It's Chinese New Year tomorrow... a celebration of spring. Whether or not the seasons are changing where you live, CNY is a nice way to start off the year since we're still only 25 days into 2009. Yes, I'm trying to think positive and will attempt to ignore the usual impertinent questions about motherhood. Some family/relatives will be back from travel or visiting from overseas, so it's probably appropriate to catch up, since we only do it basically once a year (and for those living abroad, once every 3 years?!).

I'll leave you with a new piece that I'd actually been planning for a couple of weeks, but only had the time to sit down and finish yesterday. It also took longer than expected; first I oxidised the chain, pins and handmade clasp, which involved mashing up boiled eggs and leaving everything in a box to stew. Then I cleaned the metal and sanded some of the black off to give it more depth. Then began the tedious process of wiring all the drops onto the chain (breaking quite a few pins along the way). It was therapeutic in a masochistic sense, but my fingertips ended up sore and I worked into the night, which I dislike because I do not have any affinity with wire/metal during the hours of darkness (artificial light is just not the same).


Fleur d'Oranger (orange blossoms) is composed of those lovely carnelian rondelles and petal-like keishi pearls set off against oxidised sterling silver chain. It's a long but delicate necklace at 36" so it can be worn single or doubled, even as a bracelet if you're so inclined. Keishi - Japanese for "poppyseed" - pearls are special because unlike regular pearls, they do not have a nucleus. This means they are totally made of nacre and are therefore more lustrous. Anyway... there will be only 2 pieces of this, currently in my jewellery boutique and soon to come on my Etsy shop.

I do love the scent of orange blossoms, by the way. Jo Malone's Orange Blossom cologne is one of my favourites (after Lime Basil Mandarin). And did you know that orange flower water is used in the baking of madeleines? If you've had the chance to sniff these dainty white blooms right off the tree, you'd be as amazed as me that such a powerful fragrance comes from such an innocent and nondescript flower. Like jasmine.... but that's another story :)

Just a little reminder - there will be no postal services on 26-27 Jan as these are public holidays in Singapore. My shops are still open of course, and any purchases made will be shipped from 28 Jan onwards.