improve speech, bring eloquence. A balance of the color blue brings intuition, inspiration, sincerity, peace, joy, tranquility, faith in oneself and trust in others.

Stephen King has been playing a major role in my mind nowadays. I've been reading his books and watching a few of his movies. I must say his newest one, Duma Key, is quite impressive. The book swallowed me whole and ate up one whole day this past week. My infatuation for his work re-kindled (I've been into him since I watched and read Firestarter when I was 6.) and had to watch Dreamcatcher.

And when I wasn't going through my King files and books and movies, I was wondering what to do with the glass beads I bought. Came up with nil on the beads but Dreamcatcher stirred my imagination and got my fingers itching. I was looking forlornly at my newest purchases and wondering if the glass beads needed elastic thread instead of the wires I'm so used to working with when my eyes were caught by the colorful jewelry wires I bought with the glass. Hmmm.

Dreamcatcher for Spirituality

This dreamcatcher uses amethyst, silver and purple jewelry wire. Together they promote a higher spiritual awareness as well as protects us from psychic attacks.. Amethyst brings energies of stability, peace, calm, balance, courage and inner strength. It has been used to protect against psychic attacks. Silver is mystically considered to improve speech, bring eloquence. Purple encourages spiritual awareness.

I researched on how to make Dreamcatchers and then started making some of my own. Who wouldn't want extra protection against nightmares of the daily variety? I ended making these yesterday afternoon.

Dreamcatcher for Love

This dreamcatcher uses peridot, jade, aventurine, silver and green jewelry wire. Together they promote wellness in affairs of the heart. Peridot enhances the healing and harmony of relationships of all kinds, but particularly marriage. Jade is a stone of fidelity and generosity, it can also attract all kinds of love. Aventurine helps one to see alternatives and potentials in all situations, giving a positive outlook, courage and inner strength. Silver is mystically considered to improve speech, bring eloquence. Green stimulates healing resulting in greater self-love, and thus, love for others.

Dreamcatchers are very interesting things, I think. The legend states that the web catches the good and the bad goes through the hole. I think that's a good thing to have around one's person. We all need something extra to protect us from our daily nightmares.

the more the merrier

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:09:00 +0000

Went to a bead shop yesterday. A glass bead shop. I rarely work with glass so to go and purchase glass beads was quite a step for me. NOT a big step, but a step nonetheless.

So off I went and had a look around and ended up buying some beads. They were just too colorful to ignore. And The Big Ben Shop has quite a selection to choose from.

the more the merrier

And since I was going off my usual track (semi-precious beads), I was going to go ahead and play with other materials. Went to another store and got me some colorful jewelry wires to use with my beads.

spools of thought

I still don't know what I'm going to end up with BUT I have started playing. I'll post projects as I make them, ofcourse. Hopefully, I do these beads some justice.

ps
I have one other kind of bead I bought which I didn't feature here. I bought them especially for someone. Or, rather, to make something for someone special.

A Must Have Book (Book #2): Buried Treasure: Travels Through the Jewel Box by Victoria Finlay

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 00:35:00 +0000

This is a book I've had on my shelf for at least two years now. It was quite difficult to find it in Bali as we don't have too many bookstores for English books but I spent a lot of time scanning the titles on each bookshelf in each bookshop over and over again until I found it. (My mom who knew of my search decided to look for it, too. She found a copy and sent it to me but I already found my own. I told her she could keep the copy she has and read it. It's a beautiful read.)

What I like most about the book is that it provides hobbyists information on the histories of the different gemstones we use in our art. It broadens the mind to beyond the little beads and pieces we use and extends the appreciation of each piece backward in time and broadens its geographical feel. All that in an entertaining read, too!

As much as Finlay will give you tours through gemstones using the Moh classification in cutting her chapters, through different localities and countries where stories of the gemstones originated from, through gemstone folklore and recent developments: it never becomes an encyclopedic-too-detached-too-objective read. She keeps you interested in her choice of anecdotes and the clear and precise way in which she writes.

