red hat society necklace

I've been busy. Mostly ordering supplies and designing. I have a few things planned. Am ready to move on to spring and summer pieces but have a commission for a necklace and bracelet to finish first. The necklace is similar to the heart necklace, which has been well received but not sold, and a matching bracelet. The new necklace will have purple and red Swarovski's, fresh water pearls, and gold fill as opposed to the vintage chain used in the heart necklace. The bracelet will be similar but with a 3 strand memory wire. I chose memory wire for the bracelet because it will be an attention getter.

The necklace and bracelet colors are important because my customer belongs to the Red Hat Society. I am obviously hoping that other red hats will like her necklace and bracelet and place orders. Or I think I'm hoping they will place orders. Recreating the same necklace or bracelet isn't really my thing and I would have to make significant changes in deference to customer #1 also which can be a little sticky when people want 'one of those.'

Still commissions are great and I'm happy to have one. I am hoping to make a similar necklace for my etsy store. I have learned a little about the Red Hat Society too and I wanted to share some of that.

The Red Hat Society is quite simply a social group for ladies over 50. As I understand it, volunteer work is not the purpose of the group. Instead it focuses on fostering friendship between women in the 50+ demographic, though younger women may join as pink hats. The ladies dress in red hats and purple dresses to all of their functions. Functions include luncheons, dinners and tea parties. The purple dress, red hat combo is an idea taken from a poem by an English poet, Jenny Joseph.

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat that doesn't go and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.

This isn't the whole poem, but as much of it as a quick online search yields. It's a great poem and I think it captures what the group is about very well. I would love to join!

the valentine necklace that wasn't

The new necklace was supposed to be done for Valentines. Instead it was finished last night. Still better late than never. And I like it. And there is always next year too, of course. Also I can still list it in my etsy shop as well as my website.

The necklace has deep garnet red Swarovski crystals, fresh water pearls, vintage chain and gold fill wire. It's a little unusual design wise because it alternates diamond shapes and oval. I think it hangs well, also.

I'm hoping to get the pictures taken this week. I feel that I'm not getting anywhere near enough done. But while there are a couple of different reasons for that, the main one is that I will take things apart and redo them if I have to. Sometimes more than once.

I had an art instructor once who told us about chasing a bad drawing. And he was right. Sometimes its better to just start over. And that's how I feel about jewelry. If it's not quite right in a design sense, change it. Because, for me at least, design is much more important than technique or materials.

So the valentine necklace that wasn't wasn't because I finished it and then took it apart. Also because I wanted a vintage clasp and that sometimes involves a search. Though now having found the clasp and put it on, I'm not sure if it's quite right. It's a nice piece overall however, and I'm happy with it even if I don't sell it till next year!