Look what I made!

I feel quite lucky with the class I have at Emerge Pitt County Council for the Arts; my students are so much fun and great people and the best part they are making some amazing pieces!

Last night I snapped some shots of my students working on their pieces, each of them have come up with great design and are incorporating several methods such as enameling, soldering and stone setting.

Next week I'm going to teach the class how to do cuttlefish casting! 

Carrie sanding her tab set pieces

Judy forming her ring

Carrie's enamel pieces set in copper

Caroline (aka my tattoo artist)

Kelley getting ready to solder her ring shank

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Rituals and the meaning of repition

Religion has fascinated me for a long time, the belief in a higher power and the way energy transforms in our world.  And with that I love how the rituals of all religions can create a sense of peace and deep introspection.

So this post is dedicated to rituals and what it's meant in my personal and work life being a jeweler.  I thought about this earlier today as I read through my notebooks and calendar.  Writing in a diary has been one of my constant rituals; as it really helps me to accomplish my goals and dreams.   Continually writing and verbalizing my thoughts is essential to achieving them. 

I listened to a podcast recently, on the Launch Grow Joy show and there was such a profound statement by the guest, that words are energy and the energy that we put out into the universe truly does have a lasting effect.  Just saying a statement or affirmation creates a snowball effect that, when repeated, can make that affirmation true. 

Of course I've known the power of rituals but often times, I forget or lose touch with those affirmations and rituals.  With running a small business and juggling three jobs my sacred and quiet time gets pushed aside.  I decided that this year I'd make a concentrated effort to meditate, read more and spend time reflecting on what I want for the future and verbalizing it. 

Thanks for reading and stay lovely!
Lisette
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Bast continued and pairing jewelry

Just like pairing a certain type of wine with particular foods, I'd akin pairing pieces of jewelry together the same way as well.

For me it also means what kind of outfit and occasion am I wearing them with.  So many factors to consider but I think the one constant is really about you, what looks good on you.

I've brought this up before but essentially pairing your jewelry with who you are as a person can make a BIG difference.  With that said, I've got some recommendations for you on what kind of jewelry works best on several factors.

For example: If you have dark hair, consider wearing lighter color earrings so they pop against your hair.  I made this mistake once of trading black earrings with a fellow jeweler....now I rarely wear them because it's hard to see them against my dark hair.

With that in mind here are factors to consider:
1. length and color of hair for earrings
2. type of work you do on a daily basis, so you may wear simple earrings or rings
3.  Your skin tone
4. What color will you be wearing that day

It all sounds logical and would make sense to the average person but I really do consider how my jewelry will function with me throughout the day OR when I get to go wild and wear a big statement piece like the Bast necklace below.

Bast One of a kind necklace, $1,000; photo by Tara Locklear

 I've loved the responses to the Bast OOAK necklace - I can't wait until the person snatches this statement piece up!

Bast single spine ring in bronze, $110; photo by Tara Locklear

A more accessible, everyday type of ring. 
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Fun outtakes of the Bast Collection

When Aileen and I discussed shooting the Bast Collection, of course we both felt it'd be very appropriate to have a cat in the shoot, specifically Aileen's cat, Fifi.  We've worked with Fifi before but not outdoors.

Jessi Boseman, our model, was a total sport about holding Fifi and the results worked great, however Aileen did catch some fun moments with Fifi, and here they are!

Here's Fifi trying to escape!  Photo by Aileen Devlin

Fifi doing her best to hold still. Photo by Aileen Devlin

I can tell you that if it were one of my cats she'd have been long gone running away! 

thanks for reading friends, stay lovely,
Lisette
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Gemstones and selecting the right one

I'd been thinking about this for awhile, about how much I LOVE gemstones but can't stand finding the right one or gauging how many to purchase for a collection.  Sometimes it can be a nightmare!

However, the love of stones outweighs the troubles that come with finding the right stone and also finding the time to make custom pieces with stones.

Lovely moonstone for the Asteria ring.

I've given this some serious thought as much of what happens with the one of a kind pieces I make depend so much on the color, shape and form of the stone.  Over the years I've acquired several favorite gem dealers that I rely on to select the right stone, and this has been a godsend. 

The Shield pendant with an agate and pyrite stone. 

So this post is dedicated to some of my favorite pieces with selective stones that have worked so well in our previous collections.  I also want to take the opportunity to let you know that I love working with customers that want to create a special custom piece of jewelry with a specific stone.  If you are interested, shoot me an email: info@eilisainjewelry.com  

The Black abyss ring with black faceted tourmaline.

Thanks so much for reading and stay lovely!

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Gettin' crafty

Show season is in full swing and I'm plugging away in my studio.  I'm super excited for Crafty Bastards which is in 1.5 weeks, it's my biggest show of the year and this year I plan to bring even more jewelry and new pieces to show in Washington, DC on Saturday and Sunday September 26-27th.  You can purchase your tickets here.

The Bast Double spine ring will be featured at the Crafty Bastards Show.

So to name a few of the great things about Crafty Bastards:
-Handmade items by the best indie designers
-Food trucks
-street art
-fun for the kids and family
-Beer
-It's at Union Market

And here's a lil video from the awesome people at the City paper.

I'll be at booth #78, so please be sure to stop and shop!

Bast spine earrings with lapis lazuli.

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The Bast Collection video

It's only been one week since the launch of the Bast Collection and the response has been wonderful! With the release Aileen and I worked on the video for the collection, this time Aileen shot the video along with the photos. 

We're super pleased with the outcome, the song reflects the darker mood of the jewelry and theme for this collection.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!


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Fall Fest at Candler Park

Everytime I look at my calendar, I wonder what I was thinking doing all these shows but I know it's 'show season' and that I really do love doing them! Here's the event poster for Fall Fest at Candler Park, I'm super excited to be returning to hot-lanta to do another show.

I loved visiting Atlanta earlier this year and this time it won't be any different.  Plus I'll get to seem some new friends I made.  Like Sara Sozo of Sozo United, we were neighbors at the Indie Craft Experience back in June in downtown Atlanta.  I immediately knew we'd hit it off when I envied her cool style and GORGEOUS handbags.  They're beautifully made and one of the best parts about Sara's company is that she teaches refugee women to how to sew as well as help them find new employment with their new skill.  

Sara also just partnered with Peace of Thread, an organization that employs women in vulnerable populations and women that are struggling to overcome difficult circumstances.  I'm inspired by how Sara is using her talent and skill to help other women, it is so empowering and just cool!

One of my favorite clutches from Sozo United

Love the accent of the zipper handle!

So I hope to see you at the festival if you're in the Atlanta area.
Thank you for reading and stay lovely!
Lisette
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