We are in the middle of September and the summer holidays seem so far already. My season of inspiration and soul clearance is over.

For me, summer is the season to stop everything and just calm down and relax.

but i did a few interesting experiments

During that time I had the opportunity to draw, read and think about my next moves. I also made a few experiments and quality tests on my jewelry especially those that are plated and painted. My daughter and me chose to wear a few pieces for a long time and whole day long to see if colors and plating fade. We wore them at the beach, in the  sea, during showers, with cosmetics, sunscreen lotions and really gave them a … “hard time”. The results were very satisfactory. The pieces that have enamel painted parts passed the test 100%. So my “Seeds and Pits” jewelry are water proof and safe to wear under all circumstances. Rhodium plated silver was very durable despite the water and cosmetics. I wore the “Diamonds” necklace for a month. The dark gray color faded slightly. Rose gold plating was pretty good, too! I tested “Boat” necklace for over a month. Although gold plated silver jewelry tend to fade easily it seems that my plater did an excellent job. Of course I don’t recommend wearing gold plated jewelry when bathing or swimming because eventually color will fade away. Below you can see the before and after photos of the pieces.

Photos were taken with mobile phone and natural light.

Autumn is for planning

Summer is for recharging and autumn for planning. It’s the season for new beginnings, designs and decisions. I don’t really care if they will come true. It is important to schedule my life and organize the things I want to achieve, no matter what happens. The most important thing is not to put myself under a lot of pressure by having unreal expectations but to set small goals and take one step at a time.

So what are the goals for this season? First of all I plan to practice a lot mostly by working directly with metals and not so much with wax. This way I can create one of a kind pieces made exclusively by me. Wax sculpturing and carving comes second because this procedure requires cooperation with a caster in order to have the final piece. Going to caster right now makes me feel quite uncomfortable because I still practice social distancing due to the corona virus restrictions. Not going to the caster also saves me a lot of valuable time since I don’t have to leave my workshop. There is not enough time for my creations because motherhood and house chores are mostly done by me among many more. So no back and forth to the caster for now. Just e-shopping for supplies and lots of workshop time for me, hopefully!

Some new designs are in my mind at the moment. They will probably be part of the “Symbols” collection. The last months, during the corona virus crisis, have made me very emotional and thoughtful about the meaning of our existence and the real values of life. Although I never design annual lucky charms I plan, just for this year, to make some unique pieces that symbolize safety, bliss and tranquility. Soon I will write a post about this procedure followed by sketches and photos of my work.

Until my next post try to enjoy the last days of September and find a beach near you for a quick swim. The sea is still warm and willing to take our troubles away.

Love you all!