Swaps - The Spirit of Giving

Recently I was in in Manchester doing a photo shoot for my upcoming book on recycled materials/found objects in jewelry. The book focuses on my work as well as the work of 5 other jewelers. One of these jewelers is Emiko Oye of San Francisco who creates jewelry with LEGO®. I admire her jewelry very much for it's thoughtful use of materials + amazing colour scheme. There are a number of examples on the internet of people using LEGO® to make jewelry but I think Emiko's LEGO® jewelry is without a doubt the best out there.

This bracelet here is a limited edition bracelet made of repurposed LEGO®, patinated sterling silver tubing, synthetic ruby corundum set in 14k gold, rubber cord and is titled 'Fruit Stripe'. I fell in love with this bracelet the very moment I saw it. The colours just made me salivate and totally made me think of my childhood chomping on Fruit Strip gum as a kid in my Nana's kitchen.

After I returned from the shoot I became very reluctant to send this baby back to Emiko so asked her if she would be interested in a swap for some of my jewelry. She happily agreed!! I am now the proud owner of this sweeeeeeet thang and Emiko has my Fluff Vent Necklace + Fluff Heart Ring in purple. Two very happy artists sharing their work.

As important as it is for us to sell our work so our businesses thrive sometimes it is just nicer to get back to basics, ignore the money + barter. It never hurts to ask. And in these harder economic times it's a little easier. So if you have a talent making jewelry, art, cooking, writing etc. share it with someone and barter.

The Holidays don't have to be stressful. It's all about being thoughtful + giving, not how much stuff you buy or what it costs. What to barter? Let me know.

Peace.

photo courtesy of Emiko Oye

Heather Skowood Jewelry Interview on Wearable Art Blog

I have been following and enjoying the Wearable Art Blog for some time now. I love the interviews with the artists + the wonderful examples of jewelry and clothing designs from around the world that Sandi posts about regularly. Recently I blogged about Wearable Art Blog's interview with Alice Matsumoto's Carrotbox blog all about rings, which I am also a huge fan of. Now, to my great surprise and excitement Sandi has featured me in an interview for Wearable Art Blog about my explorations in recycled materials + found objects in jewelry.


Cheers Sandi!!


Visit both and give us a shout we would love to hear your feedback!

Back From "My Mersey Paradise"

Madame applying make-up to Misty

Well the trip to Madchester was fantastic, as always. It was lovely to be able to go back for a month long visit to see friends + family and catch up properly. We spent a lot of time popping into cafes for tea + Curiosity Cola (I'm so addicted to that stuff, it beats Coke by miles!), cupcakes in Chorlton, checking out the latest work by designer/makers at the Manchester Craft & Design Centre and picking up a few pieces of clothing and accessories in the Northern Quarter (I'll save them for an upcoming post).

The 3-day photo shoot with Jonathan Keenan + Co. for the book I am writing about found object/recycled materials in jewelry was brilliant. It is such a pleasure working with Jonathan + watching him work his magic with the lens to capture the dramatic qualities of wearing my jewelry.

BIG THANX to Jonathan, his assistant David, my so very lovely friends Misty who modeled the jewelery + Madame Deax Chats for providing her make-up skills. As well as Colette Hazelwood, Rochelle Dodson, Samantha Mills, Christine Dhein + Emiko Oye for loaning me their jewelry creations to be included in the book. Cheers Mi Dears!!!!

Jonathan behind the lens shooting a necklace on Misty, David providing some extra light

Jonathan working hard from his throne in his studio in the Northern Quarter

He does work very hard to get the best shot + make everyone comfortable

"How can I feel more tired standing around modeling than a shift at A&E" - Misty

Photographing Emiko Oye's Lego Bracelet

(Bottom right Madame Deaux Chats is wearing the building block bracelet I made for her that will be included in the book)

"O Manchester, so much to answer for..."

Wooohooo tomorrow I'm heading back to Madchesta!!!! I'll be catching up with the Mcr Crew, my gurls of the Manchester Jewellers Network and work with Jonathan Keenan on the model shots of my jewellery for my book!!! It's gonna be Aces! I'll try to post some photos while I'm over there but might have to wait till I get back so much fun to be had while I am there.

Peace.

(photo taken from CowLane Studios in Salford, where I had my studio)

bRing bRing bRing! Carrotbox interview on Wearable Art Blog

Fluff Ring

sterling silver

I LOVE RINGS! I love wearing them as well as making them. For years now I have been following a blog called Carrotbox written by Alice Matsumoto who is also very obsessed with rings. She kindly featured my one of my Fluff rings a few years ago which was a great honour because I admire her taste in rings. Alice has an amazing personal collection of rings + has a serious knack for finding superior examples of interesting rings on the web.

Wearable Art Blog another fantastic blog that I follow recently conducted an interview with Alice of Carrotbox that I highly recommend you read if you love rings!

photo by Jonathan Keenan Photography, UK

Collecting Rusty Objects in The Rain Bliss - Brimfield Antique + Flea Market

 

  

The Brimfield Antique and Flea Market is the largest in New England. I've visited this show a few times over the years since my friend's family sells antiques in the J + J Field. Now that I live here in New England I go to all 3 shows they hold every summer. Seriously from antique buttons, fabrics, knick-knacks, fiestaware to lawn ornaments made from old sheet metal to andirons + armoires this show in Brimfield  has something for every type of collector imaginable...including peeps like me who LOVE rusty objects.

Last year I found One Stop Antiques, Inc. from Marietta, Ohio. They have a HUGE booth practically a pavilion, full of metal, glass + wood drawer pulls, old keys + escutcheons, decorative light fittings, crystals from chandeliers + soooo many other lovely lil' hunnies to create with. Since starting my exploration of using cold connections to join found objects + recycled materials in my jewelry this show and in-particular One Stop Antiques has been my Mecca for sourcing materials. 

Yesterday it rained like hell but we were out there in our ponchos (my lil' boy snug in his sling on me) gazing around at all the lovely objects people painstakingly collect than bring out to sell to more collectors. It's a great recycling program. The rain came and went + coincidentally the down pour arrived just as I stepped under One Stop's tent. So I just HAD to take shelter there combing through their treasures till the rain slowed down. :) Bliss indeed.

Red This Ever Gear Wedding Rings

 

These wedding bands + engagement ring were created for my very, very wonderful friend Roy Retrofit and his wife-to-be Ada Ruiz. They are members of the Baltimore synth-pop band Red This Ever. When they told me they were getting married and presented the concept of creating an engagement ring based on a hose clamp and wedding bands based on gears I just did a snoopy dance around the room! 

To start the process I sketched out the rings by hand + then had my old friend + mentor, Philadelphia jeweler Krikor Yeremian create computer aided drawings (CAD) of them. The CAD drawings can be seen on my website here. After Krikor created the drawings we then e-mailed them to Roy + Ada for approval. Once the designs were approved they were sent out to be cast + then were finished. 

All 3 rings are 14K white gold + the engagement ring has the diamond from Roy's mother's engagement ring tube set by Garo Yeremian (who I trust with ALL my stone setting!) on the side. I can't tell you enough how thrilled I am with these rings, they really came out brilliant. If you or anyone you know is interested in having me make their one-of-a-kind rings you can email me at heather@heatherskowoodjewelry.com

 

Congratulations Roy + Ada much love + happiness to you both! See you on The Big Day in Baltimore!