I've read the book at least five times. Each time I get to remember more and more of the information she compiled in the book. I think it was on helluva research she made. She has loads of interesting information in those pages.

It's definitely a must-read for handcrafters of jewelry. It makes one appreciate each stone, each bead... we are made more aware of the history that comes with them.

*Veronica Howell has another review of this book which I think will give more information to those who are interested. I suggest you read her review, too.

Mothers and Daughters

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:35:00 +0000

Mothers and Daughters

I made a few gifts this morning.

I was invited out for lunch by a mother of two of my students. (I teach when I'm not twisting and bending and wrapping wires.) Her two beautiful girls were coming along, too.

I thought I'd make them pendants.

I made the same piece for the two little girls. You know how sisters are sometimes. I made "Eggs in a Nest" pendants on pink leather necklaces for them. I used silver as my main wire for the nest and embelished it with a bit of copper; for eggs, I used pearls.

For their Mom, I made a Tree of Life with Eggs in a Nest. I used silver (20-gauge for the frame and 26-gauge for the tree and branches), rutilated quartz for the leaves, copper and silver wire (28-gauge) for the nest, and pearls for the eggs.

You will notice that the pendants for the children have three eggs. It's not merely for design. They come from a brood of 4. I thought it would be nice to make the three eggs signify their sibling. They're the fourth egg all hatched and in the world. The mother has four eggs in the nest on her pendant. She is the mother tree making sure that all the four eggs in her shelter are safe and protected.

I carefully chose the stones for the energies they exuded:

Pearls are calming and centering. They give purity and promote faith, charity, and integrity, truth and loyalty.

Rutilated quartz is reputed to diminish fears, depression and issues with decision-making.

Silver is mystically considered to improve speech, bring eloquence.

Copper is said to facilitate mental agility, and quick wit.

Tree of Life has a life of its own!

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:35:00 +0000

What's your contribution?

Apparently, the Tree of Life has more impact than I thought it did. I was just asked by a school to make a few pendants as award gifts for their English competitions. The school wants to encourage their students to be more pro-active in caring for the environment and wants this message sent in most of their activities - whether or not it is directly connected to environmental awareness. Ofcourse, I gladly agreed to work with them and gave them discounted prices for the pendants.

I used stones and minerals which encourage mental health:

Aventurine is said to benefit one in all areas of creativity, and imagination, as well as intellect and mental clarity.

Fluorite promotes spiritual and psychic wholeness and development, truth, protection, and brings peace.

Copper is said to be the metal of the God Hermes, who facilitates that mental agility, and quick wit.

Silver is mystically considered to improve speech, bring eloquence.

I think of it as giving a percent away to my favorite charities (education and the environment).

A Must Have Book: 1000 Jewelry Inspirations by Sandra Salamony

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:23:00 +0000

Bought a book last weekend which is truly inspirational for jewelry handcrafters. It's the 1,000 Jewelry Inspirations (Beads, Baubles, Dangles, and Chains) by Sandra Salamony. Quite a good book to browse through when looking for motivation to make a new piece or re-work old ideas. I really like the way it showcased simple pieces and elaborate ones, too. Lovely to read on a breezy balcony or when facing your worktable and wondering what to make of the beads and wires at hand.

One thing I do not like about it, however, is that it's a bit misleading. The book might have 1,000 entries but there are multiple entries for some pieces - some of which are not even crop highlighted but simply resized to fit in a page.

To illustrate my point, the following item number pairs feature only one piece with two entries:

0026 & 0975
0027 & 0871
0051 & 0932
0250 & 0937
0287 & 0972
0391 & 0392
0424 & 0817
0512 & 0513

Now, don't get me wrong. I still think it's a good buy - I just don't like it when readers/buyers get all misled.

Kudos to all those who have their pieces featured in the book. Each one is truly inspirational. And cheers to Sandra Salamony as well for getting all these pieces in her book. I just wish she didn't re-instate the misleading info by mentioning 1,000 pieces of jewelry in her acknowledgment.

