Being in Mozambique has been a blessing for my nascent career as a jewelry designer. First, I am the only person in Maputo if not in the entire country that makes and sells jewelry made with silver, semi-precious stones, pearls and handmade glass beads (made by me!). I have a guaranteed market, which is great luck.
The other way in which being here has been a blessing is much more subtle. I don't have access to any high-quality supplies, and am only able to work with what I already have in stock or the few things I'm able to bring back from trips to the US or Brasil. This really has pushed me on the creative front. I have used beads and wire in ways I never would have imagined, finding ways to use every last treasure in the tackle boxes I use to store my supplies.
Now that my creativity has been challenged (and I feel I've risen to the occasion), I can't wait to get back to the US or somewhere where I have proper access to materials so that I can actually execute the design ideas that are in my mind. Here I do my best to approximate, but I'm still not able to pull off everything that I envision. This is frustrating, but it keeps me on my toes.
Here are a few of my latest creations:
Handmade wire-wrapped circles with dangles of silver beads and freshwater pearls.
Necklace detail.
Earring detail.
Lapis lazuli, turquoise, freshwater pearl and silver beads form a v-shaped pattern on this necklace.
Detail of the matching dangle earrings.
Lapis, turquoise, pearl and silver set.
Foil-lined glass pendant with sandalwood beads and blue glass crystals.
Mix of lapis lazuli, jade, obsidian, amethyst and howlite beads with quartz crystal pendant.
Mix of amythest, rose quartz, jasper and jade beads with carved carnelian accent.
25 comments:
Beautiful jewellery, Ali. I like the blue and silver set the best. It is cool how we are stretched creatively when we don't have much in the way of resources (I find this with organising too).
And I love your new hair style. The other day I tried to comment and blogger was acting up - of course, I didn't save my comment first so all was lost!
I know you hear this all the time, but your art work is really beautiful:)
Oh how I admire your creativity!! Lovely work. Keep those creative fires burning! JP
they are marvellous, it's horrible to imagine that I couldn't see them in front of me!!
:(
Beijos and happy thanksgivings :)
Elite
I LOVE these pieces...the pearls were beautiful...but I also liked your pendants. How lovely...thank you for sharing these images here!
--D.--
Do you have a web site with your stuff so we can order some of these beautiful creations?
~Marcia - Thanks! I did actually see the comment from the other day, but for some reason I wasn't able to comment back.
I'm curious - how do you feel a lack of resources affects your organizing?? I have this issue here, and I'd love some insight.
~Alforge - Thank you so much, each time someone likes my jewelry it's a great compliment.
~Jane Poe - Luckily those creative fires are what have kept me sane over the past 1.5 years, so they're burning strong!
~Elite - Obrigada. I hope one day to be able to show them to you first-hand. Or at least to have a web site where you can see them with much better photos. :)
~Left-handed trees - Thanks, D. I wish my images were better but I'm a bit limited in the photography department at the moment.
~Alphawoman - I wish! The biggest problem is that I live in a country where the postal system doesn't work at all and the only alternative for sending stuff is DHL ($$$). As soon as I get settled in a country that has better infrastructure, you can count on a site. This is actually a big part of my plans for going forward, more on it as it develops. :)
Go for the website,Ali! This is great work, seriously! You are gifted!
Oi Ali... Te conheci no IBMEC, eu era da Falácia, qunato tempo! Soube do seu blog pelos amigos ex-Nortia, Felipe e Roger. Estou indo para uma aventura em Angola, minimo 3 mees, quem sabe quanto tempo?
Sera que consigo encontrar com o Ricardo no Rio? Eu ia adorar!
Abração,
Vini
I really like your jewelry.
About the allergies, you're not allergic to cats are you?
Ali, about the organising. Just in the way if you don't have exactly the right containers and are restricted with budget or stuff available to buy, you are forced to consider other options (like cereal boxes for example) and get creative.
Like with drawer dividers - I have never been able to find the right stuff, so I usually use combinations of plastic baskets from the Excitement store, bottoms of cereal boxes, etc.
