Saturday, August 13, 2022
Aug 13, 2022 ( 8:15 am ) ~ Good morning from the sunny side of Singapore ...
I am quite early to write a blog today coz I don't have much house chores to do since I had done most of them yesterday. So today is a more relaxing day I hope eventhough a bit of a sore throat is bugging me.
No worries it isn't Covid ( I hope🙏🙏🙏 )
Last week I was indoors most of the days coz I was beading for several mask cords in new colors. I need to re stock my depleting stock of mask cords to catch up with some orders from friends. Yep, time to socialize and see my friends soon. I had not seen them for several months after my Philippine Holidays. Bonding to catch up with experiences and latest news among friends and to play our famous game , Mahjong and to deliver their orders ! I just love to multi -task 😝😜😍
I guess I already forgot how to play coz I am just on the learning stage. My 1st year of being a beginner after starting to learn how to play it last February. I t was so fun and addicting ! 😆😄😃
Anyways, back to my beads again, mask cord is still an in demand item till now. People around Singapore are still wearing masks especially when in an indoor environment like offices and malls or in crowded areas. Most of the locals here prefer to wear mask even when walking outside for safety.
The mask cords I make are of versatile style. They are easy to use and interchangeable as well to suit your preferrence.
It can be used as the following :
1). A Mask chain to keep the masks hanging around your neck when not in use. that way you can keep it from falling on the floor or being left somewhere when you move.
2). An Eyeglass Cord to keep your spectacles or sunglasses with you at all times to avoid it from being left behind and breakage from accidents like glasses falling on the floor.
3). A Necklace itself to adorn your outfit.
The necklace can be worn as a long single strand necklace or double layered if you prefer.
It comes in a variety of colors :
Crystal White
Garnet Red
Lt / Dk Amethyst
Lt/ Dk Blue Sapphire
Peridot Green
Green Emerald
Yellow Citrine
Brown Topaz
Fuschia Pink
and many more ....
I would be listing them in my Etsy store soon ... or you can order from me online as well via instagram or through comments below.
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Friday, August 05, 2022
Aug, 5, 2022 ~ Happy to be in my Beadroom this week after a month and a half long vacation . I had missed my craft table and I am already starting to forget where to find my bead parts and tools , It had been a while so I felt like a blind being in the dark trying to find my ways .
I had focused actually in making a necklace for my Bumblebee Jasper pendant I had wirewrapped during the pandemic.
Bumblebee Jasper (which is actually not a true Jasper) is a complex calcium carbonate mineral with inclusions of arsenic and manganese oxide.Contrary to its name, Bumblebee Jasper is not a true variety of Jasper because it does not contain quartz. Its vivid colours of yellow, orange, grey and black banding are composed of fibrous calcite, realgar, and pyrite.
Bumblebee Jasper is a great life talisman that is here to help keep you “buzzing” throughout your day, even when negative energies constantly come your way. This stone helps you maintain a positive and upbeat attitude through the daily stresses of life, while encouraging you to continue your own spiritual evolution.
Wow, a life's Talisman. I better finish the whole piece any time now. Eventhough I was undecided before whether to make a wirewrapped chain that would hang the focal Bumble Bee pendant or just a simple beaded rope to go with it. After some thinking and researching in the internet for something more challenging design to create, I decided to gather my 11/0 Toho seed beads and started weaving a Cubic Right Angle Weave ( CRAW ) .
The two most common ways to build CRAW: face-built and base-built. were 2 types of methods in doing CRAW , First is Face Built CRAW ( Face-built CRAW is when you add beads to form a new face from the previous face )
Base-built CRAW is when you add beads to form a new face from the base. ) Secondly, Base Built CRAW is not of much difference from the Face built
because the faces all have equal passes of thread – the face-built method has more thread on one of the faces of each cube. I had decided since I was going to make a longer chain, /
for longer ropes, base-building is a much better choice inorder to finish the rope sooner
The pendant on the other hand had been wirewrapped with non tarnish artistic beading wires # 20 Gauge complemented with Dark Bronze / Swarovski Pearls & Hematite Beads.
So there it goes. My finished Long double stranded CRAW necklace with Bumble Bee Jasper Pendant. It took me at least 3 days with breaks in between for my house chores and errands.
What do you say ?
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Sunday, July 17, 2022
July 17, 2017 ~ Another exciting time had happened today . Guess what , SIJE or Singapore International Jewelry Show which had started last July 14th at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Center from 11:30am till 8:30pm was on its last and final day.
The Singapore International jewelry Expo (SIJE) is recognised as the signature and most sustainable jewelry event in Singapore to date.
Happy to say that I was there today and was able to see all the beautiful jewelries and jewelry related items on display . Yehhheeyyy ! 👏👏👏
I was glad I had my VIP invitation with me for ease of access into the venue. Better late than never to visit at all. Lucky Me !
The opportunity and chance to come and be a part of it and say hello to my friend Anna at the JAIPORE JEWELS Stall, I must say are great experiences for me. I went there wearing my own self made jewelries made of Swarovski Pearls, Miyuki Beads, Vermeil metal findings matched with Dumorterite stones. A stone of Patience, Calmness, Patience, Self Discipline & Organizational Abilities .
