Reb Bead Up!

New on-0line Jewelry Boutique!

2009-03-10T12:39:00.001+08:00

Dear Friends,
I've just launched a new blog at www.rebeccayam.blogspot.com selling my line of jewelry. For this reason, I will no longer be posting on this blog. Thanks for all your support and hope to see you at the boutique!

Reb

Necklaces!

2009-02-10T10:22:00.004+08:00

Here are a few necklaces. I like this purple one because the beaded beads add a nice weight on the necklace. I have this in white/gold as well as bronze and brown.

This again was an experiment which turned out well. Graduated triangles with Swarovski pearls and rondelles.

An elegant cube made with 6 individual Swarovski rivolis and beaded together. I put this cube with a 49-strand stainless steel necklace. A lovely contrast, don't you think?

My first free-form necklace with freshwater pearls!

This necklace was specially designed and made for my friend IL. I made the first one in silver and periwinkle blue, which she gave away. This one is in silver and gold colours. She can wear it on the gold side, the silver side or even make a lovely twist to mix the colours up!

Photographs by Ethan-Zuriel Yam and Rebecca Yam

Bracelets Day!

2009-02-10T10:00:00.006+08:00

Today I'll show you some of my new bracelets up for sale. I'm in the process of launching a new blog (address will follow in a week or two). It's been really hectic but I'm sure you'll love my new blog and products!

This is a lovely evening bracelet with cubic zircon and Swarovski pearls.

This week I'm working on some wedding jewelry for friends so decided to show you a beautiful Swarovski rivoli worked into a lacy netting bracelet. This can also be made into a choker.

This was a result of an experiment. Turned out quite well I must say! I made a bronze one for myself and am loving wearing it!

Another lacy netting bracelet in red. Attractive and elegant.

Photographs by Ethan-Zuriel Yam

The New Year

2009-01-10T07:57:00.003+08:00

Dear Friends,

I trust you are doing well in the new year. It was quite hectic for me the last few weeks, trying to complete orders, rehearsals for the church dance group and getting ready for the new school year among other things.

This year I will be launching my on-line store. I hope to complete everything by February. I didn't realise there's so much to think about and so many decisions to be made! Anyhow, I'll let you all know the web address and also my new blog in time to come.

I'll post again when I'm able to do check back around Chinese New Year time. Hope to have some pictures for you!

OKH Dance Camp 2008

2008-12-19T08:35:00.006+08:00

After three full days of ballet, latin and broadway, Alethea performed at the ACS Drama Centre last night together with about 50 dancers (some from Brunei and Jakarta). She even sang a broadway solo! To complete the week and evening, she won the Best Dancer Award Senior 2008! We are so proud of her! Here are some photos to share our joy!

Jewelry show 2008

2008-12-17T08:40:00.007+08:00

My dear friends,

Thank you to all who came and supported my recent show. It was a fun time of renewing friendships and catching up. I've decided to leave my jewelry room set up for anyone who wants to drop by and get something special and unique. Please call to make an appointment first.

Here are some photos of that weekend.

Some of the ear-rings I had on sale. I must have made about 100 pairs for the show and had another 90 pairs on order! Many of these are beadwork or wirework ear-rings so unique and exclusive.

I was so proud of Ethan who helped me in more ways than one! Here he is, serving Aunty J. Great job, Ethan!

Here are some of my homemade traditional fruitcake. I didn't make much this year because of a hectic schedule so had a complete sell out! Thanks for all my supporters out there!

Some of my "old" friends from 25 years ago!

I'm now trying to fulfill special orders by Christmas and then take a break to think through what I've been doing the past year. Next year I'm hoping to launch my business on-line and see where that goes.

In the meantime, have a blessed Christmas and a lovely time with family and friends. May we remember why we are here and fulfill the calling on our lives!

Christmas Collection 2008

2008-11-11T10:58:00.002+08:00

My dear friends,
You're warmly invited to my show on Sunday 7th December 2.00pm-6.00pm and Monday 8th December 10.00am to 4.00pm.

I'll send out invites later but this is just to alert you to start making lists and checking it twice!

Cupcakes!

2008-11-02T09:10:00.003+08:00

Last night we had Christmas dance rehearsal and I baked chocolate cupcakes for the dancers. They turned out well and looked really attractive, don't you think?

Wirework Ear-rings

2008-11-02T09:03:00.004+08:00

Don't you just love the twirly effect of these ear-rings? I started out with 22gauge non-tarnish silver wires and Delica beads, then twirled these on a 20gauge wire to create the beads.

The same idea using gold wires and omitting step 2.

Here's a shorter version of the silver ear-rings using gold wire and bronze glass beads.

More, more photos!

2008-10-31T10:16:00.009+08:00

This is a 16-inch woven Swarovski pearl necklace.

The same style in peach and creamrose. Will make a beautiful bridal piece. I do have a few pieces suitable for brides and her bridal party.

This is a beautiful 18-inch good quality freshwater pearl stick necklace coupled with coral beads to complete the marine experience!

Another "mini fan" style necklace with unakite gemstones. I love the intermixing of salmon and greens. Really striking.

This is a 16-inch woven Swarovski necklace with a long drop. Will look good with a V neckline or strapless dress.

More new photos

2008-10-31T09:53:00.018+08:00

Sorry for the long delay in getting these photos out. I've been really overwhelmed with orders (thank you!) and other home duties. Here are a few more photos for you to enjoy.

This is a lovely 16-inch 10mm Amethyst bead necklace coupled with 3mm Peridot rondelles.

A 17-inch pink opal oval flat and nuggets definitely not for the fainthearted! It's chunky and a little weighty but definitely a head turner! I added gold-filled 3mm beads to bring out the colour. Isn't this beautiful?

Snow obsidian is the name of this 17-inch gemstone necklace in a mini fan style. I added Swarovski pearls. Really lovely with almost anything!

Get ready to turn heads with this 17-inch red New Jade seahorse! I added carnelian twisted and round beads together with gold-filled beads. One of my favourites.

By the way, the candle cup in the background was a gift from IL. Thanks!

New collection samples

2008-10-03T09:42:00.007+08:00

Thank you for being SO patient, my dear friends! I've designed and made more than 50 pieces the past few months but it's been really hectic at the YAM household hence the tardiness in providing photos for your viewing pleasure! Anyway, here are just a few to whet your appetite for more to come! Do remember I'm still taking orders for Christmas and my sale is slated for end of November/early December.

This is a lovely 17-inch asymmetrical necklace using 3 different techniques of beadwork. First, on the left is a spiral rope, the right is the St Petersburg weave and finally the centrepiece is coralling uusing freshwater pearls. The Japanese glass seed bead and fire polished bead colours are the same but notice how the accents change with the different techniques employed.

This totally different and unique piece uses a 50-strand stainless steel 16-inch necklace with a 925 silver clasp to hold a lovely New Zealand paua shell cabachon which I embellished with Swarovski crystals and Japanese glass seed beads using the same colours off the shell.

I totally love it!

Another totally different 16-inch necklace employing the Cellini spiral method and stringing. For the Cellini spiral, I used different sizes and shapes of glass beads which gives it the spiral twist. For the rest of the necklace I used Swarovski pearls in graduated sizes which gives it an elegant look.

Nails made into a Cross!

