Alicia Istanbul Designs

Friday, February 5, 2010

A frenzied Friday post

One of my favorite songs right now (Uprising), from one of my favorite bands right  now (Muse).  For your enjoyment:



The music brings me back to my childhood - watching Dr. Who (the one from the 70s) while my Mom made dinner.

And the video reminds me of Erin Tyner's photography. I love that style of photography. I'm not sure what it's called is it macro photography, or am I making up words?


Side note:
My blog giveaway closes tonight at midnight EST - 5 hours to go! Winner will be announced on Monday.

Off to have dinner with my girlfriends - and I'm running late as usual.  Ta ta!

Have a great weekend, you guys.  *kiss blown your way*

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Thursday, February 4, 2010

Blog feature - thank you

Thank you so much to Kristen and Liz at coolmompicks.com for featuring a review of my Spinning Circle necklace on their awesome and inspiring blog today.

Custom spinning name pendant - etched in sterling silver

You can click here to see this necklace in my Etsy shop.

You can click here to go to coolmompicks.com and see all the the fantastic featured items.
 
You can click here to see the review that I'm beaming about 
and PS, you can enter to win a free jewelry giveaway from my shop on their blog, so do it!

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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Work in Progress Wednesday - Be Mine

Here's a picture by picture post for you of what I made today for the Ring a Day challenge.

Part of the challenge for me, personally, is to expand my breadth of metalsmithing skills and experiment with new media.  I have never worked with resin before.  I kind of went into today's project blindly and just hoped for the best. This ring was made with the intention of looking like a classic box of Valentine chocolates, with the little "doily" and all. I'd say it turned out pretty swell.

 Be Mine ring - day 13

Cutting the doily
 Cutting the doily.

Soldering the layers together
Soldering the layers together.

Soldering the wall of the heart to the base
Soldering the wall of the heart to the base.


"Upsetting" the edge
"Upsetting" the edge (silversmithing vernacular).


Soldering the ring band and tags
 Soldering the ring band and signature tags.


Ring ready for color
Ring is ready for color.

Mixing the color with the resin (watercolor paint and 2-part epoxy)
Mixing watercolor paint and 2-part epoxy
this is the part where I had no idea what I was doing...

DSC_0004
Applying the resin to the ring.

Then I let it sit for a few hours to cure.
Then I sanded down the surface.

Be Mine - RAD 13
Success, thy name is old-school-Valentine-box-o'chocolates-style-ring.
Not bad, not bad at all... 
Be Mine - RAD 13
Back of ring.


Be Mine - RAD 13
The perfect way to say Be Mine this Valentine's Day.


You can find this ring in my Etsy shop on Friday.
Hope you enjoyed!  

See you on Friday.

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Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Ring a ling!

Hello!  I haven't seen you in a few days. How've you been?

I've been just ringy!  These days I've been eating, drinking, sleeping, and breathing rings. Come and see what I'm talking about.

This ring a day challenge that I've thrown myself into is a bit of a double edged sword.
On the one hand, I am having the most fun seeing what comes through my fingers when the pressure is on to create new and original things on a daily basis. There's no time for laziness. I do love that I am in the studio creating every single day.  On the other hand, there's always a  nagging thought in the back of my mind that I  need to be making a ring.

So, my first and most important job is being a mother to my SweetPea, and some days time is just not on my side.  You'll know it's been one of those days when the ring of the day ends up being something simple and wire-wrapped.  Realistically, as much as I wish it, they can't all be phenomenal. In order for that to happen, I'd have to put SweetPea on the back burner, and that ain't happening.  Thus I do what I can with the time that I'm given.  I've hit my stride on the ring a day thing, and so far so good.  Will I last to day 365? ...that, we'll have to see.

Here is an assemblage of rings from days 1-9
Ring a Day mosaic - days 1-9

And those from days 10 and 11 deserve a little spotlight, I think.

Serpentine Sheild ring - day 10
Serpentine Shield - ring a day 10
The serpent is one of the most revered and feared creatures in nature and religion. I just love making serpentine themed jewelry. There is so much symbolism associated with snakes:  rebirth, revenge, poison, medicine, and guardianship. Very few creatures have the power to simultaneously amaze us and repel us.
Serpentine Shield - ring a day 10
This Serpentine ring reminds me of ancient Rome, where the serpent was a household god and serpent rings were worn to ensure health, strength, and long life.  The ring has been rusticated to look ancient, too.
Serpentine Shield - ring a day 10
The front of the ring hugs your finger from knuckle to joint, but the sides conform comfortably to those tricky spaces between your fingers. The back of the ring is open to keep your finger from feeling a pythonesque strangle, and it will fit a size 7 to 8.5.
You can find it here.