Feeling so proud wearing my jewelries 😍
Anyways, place was busy when I arrived around early afternoon.
I started browsing at the finished jewelries while looking out for raw materials I can use for my projects / fesigns. Like always, my eyes were searching for gemstones as my beading materials. especially the Cabochon type of beads. I remmebered that last time I visited this event before the Covid hiatus, I found some Indian sellers with good quality cabochons for $3-$8 per piece. Unfortunately, I didn't find this seller this time. I also didn't see any stones that I need. Big sigh ... and dissappointment huh !
But I kept wandering around and saw the tools and latest jewelry photography equipments stalls .
I came to check a particular photography machine used by jewelry sellers. It would have been a good investment for a jewelry retailer like me.
I can take professional photos of my designs for online selling. Good photos of jewelries is a big plus or a must to attract buyers. How I would love to acquire one of these machines but, unfortunately, budget wise, the price of this was in the thousands! 😢😢😢
The guy doing the demo on how this machine works really sweet talked me & tried his best to convince me to the point where I can just make a small deposit and pay the balance later on so I can have this particular item reserved for me which he said was the last piece on display ! Very tempting offer but still I had thoughts about it coz I'm not a big seller online. Maintaining this machine is also not practical for me coz once broken, available parts would come from overseas and would take months to arrive . If not available then how ? With modern technology on a fast pace, new models always appear in the market replacing the previous models. So, I decided not to give in to his offer then ! I saw not only 1 photography machine but a few in different sizes too when I walked around the Technology block. I could only just breath in,,,, Breath out ! Haisssttttt . I
I kept on walking around thinking I could still find some beading materials but most of the displays were finished jewelries ranging from Fine Jewellery to Silver & Gemstone type Jewelries and Other Beaded accessories.
Ok no luck for me to buy anything for beading materials to suit my needs this time . So sad but oh well there's still another Jewellery event coming soon in September so I will wait for that then. No problem .
I came home empty handed today but full of ideas for what I had seen in this event. Experience and more knowledge to add in my ever wandering brains. Attending this type of events enriches my knowledge even more about jewelry trends and how sellers and buyers communicate with each other. even if no transaction or sale had ever happened between these 2 people. Fact is, Seller and buyer had created a bond that can maybe lead to business in the future. You never know till both meet again in another trade fair. Always to consider that communication and understanding of each other is an advantage. A good starting point to create, maintain or improve one's business.
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Sunday, May 22, 2022
May 22, 2022 ~ I was super excited knowing after 2.5 years of pandemic, I could now go back to the Philippines for vacation. I had taken a PAL Economy class flight to Manila in the afternoon of Sunday, 15th of May . No more Singapore airlines coz of cost cutting due to high fares imposed by airlines nowadays. Blame it on the Covid 19 pandemic as usual.
Although truthfully, I was very tired over the last couple of days before my departure for Manila , packing my bags & clearing as much stuffs in all the rooms before I leave Singapore , I just didn't mind an economy class and even the 2 hrs of delay during that Sunday. All I want that time was just be able to go home and see my family and kids / grandkids.
I would be gone on holidays for 1.5 months and I had made sure the dogs are going to be well taken care of and that they would have enough supply of kibbles and wet food while I was gone. I miss them so dearly especially my sweet Koda Bebe who is normally wiggling her tail in the morning .
I know both doggies Gabby & Koda would be confused why I wasn't around in and out of the house ... where is our mommy ?
Sorry doggies but mommy needs to see her other family too . its been over 2 long years ... grandkids had been asking me to come home for so long. I will be back to Singapore anyways ... don't you worry .
I arrived in Manila in the early evening around 7pm but only able to get out of the airport past 8pm due to several flights that arrived at the same time. It took me a while to get my bags and pass the immigration. airport was so crowded ! My flight was also very full . But still, I was happy to be back and saw that my family were so excitedly waiting for my arrival . We all had a late quick dinner once we arrived in the hotel. They all needed to travel back to the province after dropping me in Manila coz the following day was a Monday and kids needed to go to school and my brother needed to go back to his work. So I was left alone again during the night of my arrival in Manila . Haiiissstttt
Despite of being alone in the hotel room, I got people visiting me somehow during some days of the week . My siblings, my niece, some lady friends, etc. I had lunch and dinner with other friends as well. So I got a lot of bonding moments to cherish from Manila ...
I had packed enough of my beaded jewelries to give as gifts and to sell too. I was sure people who had ordered and bought some pieces were delighted to have them as presents. Most of them had been looking forward to get some of my handmade beaded mask cords . I made sure I had brought more than enough for me to give, to sell and to wear myself ...
I was very happy they all had been happy to receive them. The mask cords turned into necklaces / bracelets were the most in demand of all . MY sisters and Aunts loved them so much .
while certain necklaces and bracelets went to my pretty niece Cezra and my cute grand daughter Ella ...
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Thanks to everyone for liking my creations and hope I could make more soon .
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