2008-10-02T13:00:00.003+08:00

A few weeks back, Pastor P asked me to make a long necklace from a few nails he got off his old church building roof. After much deliberating, I came up with this 32-inch design. I used antique bronze wire and chain, and mahogany obsidian beads in two sizes. My main difficulty was in stabilising the cross which had a tendency to swing. Any comments or suggestions? What do you think, Pastor P?

Not lost at all!

2008-09-20T07:51:00.003+08:00

My dear friends,

I've been working very hard preparing for my Jewelry Open House to be held sometime in late November. I've made lots of pieces, fulfilled many orders and still trying to complete more special orders that have come in. Thank you for sending these in so early! I like to have time to think and design.

So for those of you who have been checking the blog, please be patient! I'll post some completed works next week. This week has been filled with dance rehearsals, ballet exam and other family activities.

The other day we were walking along Joo Chiat Place and saw this cutest little car! Alethea couldn't resist standing next to it for a photo moment!

See you next week!

Necklaces!

2008-08-20T11:34:00.009+08:00

Here are a few of the ones I recently made:

This is "Crown Jewels" using 6 14mm Rivolis and made into a cuboid. 17-inches with a magnetic clasp.

This is 16.5-inches using 4mm Sawrovski bicones to make a "Crystal Ball." Very lovely.

This is my personal neckace using 6mm Swarovski bicones to make the centrepiece and strung on a stainless steel necklace.

I experimented with bugle twists using the spiral rope technique to make this 17-inch necklace. I liked the way it turned out. I used Swarovski
pearls to complete the necklace.

CLusters of Grapes

2008-08-20T11:17:00.005+08:00

Ever so often, I do go back to wirework! Here are two different clusters. These come in any colour combination requested and various sizes of Swarovki pearls desired.

Flower Power

2008-08-20T11:08:00.001+08:00

Here's a few of the flower ear-rings I made. Again, these come in any colour possible and make great Christmas gifts!

Ear-rings

2008-08-20T10:57:00.004+08:00

Here's a few pairs of "crystal ball" ear-rings I made. These are available in any colour and sizes imaginable!

I'm Still Kicking and Beading!

2008-08-20T10:52:00.003+08:00

I know it's been a while I posted. Rest assured, my faithful customers, I've been beading faithfully non-stop! So far, I've made about 80 pairs of ear-rings (special ones, mind you) and about 50 necklaces! It's just that I haven't had time to take photos with my brain making up new designs every day! So much inspiration, no time to bead!

Last week we had SOTA's inaugural Arts Festival. Alethea danced extremely well in three dances. Here's a photo of her with her friends.

2008-07-05T07:18:00.003+08:00

It's been another crazy week of rushing around like a mad dog! A's taking her ISTD Grade 6 Tap and Grade 6 Modern exams today so we had to pick her up from school and send her to dance coaching every day. Most days we barely had 15 minutes to make it! She's becoming really good at eating and changing in the car, at the same time!

Last night I attended her dance open house and am so proud of the way she has matured and grown in her dancing. This morning I've got to braid her hair and reach the examination centre by 8.45am. Her Tap exam is at 9.30am and her Modern at 11.45am.

This past week I spent time working on an order of five necklaces. I've completed three so next week I hope to complete the whole order and work on another one! I'm planning to have a gallery sale sometime in October/November. If you have any orders please get them in as soon as possible. After the sale I will be taking a break.

I do make more jewelry than I post on the blog. I only post the more exiting, interesting or complicated ones or my favourites! In the next few weeks I'll try to take photos and make an album for those who want to see everything! It may take a while because I've quite a few pieces!

Until next week, have a great weekend!
Reb

New Design and Collection

2008-06-30T09:13:00.009+08:00

Last week I managed to design and make a few pieces for my new collection. Here's a preview!

One of my favourites (which took forever to make!) is a 16-inch choker necklace. I used purple, pink and green to create this floral garden effect. For the centre I used 8mm Swarovski pearls in powder rose. Surrounding the pearls are size 11 and 15 Japanese glass seed beads and Czech 3mm fire polished beads. The clasp is "hidden" in that you can't tell it from the rest of the pearls!

Here's the same necklace using 10mm Swarovski pearls, which makes it a little more chunky.

I can make these necklaces longer and using larger pearls for those who love bigger necklaces. However, from my experimentation, 8mm are the smallest I can go without compromising the floral design. This style will also work well as a collar necklace (which is shorter than the choker and hugs the neck like a Victorian style necklace).

Using the same pearl flowers, I have made ear-rings in any colour imaginable and will work on bracelets this week.

For those who love Y necklaces, here's one for you! About 17-inches and a spiral rope of 4mm Czech fire polished beads pulled together by a pearl flower clasp.

Finally, last one for today is this lovely 16-inch necklace which hugs the base of the neck comfortably and has an attention seeking drop! Will look really nice for day or evening wear.

This must be my ultimate favourite!

Until my next post, have a great week ahead!

Reb

I'm Back!

2008-06-19T14:25:00.008+08:00

After five weeks of hiatus, I'm finally back posting! It's not that I've been slacking. I've been working really hard at designing new pieces and fulfilling orders. It's just that the children's schedules have been different and it's hard to have extended time working or blogging.

How did the STILL dance go? Very well, thank you! We had good reviews and lots of encouraging words. The gals were absolutely professional even though they were wincing inside from bruises while executing the kneeling and rolling on the floor movements. We're very excited about participating at the Christian Counselling Conference on July 23rd. Our very first "outside" appearance!

A couple of weeks ago, I was cutting some paper with a blade and sliced off the tip of my finger together with some nail bits so was helpless for a couple of days! Yes, ouch it was!! It's all healed now, no worries. Lesson learned is to let my son help me in all future cutting! Here are a few new pieces.

This is a 16-inch collar style necklace with tons of freshwater pearls! I must have used at least 4 strands of the lovely green pearls and about 200 Czech fire polished beads! Also incorporated tiger eye beads and Swarovski bicones with the usual Japanese seed beads in sizes 11 and 15. The base of the necklace was made using the netting technique and the luscious bottom was made using the coralling technique. Very comfortable to wear and very distinctive but certainly not for the fainthearted.

Don't you simply love this delicate flower necklace using a large freshwater pearl for the centre and graduated sizes for the necklace itself? A 16-inch necklace, the peachy pink is so light and fluffy in feeling. Goes with almost any outfit, casual or formal. I made another necklace in bronze and almond colours but slightly longer, 18 inches. Looks wonderful too.

That's all for today. Hope to show you my collection of ear-rings at the weekend but no promises. Have a great week!

Another Week of Opportunities!

2008-05-12T08:52:00.007+08:00

This weekend has been quite fruitful in terms of beading. I managed to complete quite a few pieces and am pleased with them. Right now I'm working on a series of necklaces, bracelets and watch bands for Christmas. I'll probably have them all ready by late October for a gallery showing. If there's anything special you want me to make for you, do let me know. Remember, I don't post all my designs on the blog, just the ones that are different and a bit more special. I do make lots of other jewelry as well.

This is a lovely lime green 37-inch lariat and 5-inch drop which took 3 days to make! For the main lariat I used size 8, 11 and 15 Japanese glass seed beads, Swarovski crystals and Czech fire polished beads. For the drop, in addition to the glass seed beads I also used lots of freshwater pearls, amethyst gemstone beads and Czech fire polished beads.