It's Time We Say Someting for the Trees: Tree of Life with Egg in a Nest Pendant (Unakite, Aventurine & Copper)

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:31:00 +0000

Was quite inspired by some bird's nests I saw recently. I searched for tutorials on eggs in a nest and managed to find one free one on You Tube (Tutorial Diary: Nest Pins). As far as free goes, this one didn't give much information - although it gave loads of room for creativity, imagination and common sense.

My first try for the nest turned out quite smaller than what I wanted (26-gauge copper wire & 4mm unakite beads) but I wasn't going to let that worry me. I decided to place the nest in a frame to make a pendant. I decided to make a Tree of Life to nestle the nest in.

I used 20-gauge copper wire for the frame and 24- gauge copper wire for the tree and branches plus bits of aventurine for the leaves.

Not contented, I made a necklace for the pendant using 26-gauge copper wire, more bits of aventurine and the crochet technique.

This is what I made with all that put together:

Tree of Life with Bird's Nest

Quite appropriate for Environment Enthusiasts, the stones used in this pendant collectively makes for wonderfully creative green thumbs. It exudes positive energies in gardening, healing and in creating a harmonious environment for the wearer.

Spots of Sky: A Turquoise and New Jade Bracelet

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 03:01:00 +0000

I've been experimenting with bracelets and finding which ones I like to make. This is my second foray into bracelet-making. I used Bali Silver (22- and 26-gauge), Turquoise (4mm), New Jade (4mm) and the wire-wrap technique with some molding.

Spots of Sky

The combination of Silver, Turquoise and New Jade in this bracelet makes for a powerful combination in love and communication. It's great for lovers who want to maintain an honest and romantic relationship.

I'd love to know what you think of these pieces.

A Jab at the Wire-Crochet Technique

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:09:00 +0000

I'm looking into making bracelets and trying the wire crochet technique. I'm not very satisfied with my silver one but this copper piece is a worthy starting point, I think.

I used a tutorial from Diane Gilleland: How to Crochet a Bead and Wire Bracelet. I worked with copper wire, Unakite, Goldstone, and Peach Aventurine. When I looked into these stone's properties I found out that collectively they exude energies to help the wearer be more creative and more adept in making decisions.

I'm not sure if I want to make more crocheted pieces, I'm thinking of reverting to actual wire-wrapping and making pieces using those techniques instead.

In The Ring: Molecular Attraction Series (Handcrafted Rings)

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 02:17:00 +0000

Finally got around to making rings. These are all made with Bali Silver wire (24- and 28- gauge) and semi precious stones as detailed below each piece.

I also have photos of these rings on my finger to provide a size comparison. The bouquets are about 1/2" in diameter. I used Unakite, Agate and Cat's Eye for these pieces.

Molecular Attraction Series: Agate

Agate is good protective energy stone, especially for children, and is very calming and soothing. It can give courage, energy, strength, and dispels fears, all of which increase self-confidence. It can also lessen feelings of envy by grounding the emotions. Agate is also used in crystal emotional healing for resolving bitterness and resentments. It is also called and believed to be a stone of harmony. Agate also enhances creativity and stimulates the intellect. Agate is considered a stone that brings good luck.

Molecular Attraction Series: Unakite (aka Unikite)

Unakite (sometimes spelled Unikite) is a stone with gentle but powerful energy. It is a stone that is helpful for gardening. Unakite is also a good protection stone. Unakite brings unconditional love of humanity, connection and reunion.

Molecular Attraction Series: Cat's Eye (Natural, Chrysoberyl)

Natural Cat's Eye(chrysoberyl) is a stone of good fortune and good luck. It is said to bring serenity and happiness, along with optimism and generosity. It is used in emotional crystal healing to bring forgiveness, balanced emtions, and self-esteem. Cat's eye can enhance creativity and kindness. It is also a stone of protection.

*Credits go to Crystal and Jewelry for stone properties.

