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| Six Memos for the Next Millennium: Lightness, Visibility and Exactidude by Cari-Jane Hakes, 2011 |
Less rings. Better.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
'Less is More'
a quote which can be attributed to the German Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. It is a phrase that is often used in Modernist, Minimalist circles. I will argue to the contrary on occasions, that 'Less is a Bore'. But often, very often, Ludwig's wise words prevail.
This is the photograph I finally decided upon.
Less rings. Better.
Less rings. Better.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Six Memos for the Next Millennium
It has been a long long day trying to get the two last rings from the 'Six Memos' series finished. As far as the photograph goes, this is work in progress. I need to wait for some natural light.
These rings are based on the five chapters in the book by Italo Calvino titled 'Six Memos for the Next Millennium'. I don't mind admitting they have taxed and vexed me for some time. This series has pushed me conceptually and technically in every single area. All the wrestling has left me pretty much unable to string a sentence together. So if you'll forgive me, I'll save the more detailed discourse for another day.
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| Six Memos For The Next Millennium, rings by Cari-Jane Hakes, 2011 |
Monday, March 28, 2011
Something different Sunday on a Monday
Here are pages 2 and 3 are in all their coloured-in glory. Long time readers of this blog may recognise the jar of pebbles from my second blog post, way back in May 2010
Pages 4 and 5 are work in progress.
She deliberated over which coloured pencils to take. What colour would the buildings be, the sky, the roofs, the shadows, the leaves on the trees? She could not decide because she did not know. So she took them all.
Cedric was not best pleased with the inclusion of the Moose. He found the tilt of his head a little idiosyncratic and his ease of mobility was a little annoying. However, his discomfort dispersed when he realised that the Moose would be travelling in the hold.
If you want to see what happened to the little girl on her first adventure, click here.
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| Sketchbook Project 2011, the sequel by Cari-Jane Hakes, pages 2 and 3 |
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| Sketchbook Project 2011, the sequel by Cari-Jane Hakes, pages 4 and 5 |
She deliberated over which coloured pencils to take. What colour would the buildings be, the sky, the roofs, the shadows, the leaves on the trees? She could not decide because she did not know. So she took them all.
Cedric was not best pleased with the inclusion of the Moose. He found the tilt of his head a little idiosyncratic and his ease of mobility was a little annoying. However, his discomfort dispersed when he realised that the Moose would be travelling in the hold.
If you want to see what happened to the little girl on her first adventure, click here.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Eternity Ring
Hot off the bench. Just finished this morning. A special commission from a dear aquaintance and friend. An eternity ring. Inspired by and oh so carefully made with this extract from Louis de Bernières' Captain Corelli's Mandolin in mind. Important words, words to live by and ones which were read at the couple's wedding.
"Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision.
You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is.
Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being in love, which any fool can do.
Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two."
I'm now basking in the fire from those 'diamonds' - nothing like a job well done to finish the week on!
"Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision.
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| Eternity Ring for R and J by Cari-Jane Hakes, March 2011 |
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| Eternity Ring for R and J by Cari-Jane Hakes, March 2011 |
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| Eternity Ring for R and J by Cari-Jane Hakes, March 2011 |
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| Eternity Ring for R and J by Cari-Jane Hakes, March 2011 |
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Hybrid Handmade Home - How to Make a Driftwood Wreath
Wreaths aren't just for Christmas in my opinion. In fact, they don't even have to be restricted to the front door! Here is a little step by step tutorial on how to make your very own Driftwood Wreath.
You will need:
A piece of scrap wood (or something equally sacrificial to drill into)
Some wire (mine is 3mm diameter, copper)
Clear twine or string (I'm using 0.6mm fishing line)
A drill and drill bit slightly larger than the diameter of your wire (I used a 4mm drill bit)
Step 1 - Drill 4mm holes rougly in the middle of each driftwood piece (don't forget eye protection).
Step 2 - thread your driftwood pieces onto the wire. I alternated 4 short pieces with one longer piece and continued this pattern about 10 times.
Step 3 - Twist the two ends of the wire together and make a loop. Cut any excess off with wire snips or hacksaw.
Step 4 - Add clear twine / string to the loop, hang up and admire your handiwork!
Et voilà!
