sasha + max studio

  Dots pendants range  Have been having a few flat weeks of late, I think it's the day-in-day-out routine without a lot of long term planning or outings, and it kind of zaps the creative mind. .   So I decided to play with some colours that were mood lifting. When it comes to my beading and clay work I'm not much of a detailed planner - I just see where it takes me on the day. I dug out a digital art image that I'd saved to Pinterest a long while ago that had a palette that jumped at me - this was the inspiration for my colour mixes for my 2 slabs. I find slab work very time consuming - I agonise over placement which is a bit silly as its going to be cut up anyway, but that's just how I am.  It was worth it as these pieces make me very happy.   Several of these pieces sold quickly, with a couple of pairs of earrings on their way to the US to a dear repeat customer.  I'm always so excited when my work sells - even after all this time I st...

It's been a weird and strange time across the world. Australia is in lock down like many countries. Whilst I'm typically home based and in and out of my studio / home office for both my business as a commercial + workplace interior designer and my jewellery work, like many of us I'm now 100% at home - I'm going a bit stir crazy as I am missing my social interactions, but it is so important that we all stay home at this time.  New pendants  The future impacts of the post lockdown world will be interesting - perhaps all this working from home time produces more creative and strategic thinking on how to interact whilst being able to spending more time with loved ones? My cat certainly is very happy with the new regime. For me with a senior parent at her home alone, and loved ones in essential services, I know the worry will continue for a while yet. Sasha taking over the office  At Sasha and Max I am still creating pieces and the online store...

As a new week continues, I've been playing with red and rust tones, and adding very subtle textures. I've named this mini collection 'Red Carnival' as the colours have a retro circus vibe. I've made pendants with some large round pieces that have the multi angled stripes. Pendant Here are the unassembled components: And the earrings Have  good rest of the week !

Well hi there, happy Sunday to you, hope you have been well! Spring has arrived in the Southern hemisphere today - a beautiful sunny day. Life has been hectic, but it feels like I'm gaining some control having recently opened my own commercial Interior Design Studio, Texture Collective ,  after many years working for other firms. I thought I'd say hi after way too long, and share some recent work with you as my clay work skills have developed. Today is the black and white work, playing with canes and textures.  My work is available in 2 locations, www.sashaandmax.com which is all polymer clay work, and Madeit, http://madeit.com.au/sashaandmax which is a mix of polymer and beaded pieces. Thanks for stopping by, and have a great week!

As 2018 draws to a close (what a year, phew!), wishing you and your families lots of love and happiness. A long time ago, I took up beaded jewellery making to make gifts. Ten years on, whilst I'm selling online as Sasha + Max , the making of gifts for family and friends still happens, and maybe a few for me too....   It's of huge satisfaction to now make most of the beads as part of my polymer obsession, and tailor accordingly. The black and white necklace is for my sister-in-law, who hails from Denmark and has a wonderful modern aesthetic. The beads are my early cane work - stripes a a bit wonky but generally it hangs together, do you think ? The green necklace is for my Mother - a very stylish 80 something. I was inspired by the some of the one base colour / many shades work of polymer artist Judy Belcher . All the beads are polymer, paired with a Saki Silver clasp  As luck had it, my mother wore a matching modern shift dress on Christmas day that worked pe...

Well hello, long time no see, and a belated Happy New Year to you. Hope you and your families are well, had a good break, and for Australian readers that you are succeeding in staying cool in this hot humid weather. We talk about weather a lot, don't we? It's a weird obsession of mine since school days. Here's some new pieces created over the holidays - some very colourful pieces and one very neutral. These will be added to the shops over the next few days. Woodland Sunshine Days Circuitous Circuitous Lots of bead shopping was done over the break, and little packages now keep arriving (got to love that)  - a bundle of Graceful Willow beads came just in time for weekend beading. Look at those colours ! Cindy makes amazingly unique beads, might need to go back for more. Enjoy the week. Earrings made with Graceful willow beads - great colour and pattern !  The Sasha+Max Studio shop links are Etsy Madeit.com

