Tag: #Roncesvalles

SAVE! SPLURGE!

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Hopefully you are outside enjoying the sunshine, and wondering how best to spend that money in your pocket. May I suggest a pair of pearl earrings?!
I have two pairs up for your consideration today:
 Look at these sterling stunners! They are such a steal at $45. The jacket can be added at the back for extra oomph and style. Made by Micheline Roi of Atelier J, these are also available in different colours and variations.
These beauties are by Gillian Batcher of Pash Jewellery. Perfect pearl studs with 14k yellow posts and backs, with a subtle pop of flash in the front. Yup, those are diamonds! $210.
We have a wide variety of jewellery, in a range of prices and styles. Come by and say hello this weekend, and try a few things on while you’re at it!

Hey-hey-Hyewon!!!

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Hyewon Jang
This is Hyewon, a wonderful goldsmith who works out of Jewel Envy. 
The following are all pieces from her Africa collection:
I love the contrast between the bold asymmetrical shapes, and the delicate colour of the stones. Plus, these stud earrings look like exclamation points don’t they!!!!!!!
 
The bright pop of colour at the bottom of these stepping stone earrings is just perfect. They’d look great with a black turtleneck in the winter, or a white t-shirt in the summer, amirite?!
Yet another great pair of earrings, with bold, asymmetrical detail and pretty pearls at the bottom. These tie in very nicely with a lot of other pieces that Hyewon makes, as she is very fond of pearls:)

Bet you thought it would be another pair of earrings! Nope, just the cutest lil’ pendant ever.
All Hyewon’s work is just as beautiful. Her pieces are delicate and strong at the same time, and she likes to play with shape and form in surprising ways. Gemstones and pearls add just the right amount of colour, and her work is always the perfect way to add ooh-la-la to any outfit. Come in and take a look!

Wrapping up 2015!

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Hello,

This will be one of the last posts of 2015 from us as we near Christmas and the stores closes for a few days to reopen in 2016. I thought I would take a few moments to reflect on what a wonderful year it has been for us here. It has been a year of welcoming new members to the space, exhibitions, and a dramatic increase in class enrollment. The studio has had a few scheduled upgrades to equipment and the building has also benefited from further exterior landscaping.

We have now been at 151 Marion St for just over 3 years and are an established part of Roncesvalles with directions being given as either north or south of the blue house. As a space that prides itself on genuine community connections we have supported many local fundraisers and installed a Little Free Library. Our LFL fosters a love of reading which helps cultivate curiosity and imagination; two very important ingredients in supporting the arts in all forms.

One of our members left for maternity leave while another is preparing for motherhood while continuing to work. As with every new year there is a feeling of hope and anticipation for what is to come. We know as a team we can rise to any occasion and have big plans to roll out over the next year. We are deeply thankful for the support we have received from each other, our loved ones, and you our customers.

Our wish for everyone in 2016 is to find joy and satisfaction in life, which is exactly how we feel when we see something we laboured over find a new and loving home with one of you. We hope to be able to continue to share in your special moments as these become part of our memories of the joys to look for in life.

There are only a few more days until Christmas so if we don’t see you in the store before then for last minute pick ups we hope to see you in the new year!

Love, peace, and joy to all,

Gillian

Hello Judith!!!

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Judith Noldin is a resident goldsmith here at Jewel Envy. She makes incredibly unique and beautiful pieces, and is also a whiz at doing repairs! I highly recommend stopping by to take a look at what she has going on, you will not be disappointed.

Here she is, hard at work on another repair:
 Here are some of my favourite pieces. The far left is part of the Turrets Collection. I love the cutout detailing, and of course, the 18K yellow gold accent isn’t too bad either! She has other similar pieces as well, with coloured glass instead of gold. The shape of the turrets is inspired by church steeples, and they definitely make me think of medieval architecture. The middle pendant is a lovely and serene mother-of-pearl face, with a pretty moony surprise on the back for you, as well. The brooch on the right is made of coloured, textured glass, and sterling silver. 
 

Come in and say hi to Judith!

Jewelust by Amanda Henderson

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 This is Amanda Henderson:
 
 She is one of the resident goldsmiths here at Jewel Envy. Her company is called Jewelust, and she designs and creates amazing jewellery that you should definitely come in and check out and wear home!! 
Here is a little sneak peek of the work that she has here in the studio:
 These are her square-top stacking rings. Some are in rose-gold (oooh!!) and some have simple texture, and some have pretty little roses adorning the tops.
 
 The profile is so unique, and they are just as lovely from the side as from the top. They are sold individually, but I think they look best stacked in different colours and styles, so I would definitely have problems choosing just one!
 This is from one of her signature collections – the Whirls. She creates these graceful ribbons of metal and uses them in different ways. This is a simple pendant style, but she has been known to add the whirls to more elaborate pieces.
 Here are some bar pendants. These look so great together, don’t they??! I really like wearing sterling and gold together, so I would probably get the top one custom-made with yellow gold, and a white diamond. Or rose-gold with a black diamond. Or both!

