Handmade ♥ Tote Bag ♥

I sew my first tote bag with 7 compartments! XD

Chain-LInk Bezel Cabochon Ring

Last couple of days, my mind has been a bit messed-up with constant replaying of images of this ring:

The constant replaying like old recorder really GOT ME! I have to make do with the little time I have after work to make this ring.

Images are taken at 12am this morning... I try my best to show you different angles of my ring...

It is consistent both front and back and it sets the drilled stone perfectly! The best of all it took me just an hour to make this ring. Entirely made using the same weaving technique as my latest Tutorial "Chain-Link Bezel Cabochon".

If you are interested to custom made a ring similar to this, please email me at sales@jennypong.com

Fleurs en cage

Fleurs en cage - Caged flowers

Natural red coral beads are trapped in brass wire woven cage.

Woven Round Copper Bangle

This design features consistent and round netting. I am going to make another bracelet to trap beads within the round tube netting.... =D

How to organise your favourite tools & wires

I have to admit that I really [try] to be organised but sometimes when you are working on designs and heaps of commissions from customers, it can be a real challenge! If you are a heavy crafted, you know what I mean.... of course there are others who are exceptionally organised and I am surely not one of them...LOL! I have my most commonly used pliers, tools, wires and beads in zip lock bags and all are placed in a huge knitted tray for my easy access. I clean my beading board whenever I can and save all residues and extra heads and tails of my wires in a separate bag/ bin (I tell my students to do the same as you will never know when you need the bits of extra to make jump rings or headpins....yadi-yada).

But sometime even with a huge tray and how I really [try] to be organised, I struggle to find the right tools or things I wanted....=(

So, when I saw this display board, I bought it at once without thinking twice:

One reason is because it is not expensive and is decently priced:

Though I still have heaps in my tray and more in storage boxes but at least I got some of my favourite tools & some wires on the board nicely arranged for my easy access.

P/S: These are just a handful of my wires and I have tonnes more [new and used] ones stacked in trays and drawers..... and No, I am not displaying them for sale. LOL! I need them to make jewelry. =P

Happy Monday folks... I am going back to working again in May after 2 months of sabbatical and doing just what I love - making jewelry & catching on my sleep. Don't worry as I will still be updating my blog and listing new pieces after work or over the weekends, if time permits.

Am looking forward to May! =)

-Me-

Braided Wire

I have used 26-gauge wire to do this braiding without inserting beads.

Different gauges wire and different consistency would achieve different results (see above picture showing the variation of tightness of the braiding).

It is possible to achieve "tight rope like wire" by pulling and rubbing the sides while braiding.

Will using this braided wire to decorate a commission piece I am working on.

Will be teaching this technique at beading.my this Sunday (18.04.2010). You can also learn this technique via tutorial. Please check out Braided Pearl Bracelet Tutorial from the tutorial section of my blog.

Bezel cabochon

If you have been following me on Facebook updates, I discovered a new way to bezel!! These are still very much in development stages, I need to work on the finishing and the bail.

Haslina's braided bracelet

Haslina bought this tutorial a day after I have released this tutorial for sale. I received these pictures the very next day but I didn't see this until today as the mail has gone to SPAM BOX. Haslina has kindly allowed me to share pictures of her braided bracelet using Tourmaline round beads. =)

I have no idea how the filtering system works for my gmail but I will have to be more careful in checking emails from my SPAM box as well from now on. If your emails went unanswered, please do not hate me for that. Do email me again or forward to me by changing the subject matter or leave me an offline message on my ZOPIM chatbox.

Do check my tutorials, if you are interested to make your own braided bracelet.

Enjoy the Daylight

Anxious but still in the process of feeding the inventory of my website. Meanwhile, I am sharing bits by bits of some pictures which I have taken in natural lights. Never been able to do in the past... reasons, I have not have the chance or privilege to see the daylight with my day job. Off to work in the early morning and only reach home late at night when it is already dark and gloomy.

