Fifth Anniversary - Waterproofing of quilled jhumkas - Tutorial and Review

Hello All,

Thank you so much for all the love you people have showered on us for past 5 years! It has been a roller coaster of a ride but what is life without some adventure thrown in!! Just like every year, we celebrate this anniversary with some love of sharing.........

All the crafters who make quilling jewellery groan (inwardly or otherwise) when their jewellery is compared with readymade, mass manufactured and impersonal alloy jewellery (most of it Made in China). We know the pain! Waterproofing of quilled jewellery has been its Achilles' Heel for a long time and most crafters struggle with answering the question: Will this jewellery get ruined when water falls on it?

We saw the problem for what it was. The customers want to make sure their money is worth it and the cost (of handmade jewellery) is justified too! So, we experimented with a host of resins and coating materials. The wall we kept hitting was: Importing the resin! Most resins available in India either had a short shelf like, or yellowed after some time! Since resin is susceptible to fire, it's transported via ships and that meant long waiting periods!

When Itsy Bitsy announced its line of resin (Lil Birdie: https://goo.gl/2EacL3 ), we seized the opportunity to try it on our quilled jhumkas..........we were a bit apprehensive as the reviews we had received so far said that the resin had a lot of bubbles upon mixing. We have worked around that problem and this video demonstrates how to use the resin on quilled jhumkas....

Happy Quilling Pritesh PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Antique finish jhumka - Free Tutorial

Hello All,

Here is a very quick tutorial for getting the antique effect on jhumkas (or any surface, for that matter).......

Step 1: Paint the dome (in any colour). It's painted yellow here, just for the sake of it. Now draw the pattern you wish with the "colour you wish to show above antique finish". For example, if you want antique golden, draw with golden outliner. For antique silver finish, draw with silver 3D outliner. We were targeting antique look with yellow as prominent colour, so yellow 3D outliner was used. In principle, any 3D outliner colour can be used, depending on your requirement. The denser the pattern, the better the antique finish looks.

Step 2: The pattern should be allowed to dry completely, before you do the following processes. You can also use half pearls, available with A1 Craft supply. The key is to allow the 3D outliner to dry completely.

Step 3: Paint the majority colour you wish to see among the antique sub-layer. We've used antique bronze (by Camlin). Make a complete layer above the 3D outliner pattern.

Step 4: Now, dab with pearl black to give an "old and rusted" look. Make only sporadic dabs.

Step 5: On top, make sporadic dabs with antique gold (by Camlin), if you wish, to give a partially antiquated look. 

Step 6: This is an important step. The key here is to use a piece of cloth (or tissue) that isn't too soft or coarse. For example, muslin is too soft but denim is too coarse. We've used an old cotton pant piece. Make the small patch above your index finger damp and scrape gently over the 3D outliner. Do not "wet" the tip, just make it damp enough to scrape off acrylic paint. You'll slowly see the 3D outliner colour emerge from underneath the "antique" colours.

(A video to help)

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And here is an antique yellow jhumka :) Proceed with waterproofing, as described in the tutorial. You may need to alter the steps to accommodate your specific design, so get experimenting!

The obvious question is: Why so much hassle when one can simply buy an antique looking jhumka? Answer: You can "choose" your antique tone, it's made of paper (ultra-light) AND that it's handmade (there is no parallel to THAT, is there?)........

Happy jhumka decorating :)

Happy Quilling Pritesh PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Quilled jhumka, varnish application tutorial

Hello All,

A very quick and short tutorial for applying varnish on a quilled jhumka

So, go ahead, create jhumkas that you love creating :)

Happy Quilling

 Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

A blog hop with a difference

Hello All,

After a long long break from writing, I am back with a very unique blog hop, where I got involved, thanks to my College classmate and an avid crafter, Kripa Koushik. The number of years I've known her can't be counted on the fingers on our hands! We did Graduation together and then, recently got back in touch through the world of crafts.

She works magic with her mixed media layouts, and unlike me, cards! She has a distinct style, which often begs careful examination, for there are so many tiny details that add up to the big picture :)

I agreed to be a part of this hop because of the different format! This hop actually helps us all get to know each other better, as people and as crafters.............idiosyncrasies included! :D

More about me:

1. What am I working on?

A lot of things, like always. Quilled jewellery is something that always adorns my table. In addition, there are a couple of frames in various stages of non-completion. I just finished this jewellery piece (which took quite a bit of time, split over 3 days, to make). This is my attempt at recreating the ancient jewellery making technique - Thewa

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I don't know if there is a lot of difference between the work I do and the others do, but I try to play by my strengths, namely, free-hand drawing and an understanding of the chemistry of the materials. The combinations of materials become a lot easier to devise once you know how they work in tandem. I try to exploit that information to get better at my work.

3. Why do I write/create what I do?

The simple answer is: Because that's what I can see myself doing day after day, for years to come. My husband once asked me: Where do you see yourself five years from now, and the only vision that I could come up with was: In a giant craft workshop, doling out really good craft pieces. I craft, because I live for it :)

4. How does your writing/creating process work?

This is a complex question to answer. Most times, the most difficult/tricky part is to come up with an idea. Often, ideas strike seeing something completely unrelated. And sometimes, something similar sparks an incremental idea. Often, it is the craft material itself that makes me think about how I can use it in a different way. 

