Archive for the 'Jewelry' Category

500 Followers and 300,000 hits :)

The Blue Brick has 500 followers! Watching the stats on this blog grow has been a very neat experience, we also just passed the 300,000 hit mark. I’ve been wondering about whether it was due for a refresher.

©Shireen Nadir 2013

When I post about crafts sometimes I worry that the content isn’t interesting to photographers, and vice versa – that my photography posts are of less interest to crafters. I thought about whether it was time to start a separate blog to feature photography related material only.

©Shireen Nadir 2013

But then I realized that, variety is what my blog is about, not a specific outlet for one hobby but a celebration of creativity in general. In my day job I’m the Art Director for a design firm in Toronto, and one thing I’ve realized is that cross-pollination is what creativity is about for me. I think my pottery contributes directly to my feel for advertising, and that graphic design influences my knitting. Being creative in general is the journey (though photography will always be my first love)

©Shireen Nadir 2013

BUT there is a new first love emerging. I love when someone takes something I’ve done, and takes it a step farther. I love the idea that a photo of Newfoundland is on a wall in Istanbul, that a photograph of the aurora is now a bat of roving, and the idea that my work in the Bay of Fundy has helped educate people about the tides in physics textbooks in Austria, a museum in Northern Quebec, a magazine in California and many others. I love when work travels, and can inspire others. I really love seeing the projects of people who’ve knitted a design of mine!

©Shireen Nadir 2013

So, I am going to make one little change. Rather than make jewellery for sale on Etsy any more I’m going to write tutorials so folks can make their own. In particular, I’m embarking on my first book, a comprehensive how-to of using resin to turn flowers into jewellery. I will still accept commission work, but my days of creating large quantities for sale on Etsy are over  (There will be one last update, in late April though, because I just can’t resist making jewellery during tulip season :)). I am looking forward to the creative writing process, to creating my first book and most of all, to seeing what others make!

©Shireen Nadir 2013

Haven’t made Jewellery in a while…

So I made these lovelies on the weekend :)

©Shireen Nadir 2013

All supplies from Beadfx.

  • Open lever backed earring closures
  • Silver finish hummingbird charms
  • 3mm round Swarovski crystals in colour ‘denim blue’
  • Ball point head pins
  • Swarovski Elements Rhinestones – 12 mm Rivoli Cut Pointed Back Foiled Rhinestone
  • Silver Stone mount Rivoli

 

Chicken Jewellery (yes, you read right).

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Right at the end of our journey to the Highland Cattle Farm I picked up a feather from the ground near the chicken pen. ‘Can I keep this?’ I asked a bemused Kim, ‘Uh, sure’. Of course I had plans (evil laughter, ok no, not really, but check this out):

Feather Jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

The feather was carved up and preserved into 1″ bezels using jewellery grade resin for some truly unique and lovely jewellery. Both pieces are Christmas gifts :) I can’t say for whom…. who am I to ruin Christmas?

Feather Jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

Feather Jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

Feather Jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

Inspiration comes in the craziest places, doesn’t it?

Feather Jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding Keepsakes

Blog death yet again – but this time it’s not my fault. My computer has been on the blink, and I have been in and out of Apple stores trying to get this resolved. I am starting to feel dubious about ‘genius’ being a job title… but I digress.

Preserved wedding bouquet ©Shireen Nadir 2012

I have been busy though, and today’s post is about the birthday gift I made for my newly wed friend Kris. At the end of the wedding, while everyone was drunk and distracted, I absconded with a few petals from her bouquet. Sneaky, no? Here was the bouquet:

Preserved wedding bouquet ©Shireen Nadir 2012

And here are the results:

Preserved wedding bouquet ©Shireen Nadir 2012

Preserved wedding bouquet ©Shireen Nadir 2012

Like all my resin work, this is jeweller’s grade resin. It will never yellow, or fade. I thought it would make a sweet keepsake for her – so even after the rest of the bouquet has been dried she can wear and remember the original colours of her wedding day :)

©Shireen Nadir 2012

 

All the leaves are gone…

Well, not quite. There are still leaves up there but I’d say the sweet spot for leaf preservation has passed.

Leaf jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

And that’s the ‘why’ of the matter for me – Autumn is beautiful and magical because it passes. The trees give us a treat for a few weeks and then it’s over. More than spring, more than summer, there is a nowness to autumn – you’ve got to enjoy every beautiful, colourful jewel of a day because, well because winter is on it’s way.

Leaf jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

This is why, of all the things I’ve preserved in resin, autumn leaves are the most precious to me. I have taken something transitional by nature and preserved a piece of it. No matter how many times I do it, it always feels a little bit like magic, especially when my stash of leaves begins the inevitable – turning into dust.

Leaf jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

Another reason I love these pieces is that they’re pieces of home. They’re Canadian maple leaves, collected here in Ontario. The fact that we have 4 seasons is one of the things that makes life up here so beautiful and inspiring and I love being able to create something not only inspired by, but made of, seasonal change.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheBlueBrick

Enough babbling :) I’m in a romantic mood this morning, maybe because tomorrow is the big wedding day for Kris and Kev! We all got our mendhi (henna) handwork done last night, and we’re all excited for tomorrow!

Leaf jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

There will likely be only one more round of jewellery coming after this one, and then I’ll retire the resin until tulip season in the spring. Check out my Etsy shop to see what’s available :)

Wearable knitting, but not in the way you think…

knitted jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

This is a new experiment I’m trying – what do you guys think? A tiny knitted swatch inserted into a pendant and sealed in with a glass cabochon. I’ve only made 2 so far – I wanted to see if others found the idea as compelling as I do. Knitting is beautiful, why not as jewellery?

knitted jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

knitted jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

For anyone who’s curious – the grey yarn is Viola Viola in Dew Drop, the Blue is Tanis Fiber Arts Silver Label Mulberry Silk in a OOAK colourway that’s very close to Deep Sea.

 

Flower Petals and Butterfly Wings

A few more additions to the Etsy site tonight – still in the resin zone! Last summer we found a monarch butterfly in the grass that had been eaten by a bird. The bird left the wings behind. I know it sounds kinda gross, but I folded the wings into some paper and slipped them into my wallet, knowing I would do something with them later.

butterfly jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

butterfly jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

 

I would never hurt a living thing to make art – so I couldn’t pass up the chance to get my hands on perfect monarch wings! I also put in a few floral pieces based on some tulips I preserved last spring. I had taken the summer off working with resin… clearly I missed it!

flower jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012

flower jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012flower jewellery ©Shireen Nadir 2012



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