Metallic jhumka

More quilled jhumkas coming.  Loved the metallic finish of this one.

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Yakshagana

Yakshagana- literally means song of souls - a popular folk dance drama from Karnataka. When I used to watch the performance in my childhood, I used to be scared of their outlandish costume, the subtle gestures turning to bellowing cries and violent dance moves. Later on, as I came to appreciate the efforts, the messages they convey, the stories that unfold, longing to witness one such performances which are so very rare nowadays🙁.... One can see them as tableau at festival only to point out to the younger generation as a remainder of the magnificent plays we witnessed growing up. 

 Yakshagana pair, Krishna and Radha, WIP of a pendent which got shelved for what ever reason, trying to reconsider....

Made of polymer clay.

I took a long time for this piece.  Started in Jan of 2019 and completed only by April 2019

Elegance

Elegance in black - a handmade creation, which was sold in no time and shortly after I made a slightly larger version of this on request too ( I completely forgot to take photos of the large one).  I should ask it's owner for one😁

Both pendent and earring made of stacked and quilled paper and waterproofed.

creation Jan 2019

Spring

As the spring approach, first post of the new year, dedicating the this creation to lots of love, abundant luck, and a radiant life ahead....

A lightweight faux ceramic boho pendent elegant on burlap cords and beads sewn in..

#handmadejewelry #paperjewellery #necklace #fauxceramic #effect #bangalore #india #anithamysticideas

Date of creation 2019 January

Maithri

Maithri - handmade, hand painted beauty

How paper work wonders - transformation of paper to this beautiful piece.

Created in November 2018

Lahari

Lahari - like the waves on the ocean - light-weight sea colored necklace and jhumkki...

Created in November 2018

Shubala

Subala - The beauty - is a double sided pendent swinging gaily on seed beaded cord for which I am so grateful to my mom, who makes it so passionately.  In fact, I made this piece to match the beaded cord.  The pendent is multifaceted, hand painted  and multimedia and of course light weight about 13 inches long. 

#watercolor #reliefart #seedbeads #pendent #cord #anithamysticideas

Created in September 2018

Theyyam

Theyyam – my expression of the popular ritual art form of worship from north kerala.  A crude expression though, bereft of the grand predominant red and green colors of the flamboyant costume which attracts artists to paint, photograph, and however which way one wants to express this beautiful subject.  I have used my old time favourite medium- metal.  This time I used softer version of what I have worked on before to get the intricate designs embossed.   I managed matching tassel earrings too.

The neck piece is 20 inches long with woven wooden, clay and metal beads on hemp, the pendent is 3.25 x 3.75 inches dimension.  As a practice, I weighed this one too, it is about 129 grams.  It is light weight as against what I feared it to be too heavy.  The earring is 3.25 inches in length and 2 grams each.

#theyyam #handmade #jewelry #metal #embossed #necklace #earring #mysticideas

Date of creation August 2018

kanakambara

Kanankambara – the firecracker flower.  I suddenly remembered while I was writing this post that there are other lovely shades of kanakambara, white, pink, shades of purple, and also very intriguing stripped ones too,  though the common one is orange.  I wonder what happened to those shades now a days, seldom see them with the flower vendors.

A paper based hand painted tiny mural pattern – I resin coated the art for the first time.  I am in love with the effect.  Light weight earring with a lovely shade of turquoise and orange hue.

#paperjewelry #resin #metalfindings #handmade

As I am updating my blog after a loooong break, I have to include the original date of creation - June 28 2018

Petals

A small token of love, made for a lovely dancer.

A double sided boho earring one side is made of polymer clay surface techniques and other acrylic painting.  The blue is using polymer clay cane slices and textures.  The beads are glass with a new find pencil crystal with metal findings.

Anarkali

A dangler made for a lovely girl for her gown of same color and had images of pomegranate blossoms and fruits.  I decided to do the fruits with red crystals as seeds and a bit of painting on the little canvas.  Never miss a chance to hold brush and paint between my fingers.

A light weight polymer clay earring with garnet crystals for seeds and tiny garnet bead hanging on the chain accompanied by a red faceted onyx.

Now (it is April 2018) a request for polymer clay bracelet and earring for the long sold Anuraga .  I was nervous because I have not done a polymer clay bracelet before.  The one I made had a disastrous end.  But I have come a long way from that.  I know the reason but still did not want to try.  She was so sweet told me she is ready to wait as much as time I want to muster courage to make it. she wanted me to push me out of my comfort zone.  I did it.  It came out awesome.  I get inspired each time I look at the photograph of the bracelet.  The earring she wanted unique looking tassel earring. Here are the pictures.

I have used beads,tiny chaton stones, textures, surface techniques and so on to complete the set.

Gandharva

Again playing with paper using advanced techniques, including beads and rupturing the base to make grooves to accommodate wire and beads.  An elaborate hand painted subject and a story.  Have used swarovski pearls to enhance the work.  The beaded cord is more precious for me as it is made by my mom.  It is for the cord I had designed the pendent.  It had always been that way.  The time and effort she puts in to make that, I want to appreciate it giving it utmost importance. 