The colours are youthful and simply gorgeous.

Here's a lovely bling-bling 17-inch necklace made from Swarovski rivolis. I used 16 and 18 mm rivolis. The main necklace is made from Swarovski bicone crystals. Really nice for evening wear.

And the last necklace for today is an 18-inch spiral rope necklace with a pyrite centrepiece. Pyrite is also called "fool's gold" because there are lovely shiny gold coloured speckles which catch the light nicely.

For the spiral rope I used size 8 and 11 Japanese glass seed beads together with Swarovski bicone crystals and Czech fire polished beads.

Now off I go to get more inspiration and work done for this week. Have a wonderful week everyone!

Another photo

2008-05-09T09:48:00.003+08:00

This is a substantial 16-inch necklace which took a long time to complete. I do love how it turned out. Unable to find a bead cap to fit the end of the necklace, I made my own! I think I'll keep this one!

I made a purple one too. Will show it to you another day. I'm in the process of completing another lariat with lovely leaves and "fruits."

Meanwhile, I'm beading more today so who knows what nect week will bring.

Here are the Photos!

2008-05-09T09:37:00.007+08:00

I managed to take some photos this morning. Here they are:

I experimented with three 14mm Swarovski rivoli and came up with three ear-rings. I haven't made the other sides yet!

I've got a few other colours like red and blue. I'm hoping to get a few white ones too. These are really nice for evening wear especially with a simple dress or blouse. When the rivolis catch the light they are really pretty!

This is a 17-inch necklace I made for a customer. I did a 5-inch Dutch spiral rope with Swarovski 3mm and 4mm bicone crystals, size 8, 11 and 15 glass seed beads. For the rest of the necklace I used Swarovski pearls and 4mm bicone crystals held together by a gold coloured magnetic clasp.

This is a 17-inch necklace done completely in Dutch spiral rope with a silver coloured

magnetic clasp. I think this necklace will look lovely for a bride on her wedding day or for anyone who wants to look extra special!

Life on the fast lane

2008-05-08T23:20:00.003+08:00

My dear friends,
I've been working really hard. Really I have! I made a few samples of Swarovski rivoli ear-rings, experimented with beading pearls, designed andmade about 6 new necklaces and filled three new orders. It's just that I've not had time to take photos of my work yet and when I have time (like now) the lighting is just not right! I promise I will try to put up photos by the weekend.

The children have been having exams the past two weeks and I've been really anxious for them. This week we've had two specialists' appointments which were quite satisfactory in their outcome. At least we feel we're moving along in one direction now.

I was very proud of my daughter last week when she went to my husband's Counseling Adolescents class and gave a presentation on Self Injurious Behavior in Teens. My husband's teaching this college level class. The counselors asked questions and she was able to answer clearly. Not bad for a twelve-year-old! She ended the presentation by reading a poem she wrote about her own journey. She was asked to publish her works! Maybe one day I'll post a few of them for you to enjoy.

See you next week!

2008-04-23T07:32:00.003+08:00

Here's a 23-inch funky necklace using the spiral rope technique and a 7-inch centre. I got my inspiration from the tongue twister "She sells seashells on the seashore!" If you notice, I used tiny seashells (they ARE real!), freshwater pearls, mother of pearl nuggets, turquoise nuggets, coral beads, Swarovski crystals, and other types of shells. I have a dried seahorse but I thought I'd keep it for another necklace!

Find Rest My Soul!

2008-04-23T07:19:00.007+08:00

This Sunday, about 11 gals and I will embark on a four-week journey of interpretive dance working with the song STILL by Reuben Morgan for our church services at the end of May.

Here's an 18-inch necklace I made using inspiration from Isaiah 40:31 which says "But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

The main necklace is made from 3mm white cube glass beads using the Ndebele technique of beadwork incorporating 11.0 Miyuki glass seed beads in pink and orange sorbet colours. For the centrepiece, I used a rose quartz eagle! Lots of freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystals and 15.0 glass seed beads.

To my friends out there who are going through some struggles in your life, keep that chin up and find rest in Christ.

Thank God It's Friday again!

2008-04-18T07:12:00.006+08:00

This week has been another challenging one with a health problem in the family. After hours of pain and waiting in three doctors' offices, we finally managed to see the specialist at the hospital who is a friend of ours. This health problem has persisted for almost four weeks so it was good to have an expert opinion. A battery of tests was carried out and medications prescribed. This morning, the pain is much under control and life is beginning to look a bit more manageable.

Needless to say, amidst all the waiting, I still managed to make a few pieces! (May I just mention to my friends out there that I don't post every single piece I make). So if you're looking for more pieces, do contact me and I'll be happy to show you more!

It's been months since I last made a necklace using the St Petersburg weaving technique and it was nice to pick it up again. This 17-inch necklace uses 11.0 and 15.0 Miyuki glass seed beads and Czech fire polished beads. For the centrepiece I used a Swarovski tear drop crystal. The green and blue gives you the feeling of being by the beach!

These cuboid beads are quite substantial. I used 6 14mm Swarovski rivolis together with 11.0 and 15.0 Miyuki glass seed beads and Swarovski bicones for the corners. I love how it can be strung on a simple chain (has to be medium sized). In the samples below I used a stainless steel choker necklace for one and for the other I did a spiral rope with Swarovski bicones.

Another New Week

2008-04-08T06:55:00.006+08:00

It's only Tuesday and I'm already feeling the strain of this week! My husband's organising an Asia-Pacific conference which begins on Thursday and runs through Saturday so he's been running around taking care of details and last minute arrangements, while at the same time working and picking up A from school.

The children have the national fitness test this week (which means aching muscles, fatigue and whining about not being able to complete their chores!), and my daughter has been invited by a classmate to the Ministry of Sound to watch Sean Kingston tonight. With dance lessons on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and my husband involved in the conference, I have to travel back and forth to caperone my daughter. My son has Chinese tuition on Wednesday and Friday so lots of planning for dinner arrangements.

This morning, while I was waiting for the family to get ready for school and work, I was already feeling the stress. I have some orders to fulfill and new designs to make. However, I felt so much better when I looked out of my study window. I could see the sun rising. Here are two photos, taken at 6.30am,10 minutes apart. Two phrases come to mind: "From the rising of the sun, to its going down, the Lord's name is to be praised!" and "His mercies are new every morning."

I've been working on a new design for a necklace using 6 Swarovski rivolis and just completed it. Really nice. Will upload photos later. Now working on a lovely, sparkly bracelet! Have a great day, friends.

Whimsy

2008-03-31T12:36:00.003+08:00

Here's my completed my 19-inch whimsical spikey necklace! It took a while to get the right combination of colours. After a few false starts, I decided on green for the centrepiece, graduating to pink. I love how it has come out. The black Swarovski pearls in graduated sizes also bring out the vibrant colours. A magnetic clasp completes the necklace.

I like this so much I may make another one in blue! However, since it takes so long to complete, I'm moving on to another design first. Stay tuned!

Tubal elegance III

2008-03-29T14:54:00.004+08:00

Here's my peach 18-inch necklace! I added a bit of turquoise, lime green, beige and rusty red to make it look a little bit American southwestern in style.

The tubal beads are flanked by Swarovski pearls and crystals.

