Side Street Studio Blog | The best locally crafted gifts that B.C. can offer

TENDER LOVING CARE FOR YOUR HONICA JEWELLERY

 Once you own a fine piece of Honica jewellery, please take a moment to read these suggestions for proper care.

TOFINO BLUE NECKLACE

 Each piece of Honica’s hand made jewellery is dipped in an anti-tarnish coating to protect and maintain the finish. Do not apply hair spray, perfume or other sprays and cosmetics while wearing jewellery as this may affect the finish.

DANGER ZONE BRACELET

Handle and store gently! Do not stuff unprotected jewellery into pockets, a purse or suitcase as earring backs may be loosened or bent and the jewellery may become scratched or broken.

CLASSIC BLACK ONYX BRACELET

Makeup and natural skin chemical affect jewellery finishes over time. Occasional wiping with a soft cloth and warm soapy water will prolong the life of your brass jewellery. Sterling silver may be cleaned as needed with good quality silver cleaner.

ELEMENTAL AMBER NECKLACE

Check for loose clutch backs on your earrings – if they become loose or worn please replace them to avoid loss.

PASSION FOR PURPLE BRACELET

 We hope that you will enjoy your Honica jewellery for many years to come!

www.sidestreetstudio.com

Potter & Jazz Musician John Robertson writes:

“As a self supporting professional potter and since graduating from art school in 1976, my partner Harriet and I moved to Cobble Hill and  established our studio; Cobble Hill Pottery in 1988.  We have enjoyed our life of carrying on a time honored traditional handcraft with a huge scope for personal creative experimentation and fun!”

            “During my career I have followed my passion through the clay world, working in earthenware, reduction stoneware, and raku and primitive firings. This current body of work consists of high fired, reduction stoneware, glazed in a palette of personally formulated glazes perfected during my years of experimentation. I enjoy utilizing brushes I construct consisting of various animal hair glued and wired to bamboo, to apply combinations of oxides and under glazes to enrich and enliven the glazed surfaces.”

     “My work is mainly thrown on the wheel, altered and trimmed while damp, then bisque fired once dry. Some of my regular production items are made by flattening clay with a slab roller and then formed over a plaster or Styrofoam hump mold; while damp they can be decorated with stamps I have carved from wood or plaster.  After the initial bisque firing the foot of each piece is coated in glaze-resistant emulsion and then dipped into the liquid glaze. At this point the oxide brush work, scraffito, glaze-on-glaze, wax- resist brushwork, or other decoration is done. The downdraft propane kiln is then carefully loaded, taking all of its idiosyncratic hot and cold spots (where only certain glaze combinations will reach temperature) into account”.

“An overnight warming is started  to lessen the occasion for pots cracking and then a 12 hour firing to reach maximum temperature of 2350 degrees F., the kiln is then quick cooled to 1800* to achieve the desired glaze effects. The kiln needs at least 24 hours to cool before it is opened, the pots removed, the bottoms sanded to ensure furniture friendly texture and carried to the showroom. From there each piece of pottery will set out into the world.”

“When time allows I also work in other mediums, painting, mixed media wall pieces, assemblages with wood and metal. These are a creative outlet as well as fun. The other passion in my creative life is as a jazz musician playing the string bass with different jazz bands in the Cowichan Valley and Victoria area”…

You can find more of John’s beautiful and functional work at http://www.sidestreetstudio.com/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=80499

Stuart writes:

“I founded Wren Silverworks in 1997.

As a child, I was always drawing, deriving inspiration from the natural world around me. My ability to depict the world through the use of realistic lines led me into a career as an illustrator. I also co-owned an art gallery for a few years. In the early 90’s I apprenticed with silver worker Harold Alfred. This inspired me to produce a line of jewellery that marries my ability to draw realistic lines to silver.

This allowed me to create tangible pieces of art with a naturalist theme — jewellery through which the wearer can celebrate the beauty and strength of nature and our connection to it.

My Wren Silverworks jewellery is unusual in that it combines realistic line drawing with the medium of silver. 

How is the Jewellery Made?

Each brooch, earring, bracelet or pendant is individually engraved and finished to the highest of standards.

The variety of designs range from birds such as Ravens, Hummingbirds and the Great Blue Herons to the majesty of a Bald Eagle, or the graceful form of a Hummingbird.

All my jewellery is individually engraved, each line carved separately, and each open area cut out with little Jewellers saws. As each design is hand created each time, it will vary just slightly piece to piece, making each a unique work of art. On the back there is a sterling stamp, and my signature.

The first step in crafting the jewellery is to develop the designs. Inspired by Canadian flora and fauna, I create detailed line drawings. Then, the rough outline of the design is sawn out of a flat sheet of sterling silver. 22-gauge silver is used for earrings and brooches and 16 or 18-gauge silver is used for bracelets.

The silver is pre-polished, and the planned design is drawn onto it. Next, the silver is engraved along the design lines, each line individually carved with a variety of gravers. Using a tiny saw, the silver is cut out again, this time following the periphery of the design as well as cutting out any pieces from inside the design.

The edges are filed to a smooth finish. The piece is shaped: this involves using a leather hammer to bang the silver into a pre-carved shaping “holes”, giving the flat silver gentle curves. In the case of a brooch, a clasp is soldered onto the back, and then I polish the brooch with a tripoli (clay) compound. The silver is then washed in an ultrasonic washer, dried, polished with rouge finer clay) and washed again.