You will need:
A piece of scrap wood (or something equally sacrificial to drill into)
Some wire (mine is 3mm diameter, copper)
Clear twine or string (I'm using 0.6mm fishing line)
A drill and drill bit slightly larger than the diameter of your wire (I used a 4mm drill bit)
Step 1 - Drill 4mm holes rougly in the middle of each driftwood piece (don't forget eye protection).
Step 2 - thread your driftwood pieces onto the wire. I alternated 4 short pieces with one longer piece and continued this pattern about 10 times.
Step 3 - Twist the two ends of the wire together and make a loop. Cut any excess off with wire snips or hacksaw.
Step 4 - Add clear twine / string to the loop, hang up and admire your handiwork!
Et voilà!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Euro Week on Etsy
March 21 - March 27 is officially Euro Week over on Etsy.
Above is the amazing, mind blowing work of studiokmo - a hand cut map of good ol' London town. And below, a sweet little water colour by poppyandpinecone.
Both these sellers are actually based in the lovely US of A. So here is my 100% Euro treasury (inspired by American singer / songwriter Prince) which you can find on-line here (until it falls off the great big treasury list on Etsy's server).
Thank you to spectaclealamaison and for providing me with the inspiration for the title and half of the colour choices for this treasury and to DreamsFactory for the Cloudy Beret with a Chance of Sun which enabled me to add a little obscure European twist.
Above is the amazing, mind blowing work of studiokmo - a hand cut map of good ol' London town. And below, a sweet little water colour by poppyandpinecone.
Both these sellers are actually based in the lovely US of A. So here is my 100% Euro treasury (inspired by American singer / songwriter Prince) which you can find on-line here (until it falls off the great big treasury list on Etsy's server).
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| She Wore a Raspberry Beret by Cari-Jane Hakes |
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Life in the old dog yet...
A belated birthday present from the lovely Mr. H. and evidence of a mis-spent youth buried in books. Ipso facto I have to make up for it now. It may be some time till I'm good enough to join the Longboard Girls Crew in Madrid.
Elsewhere today, I am making maquettes to test some ideas before committing to their creation in silver and when I photograph them (to try and capture the patination of ruby red that the torch leaves behind) they begin to loose their scale.
And for a moment, they become architectural, drifting between the size of my hand and the shard like walls of Richard Serra's Fulcrum in Broadgate, London.
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| New Longboard, photo by the Lovely Mr H. March 2011 |
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| Six Memos For The Next Millinnium Ring Maquette, Cari-Jane Hakes, 2011 |
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sketchbook on a Sunday
Continuing on from my last Sketchbook post...
And so one day they did just that, they kept going. They left just as the wintered fingers of the trees had begun to be covered in a pointillist array of rose and green.
"It's time to go on an adventure" the girl declared as she carefully dragged her Grandfather's suitcase out from under the bed.
If you want to find out about what happened to the girl in the first Sketchbook, head over to the Art House Co-op website and use the blue arrows to navigate through the book.
I may add a little bit of colour to page 3, just a smudge, to tone it in with the notepaper on page 2. In the meantime, consider it a 'work in progress'.
I have a busy week in my workshop - hopefully I will be able to share some of it with you later on. Until then - a bientôt!
Post Scriptus
Look what the weekend brought! I got my spring sunshine (for a little bit, on Sunday) and with it, these lilac buds, which when all clustered together resemble green stars!
And so one day they did just that, they kept going. They left just as the wintered fingers of the trees had begun to be covered in a pointillist array of rose and green.
"It's time to go on an adventure" the girl declared as she carefully dragged her Grandfather's suitcase out from under the bed.
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| The Sketchbook Project, the sequel by Cari-Jane Hakes pages 2 and 3 |
If you want to find out about what happened to the girl in the first Sketchbook, head over to the Art House Co-op website and use the blue arrows to navigate through the book.
I may add a little bit of colour to page 3, just a smudge, to tone it in with the notepaper on page 2. In the meantime, consider it a 'work in progress'.
I have a busy week in my workshop - hopefully I will be able to share some of it with you later on. Until then - a bientôt!
Post Scriptus
Look what the weekend brought! I got my spring sunshine (for a little bit, on Sunday) and with it, these lilac buds, which when all clustered together resemble green stars!