I'm now working on a labour intensive necklace which is whimsical. My daughter suggested a green version which will look exactly like durians! Can't wait to show you the finished product sometime next week.

Tubal Elegance II

2008-03-26T14:30:00.003+08:00

Here's my completed green necklace, 18 inches in length. I'm going to make one in 22 inches for my friend, Y. She loves green and orange colours!

Now on to complete my peach necklace!

Royalty

2008-03-26T11:19:00.004+08:00

This is another special order. An 18-inch necklace with 5 beaded beads in graduated sizes, 12mm, 8mm and 6mm. I used Delica beads with 15.0 glass seed beads and Swarovski pearls underneath. The rest of the necklace is Swarovski crystal bicones and rondelles which makes it suitable for evening wear as well. Looks nicer than the photo!

Tubal elegance

2008-03-26T08:39:00.005+08:00

This week began as busy as usual but I was determined to sit down and produce something! I started on a few ideas and came up with this lovely 18-inch necklace. This is specially made for a custom order. I peyote stitched 11 beads in brilliant purples and fuchsias separated by Swarovski bicones and rondelles. A peyote beaded toggle ties everything together.

I was so inspired by the purple necklace, I made similar necklaces in blue, green, peach and pink! This blue necklace is 16 inches and hugs the neck quite nicely. Instead of using Swarovski rondelles, I used Swarovski pearls which changed the look.
The rest of the week will be used to complete these necklaces as part of my new collection to be shown in May. Look out for more inspirations in the weeks to come!

Back to work!

2008-03-24T10:32:00.005+08:00

My dear friends,

On Monday 3rd March we received a phone call from my husband's sister informing us that his mum had passed away at home. He drove up with his nephew, niece and her boyfriend to Kuala Trengganu on Tuesday. I took the children out of school and we left on the bus on Wednesday. We arrived back late Thursday night, just in time for the children to return to the last day of school. Between them they missed 8 exams!

The Christian cemetery was the smallest I'd ever seen! Probably big enough to build two bungalows on the land! We are thankful that Mum's suffering has ended. She had a hip replacement about six years ago and several strokes later which rendered her incapable of speaking or doing anything for herself.

After we returned home I was involved in preparations for Good Friday so work was on hold for another two weeks! Today is my first day back at work and I'm trying to finish up a few back orders. I've had some inspiration for new pieces but that will have to wait until I'm done with these orders! I hope I can still remember the ideas!

Thank you for writing and calling about the jewelry pieces. I'm happy when people appreciate my work! Hello to NJ all the way in India! Thanks for your comments!

Until I next write and post the completed orders, do have a great week ahead!

2008-02-28T07:20:00.002+08:00

Here's one last photo for the day! This is an endless necklace with a unique bead design. The big beads are made of Miyuki Delica beads in colours -- 2 reds, 2 purples, 2 greens and copper. They are 3-dimensional and really catch the light and attention too. I put together with faceted black onyx beads in various sizes. This necklace can go well with almost anything. An elegant black dress to a casual white rayon blouse and jeans!

I'm still working on several more designs but don't envisage completing them before next week. See you next week!

2008-02-28T07:13:00.003+08:00

This is a lovely spiral rope necklace with beaded Rivolis! This is the "in" thing and is very lovely to look at especially when the Rivolis catch the light. I used two14mm and one 16mm Rivolis to bead around. These have no drill holes so I designed my own pattern to encase them. For the centre Rivoli I used Peridot gem stones as well. It's quite an addictive design and I'm looking forward to making lots more in different sizes and colours! However, they are expensive and not easy to find in sizes I want.

Finally!

2008-02-28T06:47:00.013+08:00

Thank you for ytour constant feedback and suggestions. I apologize for my tardiness in putting up new designs. I tried earlier in the week but my camera was not behaving very well. Photos kept coming out blurred.

I spent the last week or two designing new pieces. Hours of sketching, getting together the beads in the colour schemes to my liking and then settling down to actually making my sketches come to life was very time consuming. I enjoyed the process very much though! The designs I posted today are totally mine. I hope you like them!

This is an elegant bracelet made from Swarovski pearls (creamrose) and cubic zircon crystals in three sizes which explains the lovely bling! I simply love it! It took me about 4 tries before I came up with this finished product. A strong magnetic clasp makes it extremely easy to wear! Very suitable for weddings. I will be making these in peach, pink, blue and green!

Here's a necklace similar to the bracelet design with slightly different crystals. It's 16 inches, close to the neck and very suitable for evening wear. I used different sizes of Swarovski pearls (creamrose and one peach)) and Japanese glass seed beads to make the curve in the necklace. As with the bracelet, this necklace can be made in almost any colour imaginable or available!

Here's another bracelet! I used Swarovski pearls to make flowers! The flowers are made from Miyuki Delica glass beads, size 11 and 15 glass beads as well. It's very comfortable to wear and again, can be done in any colour scheme. A nice casual piece to go with any day outfit but particular nice with jeans!

Another bracelet with pearl-centred flowers but a slightly different design. I used 6mm Swarovski crystals to link each flower. The clasp is triangular which makes it very secure.

Spring cleaning!

2008-02-19T06:52:00.003+08:00

For the past couple of weeks I've been going through my stash of beads and gem stones, and trying to organise them in such a way I get to see all of them on the table and get inspired. So far it's been an uphill task because I can't get much done before having to go to the market, do the laundry, prepare meals, meet the children for lunch, take my daughter to dance classes or piano lessons...

Although I've been beading steadily, experimenting with new ideas, I've not really completed anything worthy of mention yet. Take yesterday for example. I got this really cool idea for a bracelet only to find I didn't have all the components needed to experiment with and that meant another trip down to my suppliers. Another frustration with the suppliers is the limited stocks they have. Many people make their own jewelry now but they look for the cheapest parts. I'm looking for better quality components so I have to order online. Two weeks ago, I was looking for bead caps. The ones they had in the store (their best quality) was 6 caps for S$4.00. The ones I was looking for was S$50 for ONE! Needless to say they didn't have it.

Someone asked me the other day how long it takes to come up with a new design. Well, I carry a sketchbook with me everywhere I go so I can draw or write down ideas. After sketching it out, I sit at my studio desk for hours, flipping through magazines and books for inspiration, looking through my bead stash and trying to come up with the right combination of colours. Then I start putting my ideas to thread and needle. Sometimes it takes a few days of experimentation before I come up with a combination of colours that I like. Once that's settled, I start on making the whole piece. Many times I've had to cut up everything and start all over again for various reasons like the beads don't sit properly, the piece is not comfortable when worn etc etc. It may take a few weeks for the design to be completed and ready to sell. I always wear the new designs just to make sure it falls nicely. But you'll be pleased to know I'm always working on more than one piece at a time!

Check back again next week. I hope to have something to show you!

Week 5 - Ready, Steady, Go!

2008-01-30T07:01:00.000+08:00

Thank you to all who have complimented my jewelry thus far. It has been a joy crafting new designs and locating the perfect beads for them. I've been trying to work faster but unfortunately, the unavailability of my choice of jewelry components in Singapore (having to order from overseas takes one week at least) and the new school schedule has been rather challenging in more ways than one. But I plod on in the name of art! Here are a few pieces completed last week.