Day 11's ring is another throwback to times of old.
Primordial ring
Primordial Mosaic - ring a day 11
 Most rings are made of metal and stone. Big whoop. This one's made out of an actual prehistoric dinosaur.

That's right-- the cabochon is a piece of dinosaur bone, and it simply begged to be married with my hand-etched mosaic-pattern, which I imprinted in sterling silver for a completely unique, prehistoric flair.

The Primordial ring has a purply-blue patina that pulls the entire design together in a modern-stone-age-rock-star sort of way.
Primordial Mosaic - ring a day 11
Wear this ring for cocktails with the Rubbles, for a benefit at the Natural History Museum, or to channel your inner terrible lizard in the board room.
You can find it here.



On the Rocks ring - ring a day 12
 This is today's ring - day 12.
Peruvian opal beads that look like little ice cubes. So I named the ring On the Rocks. I'll be listing it in my Etsy shop later tonight.

So there you have an array of rings from the last few days.

Tomorrow's ring is going to be something totally different.  If you're new to my blog, tomorrow will be work in progress Wednesday, so you'll see the step by steps of the making of the ring.  I'll be working with a medium I've never, ever tried before hand-tinted resin, and I'll be working with zero direction or help, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will actually work. Be sure to check back here to see if what comes out is a masterpiece or a disaster-piece.

One last thing. Thank you to everyone who has entered my first-ever blog giveaway.  The response has been crazy insane - more than I ever expected, so thank you! If you haven't entered yet, just click here to find out more.

A demain!
That means see you tomorrow en francais.

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Friday, January 29, 2010

There's a first time for everything - it's GIVEAWAY time!

All the cool kids are doing it.
Well I'm cool, too.
So here's my first ever blog giveaway. Yay!
Fresh off the jeweler's bench, made today, 
just for you.
 
One Must Have Sunshine 
necklace etched in sterling silver with ocean jasper
featuring my original hand drawn art

One Must Have Sunshine necklace
This jaunty little butterfly flits about 
...footloose and unfettered.
Those carefree sunny days of summer
can't get here soon enough, wouldn't you say?

I like to make jewelry that carries special meaning.
A necklace that reminds me that sunshine and freedom reside in my heart
year round
regardless of how endless January may sometimes seem,
or how dreary February's known to be.

One Must Have Sunshine necklace
The silhouette of the pendant is a fluffy cloud in the outline of a butterfly.
The back features 2 hidden bails, my signature poppy tag and my maker's mark,
and is embellished with my custom font. A quote that reads:
One Must Have Sunshine necklace
"just living is not enough" said the butterfly
"one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower" ~ Hans Christian Andersen
One Must Have Sunshine necklace
Pendant hangs by a double rolo chain in bright sterling silver.
Necklace is adjustable 16"-18"
 
One Must Have Sunshine necklace

 Would you like it?
You can bring it one step closer to your little hands by doing one or all of the following:

1. Leave a comment on this post,
telling me in a quick sentence how you came across my blog.
(Value: 1 Entry)

2. Mention this giveaway in your own blog,
and leave me a comment confirming that you did so.
In your comment here please include a link to your blog.
(Value: 1 Entry)

3. Share the link to this giveaway on your facebook wall,
and leave me a comment here so I know you did so.
(Value: 1 Entry)

4. Tweet tweet! Share a link to this giveaway on your Twitter,
and leave me a comment here letting me know you did.
(Value: 1 Entry)

5. Become a fan on facebook of Istanbul Designs,
and leave a comment for me here so that I know you did so.
(Value: 1 Entry)

6. Start following this blog, and
leave me a comment here letting me know.
(Value: 1 Entry)

7. Start following me on Twitter.
And leave a comment here to let me know.
(Value: 1 Entry)

You have 7 total possible ways to enter this giveaway.
Enter with one, two, or all of them!

Giveaway closes at midnight EST on Friday, February 5th. 
The winner will be announced Monday, February 8th.

The winner will be chosen randomly from among all the entries.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Let the FUN begin :)

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