3 Tips on Giving that Special Ring to your Loved One
Giving an engagement, wedding or eternity ring is a very special occasion. A great deal of time and thought goes into searching for that absolutely perfect ring. You will want the moment to be memorable.
1. The Presentation!
The best way to present a ring is as a gift. Too often a beautiful ring is presented in a ‘less than ideal’ standard jewellery box! By offering your ring in a magnificent locally hand turned jewellery box you are showing the importance of your gift. All of Christine Davidson’s exquisite hand turned ring boxes are made from locally grown woods; often adorned with an African Blackwood filial. Each ring box has been hand made in Victoria, B.C. and every single one is absolutely unique. Often they are turned from a single piece of wood. The grain of the lid and box match up perfectly.
2. Go to A Romantic Location!
The place where you first met or the restaurant where you had your first date. These are good settings for the presentation of a special ring. Plan to make the presentation more casual than a formal proposal; consider leaving the gift on the table while you dine.
3. Make It a Surprise!
Another way to present the ring is as you are just going about your day. Leave the ring box out on the kitchen table and wait until your partner notices. Make sure you’re there to watch them open it, so that you can share the moment together. Christine’s ring boxes are the perfect home for that special engagement, wedding, or eternity ring. They are probably some of the finest ring boxes in the world and well cared for will last a generation.
Christine Davidson has been woodturning for over a decade. She had previously worked with stained glass but found the challenge of working with wood a more rewarding experience. Christine has won an award at the West Coast Woodturning Competition in Vancouver in 2002. Her work has been shown at the Maltwood Gallery and has been commissioned by the B.C. Government.
She lives in Saanichton, near Victoria B.C. and you can see her beautiful work at http://www.sidestreetstudio.com/collections/wood/christine-davidson
Patsy Kay Kolesar - Fabulous Hand Made Jewelry
Patsy writes, "I turn stories into metal. Making jewellery allows me to transform life's amazing moments into wearable art pieces. Using contemporary techniques in the ancient art of enamelling I get to explore colour, pattern, and love stories through intricate metalwork".
"My inspiration is all around me - the vibrant colours of blooming flowers, the detailed patterns on a swatch of fabric, and that moment when your breath escapes you because you see something you love".
"My absolute favourite thing to do is to be at my bench designing and making jewellery with my two hands. I am invested in the art of handmade, and in adding beauty to this world"
"My jewellery work is heavily focused on pattern and colour. In 2012 I was invited to do a 2-month artist residency in Renkum, Holland".
"Since then my work has been very influenced by the bright colours of the gardens that bloomed outside of my workbench and the sea of jewel tones that captivated me when I biked through the tulip fields. I use a process of silk-screening to get the detailed patterns onto my pieces with enamels".
"Silk screening is usually a technique used in textile work and has taken me great patience, practice, and time to perfect in metal work. In the spring of 2014, I was the Touchstone Center for Crafts scholarship recipient, which allowed me to attend a 3-day workshop at Touchstone on Imagery in Metalwork".
"It was there that I learnt how to use decals in my enamel work and have since been able to combine vintage floral decals with my ornate silk-screened patterns. My copper line is also inspired by my time in Europe. I fell in love with all of the rusty metal and red brick architecture".
"I use my favourite hammers to get the texture onto the copper and a process of heating and quenching the metal to achieve one of a kind colours".
Patsy’s lovely work may be found at;
Side Street Studio. http://www.sidestreetstudio.com/collections/patsy-kay-kolesar-design
A Young Wood Turner to Watch
A Young Talent to Watch Kayden Dorma is just 17 years old and lives in Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island BC. He has been wood-turning for about three years and has fallen in love with it.
Beautiful Hand Made Silver Jewelry from Saltspring Island
Beautiful Hand Made Silver Jewelry from Saltspring Island
Alvaro Sanchez was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he studied design, music and architecture.
Since leaving Argentina he has lived in almost every country in Latin America until 1990 when he established residence on Saltspring Island, British Columbia. As a self-taught silversmith Alvaro has gathered influences, techniques and inspiration from the ancient and contemporary art of the many cultures he has been immersed in.
His artistic jewellery style has an urban Latin flavour. Using precious metals and natural gems, Alvaro creates beautiful, fine jewellery that is both stylish, unique and very comfortable to wear.
You can see much more of Alvaro's beautiful work at Side Street Studio.
http://www.sidestreetstudio.com/collections/jewellery/alvaro-sanchez-unique-jewellery
Canadian Scarves with the Colours of Nature
Lois Thompson was born and raised in rural British Columbia, Lois grew up with a strong creative spirit nurtured in BC Wilderness. Lois has always been fascinated with the colours of nature and the textures of fibre.
As a young child her art included the use of lichens and birch bark in her paintings and when she began sewing and designing doll clothes she experimented with the use of colour found in scraps of fabric, lace and ribbon.
Schooled as a fashion designer her creative pursuits lead her to painting on Silk where she could create her own fabric colours on a variety of silks including satin, chiffon and crepe.
All Lois” work is hand drawn and painted using high quality imported dyes. Many of her designs are inspired by the beautiful Oceans, Mountains and wildlife of the B.C. coast where she lives.
B C COAST DESIGN SILK SCARF
Her easy care silk are lightweight, luxurious, washable and colour fast. www.sidestreetstudio.com A World Made By Hand
The Unique Art of the Silversmith
The Unique Art of the Silversmith
Doreen Schneider writes, ” My professional life has been varied, indeed. After receiving my Bachelor’s degree in science at the University of Saskatchewan, I moved to Burlington, Ontario and spent the next twenty years developing and teaching the biochemistry program at the Hamilton and District School of Medical Technology.
I have always been interested in the creative arts and when my husband was transferred to the west coast, I took the opportunity to return to university where I obtained another Bachelor’s degree, this time in Fine Arts at the University of Victoria.
After completing the advanced course in silver smithing at Camosun College in Victoria B.C. I was ready to start designing and handcrafting jewellery.
You can see Doreen’s magnificent and superbly affordable work Side Street Studio
Sarah Sladen’s Fabulous Sass Bracelets
Sarah writes, “I left the corporate world behind when my family moved from Victoria to Whistler for a one year sabbatical. That one year has turned into six and now Whistler is home for my husband, our two children and I. The natural beauty of the mountains and their ease of access is a daily inspiration”.
“I have collected, played and worked with natural things since I was able to crawl. In my teens and twenties I had a small textile company designing and creating sewn and knitted garments. After 20 years in the nursing and clinical research field, it is with absolute excitement that I am revisiting my creative side in designing and sewing leather and bead wrap bracelets“.
“These leather wrap bracelets are hand crafted using buttons and beads from around the world. I purchase the Karen Hill Tribe silver beads directly from a fair trade company in Thailand. My wide range of wrap bracelets are comfortable enough to wear on a hike but dressy enough to wear out in the evening. An earthy gem stone double wrap can be “blinged-up” by adding a wrap or two of silver, cubic zirconia or onyx. Play around with the colours, textures and sparkle to create your own unique look!”
“Beyond the dream of making jewelry for a living, I’d love to travel the world and personally collect my materials and gems from the international craftsman that cut, shape and mold them!”
“Please take care of your unique piece by not getting it wet, the leather doesn’t like it and neither do some of the gems. Enjoy! ”
See more of Sarah’s fabulous bracelets at www.sidestreetstudio.coml
