Hong Kong Chronicles: Light

I have been living in my flat for nine months and I still fall in love with my view every day. This was the lighting outside before a big storm rolled in. I love the slate gray and the glow. Reminds me of Labradorite.

I'm experimenting with some lighting. I still don't have it right yet, but I'm moving in a direction I like. These earrings turned out beautifully, though. I have created a few variations, but these are beautiful for everyday earrings or dressing up for a special evening. They are in sterling silver and small 3mm teal Swarovski crystal. About 1.25" in length.

Hong Kong Chronicles: Happy Feet

Eighteen months and 30 pairs of shoes later, I have found My Ideal Shoe for Hong Kong.


The 18 months is in migraine time. If I didn't have chronic migraines, I might have found these shoes in 6 months. Ah, well. I've found them now.

I saw a billboard advertisement for Geox shoes that said, "Geox breathes." I bought a pair of the Geox shoes three months ago when yet another pair of my shoes wore out. Three months later, they are holding up fantastically. They look as new as the day I bought them. They do breathe better than normal shoes, which is tremendously helpful in humid Hong Kong. They did need a little breaking in, since they are leather, but with gel cushions, I have been able to wear these babies all over and walk with very, very happy feet. They are a little pricey (I think about $125) but for the wear I've been able to get with the first pair, it's worth the investment.

I had a brief period of life (maybe 5 years) as a shoe fashionista. That era ended with my arrival in Hong Kong. I have attempted some 2-inch heels. My feet were not happy. With all the walking I do here, all heels have been banished in favor of comfortable, durable flats. Geox offer some cute styles in flats. And I'm very happy to find shoes that I can buy in shops near where I work. Yay! No more shipping from the US shoes that were probably made in China. It's beginning to feel like home!

Studio Time: Mad Hatter Earrings and Pendant

Hi, Chickadees - I've been fearfully absent from the blog, but the good news is that I'm getting more organized and streamlined. I hope the trend continues...I keep seeming to run across situations that change my home organization...anyway...

These pieces are still a little messy (and therefore being kept for continued testing purposes), but I liked the quirky feel of the pendant and earrings.



I threw in a riot of colors in tiny dots to make it more interesting. Quirky. Just like the Mad Hatter.



Thank you, Mandy, Sue, Lori, and Shaiha for checking in and commenting even though I've been pretty absent lately. I appreciate your support! Lori - if you like those earrings, I can do more of the little teardrops if you would like. Just let me know the colors! Same goes for anyone who sees anything I'm doing.

Take care for now! Will try to post before three weeks go by.

Studio Time: Polymer Clay Progress

Hello, Blogland! I am making a brief appearance. I am hoping it will be more frequent, but who knows. I have been suffering from a case of the "blehs" after traveling. I always seem to suffer from the "blehs" after traveling.

Bleh = (adj.) the state between blah and functional human being

No, it's not a full-blown case of the "blahs". Just...bleh. I sometimes am able to return home and take care of everything instantly (wash, put the clean laundry away, put the suitcases way). And then there are the other times where it takes me weeks to return to the normal life rhythm. I know it sounds bad, but this is a reason I don't like travel. I'm really caught up for a while. Then I travel and I'm playing catch-up for weeks. That and I don't like being folded in half in a seat in a cramped space. I'm sure chronic health problems play into that feeling...

But, we've had some fabulous weather in Hong Kong. Usually the two seasons are cold and damp and hot and humid. This year, we had a spring...an actual spring! From the years I've been traveling here and experiences I've heard from my friends, it's been a rather nice spring. I've actually had a few days where it was pleasant to be outside and I wasn't melting into a pool. And on top of that, we finally had sunshine! Imagine that...comfortable temperatures and sunshine!

The latest in my polymer progression.



I love what you can do with scrap. I tried a few more versions of this, but I think I may need to invest in a "real" toaster oven. This one seems to heat up quite a bit and bubble up my clay. Then again, I've been noticing it bubbles more easily on thin pieces. I'm sure there are ways around that. The spectacular part about polymer is how fabulously light it is, especially on the ears, even for large pieces like the ones below.



I want to make sure my polymer clay "children" are well behaved before I release them into the wild... A little more testing and practice. Then we'll start working on the shop again!

Studio Time: My head is spinning...

By the time I finish explaining why, yours will probably be spinning, too.

(I know. I've been missing from blogland. I got sucked into a vortex of work and reorganizing my home life.)

I realized my head was beginning to spin on my way from the airport to the hotel last Friday evening. I was in Taipei when I started this post. I've been looking forward to coming here to practice my Mandarin. My first Mandarin teacher was from Taiwan. I've been learning Mandarin nearly 9 years now. (No...not even conversational yet...got a ways to go.) I can read some Chinese characters now. Mainland China has adopted a simplified system...much easier to read, but when you understand the traditional characters, you have a sense of the history that formed the characters. Anyway...either way you slice it, it's complex and challenging. I'll be learning Chinese for a very long time.

Here is what started the spinning: I now live in Hong Kong where traditional Chinese characters are used and Cantonese is spoken. After 17 months of living here, my head is beginning to wrap itself around that. I can speak a few Cantonese words (10. Maybe. Okay, maybe 15). Then I went to Seoul, South Korea. Can I say...I really liked Korea. I had the opportunity to spend 4 days there and got to see the blooming cherry blossoms on the way back to the airport. The mountains are gorgeous. It's a sprawling city. I loved the mix of traditional and modern. I bought a book (after I returned to Hong Kong...I'm strange that way...go to the country then read about it afterward...) to learn about the influences that created modern Seoul. I learned a few Korean words (anyonghaseyeo...hello...and thank you...kamsamida). I now have five language drawers in my head. English (native language), some Spanish (I can understand more than I can speak), Mandarin (same level as Spanish), Cantonese (I know the first ten numbers, how to order my breakfast in Cantonese and how to get home). The spinning began when I landed in Taiwan and I was reading traditional Chinese characters and having to think in Mandarin instead of Cantonese. My mind was open and slamming shut all the language drawers in my head as I struggled to figure out which language I was supposed to use. The "Overwhelmed" button was blinking in head.

I'm now back in Hong Kong and the world is beginning to return to level for me.

Polymer Clay

On an art note...I am finally picking up in polymer clay where I left off in glass...with swirls. Here is a particularly delicious swirly combo I'm calling Durango in the lariat style with cluster earrings and a simple bead and tube earring. I have to say...I'm swaying to polymer clay for earrings because they are so light. You can make them dramatic with very little weight on your ears. I love the gentle tinkle of glass, but polymer is more comfortable for the long haul on your ears.



Now that I'm where I left off in glass, I can see how clay will take me in a wildly different direction than glass. I still pine for glass. I have my boxes sitting here. Staring at me forlornly...or I'm staring forlornly at them... Either way, glass is now part of my DNA, but circumstances are pushing me to explore clay and I'm having FUN with color and the low overhead involved. I've got some new goodies sitting, waiting to be photographed, described and uploaded. Gobs. But, I have to unravel the twists of my home reorganization...that may take a little bit of time. No guarantees.

Toodles for now...just wanted to say hi and let you know I'm still here...