Chica English

Feeling Flumoxed

The title says it all, I am feeling flumoxed.  I've been at the jewelry game for over 2 years now with little to no traction.  The competition is stiff and I am not appropriately geographically located to participate in craft fairs.  But these excuses are nothing more than challenges.   My work, if I do say so myself, is lovely and has a wee bit of whimsy.  

Jewelry making isn't my only hobby.  I also bake and for the thirds time in the past few months someone has asked about buying one of the yummies I whip up in my kitchen.  I love making my vegan cupcakes and am about to start experimenting with scones and brownies too.  

So I feel flumoxed.  Do I got one or the other?  Both?  My head is spinning from possible fun, failure or success.   

Moroccan Memories

My brain  has been stuck in neutral for over a week.  I want to blog but I get blogger's block and nothing gets done.  Rather than continue to post bupkus, I decided to grab a picture from my library at random and blog about it.  Whatever "it"  maybe.  So here goes.......  The lucky winner is a cat in lazing in front of a shop in Essaouira, Morocco.  

This year the hubby and I high tailed to Morocco for a 15 day tour called The Colours of Morocco with Intrepid travel.  

So when we arrived in laid back Essaouira on day 11 we were ready for a break.  The fresh ocean breeze was a welcome change from stifling dry desert air.  It smelled and felt different.   

The old town area near the beach preserves Essaouira's place in Moroccan and European history as an important port that linked the Sahara and Morocco with Europe. 

The old town has impressive fortified walls built in the 18th century based on European military architecture in a North African.  To me it felt like an English coastal town.  It made me think of a Jane Austen novel.  Upon entering the impressive city gates all European similarities go out the window.

Cafes, stalls and shops occupy every nook and cranny.   You see faded white walls, blue doors and golden yellow Moroccan slippers everywhere.   There are the typical  labyrinthine streets and alleys.  You cannot escape that fact that you are in Morocco with a different flavor. 

Seeing these pictures again reminds me how much I enjoyed Morocco.  It sounds strange coming from me the vomiting motions sick whiner.  But I would love to go back. 

 

 

Trying to Get Going.....Trying

The past two weeks have yeilded bupkus in the world of Chica English jewelry.  My department (at my real job) is down a man.  So while someone enjoys a richly deserved week off, I am putting in 9 hours days.  So nothing aside from e-mails and end of year reports have been produced by my crafty little hands. 

 Balancing a side craft endeavor with the demands of your fulltime paying job and life can be tough.  In 2010 an inability to find that job-hobby becoming a job sweetspot led to a so-so year of jewelry sale.  On the bright side, it led me to realize that my company was poorly chosen and needed to be changed. 

B Glass Designs is a terrible name if you don't work with glass.  I wish someone had told me  that while it may be my name I didn't have to use it.  I cannot tell you how many times last year I was asked "why don't you have glass in your peices?"  Fair question.  But after the 20th time I sort of lose the ability to be sweet and funny wehen responding.  As a result Chica English was born. 

So while my new baby gets up and running.  Enjoy the lovely little diddy above.  It is a Polite Dance Song don't ya know.   I'll have tutorials and new pieces to post very soon.  And then you can comment away.....especially since I am planning a little giveaway. 

Going Mod

 
The tv show, Mod Squad was a bit before my time.  A bit sad really when you consider how much I love jewelry and clothing design.  The wardrobbe on the show, especially Peggy Lipton's, rocked.  Link was pretty stylish too.   

With spring approaching, I am thinking about predicted trends and colors.  And as much as I am looking forward to bright colors, nautical and maxi skirts, I think we need to bring back a bit of the mod look. 

You can read more about upcoming spring trends at Harper's Bazaar.

To me bright and bold colors are perfect.  While on the hunt for a great 60s trapeze dress I decided I needed a little bit of mod jewelry too. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Viola!  The Mod Necklace is born.  Silver and mother of pearl.   So simple and beautiful. 

 

 

 

 

 

Bird's Eye View

My husband says I am like a bird because I am distracted by anything shiny.  I think it is a compliment because from the bird's perspective a soda can in the gutter must look like a priceless treasure.  Bird's Eye View is my attempt to do justice to the bird's optimistic point of view.

The piece is made from 100% recycled materials.   I used recycled silver, a Maxwell House International Coffee tin, broken sterling silver chains and a second hand clasp.  Beautiful well crafted pieces of jewelry can be created using repurposed and recycled materials. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the new year, I plan to produce a collection based on this piece.   Each piece will be one of a kind since I can only work with the materials available.   In my opinion that makes the collection more charming than a line of cookie cutter pieces.

 

If you like this project please go to the Vote for My Green Project link below.  Thanks!

Make Your Own Flower Brooch

 

I am pleased as punch to be posting my very first tutorial just in time for New Year's Eve. 

This year everyone is donning colorful beaded statement necklaces.  They are lovely but why go with the crowd?  My solution, a bright silk flower brooch that gives a pop of color.  Not only is it easy to make but you can enjoy all the oohs and ahhs as you tell friends you made it.

I recently made a red chrysanthemum brooch to wear to a jewelry exposition.  Here I am modeling it with Helena from Vivencias y Otra Aventuras.    It looked fantastic, if I do say so myself.  And you can do it too!