Once the idea is in place, the first thing I do is a strength test. In my mind, I run through the process of creating it (earlier, I used to draw them but with experience, I am able to visualize them now). On the way, I look for loopholes like a hawk. I've an almost manic obsession with sturdiness. If my work is not sturdy, I take it as a  personal insult. So, making designs sturdy or devising processes to introduce sturdiness is what comes next. Often, I modify the design/idea to keep strength a priority. Once the process is clear in my head, I start with the actual execution. There have been rare times when I have been stumped by hurdles (largely, because of lacunae in my information database) but mostly, I've been able to foresee mistakes. If some mistakes get the better of me, I restart the whole process, subtracting the mistake.

I'll give one example. There was this one time I was making a yellow jhumka and no matter what I did, the yellow colour kept "leaking". It'd separate into a pale yellow part and dusty brown part. It took me 4 trials to figure out that it was the problem with the yellow paint (which I figured out after trying three different and top-of-the-notch brands) and the 4-step process finally because 7-step process to eliminate this pigment separation. 

To pass this baton on, I choose two of my favourite crafters: Manuela Koosch and Cecelia Louie.

Although neither of them need any introduction to crafters and quillers alike, I'll go ahead and introduce them (pardon me if I sound like a star struck teenager, but both these women are my role models!)

Manuela (or Manu, as I call her) is a crafter with superlative capability to transform the mundane to magic and if you think I am exaggerating, drop by to www.manuk.ro and see for yourself :)

Cecelia redefines "Design isn't when you can't add anything more, it is when you can't take anything away". She gives simplicity an elevation the way I haven't seen anyone do. Minimum talks maximum is a quote written for her.

Happy Hopping and thank you for dropping by!

Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Hobby Mela Tutorial Video

Hello Everyone,

When Avani called me for a video interview, it sounded too good to be true..........and when she did turn up on my doorstep, it was wonderful! :D Making tutorial videos is hard work, there is loads of planning that goes into it. Avani has worked very hard at editing this video and boy! Am I thankful or what :)

She has done a terrific job with the speeding up parts and the clipping as well......thank you from the bottom of my heart Avani :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o22KAGmQVx4

Some snapshots.............

Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Kundan embroidery jhumka ;)

Hello All,

I have to start with, I am feeling mighty please with myself! :D Yesterday night was an unusually happy night where a pretty risky experiment paid off!

When I had a phone conversation with my supplier and a very dear friend Neha, of A-One Craft Supply about buying some half pearls, I am sure she wondered if I was right in the head! Asking for half pearls THAT small is kind of insane! ;) But she persisted, hunted them down and bought me the most marvellously useful craft supply........Neha, I owe you a zillion for this one :)

I have to thank my clients who don't even blink at allowing me to experiment wildly with various materials and processes :)

So, here goes, yesterday's R&D result..........a kundan embroidery look jhumka

The first trial is shown here (which didn't turn out great but then, if you do enough work, you'll eventually get there :D)

Thanks Ketaki and A-One Craft Supply, for making these possible :)

Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Double tier carved jhumka

Hello All,

A quick post to show you the versatility of the "carved" finish jhumka (you can see how you can make it here). The carving effect has been extended to both the domes :)

Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Carving effect on quilled jhumkas

Hello All,

If you ever have been to the Fourvière Basilica, this pair of earrings will immediately transport you to the golden and intricate interior of the church! Making this type of jhumka was an idea planted by Ketaki and it kept swirling in my head until I had it executed, the way she had visualized it :)

Hope I have done well Ketaki :)

Making it is not really difficult. You just need to make a regular paper dome, the usual jhumka grind and then, use 3D outliners (I lean towards Fevicryl, you can choose your preference) to draw an abstract (or structured, whichever you prefer) pattern The key is to let it dry completely before you go to the next step......agreed, it can be a bit tricky to make the patterns on a 3-dimensional structure, but hey, the end result will totally justify the effort :)

Now comes the slightly difficult (or rather, tricky) part. Taking a really fine tip painting brush (synthetic bristle brush, preferably), line the outer edges with gold to make this beauty possible :)

Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Evolution of the jhumka.......

Hello All,

My last post before I head home for Diwali (IF I tide over this storm of Diwali rush at work!).......the latest addition to the jhumka family, a BIG brother to the previous ones :D

Happy Diwali to you all, be happy and be safe........

Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Some more quilled jhumkas

Hello All,

A very very quick post again...........Diwali means madness for us all! :D On personal front, on work front......a quick update on the jhumka series I am on to (and loving!)

I made two of these and the green and red one (though a little Christmasy to look at) is my absolute favourite :)

Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Jhumka gira re

Hello All,

After forever, I am back! With nothing big but something I had been thinking about for ages.......being from Bareilly and not having made jhumka so far was not going down well with me! :D So, I finally made time to try one out. I literally picked up whatever came in front of me to make this one..........feedback welcome :)

Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)