Hello readers, thanks for joining me for this week's edition of the Caprilicious blog. I have been laid low with a cold, and spent a few days in bed, waiting for it and the jet lag to pass. There was very little time to miss my muse, although a niggly thought remained at the back of my mind - 'where on earth is she' ?? In the meanwhile, I kept myself busy between snoozes, rearranging the website and sorting out a couple of pieces that I made just before I went to India but hadn't photographed. The Ottoman NecklaceNamed for the beautiful green of the crystals and the agate in this piece, the necklace is called The Ottoman Necklace after the emeralds so beloved by the sultans of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey. The necklace is made to resemble a lariat, but has a magnetic clasp at the back which facilitates easy fastening. The bunch of crystals, agate and bling that drips into the décolletage is particularly pretty. The beautiful green of the stones is a fresh and vivid colour which conveys joie de vivre. Monochromasia Monochromasia is a medical condition of complete colour blindness in which all colours appear as shades of grey. This necklace is made of three strands of rutilated quartz teardrops, a focal coffee agate bead and an onyx clasp. Rutile is an ore of titanium, which often forms hair-like crystal inclusions inside quartz. It is meant to have metaphysical properties which enhance creativity and relieve depression and loneliness, and slow the ageing process (worth a try I suppose). And then Ms Muse was back! I woke up one morning and found that she had snuck back in without saying a word to anyone. She had already picked out the beads for my new necklace, all bright and colourful, a celebration of her return to work. We did a little joyous 'welcome home' dance together, and then I settled back in my chair, with my bead tray in my lap, Ms Muse at my shoulder, whispering in my ear. The Gypsy In StilletosThe most colourful and vibrant beads in my stash came out to play in these two necklaces - unashamedly bright and in your face. There's no way you'd be a wallflower if you wore one of these. By the way, a lot of the beads on this page came from Itsy Bitsy in Bangalore - Ms Muse simply loved them. I made the colourful polymer clay toggle clasp in the first one and the green and black dangle at the end of the other a few months ago. And then she pleaded with me for a rest - 'a couple more days off', she begged. I too was just getting into the swing of things at the day job, it isn't easy after such a long time away, so though I pretended to grumble, I was secretly relieved. I allowed her a couple of days to rest up and find her feet again and this is what her imagination came up with. Cinderella's NecklaceShe said 'imagine poor Cinderella, sweeping up after her stepmother and the Ugly Sisters, sighing over her broom - along comes the Fairy Godmother (I think Ms Muse secretly believes she is mine), and with a wave of her wand gets Cinders ready for a night on the razzle. Just before this, she'd been wearing a necklace made from lumps of coal, which was converted by the FG into a piece of Bling'. This, then, is Cinderella's necklace, mid conversion! And because I wasn't sure whether Cinders would have preferred to go silver tone or gold, I made two versions, to give her the choice. The black beads are made of clay and were also found at Itsy Bitsy, just before I started my second workshop. The silver tone beads are electroplated quartz nuggets and the gold tone are Kenyan lost wax casting bronze beads.
That's it for this week folks. Have a fabulous week and I'll catch you next week, same time, same place, xx
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Hello readers, thanks for joining me this week. We are back safe and sound, dog tired, mentally exhausted, both a few pounds heavier, another successful exhibition behind me, and a streaming cold to boot. Another holiday is in order - asap!! The kittens are happy to be back home, and are showing their pleasure by racing around, systematically wrecking the house and then collapsing in an exhausted heap. I should have guessed that this holiday was going to be chaotic - our flight to Dubai was delayed, and then only three of our four bags arrived in India. After an anxious wait, the fourth one was delivered to the house the next day - but not before my aunt took some pleasure in telling me about how someone's cousin's wife's sister's bag had gone missing forever, causing my mother anxiety on my behalf -'what will you do, OMG, OMG' she went, until I was a bit short with her (that's an understatement, by the way) and I went off to chew my fingernails secretly in the toilet, while I pretended a serenity I did not feel. During the three weeks of this manic holiday, my friend's daughter had a three day partnership celebration, my cousin had a 50th birthday, and we had our own wedding anniversary to mark. There were also reunions - friends whom I hadn't met for years and years descended on Bangalore in dribs and drabs all in the same three weeks, and there were a couple of little parties - one organised by my school mates, and another by class fellows from medical school. Itsy BitsyI ran a couple of jewellery making workshops for Itsy Bitsy at two of their stores across Bangalore - and anyone who knows the traffic there will feel sorry for the guy