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Showing posts from 2010

SALE TIME !

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Hope you have all had a great holiday season. Love the holidays - never enough of them, and in Australia we get 4 weeks annually so a girl shouldn't complain. . It's been hectic here on the day job work and social front, so I'm keeping a low profile for a few days and getting lots of beading done. News is that I'm having a SALE  in the Sasha +Max Studio Etsy Shop - Here's the lowdown: 15% off when you enter the code :  DECEMBERSALE 20% off orders $50 or over, enter the code: DEC20 The fine print: Ends New years Eve December 31 Total Order value for 20% off excludes shipping. Happy shopping!

Glass celebration

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How do these wonderful glass artists do it ? I can't believe these copper look beads by Outwest are glass - she is a talented glass artist. All I need to do was keep it simple.. Relic Necklace El Grande Lone Star Earrings  And the vintage glass look that Jenn from Blue Seraphim achieved with these beads is so beautiful ... Vintage Look Earrings As we enter the crazy countdown to Christmas, I ask, where has the year gone.....

Take one strand of beads

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Petite Sunshine Earrings The postman brought me my package of Mika of Pinocean's lampwork etched raku beads this week. Mika is a majorly talented lampworker who sells on Etsy. Don't know about fellow bead folk, but I've got a bad habit of not reading the detail on how big the beads are (even though Mika clearly states this) , so at first I thought "Uh oh, very small" They are in fact small and so beautiful, requiring not much more than to be grouped together to create some very sweet earrings. Here's what was made, with no beads to spare!   The bead strand photo is courtesy of  Mika Collins. Freckles Terracotta Earrings Petite Turquoise Earrings Freckles Ivory Earrings Lone Star Earrings

Chunky Bracelets

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A trio of very different styles - sums up my head space this weekend. On a a small hiatus for a few days (after the post holiday soul searching), I've finished a design role last week with one firm (sad to say goodbye to a very nice and talented group), and will be starting a really fabulous new one with old colleagues in a great senior position on Wednesday  - tres exciting! Less beading time ahead though, so I've been a beading maniac this weekend ....think it's going to be a big week.

Juicy Colours

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There's a show at a friends place in a couple of weeks, so I've been a one woman beading machine - I really enjoy making earrings as you can take colour risks, and it's quick creative gratification.And hey, if it doesn't work you pull it apart and start again. The lovely beads and pieces are from my hoarded bead stash from Blue Seraphim, Bleu Verre,  Outwest, Round Rabbit, Chinook, Humblebeads and some of Miss Ficklemedia's copper rosette hooks.

A sense of place

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New  Bird house necklace the name is inspired by the song by They Might Be Giants, "Birdhouse in your Soul" which strangely I can't get out of my head.... My thoughts this weekend have been around a sense of place. My husband and I had lunch with his parents yesterday. They are Chinese Malaysian born, and have been in Australia since 1975. His parents yesterday started sharing some amazing stories regarding their lives in Malayasia during and after the WW2 Japanese occupation, their own parents and how they managed their lives during these time, how they met, why they left Malaysia during difficult political unrest to go to Singapore, and eventually Australia where they built their own home and created new lives yet again. I have been reminded how important it is to retain these stories that form our heritage, that provide us with a sense of who we are, a sense of home and a place to be. We need to remember to take the ask our elders to share their stories. It was a

Missing in action

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Yesterday I reminded myself that that sometimes I have to stop and make jewellery for me to wear too. Must be the change of season.  These are some sterling rounds that I made in a silver jewellery course last year - they're a bit rough but go well with the leather, some wood, and an eclectic mix of beads by Humblebebeads, Blue Seraphim and Outwest. Spending a lot of time in my own head space doing the post-holiday life direction contemplation, as you do. Been a bit quiet on the blog front, just doing some catch up with the Sasha+Max shops this weekend after a lovely big sale to a Brisbane store, having some quality cat time,  and trying to get some fitness regime happening... hmmm,  must be spring...

Greetings from Lord Howe Island

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We're on a short break, and whilst my brother and sister-in-law Andy and Lone babysit (i.e. spoil completely....!) the giant cats, we are wandering around Lord Howe , a UNESCO World Heritage listed Australian island located off New South Wales. This is our second visit - the weather's been very wet but we've (i.e. Kevin, my husband) taken some good photos as it is such an amazing place. . This fish was swimming so close to the beach shoreline - he is the most amazing emerald and blue colour. Sunshine forecast for tomorrow..more photos I hope.