Or...I couldn't find exactly the type of notebook I like so I bought the best I could find and changed it to suit my style. I like a big section for Action lists, and smaller sections for Articles to write, Blogs, Business reference, etc. So I use Optiplan tabs to divide as I wanted them and that seems to work just fine for me.
Sorry for hogging your comments. (I am actually going to expand on this and write an organising blog post).
these are divine, A - when are you going to start seling them online, eh? i remember the other pendants you posted on the blog before - did you sell all of those? there was one in partcular i wanted... :-) x
Jo Ann - Girl, it's all I can think about lately. I am dreaming pretty high, but I think I can pull it off. Will let you know as the project moves along.
~Vini - Claro que me lembro de você! Muito legal que vai pra Angola. O que vai estar fazendo por lá? Acho que consegue encontrar com o Ricardo, sim. Ele vai embora dia 15/12.
Acabei de visitar o seu blog, muito legal. Boa sorte com tudo.
beijos!
~Meredith - Thanks! I don't think I'm allergic to cats - have had them my whole life, and had allergies even when I didn't have cats back in Chimoio. That would be awful, though, to be allergic to my boys!
~Marcia - Thanks for all this info. You've reminded me just how sad a state this flat is in in terms of being organized. I really need some drawer dividers and a filing cabinet. And some more notebooks wouldn't hurt, either. I look forward to seeing the complete post about this.
~Susannah - Girl, I wish I could sell them online as of, like, yesterday. Living in Mozambique is a real problem because the postal system here doesn't work and therefore I can't send any of my creations without resorting to DHL. I didn't sell all of the pendants yet, and I wish so much that I had a way to send one to you. Hopefully in the next few months I'll be in a position where I can have a site and a viable option for shipping. Until then, thanks so much for the support!!
i would buy creation no. 1, and the foiled thing. totally.
nifty hobby--you get to play with your girly side, creative side, and look good to boot!
These are incredible! I love the way your creativity is being fueled by circumstances. Sounds like you are on a roll!
These are all just gorgeous, Ali! And I wanted to tell you that everytime I wear the earrings you gave me, I get compliments. You might consider selling online, once you get more materials. Your work is so beautiful and unique. xo
Very impressive. I saw several pieces that could envision giving to people that I know. Along the vein of a few other comments, it would be nice to see you able to sell online. It would seem to me that if postal is such a challenge that being able to ship via DHL or other service to someone you trust in "bulk" and then have them postal items as they are ordered could help alleviate that concern. That could also provide an aggregation point for supplies to be shipped in "bulk" to you from various sources so you have access to the materials you need. Of course, this thought depends on having someone you trust as well as customs and tariffs to do so without pricing yourself out of the market. In the meantime, I will enjoy the pictures :) Cheers!
~ama miz - Guess what? A friend in Mozambique that saw my blog did end up purchasing set #1! I can't yet do internet selling internationally, but here in MZ I suppose it's a possibility. :) Thanks for your support, glad you like my work.
~Kristine - It's been a great experience to have a lack of resources. I've honestly never been so creative in my entire life! Hopefully I'll keep the momentum up, and I wish the same creative energy for you!
~Paris Parfait - Thank you, it's such a great feeling to hear that you are enjoying your earrings and getting compliments. I will definitely pursue this idea when it's more feasible.
~Mike - what a great idea! This is definitely a creative interim solution to my shipping woes. Perhaps I'll find someone like this the next time I go overseas and leave some of my pieces behind so that they can be shipped. Thanks for the support!
These are really spectacular. And you -- a consultant? YOu should be opening your own gallery.
Glad to see your lip looks all better...
I like the first set best. They're all good though, you have a talent there :-)
Hope the allergies aren't causing you too much distress.
Cough ... well as someone who is fortunate to know own several creations ... I am truely blessed. Keep going and of course bring your stash when you come to London!
oh my goodness girl, these are gorgeous. i have been dealing with a health thing (and have been away from blog world) and have been tapping in to my "woo, woo" side (i am a yoga teacher after all) and the beads/crystals in the necklace with the quartz pendent is a powerful one.
love how you are feeling so passionate about this...beautiful.
CUTE IDEA! LOVE IT! Thanks for sharing! Keep sharing more ideas about best earrings online.
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