A Jewel of Ireland Found

My Aisling ring; Lotus earrings, Butterfly pendant

Sometimes I wonder, what is this insatiable hunger!   No matter what, there cannot be enough in life that I need to experience, share, learn, and grow with.  That constant driving force to be and do all that is within reach.  A curse... a blessing... or!!

Ask Irish land (my term of endearment for Ireland)

I believe the gusty Irish winds have finally blown me into the right “kitchen”, so-to-speak.  With an abundance of time on my hands during my trip, I finally found the best “food” in town- The School of Jewellery in the heart of Dublin.

Station of preference 

During the month of December 2012 I went to a Crafts exhibition.  Yet weeks before, I have been searching on the internet for a place to learn traditional jewellery making skills, a craft I have not ventured into before and thought would be great to compliment the beading I already do.  Lo and behold, right there, is a stand for “The School of Jewellery”. That one moment changed everything and has put me on a path of no return in more ways than one.  But for now, let me share with you my first path.

A few days after the exhibition, I walked into the beautiful, cozy, and welcoming school and was greeted by Goldsmith, Designer and Owner of the school- Deirdre O’Donnell.  And after a few hours of Orientation, I was more than ready to get started. On the spot we agreed that I may take a class or 2 before the Christmas break season and that I would return in January to continue the 10 weeks program. 

I don’t think I will ever forget Day 1.  Never did I think I could be happy cutting anything in a straight line! But I sure was ecstatic.  Seems odd yet it’s true.  Amazing how something as simple as a straight line would be part of someone’s’ joy but you would have to experience it to believe it.

Day 2 and Day 3 required me cutting, sawing, filing and drilling out the shape of a beautiful butterfly out of a brass plate that was then to become a lovely silver-plated pendant. 

Almost there

The 2n^d project consisted of making a Silver ring and with real Silver there was no room to mess up as it doesn't come cheap nowadays.  Some of the materials and tools used included:  2 mm silver plate, saw with size 0 blades, files, pliers, hammers (steel and wooden), steel bench block, Ring Mandrel, 240 and 800 sand paper sheets, drilling and drill bits (brass to polish and steel to drill holes), flux, hard silver solder, wire, torch, 3-1 oil, black marker pen, and last yet not least, my selection of stone to be set in my ring, Blue Quartz.   Now do not ask me about steps and sequences as im still a beginner, yet what I’m certain of is with great tutoring, assistance, instruction from Deirdre and her team, I am the proud maker of my 1^st real silver ring!   A couple of days later I asked my teacher Deirdre to give my ring a name.   Today, the Birth Certificate says “Aisling” (Irish for- Dream) is her name.  And since then I never leave home without Aisling J

Ready to go and get the Blue Quartz setting done 

Now, did all those projects manage my hunger pangs!   Absolutely, and I am craving for more. 

My 3^rd piece was a pair of earrings.  Now they may look simple to make but, I must say, they were the most challenging for me.  Why!!  Well, firstly this project was up to us students to decide on and create.  I chose to make dome-like shaped earrings.  And little did “Beginner Bettina” know she sub-consciously does it again and puts herself into something above her head.  My fingers have yet to forgive me.  

Let the adventure begin

Happy Lotus

The pair of earrings I later called Lotus, required the use of a silver plate and a Dapping block filled with semi-circular holes to help to create and manipulate the size and form of the dome I wanted.  Now for the tricky part, and which may be hard to believe; the most challenging part was HOLDING the piece steady.  Who would have thought that could be an issue.  Well, it was.  Being a Goldsmith and Silversmith requires strong fingers.  I’m sure I have newly formed miniature muscle growth in my fingers now J   Filed, sawed, sand papered, banged this little being into life!  Lastly, drilled a little enclave on the back for the earring post to be soldiered onto it.   So, after a couple of days of hard work, my fingers and I witnessed the blossoming of Lotus.

Now the big question:  Am I satiated forever or do I have room for more

I leave that to you to figure out. 

