Flowering Vine earrings

When I get antique flower shaped findings, and extra long end pins, this is what happens.

The tip of the pin had an interesting conical design. So fixed red crystals to highlight the flower. Immediately made a loop, pulled the rest of the pin down wards, and added green seed beads to denote a Vine. I had  bit more of the pin left over, so decided to add another flower (told you it was long)!!!. Closed with another small loop.

So what do you think? 

Cold Porcelain Miniatures

While a lot of the stunning beads and jewelry are made from Polymer clay, it struck me that a large group of Cold Porcelain artists are focused on miniatures - doll house miniatures, food miniatures and all kinds of stunning, life-like plants and flowers...

There seem to be specifications, standards and scales ... I guess such precision and exacting kind of work is not my cup of tea ..!!

But I will be definitely exploring the possibilities of miniatures, with standards I can live up to, and enjoy creating...

I was commissioned to make two small key chains, which had to have a cat and a guitar. This is my first attempt at making such tiny items, and i was not sure how it would come about..

Anyway, I was to make two keychains, one a male and the other female. It was fun, making the tiny head and actually putting the features together to make some sort of expression...and the kind of 'Uh-oh' expression while trying to strum a guitar that was a bit big, was exactly what i had hoped for... 

The girl looks surprised too..and I managed to paint in some eyelashes and some lipstick and rouge.. she is also sporting a flower that is black and white in color - because the person for whom it is intended, favors black and white outfits...!! The whole thing has the stylized look that I actually prefer.

The two cats !! I guess there will be more miniatures in future too... But rather than actual scales, I think I would prefer to have it tailor made to fit the choice of the person it is going to, or my mood at that point....

And I can see myself doing some fantasy figures and fairytale scenes in cold porcelain miniatures...

So watch this space for Cold porcelain minis...

New Cover Picture for the Facebook Page

Decided to update the cover pic for my Facebook Page, Swardaa.

My picture taking skills leave a lot to be desired..and I have been posting some real duds.. !!

When it comes to drawing and writing, I think, my skills are relatively better.

So I drew a bookworm - my alter ego, pointing out some salient features of my line, Swardaa on a board. I have had the idea for ages, but I drew it up yesterday.

I used color pencils and sketch pens for outlines..

So here it is... the new cover photo..

Wire Worked Bracelet

Wow, a week just flew past...
Sis left and we had a cousin and wife from Kerala, over for the weekend.

Had an order to do a bracelet and earrings , that would go with ethnic Indian outfits.

I had some beautiful , tear drop shaped enamel elements, in red, green, black and Gold, that I made into earrings.

Since my client liked wire work, and copper and Gold could be teamed well together, I decided to make a cuff-style bracelet with a simple woven wire design, adding the colors of the enamel through seed beads and crystals.

Though the bracelet is cuff-style, I put a clasp with an S shaped handmade hook.

And here are both the earrings and the bracelet.

Valentines Day

The blogosphere, Social Networking sites, Online stores, TV, News papers are all awash with Valentines Day offers and wishes...

Wishing everyone, an abundance of Love and Happiness - and not just for a day !!

It was a good, quiet day for us, just the way we like it !! Cooking, blogging and spending time with my loved ones...

Happy Valentines Day

Sis visiting !

I have a couple of orders for Cold Porcelain key chains and have been feeling a bit jinxed ...! The batch of prepared Cold Porcelain completely dried out...and nothing I tried to soften it, seems to work.... it is just a lump as hard as rock..

Anyone know how to reverse this mess?

I made a fresh batch..and it looked okay till I took it out the next day, after kneading as usual, and covering it up to rest... It had become rubbery, and overcooked and was not at all workable...

So I had to make the stuff all over again... and I have my sis coming to visit us, for a week before she goes back to her hubby in USA... since the order is also from a family member, and she did mention that she was not in any hurry, I  have decided to make the most of my time with my sis... No idea when we will see each other again... 

A Piece In Purple

One of my young relatives asked me to make her a bracelet and earring set, in purple. She wanted the accents in gold , to match some outfit.

I had some lovely glass beads in antique gold and purple. So i teamed them with purple crystals and some different and complimentary shades of seed beads.

More Customizing - for an Outfit

I love giving gifts that are very personal. My sis had come for a visit from the US. So when I went to visit her, I decided to gift her some dress material for a Salwar kameez. Best part was, that I could make her h Custom Jewelry to go with it...!!

It was a lovely dress with beautiful pastel shades and an off-white dupatta..

So I made a simple necklace, that would compliment the neckline of the outfit. I had a good collection of crystals in matching pastel shades,and I decided to use seed pearls to match the off-white in the dupatta...

The earrings, I made with frames in white metal.

This is the set, with the dress material.

Maybe someday, she will manage to send me pics of herself, wearing a few of the pieces I make for her... !

Cold Porcelain and Wire work

I love to incorporate different ideas and come up with something new... i am not sure if anyone else has come up with the idea...

I made a tiny cold porcelain bird...actually, it looks more like a 'Chicken Little' minus the giant specs, and not as cute :P !!

And I had made a bracelet with wire work, that enclosed beads in a spiral cage....

It needs, improvement, maybe not as many spirals on top. I left the bottom half in a tight spiral, instead of pulling it out, and made the top portion resemble a tent like cone ...Voila! Birdie in his wire cage ...!

Guess I can make pendants , earrings or even collectibles, with a variety of birds or even other critters...! Any takers ????

Trying for a 'Signature' style..

I have always wondered about a  person's signature style...how do they arrive at that point , where their work has an identity all of it's own...

I can recognize a Nora Roberts book, just by reading a page... some others like Agatha Christie or Enid Blyton... they have a narrative style...

In clay, Donna Kato , Sheryl Westleigh and Christie Friesen ,are artists, whose work I have become familiar with. It does not matter that hundreds of others try and imitate them..the originals are easy to identify ..!!

I have also seen how an artist and their style evolve over the years...

So, at this point in my creative journey, I could say that these pieces depict a style that seem to have evolved from my efforts...

I like to use stone work ..and a few scrolls and embellishments. I am not too interested in doing actual flowers, but I love stylized versions. And I love to incorporate the Jewelry with different colours and incorporate complimentary shades into my Cold Porcelain pieces too..

This pendant , I studded with stones and a mirror... I gave it a variety of colors, ranging from amber to tones of coral and brown.

The finished necklace with amber crystals and two shades of brown.


Another one, with a stylized rose in dual toned pink, on a blue background. Again, studded with white and black stones.

My client wanted a simple necklace, with the pendant as highlight.

So, I made the necklace with rainbow tinted seed beads that had nearly all the color on the pendant, and also black crystals to give a lift to the piece. 

Would really appreciate your comments on my work. 

A new LOGO for 'Swardaa'

'Swardaa' will be recognized henceforth, with this Logo. The image is a stylized Sand D, my initials. 

I love the script and how compact it is, though I did like the earlier on that my cousin had designed for me too..

I would love to know what YOU think ...!

A month into 2013 already !

It seems like New Year was yesterday ..and It is already a month past !!

I am having fun trying out new things ..and I also finished a couple of custom pieces for my sister and sis-in-law to wear to a wedding.

They sent me pics of their outfits and I made two pieces with Cold Porcelain. The best part is, that it fit the outfits and them really well... !!

Watch this space, to read all about my custom designs ...