sasha + max studio

Teardrop I have been playing with polymer clay this year, wanting to put a lot more of my own handmade into my pieces, and totally enjoying this new direction. So much to learn, so many gadgets one could buy!   Building your own patterns, making canes, adding texture, creating beads - the world is limitless. So many great artists to learn from whilst wanting to work with my own style. The journey continues...  

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...

Some little treasures from this weekend's beading table efforts. A weekend of beading, friends to dinner, quality Main Coon cat time, and some gardening in our new courtyard as we recently moved from an apartment to a townhouse (my new project- the courtyards are very grey, think prison exercise yard aesthetic! Need some TLC and I think I need to hire a landscape designer). The necklaces are in the Sasha + Max Studio Made it store I'm "modelling" them with my new fake suede top from David Jones's Studio W label- it was a total bargain and will be a steady favourite this spring. Reminds me of Labrador puppies.. weird I know. Cactus bead is from the very talented Nancy of Round Rabbit.

Simple, bold, colourful, affordable..great gifts.. meet Geo. They can be found at my Madeit store Wont be making too many of these as everyone else seems to be doing some variation of the bib necklace.

A few new pieces using very special (aka I've been hoarding) copper pendants from Daisy Chain Extra and Jade Scott. Ring Ring Ring Ring Summer Summer Foxy Foxy

So you might have thought from the last post that I've gone all monochromatic. Well, truth is you will see very contrasting pieces. Today is fresh Spring colour ( it's Spring in Australia, and are we happy about that or what!). Spring Spring Alia

I have been busy trialing and creating a new and very different range.  It is called Sasha +Max Black Label. Why? Typically the Sasha + Max style is weekend casual, whimsical and colourful, but my work day style in an architectural practice is more designer professional, and I wear a lot of structured pieces in black or white. I felt there was a gap for a range to wear to work or on a night out, hence the inception of the Black Label range. It is monochromatic, simple and classic, featuring semi precious stones, silver and pieces that can be layered together. Spike Spike I've closed Etsy, created a new logo which is the outline cat, and opened a store on big cartel, www.sashaandmax.com . that stocks the new range. My Made It store is still active and will carry the casual range. Hope you like it! Waterfall Waterfall Dead Gorgeous Reminiscent Moon

Blue Filigree Blue Filigree I have had some large pendants that I bought from Round Rabbit a while ago, and they are seriously much bigger than I usually bead with, leaving me somewhat perplexed as to what to do with them. I set up a pattern and basically modified from there with colour. Filigree Necklace Filigree Necklace Lavender Filigree Lavender Filigree