Until then

Salaam|Peace

The Full Moon Al-Bader On Its Way

The Al-Bader Earrings

Have you ever come a cross a beautiful coin or semi-precious stone that every angle you view takes you breath away? Or that crystal stone with a pointy back or that piece that has no hole and you just can not figure out how to capture, frame or use it?  Well, if you are anything like me, then you may have felt it almost 'sinful' to cover the other captivating side of some of those treasures.  Today, i must admit that with some of my own private collection of Gary Wilson Stones, this holds true.

Treasure Stones

Luckily years ago I took a class with the exceptional Beading Artist Laura McCabe, a beading master in her own right, and a flamboyantly, creative being with the open-back bezel.  And as this is a time for new beginnings and growth in our present month of Ramadhan where the Moon guides our lunar calendar to mark progression of time and moments, the opportune time is here to pass this lovely skill on to eager fellow beaders with the introduction of "Al-Bader (in Arabic البدر; meaning: Full Moon) Earrings class this upcoming week.

Bader-Full Moon

Date:                 August 4, Saturday
Time:                11:00am- 3:30pm
Technique:       Open-Back Bezel
Level:                Intermediate
Prerequisite:     Peyote stitch; patience and love to learn ;)
Venue:              LB o J'zazz Beading Zone
                         Jabriya Block 9 Street 6 House 13 (Side Basement Entrance)

If you are interested to learn more about this class, please email us at: info@lbojzazz.com or call us at +(965) 2261-0686 or please click on to Full Moon Al Bader Earring Class Info and Fees.  Pre-registration for this class is required and this can be done at our LB o J'zazz shop in:

           Shaab Al-Bahri
           Block 8
           Mohammed Darwish Al-Aradi Street
           Al-Shaab Complex, Shop 4
           Kuwait

This class is created and lead by Bettina Al-Bakhit and will be supported and assisted by Lubna Saif Abbas.  The atmosphere is casual and comfortable and is a place you can just be.

Note: As this class is several hours long and it is Ramadhan, a dedicated private area is dedicated for those who wish to eat/drink, just bring along your own snacks and drinks. 

Fusion Series: Tarachi Bint Yagout by Madhawi Saturday July 7

A debut and a new direction for us at LB o J'zazz as we launch our Guest Teacher Program this summer.  Bettina and I wanted to bring new ideas, talent and focus on projects that was a fusion of techniques and incorporating creatively the wide selection of beads, findings and what nots we have on offer at LB o J'zazz  that are familiar and not so familiar.

Beautiful Turkish Cottons selected for the class

We debut with none other than the multi-talented and effusive Madhawi Al Yagout of Karkoosha Bint Yagout Creations. Ever since we met Madhawi three years ago, things have never really been the same at the shop and at a personal level.  Madhawi, an accomplished teacher of Classical Piano at the Higher Institute of Music Studies, painter, tailor, maker of hand bags, crochet master and lastly beader has many talents that we all have yet to discover.

Madhawi at play with her palettes on our kitting day last week

Her sense of colors and patterns are bold and confident.  Whenever she attends our classes, I ask her:  "Madhawi, which kit and colorway do you want to select today?" she answers brightly : " I love all colors, there is not a color that I do not love!" It is in this vein that she approaches her projects and the outcomes are varied, surprising and quite intelligent.  She takes the mundane and elevates these pieces into something special and unique.
Her positive bubbling energy, talent and outlook infuses her work and her life approach. So, one day as she was visiting me at the office I asked her if she would show me a few tips on crocheting and jumped to get my stash.  It had been years that I had held a crochet needle. In  a mere few minutes she had me doing techniques I never imagined  mastering effortlessly. 
That afternoon when she returned home, she said she was inspired by the session and went on to make the prototype for the earrings.
Here we are a few months later concocting a fusion of bead embroidery, Odd Count Peyote, Fringing and Crochet and her results are quite a surprise.  
You will have no less than six luscious colorways to choose from and this will  be a great basis to explore creating links in crochet with embellishments.  Stay posted as we gear up for this special debut with you, our special beaders in our midst. 

