Plenty of hats...

I'm wearing many hats these days. Jewellery making is still at the forefront of my daily regime. I'm designing a necklace for a friend with some vintage beads she picked up at an estate sale years ago. The beads are gorgeous! Unlike anything I've seen. Have a look:


I'm also completing a Photoshop advanced level course at night school. This will soon be followed by InDesign. I'm trying to get up to speed in my knowledge of graphic design software. My hope is that it will open a door (or two) for me in terms of job placement. I've been wearing the unemployed hat far too long and it really sucks!

I'm still plugging away at sending out resumes, and networking, and telling everyone I know, including their grandmother, that I'm looking for work. According to the job hunting books, this is the way to do it. I've also visited two temp agencies as a last resort. And, if that weren't enough, I'm also looking to volunteer at the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum). I love learning about ancient civilizations and dinosaurs!

Friends of mine have been very supportive and have been offering me all kinds mini-projects to keep me busy and inspired. I mentioned earlier in this post about the necklace I'm working on. Another friend, a photographer, asked if I would be willing to tweak some photos of his with Photoshop in exchange for some professional photography shots of my jewellery. Sweet!

I've also been asked by friends, who are launching their own businesses, to design their business cards for them. These are the perfect projects with which to augment my design portfolio!

In my previous post, I had mentioned about working on my on-line portfolio. Alas, it is still under construction. I really want to hit the 'publish' button and make it visible to all, but it's still lacking in samples of my current work. I already have plenty of scanned images of my art class projects from high school from over 20 years ago. I doubt a prospective employer cares about those doodles. I need plenty of fresh, recent work.

So as you can see, I'm working at a variety of things in an attempt to keep busy and I'm also enjoying the creative work process. It takes time, effort and commitment to create things I feel are worthy of displaying.

For instance, I made these two pairs of earrings this past week. I am so pleased with the results that I wanted to share them with you. The 'peacock' earrings are my recent favourites. They are made with Swarovski crystals in two shades of blue for added depth. And the beads splay apart over the silver "Smarties" bead just like feathers, hence the name.


The second pair of earrings which I named 'glitterati' were made especially to be worn on a sunny day. Why? Because the sterling silver beads I've used, pick up the light and sun beautifully due to their glittery, pocked surface. A perfect homage to the sunshine we've been getting lately.


The weather has warmed up considerably and I'm much more inclined to go for longer walks with my dog. He's such a sweet, quiet little dog and he's made so many friends in the neighbourhood, with other dogs and people alike. Neighbours greet him before they say "hi" to me. I'm not complaining though, he's been (the vet and I suspect) through some abuse in his former life in Texas (before we rescued him), so he deserves all the loving he can get. Here is Dexter sunbathing, his favourite afternoon activity.

Back to life

After a long hiatus, I've decided to return to this fair-weather blog of mine. I'm not sure why I have neglected this blog other than the fact that I dislike writing about myself. Yes, you heard correct. I'm one of those people that rather keep her thoughts hidden in the depths of her brain. Sometimes this is counterproductive. Like the dozens of times when I can't remember my dentist appointment because I did not write it down right away. At the time I had convinced myself I would remember it. Guess what? I didn't! Thank goodness for reminder calls.

Blogs are about writing and communicating. It's an on-line diary. I never had a diary as a kid or a tween or a teen. Never! I did not understand the concept of a diary and why would I want to write things down if I can keep them locked in my head for ever...where nobody could find them. Not even me!

It's true. I once used to pride myself on remembering all kinds of details and information and now...now, I'm lucky if I can remember my best friend's telephone number. Aging does that to you.

So, where was I ? Yes, I have neglected this blog for awhile because I have been doing other things that have taken up precedence in my life. Like what, you ask? Well, like getting back into making jewellery. My Etsy shop is no longer functioning and I doubt I will re-activate it for selling purposes. However, I will keep my account on Etsy because I LOVE shopping there.

It feels good to be creating once again. I sure have missed it. I'm not sure how I will pursue the selling aspect of my jewellery production. My friends are very fortunate gals, especially at Christmas time and on their birthday. They know what they will be getting: one of my creations. Sometimes it's earrings. Sometimes it's a necklace. They are always so grateful to wear my pieces and incredibly supportive about my craft.

I have been working steadily on an on-line portfolio, which will showcase my jewellery and also other creative projects. The portfolio will display images of all the things I've worked on in the past like my medical device thesis from OCAD, my charcoal drawings of nudes, my oil and acrylic paintings of yesteryear (as far back as high school) and some very old, out-dated fashion design illustrations that I drew back in junior high. I unearthed a series of drawings from my parents basement a few months ago that I had not laid eyes upon for 20 years. Both my husband and friends who saw these drawings were amazed that I made them because I had never talked about them or showed them to anyone in years! This show-and-tell resulted in many questions from friends about why I never pursued fashion design or illustration as a career. Well, it's a long story but I'll give you a hint..."whaaat iz dis, you want to be a fasion design? Dat is ridicula. No ay, you going to you-niverseti to be a tea-cher!" Need I say more?

So without further blah-blah, here are a couple of images of my recent jewellery work.

Long overdue shoe talk

When it comes to shoes, I often put quality and style first. Don't get me wrong, I love bargain shopping just as much as the next person but sometimes you get what you pay for. When it comes to the comfort of my feet, I'm willing to fork over a bit more cash if it means no limping and no blisters.