I have not use flash or any unnatural lighting effects on these pictures. I love how it turns out and there are tonnes of pictures which I wanted to retake given the time... I aim to launch my new website with a handful of new pieces in sterling and some vintage inspired pieces. Stay tune...

Random Updates & Knots

If you have been popping over to check for updates and finding this blog idle for quite awhile.... that is because we are in the transition period.... During this time, I have been creating but have not really feature any updates as yet... Don't give up on us as yet as we bring you more goodies very very soon...

Here are some knotty findings which really inspire me to create...

I love the soft blues, crisp black and pale grey interior of Anna Malin's Swedish home and those knotty headpins... =D

Head over to Decors to read more about Anna's lovely Swedish home..

I love this door mat from giovanna locatelli!!! Head over to Oh Joy! if are feeling knotty..

Emily's Peacock Tail Ring

Loving the colours in this ring and the pictures are excellent!!

Emily emailed me the pictures of her completed ring using Peacock Ring Tutorial. I am always happy to see her works and how she has progressed since she picked up wire works.

Visit her shop here

If you interested to learn how to make this ring, purchase it here!

Emily did it again!

Emily did it again... See Emily's variation of Trinity Circle here!
Love how the love swirls of the back of this pendant and the combination of colour of the crystals.... sweet!~

Yup, am thrilled and this indeed makes my day! =D

Emily's Trinity Circle

Emily has emailed me today to purchase my other tutorials and shared pictures of her completed project using one of my tutorial which she has purchased awhile back...

I am always happy to see completed projects from my students using tutorials I have written. Thank you Emily for your kind support and sharing these pictures. You have made my day and my weekend!! =D



Happy Fathers' Day to all the dads out there and my PAPA, I love you!

Random/ Updates

Took these pictures sometime in June last year while having lunch with my colleagues @ our national bird park... Some of these birds are really not afraid to come close to visitors who are dining in the restaurant... =D

First half of the year has just passed by.... I am beginning to look back and to see what achievements have I made thus far... jpbeads has gained alot more recognition since its debut as a blogshop sometime July last year (3 July 2008). It has been a blast and I have all of you to thank! Thank you for visiting this site and your continuing supports and love... I truly do appreciate it alot...

Due to some requests I have received recently and you are asking if I do conduct wireworks jewelry making classes? the Answer is yes, I do conduct private jewelry classes on wireworks upon request and modules for classes are customised according to your level (beginner/intermediate). You can also purchase instructions online via my blog, etsy or jewelry lessons.com. Presently, I do not conduct classes from my home and I am not teaching at any particular centre but if you have a group of at least 3 to 5 friends who are interested to learn wireworks, do email me at jpbeads@gmail.com

FYI. lack of updates due to extremely busy working schedule... will update soon, promise! =D

Cooking something...

Yup, am caught up with work and creating new pieces of jewelry and not having time to photgraph any new pieces or to update my blog.... T.T I wish I have 10 days in a week with extra 3 days to create and photograph each piece... it's not easy to keep up with my day job and thereafter work till wee hours in the morning to make jewelry.... am not complaining... in fact, I love spending countless time and effort to make new & unique one of a kind pieces... will launch Eva -Dainty Calla Lily Bouquets range together with a few other new pieces I have made at Bijou Bazaar this Saturday... I will see you peeps there! 

(Photo taken by Trieste Visier from Skateboarding Budgies)

Spotted the above photo from Triste Visier's blog.... pop over there and to see more cute birdie pictures! 

XD

Orang Bunian - What's that??

I have showcase some of my elvish "Bunian Earcuff" designs last weekend at 3K Inn during our debut bazaar. Some of you are puzzled and others find my little Bunian Earcuffs designs fascinating... =)



A little background to my creation...

My creations are largely inspired from my whimsical desire and love for fanciful creatures especially for wood elves. Elves are the most delicate creature with supernatural power but look very much like the human race. Although elves don't really exist in real life and I find it fanciful to create elvish jewelry which I believe the human race would love them too...