This is a stainless steel 16-inch necklace which means not having to deal with oxidization. My new series contains different centrepieces in an array of colours for different occasions! I'm still designing centrepieces and will show them to you in a week or two. This week's centrepiece is made from Delica beads in a shiny purple, green and gold tone. I used Swarovski rondells for the lacy drop which catches the light really well in the evening.

This is a Tiger's Eye cabachon which I beaded with an ultrasuede backing for comfort and durability. The necklace is 17 inches and completed with a strong matt and shiny gold-tone magnetic clasp. I mixed both matt and shiny beads to bring out the textures.

Cameo Ear Rings

2008-01-18T11:49:00.000+08:00

This morning has been quite productive for me! Here's a pair of beadwork ear rings made with cameo cabachons. I used Toho Delica beads together with 11.0 and 15.0 glass seed beads.

There's a matching pendant cabachon I'm working on now, incorporating a peach aventurine pendant and beads. Since I'll be accompanying my daughter to ballet and tap this evening I probably won't get to finish it till the weekend. See you next week!

Chinese New Year

2008-01-18T09:49:00.000+08:00

Good morning friends! Last year, I found a lovely cinnabar pendant with the Chinese word "love" on it. I sold one at the Christmas sale, made one for myself and this last one I decided to bead it like a cabachon. Here's the end result. It's has a 16-inch spiral rope necklace and I absolutely love it! This will be perfect for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations which always reminds me of family and friends, and the love we share for one another.

Some of you have asked how I end up with a cabachon design. I don't really follow a pattern from any book. However, when I first started, I did just to get a feel of what is needed. Now I develop the design with the pendant or cabachon in my hand. Sometimes I make a sample or work a few rows and find that it doesn't go the way I would like so I rip the beadwork out! It takes anywhere from 3 to 9 hours to work on it! Of course not counting the many days I just look at the piece to get inspiration.

Spring's here!

2008-01-16T12:10:00.000+08:00

This 16-inch spiral rope necklace has a lovely rhodochrosite cabachon which I beaded. I used Toho cylinder glass beads, 11.o glass beads, 15.0 glass beads and Swarovski crystals. The clasp is an antique gold flower.

I took these photos without flash to minimise the glare. It's a little lighter than what is shown here. Really nice.

New Creations for the year

2008-01-16T07:52:00.000+08:00

The past two weeks have been really challenging in terms of time and scheduling but things are beginning to settle down now. Next week will see a new schedule for school but we'll cross the bridge when we come to it!

Anyway, as promised, here are my new designs for the year.

This first piece is a 34 inch lariat. I used lots of Czech leaf glass beads, coral beads, fire polished beads and Swarovski crystals. I absolutely love how it turned out.

A Chinese New Year possibility! 16 inches with a lovely Chinese porcelain pendant and aluminium beads on the side.

This is a 28-inch "endless" necklace made with

Japanese wood beads, Czech glass beads as well as aluminium beads (will not tarnish).

A New Beginning -- 2008!

2008-01-09T07:08:00.001+08:00

Dear Friends,

A very happy new year to all of you! We started the new year with great anticipation. Our son will be taking one of his most important school exams this year, the "O" levels. Our daughter started at School of the Arts (SOTA). My husband has new plans for this year's business and I'll be working harder on creating more jewelry pieces for all of you!

I've started beading and will post photos later in the week. Thought I'd share some photos of my daughter's new school and friends today.

This is the new school logo. I love that it's so colourful!

Here's the Minister for Communications and the Arts at the school's official opening with the Vice-Principal.

My daughter with her new friends Adeline and Yuki. They will specialise in ballet.

On Vacation

2007-12-11T08:23:00.000+08:00

Dear Friends,
Just to let you know I'll be taking a break from jewelry making until January 2008. There's lots of spring cleaning to do before school starts. This aspect of home life has been neglected for the past year! The family will also be going on vacation next week. This doesn't mean I'll not be thinking about new designs for you!

So until I see you again next year, have a very special blessed CHRISTmas and a gratitude-filled New Year!

An Eventful Week

2007-11-24T18:12:00.000+08:00

I've no jewelry photos to post today but wanted to share good news with you. My daughter did quite all right for her primary school leaving examination. Added to our joy was her acceptance into the dance program at the new School of the Arts (SOTA). This is the first pre-tertiary integrated academics and arts program in Singapore. Out of 1,000 applicants they have accepted 139 into music, visual arts, theatre and dance to join the historical first intake! School begins in January and they will follow the International Baccalaureate program which means the students do not take the usual O and A levels. It's a 6-year program and then on to university after they receive the diploma. Although it's reputed to be a rigorous course of study, we're excited about the new experiences and courses available.

The first two years will be foundational which means the students will all take music, art, theatre and visual arts as well as the academic subjects of English, Maths, Science, Literature, Humanities etc.

In the photo above, three other dancemates also made it to SOTA. A is the one at the end nearest to the camera. Thanks for sharing our joy! See you next week, hopefully with some photos.

A new design

2007-11-19T09:36:00.000+08:00

This is another flower lariat! I simply love flowers! Anyway, it's quite a lush design with flowers in all sorts of cheerful colours. Will go well with any plain coloured outfit.

The flowers took about 2 days to make because I experimented with many different colours and possibilities. Putting the necklace together took another day or so. I kept the spiral rope dark in order to bring out the colours of the flowers.

I've developed another design for flowers but have yet to put it together. Hope to show you by the end of the week!

Three completed projects!

2007-11-19T09:18:00.000+08:00

It has been a hectic weekend with A's dance rehearsals running from 11am to the evening hours. Added to that was the fact that she needed her hair in French braids which takes me forever to do! Nevertheless, I managed to complete three necklaces.

The first one is in bright pink, 16 inches using the Cellini spiral technique. I used Miyuki/Toho delicas, size 11 and also size 10 triangle beads. I also weaved a Swarovski pearl in matching colours for the clasp.

This green and bronze ruffles necklace is a simplified version of the pattern found in the recent Beadwork magazine. It's 18 inches long. Will go well with a dressy outfit.

Last, but not least is a lovely floral 925 silver cross completed with a spiral rope of blue and silver Miyuki/Toho glass beads. I used a strong magnetic clasp which makes this necklace so easy to wear. It's length is about 17 inches and will go well with any casual outfit.

Egyptian Choker

2007-11-11T07:03:00.000+08:00

This lovely green choker was a joy to make. It's 14.5 inches and fits snugly at the base of the neck. I'm thinking of making another in sapphire blue and gold!

These next few weeks leading to the first weekend of December will be filled with dance rehearsals. A will be performing at her dance school's end-of-the-year charity fund raising concert and has been going for rehearsals about 5 times a week! This means any project I start may be interrupted now and then, so must be mobile and easy to pick up.

Now that this Egyptian choker is complete, let's see what I'll work on next! See you next week!

Family Pictures

2007-11-09T17:06:00.001+08:00

How many of you out there are cat lovers? My family and I simply LOOOVE cats! In fact, we have two Ragdolls. Thought I'd share them with you today since there are no new jewelry to show! Ragdolls are very gentle and not as active as other cats. They follow us around the house like dogs!
This is Lion-O. He belongs to my almost 16-year-old son, E. Lion-O was named after the leader of the retro-comic titled The Thundercats. Lion-O is two years old and has a foot fetish. He loves to attack feet in socks. He loves ice and soft blankets. At night he sleeps at E's feet on the bed.