Pure

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Some beautiful ceramic pieces arrived in my mail box over the past few weeks, inspiring a little less colour than my usual palette. These white tiles by Dot of Winchell made me squeal when I opened the package. I've combined them with Seraphim's swirled  white glass beads, and Miss Ficklemedia' s rosette copper hooks. Nancy of Round Rabbit sent me this divine misty pink moth which sits very sweetly with some copper chain, frosted glass and Swarovksi crystal. Very girly girl, I must say! Both pieces are now in the Etsy store. Have a lovely weekend my friends!

Seeing red .....and terracotta

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Been busy beading this weekend-  trying to avoid Australian election overload - we've ended up with no real clear winner as it seems no one really clearly wanted either of the major parties. They were the same old same old....seems to more about media than actually having policies. Not too much to share today word wise, except to say that there seems to be a lot of red and terracotta used in my bead work lately - that and the birds.....  just can't help myself. The lovely art beads below are by Humblebeads, Outwest, Blue Seraphim, Chinook, and MACarroll

Sasha+Max Studio Profile on Beads of Clay

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Hello and Happy Monday (if there is such a thing!) I'm so excited - the lovely MaryAnn Carroll has written a profile on Sasha+Max Studio on the Beads of Clay blog, a collective group of wonderful ceramic bead artists. As a lot of my pieces feature beads by  these artists MaryAnn decided to post a feature. This is a first for me. If you want to read a bit more about Sasha+Max,  check it out at:  beads-of-clay.blogspot Thanks so much to MaryAnn and BOC.!!!!!!!

Hmm.. Holiday dreaming

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In a month or so we go away to Lord Howe Island , which is a world heritage listed island about 2 hours from Sydney - it's the kind of place you have to stop, relax, walk, bike ride, eat great food and do lots of chilling out-  it's been 12 months since our last break away and I can't wait... no mobile phones  no blackberry reception , barely any cars...truly getting away from it all..  Daydream Necklace  Any who, there is a point to this...  The water is the same intense yet iridescent colour as the beads in this Daydream necklace. The crackle glaze that MaryAnn Carroll produced with these beads  pairs well with Round Rabbit's sweet pendant. Have a wonderful weekend!

Miss B's Birthday Bling earrings

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Made for my friend Bernadette 30th birthday, which we celebrated yesterday. The brief was "a bit of bling" . I think we nailed it with some sterling discs and some silver wrapped sweet Swarovksi pearls. Don't forget our sale - 24 hours to go - 20% off at our Etsy Store

SALE! SALE!!!! SALE!!!

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Need we say more! Friends of Sasha + Max - thank you! We're having a 3 DAY SALE in our Etsy Shop !!!! The fine print: Checkout and make payment as usual, and we will refund your 20% of your purchase by Paypal (Refund calculated by excluding shipping costs. Ends Monday 2 August 2010)

Fresh Colours

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Fresh new pieces on a cool Sydney winter's day.   Apple Necklace made with raku lampwork by Beeboo, an Elaine Ray lentil, and some sweet free form apple shaped beads by MaryAnn Carroll. This is the first time I've tried the beaded  loop button closure, seen here with a Mamacita pewter button. Can you believe that amazing pendant is glass? Outwest is a talented bead artist, that's for sure. A simple combination. Sometime I struggle with names for pieces, and end up a maybe bit corny, but it would be really boring  if we just called pieces by colour and type,  "olive and cream necklace".  Bullseye Necklace - hmmm....not sure about the name...

Circles

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I'm so fortunate to meet so many bead artists over the net from all over the world, and get the opportunity to own their amazing beads. I have met so many fabulous creative people, not just bead related, in bloglandia and the internet since beading took hold of my life. The life of a bead addict is a good one. This pair is a simple combination of green concave (or convex depending which way you look at it) ceramic discs by Chinook paired with Mary Ann Caroll's ceramic beads. So simple -  I'm quietly chuffed with the results. New earrings made with some gorgeous hoops from Outwest that go (oh so nicely) with some raku teal lamp work beads by Blue Seraphim. Look at that pattern on those hoops - I'm in love with these babies!. There's one pair in the Etsy shop and one in the Madeit shop.

