sasha + max studio

 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.

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

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.

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.

 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