This is Sniffles, or affectionately known as Sniffy/Stiff/Slippers/Sniffalocious or Naughty Girl! She is 7 years old and Lion-O's grandmother. She belongs to my daughter, A. Sniffy loves longans and is beginning to like ice too. She also loves to eat chicken and takes long naps on my husband's side of the bed.

Next Step...

2007-11-09T09:12:00.000+08:00

Well, I've completed all my back orders and looking forward to a nice break. It doesn't mean I'll not be beading. In fact, I'll probably bead even more to prepare for my January party. As you can see, I'm really into flowers now! I hope to come up with more original pieces. If you have any ideas of suggestions of beadwork designs, do let me know.

Some of you have asked what's the difference between beading and beadwork. Well, beading is a general term for working with beads (includes gemstone beads). This includes stringing and wirework which can be done quite quickly. Beadwork is a technique using special thread, needle and sewing thousands of tiny glass beads into designs like flowers, spiral ropes etc. It is a time consuming technique so you won't find it too often being sold in shops because the pieces may cost more than S$400! Of course making the piece is one thing. It takes many more hours to get inspiration, put beads together in a perfect colour combination and then experiment with new designs and layout. I spend hours experimenting on just one design and have lots of slightly made pieces which didn't work out! No repeated design will ever look the same because I do not like to use the exact same materials over again and neither do my customers like someone else wearing the exact same thing!

Hope this helps!

A Commissioned Piece

2007-11-09T09:05:00.000+08:00

This was a special order I just completed for R. This necklace is 25 inches long with the watch face facing upwards for the wearer's easy reading of time! She wanted something for casual wear but as you can see, she can also wear it on special occasions. It's really one-of-a-kind! Hope you like it, R!

I like it SO much I made make something similar for myself!

It's Friday Again!

2007-11-09T09:00:00.000+08:00

This past week I managed to complete a watch for my daughter. She simply loves it and wears it all the time! For my watch, I made it a bit bigger to fit my 6.5 inch wrist but A is very much slimmer so I made hers narrower to fit her 5.5 inch wrist. Both took equally long to make!

I'm back at work!

2007-11-01T10:59:00.000+08:00

Last week was hectic because of a death in the family. However, I managed to design a new lariat necklace and watch strap. I simply love the colours and the flowers, don't you?! The flowers took forever to make but I'm glad I did! Sorry, they are not for sale but for my personal use. If you would like something similar, do let me know.

Check out the bumble bees on the watch strap!

Beautiful Sunday

2007-10-21T06:16:00.000+08:00

Dear Friends,
Thank you to those who came to my gallery sale! We had a good time catching up, trying on pieces of jewelry, learning new things about ourselves (and each other)and even designing our own ear-rings (which were duly put together by my daughter)! Great job, A! I'm sorry the sale couldn't be longer. I know many wanted to come but the day and time was not right. I'm planning to have the next sale in January, before Chinese New Year. In the meantime, do check my blog weekly for updates.

My husband left for the US in the wee hours of this morning and will be away for two weeks so I have to hold the fort for post-op hospital visits, graduation parties, make gifts for A's teachers, spring cleaning, taking care of our two Ragdoll cats, etc.

Sorry no photos today. My camera's battery refuses to be charged so I'll have to get a new one this week. See you next week!

A Long Weekend

2007-10-16T09:44:00.000+08:00

Last Friday my daughter went for day surgery to remove a swollen lymph node which had been around for about ten months. The doctor decided it was for the best to get a biopsy to rule out serious illnesses. Needless to say, we experienced some degree of anxiety. Thanks to ALL of you to prayed for us, especially for the doctors and for my daughter. It was an uneventful experience with not too much pain as earlier anticipated. She is now doing very well and life is back to normal except no dancing for one month.

Now I'm busy cataloging the jewelry for this Saturday's sale. Thanks to those of you who made early orders. I'm also working on some of your designs. Hope to see you this weekend at 10am!

Endless bracelet

2007-09-28T14:44:00.000+08:00

Here's the 6mm Swarovski pearl bracelet. I alternated between green and white pearls. Since it's a substantial bracelet, I decided to do away with the clasp or toggle and make it an "endless." It's also a little stretchy so quite easy to put on. I really like this very much since it's quite versatile be it for the casual shopping trip or a nice dinner with evening wear.

Now I'm off to a ballet lesson with my daughter. Have a great weekend!

Pink Lady

2007-09-28T12:55:00.000+08:00

This 10-strand twisted necklace incorporates rhodochrosite and fluorite chips. I also used Swarovski pearls and the usual crystals, fire polished beads and glass seed beads.

I liked it so much, I started on another twisted necklace using freshwater pearls! Will post the photo tomorrow.

Another Week Gone By!

2007-09-28T12:45:00.000+08:00

This has been a good week for me in that I've been able to create quite a few pieces in preparation for my upcoming gallery sale. Exam fever is in the air. My 15-year-old son starts exams today and runs for 7 days! My daughter's important PSLE exam begins next Wednesday on through the following Monday. My husband was home yesterday and in between sending the car for servicing he was a great help at home buying lunch and dinner for me, supervising the children study for exams, playing with the cats...

Because of that I was able to make this green and purple bracelet last night using the netting technique and incorporating fire polished beads inside. Glass beads in size 11 and 15. It's a nice weight and a little stretchy.

This aquamarine blue and coral coloured bracelet was made morning. I used cat's eye beads so this bracelet is even heavier and more substantial but still quite comfortable. Again, I used Miyuki and Toho size 11 and 15 glass beads.

A Lovely and Fruitful Day

2007-09-26T15:56:00.000+08:00

I spent the day working on my jewelry pieces and completed everything about 2pm. Made myself a cup of tea and looked out the window to enjoy the view. What a sight. My neighbour's Japanese roses were in full bloom, all 500 or so of them! Yellow, white, light pink, dark pink, and orange were working as a team to bring joy to my little quiet moment. Two tiny yellow birds sat on the tree outside my window, singing hymns of joy. Then my daughter came home with surprise gifts for me. My favourite chocolate bar and my favourite grape drink!

This necklace was adapted from a magazine. I thought the white may be too stark but it looks quite nice on me I must say! All in all, very nice!

2007-09-26T10:47:00.000+08:00

Here's what I made during the weekend. Two contrasting coloured bracelets to see the effects. The purple is more classic while the pink seems more casual. I used 4mm cube beads with size 11 and 8 Miyuki glass seed beads, Swarovski crystals and Czech fire polished beads together with Swarovski pearls for the toggles. The techniques employed are ladder stitch and Ndebele.

Lacy Bracelet

2007-09-26T10:42:00.000+08:00

Using the Ndebele technique I made this delicate lacy design. I also experimented with different colours and found them quite interesting. Here are two of them.

Caterpillar bracelet

2007-09-26T10:36:00.000+08:00

I started this bracelet a couple of hours ago because I needed something purple and pink to inspire me! It's a substantial bracelet and I used Swarovski disks, Czech fire polished beads, Czech glass bead leaves, Cat's eye beads and my size 11 and 15 glass seed beads. For the toggle I weaved a Swarovski pearl.

Now that I'm inspired, I'm off to create a new necklace! Who knows what it'll be?!

Another Bright Sunny Day1

2007-09-22T09:11:00.001+08:00

It was raining so much last week I thought I'd never see the sun again but the past two days have proved me wrong! Not only has it been really hot (my hung out clothes dry in an hour!) but it's been really humid as well.