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| March 20 2011, Cari-Jane Hakes |
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Beautiful Black and White Treasury
Really lovely, simple treasury by CraftUniKat over on Etsy. The 'Six Memos for the Next Millennium' earrings are featured on the bottom line.
If you want to see it in all its clickable full screen glory click here (for a limited time).
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| 'European Simplicity' featuring hybridhandmade jewellery by Cari-Jane Hakes. Curated by CraftUnikat. |
If you want to see it in all its clickable full screen glory click here (for a limited time).
Friday, March 18, 2011
Big Sky Dreaming.
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| Sky, February 2009, Cari-Jane Hakes |
my 'home' country
glacier caves
(the above photo was taken by Eric Guth, click on his name to visit his amazing website)
and waves
What will you be dreaming of this weekend mes amis?
Thursday, March 17, 2011
One final Spring Field necklace.
I finished this final 'Spring Field' necklace last week. I wanted to give it a little flourish to make it a little different.
A little silver stalk that gently hangs below where the white enameled one stops.
Allium, crocus, wild grass, cornflower and a dash of dandelion all on vintage linen.
A little silver stalk that gently hangs below where the white enameled one stops.
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| 'Spring Field' series by Cari-Jane Hakes 2011 |
Allium, crocus, wild grass, cornflower and a dash of dandelion all on vintage linen.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Front Page of PapernStitch! Special discount to celebrate!
Horray, my Six Memos for the Next Millennium earrings have made it to the front page of papernstitch, (bottom right hand corner).
To celebrate I'm running a little promotion which will end on Saturday 19th March 2011. Check out the details here.
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| Six Memos Earrings on the front page of papernstitch |
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
I'm Pink therefore I am!
I have found some really rather LOVELY pink things on Pinterest over the past few weeks. I couldn't wait any longer to share them. So here they are in all their pinkness and perkiness! Enjoy!
I could NOT resist the slightly surreal 'pink party horse' with his golden 'boots'. Seriously, I have no idea either. But he is rather good isn't he?
I could NOT resist the slightly surreal 'pink party horse' with his golden 'boots'. Seriously, I have no idea either. But he is rather good isn't he?
Monday, March 14, 2011
How can something so fragile be so strong?
These hydrangea heads fell at the end of summer. They have been snowed on, rained on and blown about for 7 months. I stopped and stared for a while. Perhaps the urban city girl is finding her feet and putting down some roots.
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| Hydrangea petals, March 2011, Cari-Jane Hakes |
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Sharing Some Sparkle on a Sunday.
Dreaming of this dress
with these shoes
and maybe a dash of this
Right, I'm off to dig in my garden!
with these shoes
and maybe a dash of this
Right, I'm off to dig in my garden!
Friday, March 11, 2011
New Earrings.
I have added to new designs to the 'Essential Simplicity' range. Created using the finest, purest ingredients with the care and attention of a couturier here in my little atelier on the west coat of France.
This first pair feature the most amazing fluorite semi-precious stones. They graduate from a pale marine blue through violet and into an intense purple at the top. Glossy and almost good enough to eat!
With the second pair I wanted to encapsulate everything that is amazing about the sea when it stands up for a moment, becomes a glassy wall of blue and green and turquoise before crashing into a froth of pure white.
Each pair perfect for adding a little dash of couture to your 'Ready to Wear' go anywhere outfit.
They are listed over in my Etsy shop.
Heres wishing you a weekend full of elegance and simple everyday pleasures.
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| Everyday Elegance Earrings by Cari-Jane Hakes |
With the second pair I wanted to encapsulate everything that is amazing about the sea when it stands up for a moment, becomes a glassy wall of blue and green and turquoise before crashing into a froth of pure white.
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| Aqua Sea Surf Earrings by Cari-Jane Hakes |
Each pair perfect for adding a little dash of couture to your 'Ready to Wear' go anywhere outfit.
They are listed over in my Etsy shop.
Heres wishing you a weekend full of elegance and simple everyday pleasures.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
What I caught in my net this morning.
I don't need an alarm clock. I haven't needed one for the last 7 years. I have small boys which serve me well in this department. This morning I was glad of the early call.
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| 10 March 2011, 0700 hrs, Cari-Jane Hakes |
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