Burn Camp - Alice Lake

My article for VCH News:

My love of making jewellery inspired me to volunteer at the 15th annual BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund Camp for kids on July 24th. The camp is near Alice Lake, just north of Squamish and is funded by the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund, many local corporations, foundations and individuals.
The cost for a child to attend the camp is approximately $3000. The ratio of children to counsellors at the camp is 2:1 or 1:1. Counsellors come from many walks of life, some are nurses, some are firefighters some are just people who are passionate about giving their time to the courageous kids at the camp.
Tracey Taulu, trauma program manager, and I set up a jewelry station to teach kids how to crochet with wire and beads. What surprised me most was that our first customers were the boys at the camp. The counsellors were also into making necklaces. Let me tell you, watching a 200 pound, big, burly firefighter, crocheting and helping his young burn survivor is really cool.
By the end of the day, several kids had come by our station wearing their necklaces and bracelets with pride. Seeing kids smiling, and hearing them laugh and just be themselves is what life is all about.
This year, 73 kids attended camp. These kids have braved experiences that many adults haven't experienced and it was truly amazing to have the opportunity to see these kids have the opportunity to just be kids.
During the course of the day I talked to Lois Budd, medical coordinator for the camp, and patient services manager, BCPFF Burn, Plastic and Trauma Unit, VGH, about how the kids feel about camp. She said, “Once camp is over, the kids start planning for next year’s camp the very next day. And when kids turn 18, they are given the opportunity to come back as junior counsellors to be mentor younger burn survivors.”
As for me, I left the camp exhausted, in a good way, and truly amazed to see the happiness of the campers and the dedication of the counsellors. I’ve already started planning some activities that I could do with the kids next year, so I guess it is not just the kids who start planning their return.
Get involvedVisit the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund Camp for kids website
(Photo Caption: Tracey Taulu, Patient Services Manager, Trauma Services, and 8 year old Julia, just finished making a necklace.) I post the caption shortly

My birthday gift to myself

I wirewrapped this necklace quite a while ago with 18k gold. The citrine step faceted stones I bought in early May, I knew I wouldn't be able to part with them. Finally I bought some 18k gold in 18 ga to make a clasp. ***gasp*** the cost to buy gold, and I had to buy a minimum of 6 inches. This necklace is perfect for my neckline at about 15.5" in length and can very nicely wrap around my wrist two times for a perfect bracelet.

Geo Earth Collection

My friend, Terrain, convinced me to buy these glossy bold botswana agate stones yesterday. This necklace is 34 inches long, needing no clasp. This is a definite break from my very tiny gems that I've working with.

Happy 11th Birthday

Curled Pearl Petals

Curled petals of silver with Keshi Pearls.

Labradorite flash

I didn't realize how difficult it is to photograph labradorite. To actually photograph the flash in the labradorite is quite an effort. I found that turning the labradorite helps as does angling the faceted briolette in the above picture.

Tuesday's work photography

I'm particularly happy with the photo of the Mystic Topaz and Tanzanite earrings. I've just listed them on Etsy along with the Exclamation Pendant below that has a turquoise bezel set stone in it.

Simple curves

Good Monday. A day of metalsmithing. No idea what to call this pendant. Measures 1 3/4 inches in length.

Smokey Quartz long long necklace

I finished making this necklace with my two jewelry friends today while watching "The Mist" by Stephen King. This necklace is outside my usual jewelry creations, chunky and 37 inches long. I put a clasp on it so it can be wrapped around twice. The stones inbetween are tourmaline. More photography practice with using the manual features AV on my Canon EOS Digital camera. I've learned to make the aperature really small so my depth of field increases - so the necklace is in focus at the front and back!!!! Edited. sad to say, I've sold this wonderful necklace.

Photography Practice

Practicing my manual setting on my camera. This gold locket was given to me from my parents for my tenth birthday. So I guess it is 30+ years old. I'm going to make into an heirloom necklace for Emma one day.

Here is a floating necklace, made with Blue Peruvian Opals and of course Swarovski crystals. This is a custom order for a friend's mother.

And finally, using some of the freshwater pearls that I bought last weekend for a commissioned piece. The richness of the pearls are really amazing.

Bellingham Bead Faire

Today I went to the Bellingham Bead Faire with my friends. We got lots of rocks and sparklies. These are my beautiful pearls that I picked up. 8-9mm with excellent drilled holes.

Dewdrop Earrings

I'm practicing my photography. Using my very favourite fruit/cake platter that is an antique. The patina of the solid silver frame of this platter is so rich. I'm not sure if I'm photographing the earrings or the plate!!!

Well here is a less distracting photo. Last autumn I made "Snowdrop earrings" for Emma with the matching flawless chalcedony briolettes. These earrings are "Dewdrops" Perhaps I'll work on a seasonal theme using the same type of briolettes. Now if I can only buy some more of them.... hmmm.