I completed this lilac and pink necklace after my daughter's ballet class last night. It was really fun deciding on the colours and shades to use. This time I added Swarovki pearls to one of the 10-strand twist. I think it looks really nice. I also made this necklace longer, about 21 inches whereas the others are about 19 inches. I'm thinking of making another one in blue this time.

Final project for the day

2007-09-21T15:46:00.000+08:00

I had a nice quiet day with both my children in school till late this afternoon. So I decided to start on another necklace before my daughter and I went off for her ballet lesson.

This 10-strand twisted necklace is made with 4 different kinds of white beads, pastel peach and silver. I also used Swarovski crystals and Czech fire polished beads. Lovely as a wedding accessory as well.

Hot Chili Pepper

2007-09-21T10:28:00.000+08:00

Here it is! Couldn't resist showing you immediately! I love how the colours flow together. This will look lovely on a classic black or gray dress/blouse.

Thank God It's Friday!

2007-09-21T09:43:00.000+08:00

Believe it or not, the new matching bracelet and necklace have been sold! I guess I'll have to make another similar one for the sale. Right now I'm making a black, red and orange one and the next one in line is a pastel pink, blue, green, yellow and white.

A couple of you have called me to place special orders. Thank you! I'll be starting work on them next week when I've got the "ingredients" together.

As you have guessed and concluded (from photos) by now, I'm really addicted to beadwork! I love working with colours and enjoy picking out complimentary colours for my projects. It's easy to string beads or gems together but much harder artistically to incorporate them together with seed beads, turning them into a small work of art. My favourite theme is flowers and greenery. It reminds me of God's creations, faithfulness and creativity. Have a great weekend and see you next week!

Matching Necklace

2007-09-20T13:14:00.000+08:00

Here's my completed necklace! This is a 14-strand 19-inch twisted necklace. I tried wearing it flat but decided it looks most beautiful twisted. I used mainly greens and purples and like the bracelet, it has a woven Swarovski pearl for a toggle. I also used 5mm Czech fire polished beads which catches the light really well.

I'm off to my suppliers to get more cube beads and beads in many other colours! Who knows what tomorrow may bring?!

Gallery Sale

2007-09-20T10:48:00.000+08:00

Dear Friends,
I've finally settled on the date to showcase my pieces of beadwork jewelry! Do set aside Saturday, October 20th (Hari Raya Haji holiday in Singapore) to come see my work and hopefully purchase something! I will open from 10am to 3pm. Since it's a public holiday, do leave your children at home with Dad so you can take your time trying on all my pieces!

As many of you know, I try to make original designs not found outside so what you get is one-of-a-kind. Many pieces take more than 4 hours to complete but may take up to two weeks cooking in my brain! I also use good materials like silver and gold filled findings. No mass production means you won't find an item in 10 different colours or sizes! If you see something you like but it's not in your size or colour, I can replicate it (never exactly for various reasons like the same colours or beads may not be available, other customers don't like to see someone else wearing the exact same piece they bought, and of course my artistic inspiration).

If you're thinking of a specially designed piece (or pieces), it would be better to make an appointment with me before or after the sale. It may be difficult to spend time with you at the sale while wanting to make sure you have your perfect design if there are other customers around. Hope you understand!

So, do start making your list and putting your designs on paper! I will take orders up to end of October (no exceptions). I'll complete all orders by early December since I will be taking a break till January 2008.

Bracelet 5

2007-09-20T08:22:00.000+08:00

Yes, you guessed it! I'm in a bracelet making mood this week! This luxurious 12-strand bracelet is made with cube beads, size 11 Miyuki and Toho glass seed beads, Czech fire polished beads and a woven Swarovski pearl for the toggle. You can wear it flat or twisted like the photo. It's so lovely, I'm making a necklace now!

Bracelet 4

2007-09-18T08:40:00.000+08:00

This is another of my favourites! I used a cat's eye bead to start the flower and simply love the effect! The flower sits on 3 peyote leaves and a bracelet base of size 11 Miyuki and Toho glass seed beads with Czech fire polished beads.

Preparing for Christmas

2007-09-17T08:04:00.001+08:00

Some of you have already called to reserve pieces or ask me to make special designs to give away as Christmas presents. I do have many more pieces than I display on my blog so if you're interested, do drop me a line. This year I'll be taking a break from December so orders have to reach me latest end of September. It's also not too early to plan for Valentine's Day and Mothers' Day next year!

Bracelet 3

2007-09-17T08:01:00.000+08:00

For this bracelet, instead of a flower centrepiece I decided to use seashells, rose quartz beads, cat's eye beads and Swarovski pearls.

Bracelet 2

2007-09-17T07:58:00.000+08:00

This one has a different flower design. I used size 11 Miyuki and Toho glass seed beads with Swarovski pearls and Czech fire polished beads. One of my favourites!

Bracelet 1

2007-09-17T07:56:00.000+08:00

Last week was bracelet week! I made four! Here's the first one. I added pink freshwater pearls and a little flower toggle.

A Gift

2007-09-17T07:51:00.000+08:00

My daughter asked me to make her a choker necklace the other day. "What colour would you like it in?" I asked. "Brown, of course!" She answered indignantly! Yes, my 12-year-old's favourite colour is brown. No longer pinks and purples!

Here it is, a brown, peach and olive green choker. There are two loops at the back where she can attached her choice of organza ribbon. Hope you like it, darling!

Rainbow Links

2007-09-17T07:46:00.000+08:00

In the midst of the hectic two weeks, I needed something colourful in my life and came up with a nice opera length necklace using my colour wheel! It was quite therapeutic watching the colours come together. Life is like that, isn't it? We need the light and dark colours as well as the bright and not so bright colours to complete our experience. I used almost 5,000 Miyuki and Toho size 11 glass seed beads!

Calm after the Drizzle

2007-09-17T07:13:00.000+08:00

After a hectic two weeks of taking care of my two children, I can finally sit down and blog a little! My 12-year-old daughter will be sitting for her Primary School Leaving Examinations in a little less than 3 weeks from now so we've working hard at revising her four subjects (English, Chinese, Maths and Science). This is an important exam because her results will determine the quality of secondary school she can apply to. Then there's dance classes and doctors' visits for various problems.

My fifteen-year-old son ended up with bursitis in his foot and a pulled shoulder muscle after a week of bad flu which required some pampering! It's Monday and they're off to school again so here I am!

Although my blog has been quiet, I've been faithfully working as you will see in the photos. I've been wanting to schedule a gallery sale for my friends but it's been next to impossible at the moment. So sorry! I'll let you know when I will be able to do this.

Some of you have asked how I go about my work so I thought I'd share a little. Although I've taken professional classes in jewelry making and design, and can work with almost any technique, my favourite medium is working with glass beads and gems. I love to mix and match colours with textures. I especially love working on garden themes and whimsical designs. When I want to start a new piece, I usually decide on the the main colour and pull out all my materials in that colour, stare at them for a few hours or days even (!) before coming up with a design. Even then, it may not turn out exactly how I envisioned it to be because the beads and gems seem to have a life of their own!

Usually I don't repeat a design exactly unless it's in a different colour scheme. My customers know the pieces they acquire are one-of-a-kind, and no one else has one exactly like that.