Too many beads or shoes? I dont think so!

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Is it just me, or do you agree a girl can never have too many shoes or beads...? These beautiful beads are brought to you by Blue Seraphim, Round Rabbit, Everyheart, and Bee Boo. I have  been doing too much beady browsing, the bonus being that Sasha+Max's beady booty is looking well and truly replenished. ..............Stay tuned for new jewellery goodies, and enjoy the weekend!

Sasha + Max like birthday parties

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It's a lovely sunny and chilly long weekend, and it was my birthday yesterday (another year... where does the time go .....). My brother took these photos of Sasha and Max joining in the festivities - you can see how big a cat Maxy is when you have me for scale! Main coons are very cheeky - Maxy  enjoyed opening the presents, and Sasha sat whistfully gazing at the cake. Cake Please !! Can I go now??.

Japanese Brights

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The rain keeps falling ( I swear we will need that ark I mentioned a couple of weeks ago...have to Google how to build one soon!)  and the temperature is dropping in the southern hemisphere....  we need a surge of colour and pattern to keep happy!.. I like to think of these as little medals to happiness. These Japanese necklaces now in the Etsy and Made it Stores

Going Dotty

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 Dotty earrings Ok, so the playing with bumpy beads is nearly done....  We know some love 'em, some not so much, but we think they're a bit of fun in a serious world. Here's another pair in a gorgeous blue green to add some colour to Sunday. Feature beads are by the very talented Canadian bead artist Maree-Andree Marchand of BlueVerre.

Rain, rain, rain

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The rains stopped ( for today)  so we got some photos done.. the daylight for the past 10 days has been really poor. Might need to build the ark tomorrow and load in the cats as the rain is due to return.  Oh well,  a good excuse for more beading creations. Can't wait to play with the new Chinook charms and MaryAnn Carroll beads that arrived this week   These romantic pieces, inspired by the "bunker down" weather,  are now in the Madeit and Etsy shops.......hearts by ExpeditionD and Chinook.     Sasha's Heart Charm Necklace  Envy Necklace Key to your Heart

Love a weekend

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A busy week trying to get over the flu which has knocked around me and my work colleagues, minimal sleep due to coughing fits...meowing cats..... Thank goodness for weekends so we can catch up on rest! Dinner with my darling at an amazing French restaurant last night called Guillaume at Bennelong , which is in the Sydney Opera House and one of the best, in my humble view.... (if you're ever in Sydney, it is a must visit). A busy weekend lined up, but had time to make some new pieces, the first is a blue version of the Emerald Forest Necklace posted a couple of posts ago, made with Round Rabbit' s wonderfully mottled edge blue pendant, and some large lampwork beads by Indy Jules . The Denim Blues Necklace . Not a very original name, but hey... Next one I called "Crazy Saturday". Mamacita's Bubble pendant is up on my list of all time favourites, seen here with some treated wood and textural chain.

For the love of it

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I make jewellery because I have to - it is my obsession and I really love it. However, sales have been very slow in my online shops, like, no sales since January!! Full of creative self doubt, I was having what we Aussies call a "whinge" to one of my girlfriends last Sunday. Low and behold, 4 decent sales this week  - the gods were listening, perhaps? Thank you, dear customers! One piece that sold was my Bluebird bracelet . Here's its pair, the Bluebird Necklace , which I have just added to the Etsy store. The bird is by Summers Studio and it sits so nicely with Mary Ann Carroll's cube beads and some pewter discs. Enjoy your weekend, and be nice to your mother - Sunday is Mother's Day in Australia.

Sunday Eye Candy

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 Emerald Forest necklace Loving the big porcelain pendants I bought from Round Rabbit - this beautiful textured one reminds me of an abstraction of  the alpine forests you see in Europe or New Zealand's Fjordland. It sits nicely with some simple green lampwork beads and a chunky chain. Sputnik Blue Earrings I'm also having a thing for spiky and bumpy beads and have been stocking up at Pinocean and Blue Verre. I know I showed the Green Sputnik's last week, but hey, here they are again. The feature beads used for the earrings and the necklace are by Mika at  Pinocean. There are a few more in the mail on their way to the studio. They are a bit controversial - you either love them or.. ..not.. Me, I can't get enough, and end up keeping half of them for myself... an occupational hazard for a beadaholic. Sputnik Green Earrings