... in pictures! Maybe these will put you in the mood for Valentine's Day - which is not really that far off.

Remember the rose filigree rings from the Fiorissimo collection? I've just added two new colours, coral pink on antiqued silver and deep red on glossy black:


In addition to the ivory cream on antiqued brass, the following popular versions have also been restocked:


I've got only a few of those rose stud earrings left, and have just added a dark grey pair for those who aren't really into all the girly stuff:


Last but not least, there is also a new selection of pretty pastel floral bobby pins featuring pompom chrysanthemums, daisies and sakura:


All are available in the Artfire studio, but several rings might also be lurking in the Etsy shop. Hope you find something you like :)

Wow, I've really fallen behind on my blog. Been busy with everything and nothing. Which is to say, if you want anything made for Christmas, now would be a good time to act, since we're already in the second half of November and I'm rushing out some festive commissions. Don't forget, international shipping cutoff is Nov 24th, Dec 17th for Singapore packages.

In other news, here are some goodies from my new ---{@ fiorissimo @}--- collection. Ralph Waldo Emerson said the Earth laughs in flower. Well, you and I know that flowers, especially roses, have been celebrated in art and literature since antiquity. What appeals to me most are their uniqueness, transience, fragility and perfection. (And of course their scents, because I'm such an olfactory person.)

So, immortalised petal by petal in durable resin, here are the rose earrings:


Now, I am fully aware of many similar pieces on offer out there. They're exceedingly easy to make. But I've forgone tacky colours and dodgy findings to pair what I believe are some of the most nicely cast floral "cabochons" with 925 sterling silver. They are just the right size too, because you know, it's a bit much if the blooms are too large. Lots of colours too, from the darkest red to palest blush pink. I've been smitten by au nom de la rose ever since I visited their stores in Paris, please just indulge me ;)

Some time back, I also bought these really fab quality brass filigree ring bases (white, black and antiqued brass), but it turned out they didn't really work with the things I wanted to put them together with. So I've set these open roses on them and I think they look rather decent. Photogenic, in any case:


All in all, great gifts for girly girls, diehard romantics, little princesses, nature lovers, bridesmaids or of course, yourself. These items are now in my ArtFire studio, with more Fiorissimo pieces and other stocking stuffers coming soon.

But first, my weekend break awaits :D

Remember my last ring-obsessed post? So... I did order the Anubis Ring, and went to pick it up from the post office this morning. Check it out:


This unique ring is one of Italian designer Arosha's signature pieces. He makes these in 18K gold or sterling silver, with a choice of stones. Mine is in matte-finished sterling, set with a black zircon.

Anubis is a jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in Egyptian mythology. No particular reason why I picked this, other than my loving the elegant and modern stylisation of an ancient symbol. Well, and maybe my interest in history and mythology.

Happy weekend! Avoid going to town at all costs - National Day rehearsals causing mass mayhem!

I love rings. No wait, I LOVE RINGS. There.

Unfortunately, the type of rings I like is beyond my current expertise. I am happy enough to gawk and covet, though, and if I can imagine myself wearing them enough on repeated occasions then that justifies a purchase. And I can blog about them. Here are some recent faves found on Etsy:


Some are old favourites, some from newer shops. Generally, I like solid, bigass, abstract statement rings with contrastingly subtle colours or finishes, and modern, geometric, curvy or nature-inspired shapes. I also like large polished rocks with natural banding/inclusions like muted agates and jaspers, as well as labradorite (of course), larimar, amazonite and rhodochrosite (I have a really lovely one but I don't wear it so often because it's, well, pink). As you can see I'm not crazy about sparkly gemstones, but if I had to pick I'd go with any blue, red or black gems. Absolutely no pastels. Small ones.

Share your faves! Anything you like from here? I think I'm gonna have to get that Anubis ring (if it can be made in matte silver)!

Present from the sister:

Sorry, just practising with the macro lens here (seeing as I haven't taken much non-work photos lately). And it's obviously not as good as those professional ones but hey... I have a noob camera, zero setup and shaky hands when hungry. Please ignore the specks of dust for these rings are not very frequently used or cleaned - but can you tell which is the natural rock here? The other 2 are man-made :) The different cuts and sizes might influence your guess though.


Shot in late morning daylight. I think diamonds tend to sparkle best under artificial lighting. They just look terribly cold here.

Remember how I was drooling over larimar and some larimar rings? Well, I did try to order the Marah Lago ones but they wouldn't ship to Singapore. Some stupid USPS regulation that prohibits jewellery from being sent here via post. So I ordered 2 rings direct from a Dominican Republic seller late August - and they took a darned long time to arrive. I thought they'd been lost and had already emailed the seller to report that I hadn't received them after a month. But the postman finally rang my doorbell with them yesterday morning and I immediately wore one out when I went to do my hair!

Here's a pic - the 2 rings I got are actually the same design anyway, just different sizes so I can wear them on different fingers. Yes, I am that crazy about it. The out-of-this-world colour is something like I've never seen, not even on the prettiest Sleeping Beauty turquoise (which tends to look flat anyway). There are subtle markings on the stone that give it a mysterious depth and an unexpected organic feel. I'm seriously considering buying a strand to make stuff with but, apart from being quite costly, it's not a very well-known stone. I don't know how it would be received. It's definitely harder, though not impossible, to sell pricier items. I could always keep the pieces for myself though. LOL. I need to have job benefits too, right?

See, this is something I struggle with sometimes. I normally buy stones I like and make things that I like from them. I don't really bother much about what people might or might not buy, or whether they have the same taste as I do. (That's why each person who tells me they like my work is giving me a little self-esteem boost, and I'm especially grateful for that!) I'm afraid I don't make a very good businessperson after all. I mean, I can separate very clearly what my head and heart are telling me, but usually the head consciously lets the heart win. I wouldn't be able to answer to myself otherwise. Am I even making sense??