Teachers' Day

2007-08-29T10:48:00.001+08:00

Last week when my daughter asked me to make an opera necklace for her favourite teacher, Mrs S for Teachers' Day this weekend, I experimented with many colours and designs for woven beads before coming up this 45 inch long necklace!
My daughter wanted it in blues and greens with some orange because her teacher is very cheerful and bubbly. I also added Black Onyx beads with Hematite beads, Swarovki crystals and Miyuki glass seed beads. The dark colours on the necklace really brings out the colours of the beads, don't you think? I hope you like it, Mrs S!

What a Rainy Day!

2007-08-29T10:24:00.000+08:00

Yesterday we had one of the heaviest rainfalls in Singapore. Lots of floods especially in the low lying areas. Our son had a doctor's appointment downtown and when we were done, the rain was so heavy we could not even walk to the bus stop. Our daughter had just been released from school and called me because it was impossible to even walk out of school. My husband, bless his heart, decided to pick her up and drive us all the way home even though he had to go back to the office! What a day!

This is a pair of ear-rings I made using Ndebele and Peyote techniques. I love them SO much, I'm going to make more in all sorts of colours!

This week I've been obsessed with woven beads! They look much better in real life, partly because the weather has been cloudy and rainy making photo-taking a slight challenge.

The necklace is about 18 inches long. I liked it so much I made another one in green!

This green necklace is shorter, about 16 inches. Like the purple one, I used different sizes of Swarovski pearls and Czech fire polished beads.

Living by the Sea

2007-08-23T09:56:00.000+08:00

This 19-inch necklace was a joy to make. The lovely seashell flower pendant, the lovely green "seaweed" looking cat's eye beads and a touch of burnt orange to remind us of corals in the sea just tie together so wonderfully, don't you think?

Caterpillar bracelets

2007-08-23T09:53:00.000+08:00

Believe it or not, these are two bracelets joined together! You can wear as bracelets (either by itself or together in a twist) or join them up to form a nice 16-inch necklace!

You can collect them in any colours you choose!

Classic Opera

2007-08-23T09:47:00.000+08:00

Here's a lovely classic opera length necklace I made with aluminium beads (which don't tarnish and are light weight) and Swarovski pearls together with glass seed beads.

This necklace can be worn in 4 ways! 1. Straight on 2. Tie a knot in front 3. Pull two ends together and use a pearl shortener clasp to get a double strand effect 4. Pull two ends together and twist then use a pearl shortener clasp.

So in reality, it's really versatile! A favourite for this week.

On Eagle's Wings

2007-08-19T13:27:00.000+08:00

Last week in church we sang a song which reminded me of the Bible verse in Isaiah 40:31, "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint."

I came upon this beautiful rose quartz eagle a few weeks ago and decided to make a necklace out of it. Whoever wears this will be reminded that God is our hope and whoever sees it worn will also be encouraged.

The weeks will be filled with homework, exams, rehearsals, sickness, hospital visits, travelling spouses, slightly disobedient children, project work, assignments etc. May all my friends out there continue to find strength in the Lord's promises!

My Berry Lariat

2007-08-19T13:15:00.000+08:00

It's been a really hectic week with my daughter's exams and numerous orders on my jewelry business side. Today I am breathing a little easier after completing all my orders, although exams extend to the end of the week.

I spent the week stringing pearls for a customer, designing and creating 10 pairs of gemstone ear-rings, repairing and re-stringing necklaces for another customer, designing a couple of opera necklaces, and also completing some interesting designs. One of them is My Berry Lariat. If you look closely, I started the lariat with buds, then flowers and a mixture of unripe and ripened "berries." This lariat is a bit whimsical and is especially for those who love nature and also love to make a statement.

I am now working on a lariat with another colour theme.

Ear ring #5

2007-08-10T15:43:00.000+08:00

This pair of ear rings was made with star shaped seashells, Czech flower glass beads, Swarovski crystals and pearls and teardrop shaped glass beads.

Ear ring #4

2007-08-10T15:41:00.000+08:00

A shift in colours as I used some of my stabilised turquoise beads, cat's eye beads, Czech fire polish beads and Swarovski crystals and pearls.

Ear ring #3

2007-08-10T15:38:00.000+08:00

This one is made with Tiger eye gemstone beads, cat's eye beads, Swarovski crystals and pearls, Czech fire polish beads and aluminium beads.

This pair of ear rings remind me of autumn with brown, green and orange colours.

Ear ring #2

2007-08-10T15:36:00.000+08:00

I made this pair for myself using the same concept, except I made it fuller (which made it heavier!). I used freshwater pearls, Czech fire polished beads, Swarovski crystals and pearls.

Ear Rings Galore!

2007-08-10T15:30:00.000+08:00

Last night, while watching TV with my family and eating pizza as our nation celebrated her 42nd birthday, I made ear-ring after ear-ring in different colours and using different beads but with the same idea of design.

This is made with cat's eye, Swarovski pearls and crystals as well as aluminium beads.

Spring time!

2007-08-10T15:20:00.000+08:00

I am very pleased with my work today. The 99.9 silver leaf pendant was my project for a silver clay class I attended last year. Since then I couldn't decide what to do with it and viola! today I was inspired to put it into a necklace.

This is an asymmetrical 19 inch necklace with spiral rope, cluster beads and flower shaped seashells. I absolutely love the colours, don't you?

St Petersburg Lariat

2007-08-08T08:33:00.000+08:00

This lariat is 40 inches, with a 3 inch drop. I used the St Petersburg weave with glass seed beads and Czech fire polished beads.

The drop consists of freshwater pearls and Czech fire polished beads.

Black and White

2007-08-08T08:30:00.000+08:00

This is an almost 8 inch bracelet done in double spiral weave. I used the classic black and white Miyuki and Toho glass seed beads with a copper centre held together by a ball clasp.

Celebrate

2007-08-08T08:25:00.000+08:00

I got these lovely aluminium beads last week and decided to put them with Swarovki pearls to make a necklace. I love the subtle colours of pink, gold, silver and copper together.

This necklace is 17 inches long with a 925 silver clasp gold plated in 14K. The beads are graduated which means the centre has larger beads and pearls. This will look very nice on any blushing bride or with a classic black outfit for evening wear.

My Secret Garden II (SOLD)

2007-08-07T09:24:00.000+08:00

I made a set using a slightly different pearl colour combination than the first My Secret Garden. The necklace is 16 inches and the bracelet is 7 inches.

When I make repeat designs they are almost always never the same.

Pink of Health (SOLD)

2007-08-07T09:15:00.000+08:00

This 17.5 inch necklace is made using the St Petersburg weave technique. I added Czech fire polished beads, 11.0 glass seed beads and 15.0 glass sead beads. The lovely pink Rhodochrosite centrepiece is flanked by two Hematite beads. One of my favourites!

Above the Storm

2007-08-07T09:12:00.000+08:00

Another 17 inch necklace in spiral rope incorporating Amazonite chips together with Czech fire polished beads. I made a woven bead using enclosing a Swarovski pearl.

Elegant

2007-08-07T09:07:00.001+08:00

Here's a really elegant looking 17inch necklace. I used the twisted tubular Ndebele technique withToho glass seed beads in copper and silver. The 925 silver knot clasp is flanked by two Swarovski crystal pearls and silver beadcap.