Elysian Studios Art

What are your favorite materials to work with?

“I just love sewing and working with fabrics, gems, faceted Czech glass, chains, feathers, leather and crystals. I am crazy about everything colourful , ethnic and bohemian , but not too overwhelming . Old patterns from Eastern Europe, Middle East or Orient fascinate me, travels and foreign cultures give me lots of ideas. Designing and creating has become a true obsession and a therapy for me .“

What inspires the colors you chose for your pieces?

“I absolutely love colours , but I follow no specific rules when I design a piece and I rarely  draw a sketch beforehand . Colour inspiration is everywhere around; sometimes it comes from a film that fascinates my like the my “Tsumami” Collection inspired by “Memoirs of a Geisha”,  an interesting  book I read  , ancient places and murals like the “Sigiriya” collection   inspired by fabulous frescoes I saw in Sri Lanka, and of course Mother Nature is an endless source of ideas. 

Other times it is the colour of the beads itself that inspires me , I play with beads and stones and move them around in different combinations and patterns until I am happy with what I see.”

 

You photograph your work beautifully.  What is the best trick you have learned to get great photography?

“Photography  started , for me, as a very frustrating experience. I live in a flat where there isn’t enough natural light, but I have learned a lot in the last two years and, in time,  it’s turned into a passion . 

I use a Lumix DMC-FZ28 camera which is not very expensive and just perfect for beginners.  The light tent has been a life saver. For editing I use Gimp ( which is available to download for free) ,  PhotoScape ( I use it a lot for reducing the size of the photos ) and Serif PagePlus to create collages for my blog .”

I love the fashion boards you put up on your blog! What are your biggest fashion inspirations?

What is one accessory you absolutely cannot live without?

“My make up (my eyeliner) … and a fitted dress.”

What celebrity would you love to design for?

“Keira Knightley – she is feminine, eclectic and classy.”

What goals do you have for Janina Grigore Jewellery in the next year?

“This summer I have been doing quite a lot of sewing  and I also went on a course in Handbag Design at the London College of Fashion.

I will  use what I learned on the course together with my beading and embroidery techniques to create a handbag and jewellery collection with a ethnic / boho chic theme.  I would also love to see my jewelry featured in more magazines and be part of events like London Fashion Week . 

There are a few projects taking shape this autumn, one of them is a feature in a fashion photo shoot in south of France and then  a catwalk in November.”  

What are your favorite things about London?

“I love the endless options of food and restaurants (Vietnamese are Malaysian are my favourite).  London is a very multicultural place!

There are so many beautiful gardens, parks (I love Kew Botanical Gardens and Richmond Park) and museums  (British Museum, Tate, National Portrait Gallery) to see.

London is great for shopping: Oxford Street is well known, also Harrods, Covent Garden, and King’s Road.  There are also fabulous street markets, such as Portobello, Camden, Greenwich,and the Columbia Flower Market.”

(Be still my heart- I only had one day in London, and I saw most of it from the top of a Double Decker bus.  I clearly need to return!)

What can we find you doing when you are not busy making jewelry and running a business?

“When I am not creating or teaching, I enjoy travelling, walking and  hiking in the hills, laughing, reading mystery books , eating cakes, studying astrology; not so keen on watching TV programmes unless they are about interior design, dancing or it is a history/geography documentary ( I am a geek!) .”

What advice do you have for new designers who are just getting started with their own jewelry/accessory business?

“Well, this is a difficult question, since I am myself a new designer.  I am still on a journey and still working on perfecting my product.  I guess we do this our entire life!


One thing that keeps me going is my determination and 100% commitment to my goal.  I am a complete workaholic and I am obsessed with creating beautiful things.  It is so disheartening when things don’t work out the way you hope, or when you are rejected, but you just need to keep going and always work on improving your product!


The jewelry industry is a very competitive space.  There are so many talented people out there, and as a new designer you really need to stand out in some way: a fabulous product, a unique story, great customer service, etc.


I recently went on a design course and the teacher said to all of us at the end: ‘This is a journey: the beginning of it.  It is your  journey.  It’s like getting on a bus and only you decide if you want to get off at the next stop or go all the way to the end to see where it takes you!’ “

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Now how much do you love Geanina?  I’m on the bus with you, girl, and I’m not getting off anytime soon!

Stay tuned to see what lovely goodies Geanina sent me in my Bead Soup!  And then stop back on September 17th for the reveal of our new jewelry designs!  It’s going to be a huge blog hop with over 300 participants!  In the meantime, stop by Janina Grigore Jewellery, or her Amaryllis Boutique on Etsy,  and pick up something exquisite, and say “Hi!” on her blog or Facebook page!

Want to know what Geanina learned about me?  Read her interview here!

 
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Last week, I shared this photo of some pendants I was working on, using ICE Resin.  Due to the excited response from many people who have wanted to try this material, but haven’t quite mustered up the courage, I decided to create a tutorial to share.  

This is a wonderful product that has enormous potential, and I encourage you to give it a try!

Once you have all of your images sealed and trimmed, make sure they still fit nicely in your bezels.

If they are too small, a good remedy is to use your acrylic paints to paint the inside of the bezel in a color that coordinates with the  image.  If they are too big, you may be able to burnish the image in.  If  it still pops up, you will have an air bubble problem, so you will have to re-trim. You will also have to make sure you reseal your image.  If you have used the xerox technique, you should be able to avoid this problem.

To pour the resin, watch this video:

Did you see the cool Heart Pendant I mentioned in the video?  Stop by my Facebook page to see how I made it! {It’s reversible!}

I hope you try working with ICE Resin- it really is a great way to customize your jewelry.