So what exactly are "Bunians". I am very certain that most of you have never heard or know that in our every own Malay legends, there are supernatural beings which are similar to the elves race and these creatures are known as "Orang Bunian". Yeap "Orang Bunian" is our very own legendary elves.... You can read about them on wikipedia and it would tell you how these "Bunians" actually live amongst us and some of them are married to the humans... Some people says Orang Bunian posses magical powers and some says they are invisible to our bare eyes.... Thanks to M for taking time off his busy schedule to tell me about these magical beings...

Being a Malaysian, I am proud and excited to create my very own "Bunian Earcuff" designs as my tribute to these magnificent "Malay version of Elves". The last I checked humans love Bunian Earcuffs too!

What's happening??

Hey Peeps, sorry for the lack of updates recently... have been really busy preparing for my debut bazaar... Will preview some of my latest unique wire wrapped designs and some dainty creations sometime this week (before my showcase at 3k Inn this Sat 21st). So stay tuned and do check back often! 

-xoxo- 

Do you know how much bacteria live on your handbags???

This is an article which I have spotted on one of the discussion group:

Have you ever noticed gals who sit their handbags on public toilet floors, then go directly to their dining tables and set it on thetable? Happens a lot! It's not always the 'restaurant food' that causes stomach distress. sometimes "what you don't know will hurt you"!

Read on...Mom got so upset when guests came in the door and ploppe their handbags down on the counter where she was cooking or setting up food. She always said that handbags are really dirty, because of where theyhave been. It's something just about every woman carries with them. While we may know what's inside our handbags, do you have any idea what's on the outside?

Women carry handbags everywhere; from the office to public toilets to the floor of the car. Most women won't be caught withouttheir handbags, but did you ever stop to think about where yourhandbag goes during the day.Most women didn't stop to think about what was on the bottom oftheir handbag. At home they usually set their handbags on top of kitchen tables and counters where food is prepared.

It turns out handbagsare so surprisingly dirty, even the microbiologist who tested them was shocked.Microbiologist Amy Karen of Nelson Labs says nearly all of thehandbags tested were not only high in bacteria, but high in harmful kinds of bacteria.

Pseudomonas can cause eye infections,staphylococcus aurous can cause serious skin infections, andsalmonella and e-coli found on the handbags could make people verysick.In one sampling, four of five handbags tested positive for salmonella,and that's not the worst of it. "There is fecal contamination on thehandbags" says Amy.. Leather or vinyl handbags tended to be cleaner than cloth handbags, and lifestyle seemed to play a role. People with kids tended to have dirtier handbags than those without, with one exception. The handbag of one single woman who frequented nightclubs had one ofthe worst contaminations of all. Some type of faeces, or possiblyvomit".

So the moral of this story is that your handbag won't kill you, but it does have the
potential to make you very sick if you keep it on places where you eat. Use hooks to hang your handbag at home and in toilets, and don't put it on your desk, a restaurant table, or on your kitchen countertop.Experts say you should think of your handbag the same way you would a pair of shoes.

Your handbag has gone where individuals before youhave sneezed, coughed, spat, urinated, emptied bowels, etc! Do you really want to bring that home with you? Cleaning a handbag will help.Wash cloth handbags and use leather cleaner to clean the bottom ofleather handbags?

New Vintage

Have you ever wonder what is the true meaning of vintage or antique jewelry? Some says it must be 20 years old, others say it must be 100 years old... Personally, I think the age of each vintage or antique piece is not important. It is the story behind every piece, its origins and how it is created. I find it intriguing to learn about what inspired the creator to make each piece and how each design is created... 

What then is "New Vintage"? Custome jewelry has evolved over the decades and came a long way back from the Georgian era. There are many new creations which are inspired from the Vintage and Antique Jewelry. Some "Old" and some "New" designs are used in order to create  new pieces of jewelry which are now commonly known as the "New Vintage". 

 Do check out over the weekends for my new pieces of wire-wrapped jewelry... =)

Photo sharing

Hey there! How's everyone greeting the brand new year.... =) It has been a week since I got back from my little get-away and here are some piccys I took in South Korea...