who drove me across town. The workshops themselves were a doddle when compared to the logistics of actually getting to them, where I met some lovely ladies. Preparations for the exhibition carried on through all of this - and then, as if this wasn't enough, my mother suddenly needed an operation - which was scheduled for the afternoon of day prior to the exhibition. The entire extended family swung into action with suggestions and concern and I had to navigate the minefield of doing what was right by my mother without offending the rest of the clan. This of course was also the time assigned to the setting up of my stall, and for a moment I thought I would have to cancel the entire enterprise. My mother however, was made of sterner stuff - no way would she agree to my exhibition being cancelled. Instead, I set up (or tried to) in the morning, well before the operation was scheduled - unfortunately Mr Pinto, who was meant to supply the tables for the exhibition partied a bit too hard the night before, and forgot all about my request for an early delivery - the phone lines were smoking hot that morning, I can tell you - and my blood pressure sky high. Although I am smiling in the photograph, the pose coaxed out of me by Rachel, murder was not far from my thoughts! I stayed entirely silent, in case I let slip a few choice swear words, turning the air blue around me, frightening away my new friend Rachel. Eventually, just after mid day, Mr Pinto arrived - a plump little moustachioed man, chauffeured on the back of his daughter's motor scooter, perspiring and apologising with equal profusion, carrying the table cloths I needed before I could lay my jewellery out - he was so upset that even I felt sorry for him by the time he'd finished with the apologies. He came good, and even delivered an extra couple of tables that I suddenly found I needed the next day, without charge and on time - thank you Mr Pinto, all is forgiven! Once I was three quarters of the way set up for the next morning, I set off for the hospital to be an anxious relative (now I know how that feels, usually being on the other side of the coin), driving all the way to where mum was having her operation, just about ready to pass out myself, having had very little to eat all day other than a couple of sugar hits - which went straight to my hips, rather than do me any good. And after all that fuss, the operation that was meant to be at midday was done at half past three - now I know how that feels as well! The sign by the lift exhorted us to be patient and speak softly - or did it?? And then the exhibition - I was exhausted well before it even started, but perked up greatly when people arrived and began to compliment the jewellery. This time I really felt the love, as last time around I had a lot of support from my (very large) extended family and friends, whose job it was to say nice things about Caprilicious. This year I was at the mercy of strangers - and the response was overwhelmingly, heart-warmingly, exceedingly wonderful! Some of the family came too and were uniformly complimentary - I am very grateful, of course I am. My cousin Brindala worked hard behind the scenes, even handing out fliers to guests at her brother's 50'th birthday bash - and some of those guests did turn up. Rachel Chitra, whom I met through this blog worked tirelessly - I heard her telling everyone that I was the designer - was that why everyone was so complimentary? - or perhaps I just have a naturally suspicious mind! Anyway, whatever the reason, people bought a load of stuff and said a lot of complimentary things, and I was tired, but very happy at the end of it all. My sister and her family turned up to see my mother, bearing macarons and cake. Mona has decided to set up in business and is in the early, exciting stages of sourcing equipment, making menus and getting started in her own business Em'ali, dealing in specialty cakes and breads in Pune, India, where she has decided to spend the rest of her life, having lived a nomadic lifestyle so far with her husband being in the Indian Army. Jackie Pinto, the editor of Indulge, Indian Express decided that she loved Caprilicious, she was the first visitor to the exhibition, then came back for more again and yet again. She is now my brand ambassador in India! She introduced me to the owner of Ffolio and I ended up placing some of my jewellery in this extremely well known, extremely popular and exclusive boutique where even the air you breathe seems rarefied. And finally, here are a few earrings that Bangalore was not ready for yet. The idea was to create asymmetry that was pleasing to the eye by using similar elements, in a different order - almost tricking the brain. After all, nature is asymmetrical - well, that was the theory. But the practicality might have been that they were a bit too avant garde?? - let me know what you think. I have been on the blower every day, and mom seems to be making a good recovery. Ms Muse should be back sometime next week from her extended holiday - I am keeping everything crossed that I won't have to send someone after her and she keeps her promise to return. That's all for now, have a fabulous week and I'll catch you next Friday, same time, same place xx It is lovely to go away, but Oh so nice to be going back home. My family and friends have been wonderful, all rallying around me for the exhibition