Amanda is a great designer, but she also does incredible custom work. Come by the studio and get to know her a little better, and get something pretty for yourself at the same time!
~sash
ps – all of her social media handles are @jewelust, so you can check her out on Instagram and Facebook as well.

Come cast with Jewel Envy!

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Hello friends! I am going to be teaching our next casting class, starting Wednesday August 12th. I thought I would go over the process with you, and show you what you can learn.
 Our first project is a ring. I will show you how to size, shape, and add
texture, pattern, and detail to a slice of wax. Once the wax has been
carved, I will walk you through the lost wax casting process. This
involves: investment, a hot kiln, a big torch, molten metal, and
centrifugal force. Voila! Your ring, in all its sterling silver beauty.
The next project is a cuttlefish casting.
A cuttlefish is a squid-like fish, that has a bone with very unique
properties. Birds like to peck at these bones, and goldsmiths like to
cast with them. (We will be casting, not pecking.) The inside of the
bone is very soft and has a great texture. I will show you how to use
tools to carve into the bone, to create a mold (essentially negative
space), for your piece. Once complete, we will pour molten metal into
this mold using gravitational force. Very fun!
The last project is one of your choosing, so it is a great time to stretch your creative muscles and use your imagination. Casting is a very sculptural process, and lends itself well to three-dimensional designs. Join me for this next class, and show me what you’ve got!
See you soon!
~sash

Achoo! Happy allergy season!

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If you’re like me, then you are currently throwing your money at the pharmaceutical companies, begging them to supply you with little pills to keep the sneezes away. If you’re like me, then you like to gaze at floral-inspired pieces in the studio, so you don’t have to cry (from allergy-induced watery eyes) at the real thing.
If you’re like me, then you will marvel at these beautiful earrings made by Hyewon Jang, because they are so pretty, but also because you never noticed just how pretty they are!
What I love about them is how well they are made. The beautiful golden details are identical on the back as well, so when your hair is up, and the earrings are swinging in the breeze, you can awe and impress from both sides:)
Thank you for making pretty things Hyweon!
Now go enjoy the sunshine and the flowers, if you dare.

xx sash
ps – hi Rhonda!!!

ROCK SOME CUSTOM ROCKS

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So you guys know we LOVE doing custom work here at Jewel Envy, right? If you have ever thought of getting something made for you or a loved one, but didn’t know where to start, let me help point you in an interesting direction:)
Here at the studio, we have a selection of beautiful and unusual gemstones, that are just begging to be put to good use.
Here are a few of them:
This is amolite. What a beautiful shimmery colour! Absolutely perfect for spring. This would be amazing as the focal point of a necklace, but it would also make your friends green with envy (sorry, had to do it!) as a large and in-charge cocktail ring.

 Smithsonite. It reminds me of sea glass, though this is actually zinc. It makes me think of the beach, and it would look perfect against a backdrop of a sunkissed tan!:)
Watermelon Tourmaline. So so so juicy and the perfect embodiment of summer picnics and fireworks in the park. These two beauties would be absolutely stunning as a matched pair of earrings, don’t you think?!
These beautiful gemstones really give life and personality to your design – their not-so-standard shapes and spectacular colours are a great starting point for an entirely original and one-of-a-kind piece.
Have a great and sunny day!
xx sash

Wedding band class

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Hello everybody!
Are wedding bells in your future? If so, then perhaps you are in the market for a wedding band. In that case, look no further because we offer ring-making classes. Yay!
 These rings are fabricated from metal sheet. We have a 1-day band ring class where we teach you the skills and techniques to make one of these beauties yourself. Wowza!

These rings have been carved in wax, and are ready to be cast in the metal of your choice. We will teach you how to carve a ring, and once it’s cast we will show you how to make it shine:) This is a 2-day casting workshop. How coooooool??!
If you are loving the ‘custom’ aspect, but not interested in getting your hands dirty, never fear, because we love doing custom work for you:)
Come by and say hello, and sign up for a class or a consultation!

Up close and personal

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Jewellery photography is a tricky and time-consuming endeavour that makes me curse and grit my teeth and shake my fist at the heavens. Despite all my best efforts, every image seems to be slightly off, be it the focus, or the colour, or the weirdo reflections.
 Recently I decided to cut my losses and purchase a macro lens. I haven’t
had a chance to really test it out, but today I took some practice
shots. I didn’t use a lightbox or proper lights, just a white piece of
paper, a tripod, and an ordinary desk lamp.
What do you think?
 

Rose stud earrings by Amanda Henderson (Jewelust)
 Textured earrings with sapphires and aquamarines by Ellen Tsai (Ellolite)
 Africa pendant with emerald by Hyewon Jang (H Jewelry)
Art deco pendant with marcasites by Lauren Hanham (Lauren Hanham Jewellery Designs)
Five-band ring by Sasha Oda (Archerade)
So far so amazing, right!? The detail in the close-ups is great, and getting the pieces in focus was a breeze. This might not be as exciting for you, but if you knew the hours I have spent trying to get just half-way decent images… well you’d probably feel sorry for me, but then you’d start feeling the excitement too. Excitement for the future of my jewellery photography yay!
~sash



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