It's a long weekend in Sydney - a good time for reflection and creative pursuits. My sister-in law Grace suggested that I join her for the Frida Kahlo Diego Rivera exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW. What a wonderfully curated show it was, telling in detail about their tumultuous life, the world at that time and the stories behind each work. Photo by Nickolas Muray Self Portrait with necklace Frida was an amazing women who dealt with some very tough health issues, and died tragically young in her mid 40's. She was a total ground breaker for women in art, never playing by rules.  I felt totally inspired both by her work and use of colour, and particularly by Frida's very individual look.  Photo by Edward Weston Her way of wearing chunky jewellery paired with authentic Mexican clothing was enough to get me back to the jewellery studio to make the below, and online to build my chunky bead stash. Frida Get in fast as the show at AGNSW...

Hi there. Hope your weekend has been creative. Hard to find the time some days. I bought this Tibetan bead from Lima beads in the US - isn't she lovely? She had to be the focus of a statement necklace. Enamel beads seem to be also going into my pieces of late - love the texture and colours. One day I will make my own when I can get some flame space organized and work out how to ship Barbara Lewis' torch flame tools to Australia. I also was tinkering with some other bright beads, one of Humblebeads gorgeous birds paired with a Golem lentil bead. Classic layout. Made for each other.

Hi there. Hope your weekend has been creative. Hard to find the time some days. I bought this Tibetan bead from Lima beads in the US - isn't she lovely? She had to be the focus of a statement necklace. Enamel beads seem to be also going into my pieces of late - love the texture and colours. One day I will make my own when I can get some flame space organized and work out how to ship Barbara Lewis' torch flame tools to Australia. I also was tinkering with some other bright beads, one of Humblebeads gorgeous birds paired with a Golem lentil bead. Classic layout. Made for each other.

 Autumn is making a very slow start in Sydney, we still are having balmy 25C days. In anticipation of the cooler weather, I'm embracing the rust tones in my clothing and jewellery. Carnelian beads are perfect for this time of year. This is a little collage of some of my favourite pairings. Earrings available at Sasha and Max Etsy and Madeit shops. Clothes by Country Road and Trenery (this post is not sponsored, I just like their range and am a frequent buyer! )

With the sorry exchange rate between the Australian and the US dollar and ballooning postal rates I've been trying to source more of my art beads from local artists. This necklace features torch fired enamel beads by the lovely Liz de Luca from Queensland.

Happy Chinese New Year! Off to celebrate with my husband's family tonight with a feast at Sydney Fish Market. Short and sweet post today - just thought I'd share images of how my goodies are packaged once sold. I buy my boxes from Fusionbeads in the US and wrap them in Japanese Washi paper and tie with butcher's string. Just done a restock of Washi paper from one of my favourite stores,  the book and art store that is Kinokinuya in Sydney city. What a great shop full of amazing design books, goodies and cards. Sadly there are not many book stores left in Sydney now. I love Washi paper, the intensity of colour and delicate prints are truly a perfect match for the Sasha+ Max style.  The above are 4 different patterns, must say its always hard to pick which papers to buy.

Best wishes for 2016. I hope that you have had a great holiday break. Australia typically shuts down for 2 weeks as it's summer here. We spent a few days down in country Victoria, at Mt Macedon, the region famous for "Picnic at Hanging Rock", staying with dear friends, eating, wine tasting and drinking, bush-walking - perfect. No resolutions from me, except to get the landscaping done at our "new" home where we have been for 8 months, finish painting walls, and perhaps to give torch fired enamel beads aka Barbara Lewis style another try as I have outdoor space and won't set the cat or home on fire. It's been hard to get back into the day job routine this week, but funny enough there is always time for jewellery making! Here are some new creations using handmade lampwork and polymer beads from my favourite artists. All available at www.madeit.com.au/sashaandmax