and to give us a memorable holiday. I met old friends and made new ones, saw some really interesting sights, and spent some quality time with my mother, who is 87 this year. Bang in the middle of all the preparations for the exhibition, my mother was admitted to hospital, but like the trouper she is, she insisted that the show must go on - and so it did! It almost killed me to do all that I did, knowing that she was so unwell, but in the end, all of us lived to tell the tale. My sister in law had to bear the brunt of caring for my mom in hospital and for that I am eternally grateful to her. Rachel, whom I met through the Capriicious Blog helped me through the exhibition - I couldn't have done it without her enthusiasm and infectious smile. She remembered the names of each piece of jewellery in my collection, and enjoyed showing people around. Here are some pictures she took, for you to look at. My brother was missed sorely through all of this - he was always the life and soul of every party with a great big booming laugh emanating from a slim and slender frame. He is such a loss, but I suppose the only way to look at it is that we were lucky to have him for the 46 years he was with us. I only went into jewellery making to help me cope with his loss and in the three years since, have made major strides in this, my avocation. Thank you all for helping me to take Caprilicious Jewellery forward, and I will do my best to come up with better and more interesting designs in 2015. I need to get back and rescue Charlie and Wilfred from the cattery. This is the first time they have been separated from us and imprisoned since we brought them home in July 2014. I'm not sure how they will behave - Harold, our previous cat used to ignore us for weeks as a punishment when he was brought back from the cattery.
I shall write a more detailed report once I get back home. Have a great week and I'll catch you later, same time, same place xx Hello readers, it is finally here - the date of the exhibition. I am posting this before I go out this morning to Raintree to await my public. Wish me luck, won't you, please? Caprilicious Shall go to the BallBorrowed FineryPeople kept asking me if I had made/designed this jewellery - I wish!! This time, all that glisters WAS gold, and was borrowed from my sister in law who was kind enough to lend me anything I desired from her collection. I enjoyed dressing up - Cinderella had a good time at the ball. Indulge, the supplement to the Indian Express, a newspaper in Bangalore printed this article about me last week. The Editor, Jackie Pinto was at school with me, although not in the same year. She loved my jewellery and was kind enough to get one of her reporters to write this little piece - unfortunately Caprilicious was misspelled, but still, it works well enough. I ran a little workshop at Itsy Bitsy in Bangalore - one at each of two branches - the ladies who came along went home with a necklace, a memory wire bracelet and a pair of earrings. The youngest student was ten years old! They all said they had fun - I know I certainly did and would repeat the experience in a heartbeat. Itsy Bitsy has a fabulous selection of beads, and I came home with a bagful of some very exciting finds which I chose well before my students arrived - I got some really pretty ceramic beads, and have mentally designed my next necklace - I just need to get back home to find the focal bead which is already in my stash. Just now I feel a bit like a whirling dervish, arms and legs moving in a blur, a complete one woman band. There have been so many last minute hiccups, but it is now, Showtime!! Keep everything crossed for me and I will tell you all about it soon. Have a great week and I will catch you next week, same time, same place
xx Hello readers, thanks for joining me. This will be a short post - I am having to use computers and laptops that I am not familiar with and I will wait till I get back home to give you a full report. I am basking in the sunshine and to me it feels tropical (my mother says it is cold and has a fan heater in her room) - it is 29 degrees C in the shade at 11am and we are getting ready to go to a wedding - well it is actually a 'non- wedding', as it is more of a partnership ceremony. I love Indian weddings, the colour and the noise and the atmosphere reminds me of a garden full of peacocks preening around, cackling and calling, making a racket to attract attention to themselves. I will get a chance to dress up in my glad rags, wear a whole load of jewellery, and go for the full Christmas tree effect - we don't tend to dress like that in the UK, the watchword being 'understated'. In India, the word understatement doesn't exist, or if it does, it is disregarded entirely. Once the festivities are over and done with it will be time to gear up for the beading workshop at Itsy Bitsy. And then, for the main event - my exhibition. So you can see I'm going to be a busy little bunny for the next couple of weeks. Once I get to the 8th of February, I shall heave a huge sigh. All the mayhem will be behind me and I can relax for a while. Working with unfamiliar computers is proving to be very difficult, so I will sign off now. I have loads of pictures I will show you as soon as I can, but just now I will end here - catch you next week, same time (ish), same place
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