The Josef Seibel "Nadine" bootie satisfied my needs and my wants recently. I bought these incredibly comfortable boots (pictured above) and have not looked back. They are worth ever penny I spent.

Here is an on-line source with plenty of shoe eye candy from the Josef Seibel collection. If you reside in Ontario, you can find Joseph Seibel shoes at Walking on a Cloud and at The Blue Shoebox.

I'm also looking at these cute winter boots called "Puffin Frost" from Canadian company Merrell for the snowy season...hmmm, I have a birthday coming up!

Retail Therapy

Okay, so now that we are all caught up I just wanted to emphasize how important retail therapy is when you need a pick-me-up!

Etsy, as we all know, is a GREAT place to shop and despite my current unemployment status, I can still find some wonderful and unique items that won't break the bank.

Pretty Raccoon, a Toronto-based, on-line store sells a vast assortment of woman's clothing in a variety of colours and styles. They also sell some funky vintage clothes, but what I had been ogling for quite some time was their line of screen printed tops and scarves. So pretty!

Another bonus is that the Canadian dollar is almost on par with the U.S. dollar, so I did what any savvy shopper would do, I seized this opportunity. I purchased a black boat neck top with a white chandelier print and a raspberry scarf with silver seagulls printed on it.


My order arrived 3 days after I made it...how's that for expedited service when you shop local. I just can't wait to try out my new purchases. I feel better already.

Expectatations

Hello?

Is anyone out there?

Anybody?

It's me...Bijoux.

Remember me?

Did you miss me? I missed you.

I know I've been gone for a while.

I have been really busy...working...two jobs.

I recently quit one of them. Now I have one part-time job which I love!

I also had a cold this past week. I tried all kinds of remedies (Cold FX, Vitamin C, Zinc, garlic pills) to keep the cold away but it just reared it's ugly head as soon as I thought I was in the clear.
I'm much better now and I have also rested a lot.

Let's see...what else have I been up to?

I started digging in my backyard garden a few days ago to try and get it ready for some plants. I want to plant some vegetables and also a raspberry bush. I'm not a natural gardener so it should be exciting to see what becomes of the seeds and seedlings I plant.


I'm getting rid of the grass in the front lawn because I dislike grassy lawns. I just don't think they serve a purpose so I will be replacing the grass with rocks, wood chips and some black-eyed Susan's, wild flowers and other perennials. Rock gardens rock!

Painting the kitchen is next on the agenda. I will be priming it this week. The previous owners used oil paint so I need to prime the walls first before I apply the latex green colour I've chosen. I haven't painted anything in over 5 years so it should be interesting to see the results.

I also picked up some great leather boots on sale - a cropped version of the boots in the photo. They have a leather sole and a tiny little rhinestone strategically placed under the sole...such attention to detail and made in Brazil by an Italian shoe company, Corso Como.

I also picked up a few items from Etsy recently like this great print from an Etsy seller called "Black-eyed Suzie." Isn't is pretty? I love Gothic artwork.


About two months ago, in the bleakness on winter and also from Etsy, I bought this hat, which I love! The colour, the style, the fit...it's all good! And just the other day I bought this t-shirt and this wrap skirt, in preparation for the warmer weather.

Oh, and I picked up a great, (inexpensive due to haggling) Schwinn exercise bike from CraigsList which I have been using to try get back into some sort of an exercise regime.

Well, that's my update. I'm looking forward to catching up with you all.

I will try to post on here more often but as the weather is getting warmer outside and we are expecting it to reach 22 degrees Celsius by this Friday, I am compelled to spend more time outdoors. But I will update you all on the kitchen painting results and the garden landscaping projects as they unfold.

They say it's spring...

Blossom Dearie is a jazz musician from the 1960s that I have been fond of for several years now. I first heard one of her songs from watching the movie, The Squid and the Whale and was enamoured with her child-like voice and lyrics.

Today, as I was walking around my neighbourhood and enjoying the spring-like weather, Blossom's song "They say it's Spring" unexpectedly popped into my head. When I got home, I went onto YouTube and tried to find that particular song so that I may listen to it. I stumbled on someone's tribute to Blossom Dearie and quickly came to the realization that she passed away recently.

I leave you with a random YouTube clip featuring Blossom Dearie's song: "They Say it's Spring."

R.I.P. Blossom Dearie (April 28, 1924 - February 7, 2009)

Kitchen update

I finally managed to add a little something to the kitchen wall in order to make my life easier and more organized when cooking. As you can see the walls are still that seafoam green shade that I wanted so desperately to change. We didn't get around to painting the kitchen walls before winter set in so we plan to definitely paint them this summer.

Ikea is so great for providing a wide selection of inexpensive, decorative accessories to jazz up your living space. And make it functional too! These kitchen wall organizers have been extremely helpful in freeing up some drawer space. The knife magnet is especially fun as it makes me feel one step closer to becoming a better chef. Yeah, wishful thinking! I think Jamie Oliver has one too in his kitchen.

On my next trip to Ikea I plan to pick up one of these shelves to store some often used cookbooks, hang some additional kitchen utensils, a cluster of dry chili peppers, a strand of garlic bulbs, and perhaps a pot of fresh herbs.

It's a painfully slow process of making a kitchen become functional when you can't afford to totally gut it and start from scratch. And don't get me started on the existing, unimpressive kitchen appliances that came with the house and the lack of modern ones like a microwave and a dishwasher.