Gandharva – Male fairies – heavenly beings in Hinduism.  I was always fascinated by mythology and fantasy stories.  This title came up when I was looking for uniqueness in the next creation and thus the name.  Gandharva stories are always fascinating.  I love stories to listen to and read.  This subject was intriguing always.  In stories they are demigods, loitering along places of serene beauty like in a beautiful jungle clearing alongside a gently murmuring, breath-taking brook, and sprightly bird songs.  They are said to lure naïve beautiful damsel, but once fallen in love both are doomed - girl outlawed and the fairy banned in heaven.  But they also do assist the god of medicine when one is sick. They encourage a creative person in his pursuit.  Have grown up listening to all these fascinating tales and sometimes imagining they are for real and was afraid of darkness and ghosts.   As we grow up all beliefs put to rest and know all the characteristics in the tales mean to convey what our mind really is and does.  What you see is only what your mind allows or wants you to see.

 

The pendent is constructed using layered paper technique.  It is about 3x2.5 inches embellished with pearl woven around and paints.  The pendent is strung on seed bead cord woven by my mother and some handcrafted polymer clay art beads are added with and adjustable closure though the necklace itself is 13 inches long.  The accompanying earring is also made of the same technique with beads and paints with a metal stud.  It is about 1.5x1.7 inches.

Lotus Pond

Love for stacking paper.  Trying out enamel effect or cloisonne on paper using whatever is available with me to bring out the desired output.  The effect is also called Meenakari in India. This time I have used semiprecious beads and polymer clay to accentuate my paper art.  As it takes as much time, energy and imagination as the other materials.  The cord it is strung on is also handmade with silk-cotton thread.

Once one of the ladies who was going through my creations told me it is so nice of me that I am putting waste paper into use.  I was saddened, I use high quality watercolor paper for my work :(.  I had to explain to her it was not easy, it is hard work, procuring raw material is an art by itself.  An eye for materials, such a brain wave before collecting or buying where that would exactly fit.  Sometimes it is trial and error.  The time we put in for research, learning techniques, coming up with new developments and ideas, the best place to procure things etc, etc... is a long process.  Only the passion for it does not make you feel tiered at all :).

The beads used here are green aventurine.  I am very particular about the names of the beads I go for.  I also check their significance.  This in particular, a stone which has metallic inclusion in its translucent appearance and also said to activate the Anahata chakra, the fourth chakra at the position of the heart. 

Vaalkannadi

Vaalkannadi – The word means mirror with a tail, a hand held little mirror for the women folks.   Aranmula, a town in Kerala, is known for its incredible ancient craft of making mirrors out of super polished metal alloys where the combination of the ingredients is a well-kept secret.  

The Vaalkannadi or Aranmula mirrors represents goddess of wealth and luck.

This is my humble effort to get this traditional design of mirror as a wearable art.  Of course, I have used the regular mirror as centre piece, embellished with tiny sand sized faceted beads on the pendent shaped like the Vallkannadi.    The pendent is strung on beaded cord which is made by my mother with handcrafted polymer clay beads.  The set is completed with matching earrings.

The length of the pendent itself is 4 inches, the length of the necklace is 14 inches including the pendent weighing about 54.4 grams.  The earring is 2 inches long and 3.1 grams each.

It was an instant hit, sold within no time of my posting it for sale.  I am happy the piece is now owned by one of my dear friend.  

Purple Love

Knowing the truth that nothing is permanent, I love change.  Since I love art, I cannot stick on to any form of art for a long time.  I have that madness to pursue the subject as long as I find the beginning, the concepts, the techniques and then I rest when I can handle it at any given situation.  In the beginning of this year, I had a chance to learn sculpting, painting with marble powder.  I instantly fell in love.  I can get ceramic effect with ease.  The effect of acrylic on it is mind blowing.  The only disadvantage is it is way too heavy.  If it is put to use in jewelry, it is fragile.  I had to work around those properties.  I have used technique of my own to sustain the piece. I could only manage a pendent, the effect I love.

This was about the time the Pantone color of the year was released - Ultraviolet.

A simple textured pendent enhanced with ceramic beads on waxed cotton thread. 

Ramya

Ramya – Presenting Ramya, keeping with her name, made a hibiscus theme necklace /chocker and earring set.  When it is for friends and one who is too sweet, you take your own time.  I took a lot of time to conceive this design and almost a month to finish. I can relate this design to my brand name Mystic.  Yes, I dreamt of the design J  Lot of planning and precision calculation had to be done.  The earring is a three-piece one which sways against each other when worn.  After a long time an art without mixing media.  Each piece handcrafted with polymer clay.  I wanted each bead in the necklace to be unique and to look unusual.  The earring too is my own design and looks unusual.

Jimikki Kammal

Part of an experiment with paper and ceramic. Not disappointed at all.  Happy with the turn out. What is achieved with this is the paper does not show through, the ceramics takes over, light weight as expected, finish is like ceramic.

Neeraja

This design is simply and purely from within.  Just looking at the fish in the pond filled with lotus.  A paper based simple earring but I had put lot of thought and love making this.  I made this for a friend whom I was supposed to meet but could not meet for not a reason we both should be responsible for.  Just could not meet :).  She too is a jewelry designer too, and I have noticed who loves to include fish patterns in her jewelry.

Mayur

Cannot get enough of the mayur.  This one is a result of a lazy but doodling mood of an afternoon.  The peacock looked good, so made another one with slightly another design.  since the brain is always thinking of wearable art, diminished the design to a smaller size, could not reduce it further.  It took almost 20 days to complete.  Contemplating the medium for the creation.  Finalized it to be on paper.  Painting, layering and waterproofing etc ate up a lot of time. The cord portion of it to had to be thought out and decided to go for polymer clay beads in antique finish.  All the beads are handcrafted, hollow and given an antique look.