Caught in the Web

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 02:44:00 +0000

I was thinking of making some rings yesterday and web-searched for the proper gauge sizes. I was pleasantly surprised to find a listing for a tutorial on Spider Web Pendants in that search. My jewelry session took a detour and instead of making rings, I made spider webs instead.

Silver webs are made with 18-, 24-, and 28-gauge silver wires with an insect charm to accent.

Copper webs are made with 14-, 22-, 26-gauge copper wires.

These are available for sale.

Celuk: A Treasure Chest (Inspiration #2: Celuk Silversmiths)

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:02:00 +0000

Needed a rest after the 100 bookmarks were finally all done. Went to Celuk over the weekend, however, to look into other artist's silver creations.

This is a bangle which incorporates the Balinese Barong in its design. The Barong is a prominent mythical figure in most of the Balinese folklore. It also plays a prominent role in their cultural dances and religious ceremonies.

This pair of earrings incorporates the Wayang Kulit in its design. The Wayang Kulit is a puppet made for shadow plays. It is an integral part of the Balinese culture.

Watching the local artists at work also proved to be quite an inspiration.

just one spark

This man was making silver findings. Pretty boring work, you say? He does it with such diligence. Every piece seemed to be a masterpiece waiting to be made - that's the kind of energy he exuded while making these.

with these hands

She seemed so well organized in making pieces that I couldn't help but capture a sliver of her life in this shot.

Celuk has always been a favorite destination for moments when I need some inspiration.

*Images of jewelry pieces in this entry have been copyrighted only for the images themselves. The design of these pieces are not mine to claim.

Intricate Details (Inspiration #1: Eni Oken)

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 12:14:00 +0000

Rosa Spring Bangle

One of my inspirations in jewelry-making is Eni Oken. Her pieces are so beautifully done: very intricate and detailed. I love the way she uses tiny charms on her work.

Blue Jean Baby Bangle

She has a beautiful website with free tutorials for beginners. I learned how to wire-wrap using some of her tutorials. Some my earliest pieces were made using her Tutorial 007: Fat Wrap Bead. I also learned to add charms to my pieces because of the beauties I saw on her site.

Candy Carnelian Bangle

All the pieces featured in this blog entry are all Eni Oken pieces. I love her work!

crossing the line - done with the whole shipment for August 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:44:00 +0000

finally done with my first ever shipment! wow. i'm glad and relieved and impressed. *grin*

dark garden 05 is a reproducible bookmark made with a black leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including peafowl agate, yellow crystal, cornelian, onyx, morite, gold sandstone, floral glass and lava stone.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

black to basics 01 is a reproducible bookmark made with a black leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including lava rock, crystal, dalmatian jasper, onyx, and floral design glass.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

in the moonlight 02 is a reproducible bookmark made with a black leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including onyx, blue lace agate, agate, lapiz, crystal, floral design glass, lava rock,and moonstone.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

horizons 06 is a reproducible bookmark made with a yellow or brown leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including peafowl agate, gold sandstone, morite, aragonite, tiger eye and reticulated brown.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

ribbons 05 is a reproducible bookmark made with a maroon leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including leopard skin, cherry quartz, rose quartz, autumn jasper, and boswana.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

i made the labels myself. and i'm quite proud of making even that small detail. threaded them and put them on each one. also made my first inventory. forgive the over-effusive self-congratulatory tone of this entry: but i AM so proud of this first. *grin*

the last stretch - 8 more after these

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:17:00 +0000

Handmade jewelry is so time consuming. I'm glad I enjoy making these or else it would've been such a chore. But hey... any work can be a chore if you don't enjoy it.

bubblegum 02 is a reproducible bookmark made with a purple leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including amethyst, cherry quartz, rose quartz, white coral, moonstone, fluorite and leopard skin.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

dark garden 04 is a reproducible bookmark made with a black leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including fluorite, onyx, white coral, cherry quartz, moonstone, amethyst and leopard skin.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

My last eight pieces are all with black leather. About done with two of them. Just thought I'd post my new creations from last night first before I buckled down for the last stretch.

almost ready to seal the box - 16 left to make

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:18:00 +0000

Took the weekend off and was too busy making bookmarks yesterday to update my blog. I'm glad to note I'm only 16 pieces away from the 100 pieces for the Philippine shipment.