Cross-Angle Weave 102: Desert Rose Class | Saturday June 25

In February 2010, Bettina took a day trip visit exploring the area around Bubyan Island and the desert we so rarely get to experience nowadays due to urbanization and lack of preservation measures.  Here is what she had to say:

In the absolute moment that a question was asked, “Is there anything that inspires you while your designing a piece”? My immediate reply did not give justice to the moments I experienced last week in the Kuwaiti desert. Like a little child, I rushed around the desert marveling at strangers I was meeting for the first time in my life! Flowering shrubs and cacti stood proudly and exerted their new presence throughout the Northern desert.

Life had returned to the desert with fragrant purple flowers and masterfully and heavenly created succulents/ cacti breaking through the earth reaching to the sky, relishing the sun. Thanks to the unusually heavy rainfall this season, our desert is turning into a garden. In tribute to the new life given to those fascinating desert “acquaintances” I have encountered, I dedicate the 

“Desert Rose”.

The first inspiration and colorway for Desert Rose

With shear joy and in awe of Bettina's new “friendships”, the Desert Rose Bracelet has been developed and designed using an intricate yet simple technique called the Cross-Angle weave. Several varieties of color palettes will be offered in our up-coming class. Please do join both Bettina and myself for this rewarding class.
 
  
Technique:  Two Needle Cross Angle Weave/Embellishing  
Level:             Advanced Beginners                 
Date:              June 25 Saturday
Time:            9:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Venue:          Jabriya Block 9 Street 6 (Side Basement Entrance)

Pre-registration at our Shaab el Bahry store location is recommended. You may contact us for more details at info@lbojzazz.com for information regarding materials and tools required, class fees and any other questions or place a comment below.

The Why Behind LB o J'zazz: Spotlight Segment On Al Watan

A few weeks back, one of our followers Fessal Rajab who has been keeping a keen eye on most of the images we publish of our off loom weaving and other work, contacted us to do a ten minute feature for a program he worked on called Spotlight on Al Watan TV.  So, we agreed to set the date and time that they would interview both Bettina and I whilst working in our workshop studio. 
Initially, we were going to focus on the craft in terms of process, however thanks to our answers and the dialogue the approach quickly shifted to the 'why' of it so to speak.  Bettina in her first published interview in Arabic turned the whole segment around with her refreshing honesty and authentic take on why we as human beings take the plunge to move away from the contemporary trappings of a career and what societies and people expect from us. 
We had over thirty people in our workspace, lighting specialists, Nouf Al Modhayan the presenter, Fessal, the director, producers and what not.  Thanks to the Al Watan Team for the pre and post production. 
I leave the rest to you the viewer.  Apologies for those who do not speak Arabic as there are no subtitles.

http://tv.kuwait.tt/Videos.aspx?type=2&id=5904

Mark Your Calendar: Friday June 3 Meet & Bead

 Soup Last M&B | Photo Maryam Al Rashed

A movement of beaders | photo by Maryam Al Rashed

Another month has rushed by, as we had offered four workshops, Venetian Night at the shop and some extracurricular celebrations this May.  The first Friday in June is just around the corner, so clear your calendar for another monthly gathering of fellow beaders and friends. You can share your latest creations, finish off a piece that you just did not get a chance to complete, or start a new one if you like.

Lubna & Bettina sneaking in some beading time | Photo by Maryam Al Rashed

Serving my Cashew Nut Soup | Photo by Maryam Al Rashed

It's officially summer season as the temperature rises and then gets a bit hotter, so Bettina and I will cool you down with one of my Summer Soups, Avocado Gazpacho (cold) and some other refreshing drinks to inspire your palate and senses as you Meet and get to Bead. 

Date:  Friday June 3
Time:  6:00 PM- 9:00 PM
Venue:  LB o J'zazz Workshop Location
             Block 9 Street 6 House 13 (Side Basement Entrance)
             Jabriya

They've been excavating around the house and redigging over six times in the past three months, so please expect the unexpected in terms of access and parking.  Sorry for the inconvenience of the maintenance chaos, on behalf of the Ministry of Public Works!