Calligraphy

So I know I wanted to tell my progressive story, but I wanted to get this plug in before time runs out -

In addition to jewelry, I also have a calligraphy business. I am self-taught, and have been practicing for years. When I got accepted into this Florence program, I wanted to really embrace all of my talents to get there, so out popped calligraphy.

I have some experience within the wedding industry; I worked as a florist for about 3 years, and I got a few calligraphy jobs through that venue. I undestand the stress and desire for perfection of this exciting time for brides, and I believe those on a budget should have their invitations done by a professional and reliable individual.

To date, I have served several clients out of the South Shore-Boston area. And I made sure to do my research before looking at my pricing structure: do you know that the average calligrapher charges about 3.00 an envelope?! I find this absurd, especially in this economy. I'm a student, and I will charge you as such; here are my rates!

Outer and Inner Envelope: $1.75 ea.
Outer Envelope Only: $1.00 ea.

Place cards: $.60 ea.

However time is running out! I may have some time for work available in July, and August is open. So if you've got a fall wedding, now's the time to book - my plane leaves September 1st, and I am willing to work up right until then :)

(Clients are responsible for shipping charges and postage. References available upon request.)

Check out my etsy site for more images, and contact me today to set up a consultation appointment!!!

P.S. - FELLOW ETSY - ANS!!!

I am really intersted in forming partnerships or collaborations with paper or cardmakers. Please shoot me a convo or email to talk ;)

Why stop at sea glass rings? Maybe wire wrapped necklaces...

Sorry for the post delay - I was hoping to get some images but this lousy New England weekend escaped me.

So the logical step from seaglass rings was necklaces. That is, wire wrapping as a pendant to hang from a cord (typically black; seaglass looks GREAT against shiny silver wire and anything black). And these necklaces are really cheap to make, especially with my overabundance of seaglass. I've experimented with a couple of different types of cording; frayed, satin, suede, and ribbon - they all look great!

So here's what I did and a good how-to for future references:
To assist the wire in holding the weight of the seaglass on the cord, I wanted to drill a hole at the top of the piece to wire through for better stabilization. Dad helped me out with this one; he lent me his drill, and bought a glass-drilling bit for this project. Also, for those interested, you have to drill seaglass UNDERWATER, to avoid overheating the bit and preventing the glass from breaking. It also takes A REALLY LONG TIME to drill, especially if the glass piece is really thick.

So we flipped this plastic plate (obviously not glass!) and drilled through. You also do not just drill from one side to the other; you drill equally by alternating sides. It's helpful before you start to mark the same point on both sides. Then, keep drilling *patiently* until you see the other side! You'll be able to hear the difference, too.

And in happy unrelated news - I sold a great deal of inventory at the SSYC's Chowder Party this weekend! Thanks to all for your continued support. I also have a large ongoing calligraphy job right now, and my Italian class is almost over!!! YAY!!

Trip to Bermuda - "Hey, I can make that – and cheaper!"

So my family and I went on vacation to Bermuda last year, and this was about the time where I was getting interested in looking for jewelry inspirations. Bermuda has a lot of turisty stuff, but it also has a very unique style. They just LOVE shells, bright colors, and big dangly things. Which was perfect, because I'm all over that stuff.

So I returned home to the lovely weather of Boston, Massachusetts armed with new ideas. First of which was the dangly necklace, already pictured in the previous post. Second were seaglass rings. (p.s., I write seaglass as 1 word but apparently it's two. Sorry.) I saw a local artisan making them, but she was using sterling silver wire and wrapping them in a really complicated way. So I studied them, tried them on, and was confident that I could make a similar design (without copying, of course!) with silver plate wire and my own wire-wrapping style.




















For those who condemn me - I heard an applicable quote once last year at art school about replicating paintings, in other words, learning to paint by painting masterpieces: " In 'copying' a master of art, it is really impossible to replicate the piece exactly; a little bit of you always shows through."

I had a ton of seaglass from when I was younger and my family and I would go out on our boat and collect seaglass from the Islands around Boston (i.e., Portuguese Cove was GREAT for that!). I still have a LOT more. But anyway, I'm selling them off at $12 each (sometimes $10 if you catch me at a lucrative art sale and in a good mood :) which is a great price! And I just ordered a ring sizer from Nile Corp jewelry supply, so I can get a more accurate idea of what are the more popular sizes - I made a great deal of rings before the 2009 Sidewalk Sale this year, and sold a bunch, but at the last few sales I've had, people have said that I do not have their size. So bear with me!