Close up of the accents - sapphires, aquamarines and London Blue topaz...

Green Amethyst (presiolite) with silver and gold Earrings

Finally finished my cube earrings. I fabricated the silver squares last December. My first attempt to fusing 18k gold to silver. The earring on the right was fused a bit too much, but the one of the left was better. I textured the silver and for a change oxidized the squares. The green amethyst (presiolite) cubes are faceted and measure about 9.5mm. I bought these fine cubes from a seller on Etsy. I decided that these earrings would look better being simpler. At first I was going to put on several tourmaline rondelles in the middle wirewrapped at the bottom of the silver squares, but I thought it just didn't look right. Perhaps I should have taken a picture to show you the difference. Anyway, I think simple gives these earrings a more organic feel.

My first knitted creation for Emma

Look carefully, dear friend Knitsteel made the Rabbit pin for Emma in sterling silver. I finished this scarf tonight. Emma is now knitting me the matching scarf!!!

Copper Heart Clasp

Tonight I was inspired from of my friends who have been playing with copper to play again. Practicing piercing and of course sawing. Soldered with copper solder all links. I don't have the faintest what to make, most likely a necklace.

Crazycats are here!! First sale on Etsy

Emma has been sewing. The cat above is Moondust. Here is Moondust's profile written by Emma. "The fifth cat to come to my house is named Moondust. She says she comes from the moon, but she never lived there. Her favourite foods are cheese from the moon and rocket candies. Her favourite drink is milk. When she comes to your house, she will inspect everything, but she will get bored of inspecting and will hang around you. She’s never shy and makes a great companion because she is always there." Emma's Etsy shop is Blooberry. Today was the first day Emma put items in her shop for sale and she already got her first sale! She making small handbags and pillowcases.

This cat is Pussywillow. The fourth cat to come to our house and the first one that Emma made. This fine cat was adopted today. Here is Pussywillow's profile written by Emma: "Pussywillow was the fourth cat to come to my house and now wants to be adopted. His favourite foods are: tunafish and lollipops. His favourite drink is So Good Soy Milk. He will be shy at first when he comes to your house, but then he’ll be you’re your best friend. His favourite plant is pussywillows."

Giraffe Cat Green and Blue Polka Dots

Another one of my crazy cats for Emma.

Purses and Ugly Cat

Ugly Cat.

Two purses I made this weekend. They are about 5 x7 inches. Rained miserably yesterday and this morning, so what to do?? Sew!!! I also amused myself by watching the Haz Mat Team deconstruct a meth lab across from me.

Christmas Day 2007 The Felt Girls

Monica with the wonderful felt hat from Vanessa.


Emma strutting the bracelet that Nancy made!!! along with the knitted fingerless gloves and funky knitted socks that her Grandma knitted her. The tee Emma is sporting is from a wonderful Etsy seller,
Circularassessories.

2007 Christmas Concert at Henry Hudson

Emma has gone a long way since September, learning to play the tenor recorder!!! She played Jingle Bells, Up on a House Top and Lightly Row.

Tourmaline, Akoya Drop Festive Earrings

My new festive earrings. In tourmaline with plump Akoya pearls. I've listed these on my Etsy site to see if I can sell jewelry rather than just earwires... sigh....

18k Gold, London Blue Mystic Topaz, Sapphires, Oh My

Well I've finally made something with my 18K gold. Earwires. Hmmm. Today I wirewrapped all the London Blue Mystic Topaz briolettes I bought from e-Bay along with sapphires. These earrings are surprisingly heavier than I imagine they would be, but much lighter than many earrings I've made. I'm not sure how many headpins I used, probably over 50.

My Sweetie

A picture really is a priceless!!!

I'm Winding Down

Well I've finished the Craft Shows now. I'm officially on sabbatical from selling. I have a few pieces left and will hopefully just sell them by word of mouth. Above is an Exclamation Pendant that I was commissioned to do. The stone is garnet.

Last night I bought 5 rough cut cubed diamonds. And this morning a pair of biwa coin pearls on Etsy that are inset with clear topaz in a 18k gold bezel. In the next few months I hope to be able to fabricate with ease small gold bezels together to form organic looking pieces. Of late, Todd Reed has been an inspiration to me. He a self-taught jeweler who is very in touch with the organic side of fine jewelry making at it's best.

Moving onward with Jewelry

This past week has been hectic for me. I've been crazily making jewelry from all my hundreds of semi-precious and Swarovski crystals. I made about 12 necklaces of freshwater pearl necklaces at 11:00pm or 5:00am, to have them sell instantly. Earrings, oh my, last week, I made about 40 pairs and all sold. I'm exhausted, but feeling good that my supplies are dwindling.

What irony, I wanted to move my jewelry that has been sitting in my jewelry room, some for 2 years now, and when you tell everyone that you are moving on to different jewelry projects, then all of a sudden, wham.... people are wanting my jewelry...