Have you worked with other resins? I’d love to hear about your experience!

Boho Beach:*50%OFF* A Handcrafted Jewelry Collection

Categories: jewelry, Shop Elysian Studios, Shop Jewelry

Featuring serene colors of aqua and teal complimented by warm, sandy hues of khaki, gold and brilliant orange, Boho Beach is a collection styled to provide an artsy-bohemian element to your wardrobe. 

All pieces are handmade and one-of-a-kind. 

Elysian Studios guarantees 100% satisfaction with your purchase.

“Boho BeachStar”

The BeachStar is a beautiful three-stranded hand beaded and embellished necklace.  Gemstone chips of Goldstone sparkle against lampworked glass beads in cerulean, white and khaki.  The striking fused glass starfish focal is complemented by boho-styled strands of natural suede lace.  Carnelian faceted rounds, Crystazzi pearls in cream, transparent brown glass rounds, and antiqued copper tubes finish the beaded strands. 

A copper clasp closes the necklace in the back, and wire guards have been used to ensure durability.  This necklace measures 12 inches from the clasp to the bottom of the star focal, and 16 inches from the clasp to the end of the longest suede lace.

Price: $140.00  Now: $70.00

“Boho BeachGlass” 

Boho BeachGlass will glitter everyday with its handmade links of looped copper wire and deep aqua glass.  It is finished with handmade copper links and clasp, creating a very durable design.  This choker style necklace measures 10 inches from the back clasp to the front center.
 

Price: $100.00  Now: $50.00

“BeachGlass Earrings”

BeachGlass Earrings: Light blue glass beads* are hand-wrapped in copper wire loops to create unique earrings that have a 1 1/2 inch drop.  They are finished with copper ear wires.

*please note that the color of the glass beads in the earrings is different than the color of the beads in the BeachGlass necklace.  This color coordinates nicely with the “Elements” pieces. 
Price: $30.00  Now: $15.00

“Elements (The Key to My Heart)”

The Key to My Heart features a lovely handmade polymer clay focal with a three-dimensional key on the face, and the words “TO MY HEART” on the reverse.  The focal is 1 in high x 2 in wide.  Beads of light green and aqua glass are complemented by genuine shell nuggets, lampworked glass and rounds that resemble carved bone.  These are hand-knotted on natural 1mm leather cord and finished with a handmade, hammered copper clasp.  The necklace has a 10 1/2 inch drape from the back of the clasp to the bottom of the key focal.

Price: $80.00  Now: $40.00




“Elements Earrings”

Elements Earrings:  Go simple, yet boho, with these handmade earrings featuring beads that resemble carved bone.  Hand-knotted 1mm natural leather lace is finished with rustic brass beads and Vintaj french ear wires.  They have a 2 1/4 in drop.

Price: $24.00  Now: $12.00


“Elements Bracelet”


 Elements Bracelet wraps your wrist in the soft pastel colors of the beach.  Genuine shell nuggets in pink and gray are surrounded by copper seed beads, green and aqua glass beads, a striped lampworked round, a sand-colored clay bead, and a cream bead resembling carved bone.  The bracelet is finished with copper wire guards for durability and a handmade, hammered copper clasp.

No Longer Available

“Butterfly Beach Breezes”

Butterfly Beach Breezes is a very special piece, and one of my favorites in this collection!  The ceramic teal and gold focal (1 in. x 2 in.) is handmade by MaryAnn Carroll, as well as the coordinating accent beads.  The 1 1/2 in. toggle clasp is handmade by Erin Fickert-Rowland from copper polymer clay, using the mica shift technique, and shimmers beautifully in the light. 

Beads of yellow jade and copper complement the design, and a copper butterfly is wrapped onto the focal, providing a delightful element of whimsy.  Copper chain and handmade silk cord in cream finish the piece.  The necklace has a 14 inch drape from the back of the clasp to the bottom of the focal.

Price: $120.00  Now: $60.00


“Beach Breezes Earrings”



Butterfly Beach Breezes Earrings coordinate perfectly with the necklace, and feature the beautiful ceramic rounds of MaryAnn Carroll.  Hand-linked on antiqued copper ball-tipped headpins, these beautiful teal and gold beads are complemented by antiqued copper rounds and yellow jade rounds with copper bead caps.  Finished with antiqued copper ear wires, these earrings have a 2 1/4 in drop.


Price: $40.00  Now: $20.00

“Eternal Boho Beach”

 

Eternal Boho Beach is truly the star of this collection.  Featuring extensive hand-linking, gemstones and a show-stopping design, this statement piece is sure to make it’s wearer feel gorgeous.  Two beaded strands of Citrine gemstone chips, carnelian nuggets, fire-polished czech glass, and Swarovski crystals interlace and are complemented by linked dangles of lampworked glass and wooden disc beads.

The focal is a Vintaj Eternity ring with five clustered, hand-linked dangles that showcase the beautiful beads featured in the entire necklace design.  The piece is finished with wire guards for durability, a Vintaj clasp, many Vintaj flower spacer beads and jump rings, and exclusively uses Vintaj headpins and eyepins for linking.   The necklace has a 14 inch drape from the back clasp to the bottom of the focal.  The focal measures 1 in. wide x 4 1/2 in. long.
Price: $220.00  Now: $110.00
“Eternal Boho Earrings”

Eternal Boho Beach earrings are dramatic, yet fun, and feature all Vintaj brass components.  Beads of topaz fire-polished czech glass, brown faceted glass rondelles and teal Swarovski crystals are hand-linked and hang artfully from 15mm jump rings.  The earrings have a 2 1/4 in. drop and are finished with Vintaj French ear wires.


No Longer Available

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