These are the new reproducibles

by the pond 03 is a reproducible bookmark made with a brown/red/maroon leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including red aventurine, blue lace agate, moonstone, jupiter, lapiz, aragonite, and peafowl agate.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

by the pond 03 is included in the August shipment to the Philippines.

horizons 05 is a reproducible bookmark made with a brown/red/maroon leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including ocean jasper, gold sandstone, morite, aragonite, tiger eye and reticulated browns.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

horizons 05 is included in the August shipment to the Philippines.

ribbons 04 is a reproducible bookmark made with a blue/gray/purple leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including pink opal, leopard skin, moonstone, cherry and rose quartz, amethyst, and boswana.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

ribbons 04 is included in the August shipment to the Philippines.

done with the blues. now about to get my hands into inky black and the last of my purples. =)

after bedtime

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:33:00 +0000

went to the silver village again to purchase some bali beads - i ran out last night. came back home and had lunch with my sweet man then decided to go grocery shopping with him. arrived back home just in time to prepare for dinner.

while he was preparing dinner, i decided to start on the blues. chose the stones and decided where to put each one. made some head pins for the set and started putting them together. wasn't halfway done when dinner was ready.

finished them way after dinner, about the time we finished watching the second installment for "The Stand."

in the moonlight 01 is a reproducible bookmark made with a blue leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including blue lace agate, lapiz, moonstone, cat's eye and floral design glass.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

in the moonlight 01 is included in the August shipment to the Philippines.

i've been making bookmarks for this shipment for days now, i don't think i've had the time to actually open a book and spend a relaxing afternoon with it and the cool Bali breeze.

wading through gardens - halfway through

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:01:00 +0000

spending all my time making these bookmarks. i'm sending them off next week and i'm halfway done. these are the newest creations:

sunshine on my garden 02 is a reproducible bookmark made with an orange leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including cornelian, aragonite, red aventurine, rutilated browns and golden sandstone.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

sunshine on my garden 02 is included in the August shipment to the Philippines.

horizons 04 is a reproducible bookmark made with an orange leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including ocean jasper/tourmaline, leopard skin, white coral, reticulated browns, and cat's eye.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

horizons 04 is included in the August shipment to the Philippines.

by the pond 02 is a reproducible bookmark made with green or pink leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including leopard skin, amethyst, green aventurine, fluorite, cherry and rose quartz, agate, jupiter and tourmaline.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

by the pond 02 is included in the August shipment to the Philippines.

*question to self: when do i get to the blues?

not under the blues

noreply@blogger.com (Chie Sipin - Bjarenas) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:16:00 +0000

i chose greens instead.

sunshine on my garden 01 is a reproducible bookmark made with green leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, two silver charms and a collection of semi-precious stones including peafowl agate, tiger eye, green aventurine and swarovski golden crystals.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

sunshine on my garden 01 is included in the August shipment to the Philippines.

dark garden 03 is a reproducible bookmark made with green leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including tourmaline, amethyst, jupiter, fluorite and agate.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

dark garden 03 is included in the August shipment to the Philippines.

by the pond 01 is a reproducible bookmark made with green leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including green jasper, jupiter, unpolished stone, green aventurine, and fluorite.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

by the pond 01 is included in the August shipment to the Philippines.

and a bit of maroon. =)

horizons 03 is a reproducible bookmark made with maroon leather strap, bali silver wire and beads, a silver charm and a collection of semi-precious stones including morite, white coral, gold sandstone, cornelian and reticulated browns.

the stones are unique in their patterns, hence reproducible bookmarks are only similar as to the composition and order of stones. each bookmark is made unique by the patterns and colors on each stone it has in its composition.

horizons 03 is included in the August shipment to the Philippines.

31 bookmarks done. 69 left to make.