Collaborative Earring Project with Industrial Grace Restoration

My friend Becky of Industrial Grace Restoration & I are collaborating on an earring project inspired by my Twins! Collection. Perfectly mismatched. We both like to work with found, salvaged, rescued and restored materials and both enjoy each other's work. Be sure to check out her blog and her facebook.

This was Becky's brilliant idea, she asked me if I'd be interested in a collaborative project like this and a few months later, I opened the mailbox to the tiniest, hand crafted box (from recycled materials of course! She had packed into it 12 single earrings, each very different from the other. Included was a sweet note with the instructions: to make a pair for each earring, keep 6 pairs for myself, send the other pairs back and send some new single earrings for her to make pairs.

How fun! It has taken me several more months to get back to my studio and supplies. I finally have the studio dug out and this is the first project I am working on.

Sweet note, tiny box and Becky's earring contributions

Becky's creative earring contributions, repurposed and salvaged materials galore (love it!) 

Round 1 of pulling beads and playing around with pairings. I love this part of the design process. 

After a couple of days of work here is my first batch of finished earring pairs.

  

   Some of the finished pairs, Becky's earrings are on the left and mine on the right of each pair. 

All 12 pairs finished! What a colorful collection full of interesting textures and spatial plays. Lots of rescued, repurposed, salvaged and some new materials too! Becky's creations are at the left of each pair and mine are to the right. 

Exciting Announcement: YazBerry is Expanding; Now Offering baby berry

Now introducing baby berry, the little sister of YazBerry! 

It happened on a whim, I made a pair of leather baby booties for a surprise gift for a pregnant friend. Like I always do, I posted a picture on facebook of my latest creative project and had amazing feedback right away and several requests for custom orders! So far I've sent off 2 pairs of custom leather baby booties and have a couple more custom pairs on the design table.

I will be making variations on the leather baby booties pictured and baby booties with vintage Japanese kimono obi fabric in a few different styles and shapes. Stay tuned, lots on the design table this month. Gathering supplies; brainstorming ideas; surveying my mom friends. I will also be making baby leg warmers from recycled sweaters! 

My goal is to offer fresh color combinations and looks you won't find in stores or online today. Also, many looks will be gender neutral with the thought that they may be used for many babies! True heirlooms. 

Do I have your attention? Need an heirloom quality baby gift? Contact me and we can discuss the almost endless options. Vegan choices available too! 

YazBerry Jewelry Collection: The Key to Your Heart

The Key to Your Heart Collection is fueled by my obsession with collecting antique keys. I have a...*ahem...huge stash of keys yet to be designed with. I am constantly buying them.

The first piece in this collection was a simple vintage key whole plate I had stacked a small glass heart on. From there the ideas bubbled forward. Here is what I have made so far...many more to come, I guarantee it ;) Some have sold quickly. Inspired, but the one you see is not quite right? Let me know what you are thinking. I would be happy to customize a Key to Your Heart piece for you. Available for purchase both on my Etsy store and on  my Facebook.

Introducing: YazBerry Jewelry Collections - Meet the Twins!

I have been carefully building up a body of work in jewelry design and construction the past 6 months or so. I am continuing to design daily and wanted to present to you some of the collections I am developing. The next few blog posts will highlight one of my collections.

First up: Meet the Twins!

The Twins! Collection features perfectly mismatched earrings, predominantly made from found and rescued materials. I carefully pair these with new components to create mismatched yet balanced pairs. Tiny little sculptures you can wear. Tending towards the fun and playful side, many are bold and colorful. Also, peppered throughout you can find elegant pairings as well. Most of the twins are available for purchase both on my Etsy store and on my facebook page. You choose :) Some have found homes and some are in some of the stores I sell at in Newfoundland. Inspired by a pair of twins but too big/not your colors? Let me know what you would like and I would be happy to design a custom pair of twins for you!

Painting Props in the Studio

I bought my most FAVORITE color combo of the moment- twilight blue and icy aqua. Or per the paint chip names: "Twilight" and "Jamaican Aqua". And now I am scooping up useful wooden objects right and left and turning them into display components in my little shop at home. Some are for traveling too.

My first expedition into painting was the motivation to buy these colors - a new sign for fairs (and currently hanging in the little shop too). My husband built it and it is made from primitive antique fence posts and clapboard plus one piece of wood with great rusty nail heads I found on the beach.

And here it is in action at the Puffin Festival in Elliston, NL:

Next I ended up at an auction in Trinity, NL and found this wonderful, discarded, handcrafted suitcase in need of some TLC. I sanded it, cleaned off the rust, replaced the broken hinges and then meticulously painted...for days. Once dry, I sanded some more to get the distressed look I wanted. I am still working on it to convert it into a traveling display; adding a 3rd panel, components to hang jewelry from and if really ambitious, wheels and a telescopic handle (wish list).

BEFORE:

AFTER:

And then I found this odd handmade pedestal at a thrift shop. It needed gluing. So I glued, sanded and painted it ombre. It can be flipped over too so either the light or dark can be the top. Inspired by the stairs in my friend Crystal's new studio, Little Free Radical.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

In action in the little shop with my new necklace displays and a mirror I also painted (another thrift shop score)...addicted to these colors right now!