Step 1 - Choose a silk flower.  Personally, I love a fuller flower but I have made this pin with daisies and orchids. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Step 2 - Trim the back to get as flat as possible.  Then glue either with craft glue, a hot glue gun or epoxy (which is what I had on hand) to secure the the final 2-3 layers of the flower.  If using a less full flower be careful to ensure excess glue is not visible from the front.

 

 

 

Step 3 - Glue pin back and secure.  Be sure to check before gluing if the flower needs to be pinned in a specific direction.  

 

 

 

 

 

I place a small amount of glue on the flower where the pin back will be placed.  Then I carefully place glue on the pin back.  This provides more stability on uneven surfaces.

Let dry. 

If you are in a rush you can stop here.  Or you can cut a backing out of a material to cover the glue.  

 

 

 

The finished product modeled for your viewing pleasure.   This also looks lovely pinned to a jacket or coat.  So if you are ringing the new year in at a block party you can do it with style. 

 

Feeling Nostalgic

Christmas is over which means you can now officially turn your attention to 2011 and the dreaded "r" word.  Resolutions!  So get out that a pen and a piece of  scratch paper then write.

Personally, I love resolutions.   As much as I want to map out my 2011, I am not ready to let go of 2010.  It was an amazing year.  This year I finally went Africa!  I found my voice as a designer, became a vegetarian, lost enough weight to be a  size 8 again, reconnected with some special friends and adopted a wonderful Boston Terrier pup.  And bonus, I did it all with my hubby by my side.  Not bad for a year that started off super rocky leaving me a ball of stress for the first two months.    

My resolutions last year were to read 52 books  and get more toned.  I thought of it as the year of improving my mind and body/health.   I was able to accomplish both though I highly doubt reading the entire Southern Vampire Series did much for my mind.  What can I say?   A gal needs to read a little mind candy from time to time.  Both resolutions were wonderful, if not cliche goals, but I think the truly interesting stuff was unplanned.   

Our trip to Morocco was hatched in a three week period.  The precious Boston Terror (not a typo) pup was discussed but not planned.  And who could have planned to have two of your favorite people in the world find you via Facebook?  

So give those resolutions some thought.  Write them down and do what you can to be that person.  But remember in life sometimes the absolute most memorable stuff happens when you least expect it.  Those are the truly good things.    

When Bad Pictures Happen to Pretty Jewelry

 

I am sure this is breaking some kind of artisan jewelry blog rule.  Truth be told, I like breaking rules.   I am a prolific ay walker, regularly lie on surveys, believe you can wear several prints at the same time and sometimes seat myself at restaurants.   So my rebellious streak continues with my confession that truly shameful pictures of beautiful handmade jewelry exist.   Just look to your left.  

 

 

 

The green enamel ring with the lump silver detail is breathtaking in person.  The vibrant green really pops with the silver.  The back view of the enamel ring is fairly true to color.  It shoes the deepness of the green along with the specks of yellow.  Sadly, the silver looks too gray and the shadows are awful.   

 

 

 

The textured stack pearl ring is funky and elegant.  A tough combination to pull off.  And as it turns out even tougher to photograph. 

I played with exposure time and white balance.  I even tried cursing at the camera and begging the universe for divine intervention.  No dice.  So I'll give it another go.  And then another and another until I get it right, get lucky or hire a professional. 

A Slight Departure - Dogs Surfing!!!!

While I work on my next post.  I thought I'd give a little something to tide you over.  So please to enjoy pictures of my dog, Monty riding the wild waves of Costa Rica.  Hang 20 little furry dude! 

 

 

Offering Beautiful Silver Trinkets a Bribes

In the past year my voice as a designer has become clear.  I gravitate towards modern organic pieces with a rustic touch.  So I've decided in the coming year to resurrect my kitchen inspired spice line. 

 




I'll be making more Star Anise rings and maybe a necklace too. 

 

 

 

 

Along with other lovelies like clove earrings.  I have a few other spices cast in silver and ready to go.  I just need to sit down and create. 

My original plan had been to promote the collection via cooking blogs.  I lurk on some  and comment on others.  My favorite cooking blog, henceforth known as Blog X, is incredible.  Based on her food and the lvoely photos, I had grand designs of sending her one of the pieces.  Obviously, I had hoped she would feature it in a post.  Then, of course, foodies and food porn enthusiasts alike would flock to my shop buying Star Anise rings by the dozen. 

My genius plan went awry when I saw the following information in her profile, "As I mentioned above, I never plug suggested products, accept freebies/samples or conduct product reviews on Blog X, and ask that you respect this by not sending any of the above." 

So that left me with a quandry.  I heart this blog so much that I take the time to comment.   There are literally hundredes of comments every post.  But I comment because the recipes are incredible, the pictures gorgeous and the writing so very lovely.  So as a thank you I thought why not send a little culinary inspired trinket.  She may love it.  Obviously, she won't promote but perhaps I'd gain a new blog follower.   It would be lovely to be able to count readers on more than one hand.   Then I became worried that it would seem like I was trying to brown nose my way around her very clear boundaries.  So I abandoned the idea. 

Next, I began looking for another food blogger.  I regularly s dozens of sites but none are as lovely as Blog X.  Finally I gave up all together.   Soon after the collection itself fell by the way side.

So now what?  I am still inspired by spices and items I use in the kitchen.   I dream up jewelry ideas while checking that my stock isn't getting clouding or rolling out pie dough.   The Kitchen Collection will be back but without a food blogger willing to take the bribe of a lovely silver trinket.  Sigh.