All hook earrings have sterling silver Sheppard hooks and stud earrings have sterling silver posts and closures. Brooch backs have a locking clasp. Brooches and earrings are made in 22 gauge silver, and bracelets in 16 gauge and 18 gauge. Sizes listed are approximate”.

 Stuart lives on twelve acres, surrounded by wildlife, on the outskirts of Victoria, B.C. His beautiful work can be found at Side Street Studio, Oak Bay Avenue, Victoria, B.C. and on line at www.sidestreetstudio.com

1. PLAN IN ADVANCE! So very few people plan their shopping in advance. Yet a few moments spent making a list of who you will be buying for this holiday season and where they live will make your shopping so very stress free. You can identify those friends & relatives to whom you need to post / ship gifts. Planning in advance allows you time to ship at the most economical rates. (Note: small items such as jewellery can be shipped on overnight delivery to anywhere in the US for $16).

GIVERNY BOWL - AMETHYST

2. KNOW WHO YOU ARE BUYING FOR! Spending just a few moments thinking about those who you are buying for allows you to plan for specific, tailor-made gifts. Such as a pottery baker for a keen cook or a glass vase for someone who loves flowers. Given a few days notice, local jewellery artists can custom make a piece for you.

COPPER RED OVAL CASSEROLE

3. SET A BUDGET! In these difficult economic times it is so very important to set yourself a budget and stick to it. Locally made gifts offer exceptional value for money.

Carnival Pearls

4. LOOK FOR LOCALLY MADE GIFTS. Locally made gifts are always appreciated and more thoughtful. The uniqueness and quality of local crafts is outstanding and they cost a lot less than you might think. One stop shopping at your local craft store saves you a great deal of time and stress.

REDWOOD (SEQUOIA) LARGE SALAD BOWL

5. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY. By shopping locally you are supporting your local economy and helping to keep jobs in North America. The major department stores and shopping malls are full of produce imported from far off countries. Supporting your local artists & crafts people helps keep your $ at home.

STERLING SILVER, AGATE & AVENTURINE NECKLACE

6. TAKE CARE OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT. This is the only planet that we have and we need to take care of it. Your local arts & crafts people leave a small carbon footprint. They use local materials, advertise less and use less packaging – all to the benefit of our planet.

LADIES WOOL SLIPPERS

7. PERSONAL SERVICE. Look for stores that offer a personal service such as gift wrapping and shipping.

Christmas Gift Wrapping

8. LOCAL CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS. Locally made decorations stand out as being unique and original. They also last a lot longer than the mass of cheap imports which you see thrown away after each holiday season. Buy cheap, buy twice is not clever in today’s tough economy.

COBALT GLASS DECORATION

Step One – Find a candle holder:

Anything creative, interesting, or original can make a beautiful candle holder. Take a look in your garage for forgotten containers, or dishes. Or browse antique shows or yard sales to find something different and elegant. Even shallow serving dishes can make beautiful candle holders. It just has to be deep enough to hold a wick and a few hundred wax beads.
Make sure your container is not flammable and has a sturdy base.
Even fruits and vegetables can double as a candle holder.

Find a Candle Holder

 
Step Two – Put in the wick:

Take the wick and place it in the center of each container you are using to create the candles.
Keep the wick long, don’t cut it before or after you place it in the container.
Make sure all the wicks are in the center of the container and are standing up right. The base of the wick must be flat against the bottom of the candle holder, make sure it is not tipped over.

Put in a Wick

Step Three – Pour in the beads:

Open a bag of the Pebble Wax Beads, hold the wick steady in position in the center of the container. Pour the beads in slowly into the container. Fill up to about a little below the edge of the container.
Flatten out the surface of the beads to make them nice and smooth.
Make sure the wick is still in the center of the container and is standing upright amongst the beads.
Try not to mix the different colored beads together when filling more than one container. Keep each color to it’s specific container to keep the beads from looking messy.

Pour in the Beads

Step Four – Cut the wick:

Finally it’s time to cut the wick. For shallow dishes and containers you can easily cut the wick with a pair of scissors. But for deeper containers using a pair of nail clippers might be easier to cut when cutting the wick. Nail clippers are also good to use when cutting a burned wick because you can lift away the burn piece rather than letting it drop into the wax.
Make sure you cut the wick about a quarter of an inch away from the wax beads.

Cut the Wick

Cut the Wick

                                                                                                          
  Step Five – Light and enjoy!

Now find the perfect place for your candle. Such as a diningroom table center piece, in front of the fireplace, on the mantle, in the front hall way, disguise a pumpkin candle on the counter amongst bowls of fruit, on the bathtub ledge, on the bathroom or kitchen counter, on your bedside table, or even place a tall container in your hallway. Any place visible with a flat hard surface is a perfect place for your candle holder.
If you have children make sure you don’t place your candle where they can reach it. A higher place like a counter or mantle is a more ideal place if there are children around.
Once you’ve found the perfect place for your creation it’s time to light it and enjoy! A barbeque lighter is the suggested safer tool to use to light your candles. It is also easier to light wicks in low containers than using matches or lighters.
Enjoy and make sure your candle is placed in a none flammable and none dangerous place, out of the reach of children. You can see these beautiful candles and more at http://www.sidestreetstudio.com/catalog/gifts-candle-c-9_165.html

Light the Candle