ashdel handmade

Art in the Andes – Workshop with Awamaki Lab

In January, Awamaki founder Annie Millican and designers from the Awamaki Weaving Project hosted a sewing workshop at the Textile Arts Center in Manhattan. Williamsburg seamstress Tara Banerjee led the workshop, providing simple patterns for making pouches and pin cushions from remnants of traditional Andean textiles.  It was fun to learn about the weaving tradition and heritage of the weavers of Ollantaytambo, Peru and to see the mash up between myth and modern motifs in their textiles.

In Ollantaytambo, the ‘Living Inca City,’ families are agricultural first and weavers second. Mobile looms made from branches and fastened at the waist, allow them to weave inside, outside, whenever, wherever.

I created a cell phone pouch! I decided attach a tassel from one of the textile remnants for an added detail.

Cell phone pouch with tassel (front), from Andean Textiles

Cell phone pouch with tassel (front), from Andean Textiles

Cell phone pouch with tassel (back), from Andean Textiles

Cell phone pouch with tassel (back), from Andean Textiles

Cell phone pouch with tassel (detail), from Andean Textiles

Cell phone pouch with tassel (detail), from Andean Textiles

Thank you to Awamaki Lab and TAC for fun and informative workshop!

Sunday, May 13th, 2012 | No Comments »

Featured Artist: Cynthia Rybakoff

Sapphire pendant necklace by Cynthia Rybakoff

Partridge charm ring by Cynthia Rybakoff

Quartz pendant necklace by Cynthia Rybakoff

Me wearing my Cynthia Rybakoff necklaces!

For my first ‘Featured artist’ post I’d like to showcase my personal collection of Cynthia Rybakoff jewelry.

My sapphire hexagon pendant necklace is my favorite and wear it all year round. When you look closely the sapphire looks different on both sides. I like to wear it with the side that looks like a stormy ocean landscape  (as photographed above).

The first piece I bought when we met at the Hester Street Fair was a silver partridge charm ring, and haven’t taken it off since last fall! I’ve gotten a lot of compliments on this little ring.

My quartz pendant necklace, or as Cynthia named it my ‘power crystal’  has a front lobster claw enclosure and is really fun to wear. It’s my newest piece and I’ve been enjoying wearing it this summer!

I’m partial to the oxidized silver chains, but Cynthia also works in gold, and uses vintage charms in enamel and scrimshaw. I love that her work is simple, and elegant yet still has intricate details. Check out her work here.

Sunday, July 24th, 2011 | 1 Comment »

Renegade Craft Fair 2011

Abby (Bambako), myself (Ashdel), Gina (Nina Mantra) on Saturday June 11th

Earrings and hair comb by Ashdel

Insight necklace by Nina Mantra

Headbands by Bambako

Thank you to all who came out to Renegade Craft Fair Brooklyn, rain and shine, and to all who supported Ashdel, Nina Mantra and Bambako. Also, congratulations to our raffle prize winner Lesly!

I discovered some really fun work while taking a break from selling. Danielle from Reshape Studio had these awesome porcelain cable-knit housewares. The ‘Shelf city’ miniatures from The Oak Leaves were adorable. I loved the delicate textile jewelry by Paz Sintes and birch bark jewelry and home decor by bettula.

Tags: , , , ,
Monday, June 13th, 2011 | No Comments »

Stocking up and some new earrings

I’ve been busy making lots of earrings to prepare for this weekend. Besides making multiples of existing styles, I also made some new styles (smaller studs) using recycled silks and leathers. Check them out in person at Renegade Brooklyn this weekend!

Tags:
Sunday, June 5th, 2011 | No Comments »

Sweet tooth at Hester Street Fair

A few weeks ago, Bambako and I kicked off the summer season as vendors at Hester Street Fair. To our right, we met Angela Logan who was selling her Mortgage Apple Cakes. This was the first time I had heard about the inspiration behind her cakes. Her apple cupcakes (with cream cheese icing) and rum cake are some of the best I’ve ever had. They are made from fresh apples, unbleached whole wheat flour.  I went home with an apple rum upside down cake and a half dozen of the cupcakes. yum!

Tags: ,
Saturday, June 4th, 2011 | No Comments »

Sneak peek: Renegade Brooklyn


Poster designed by Abby (Bambako)

Renegade Brooklyn is just two weeks away!

Here’s a sneak peak at what we will have ‘in store’ at our booth (#78) !

We will have ‘flash’ giveaways throughout the day on both Saturday and Sunday (times to be announced). On Sunday, we will have one grand prize giveaway which includes 3 handmade items!

Grand prize winner will receive one each of our bestsellers:

1) Nina Mantra’s ‘cosmic’ ring

2) Bambako’s ‘shout, shout’ headband

3) Ashdel’s ‘sun kissed’ wrap bracelet

Just stop by our booth #152 for a raffle ticket!

Gina (Nina Mantra) is working on a new line of crushed gemstone stud earrings, Abby (Bambako) is working on a new collection of bow barrettes, and I will have items from my sun kissed collection and new faded white series. Also, (shhh!) we will be giving gifts to our first customers each day.

Can’t wait!…but until then, I’m taking advantage of this Memorial Day weekend to continue preparing! I have more earrings and packaging to make!

My nested jewelry display for Renegade is in full effect (designed and currently being made by Mike). After gluing all the wood pieces together, next step is to sand them into smooth shapes.

Can’t wait to see it all finished!

Tags: , , ,
Saturday, May 28th, 2011 | 1 Comment »

Simplified: new package design

Last fall I designed and created earring boxes for the first time.  The design featured assorted vintage fabric prints on top and bottom with a button and thread enclosure.

After making several of these boxes I realized that I could simplify the process. The original design was less compact, time consuming  and printed only five per page.

Goal:  Optimize the process and use less materials

To simplify the design, I replaced the button and thread with a flap enclosure then added folds (thank you Mike!) to make it more rigid.

The new design is more secure due to it’s compact, rectangular shape. It’s easier to assemble, requires no additional materials and prints eight per page.

Now, on to making more boxes!

Tags: , , ,
Sunday, May 22nd, 2011 | No Comments »

Happy mother’s day

Grandma Lucas

Happy Mother’s day to all the moms. This Mother’s day was a special day. I was home in Florida for my sister Gina’s graduation and got to spend time with both my mom and step-mom. My mom’s mom, Grandma, passed away that day too. My Grandma (Mary) lived a long and healthy life, she was 93 going on 94! Ever since I was young, I always remember her pretty green eyes, soft white hair, and rosy red lipstick. She was a health nut who’s done hundreds of crossword puzzles. She would say ‘if you don’t use it, you’ll loose it.’

Saturday, May 14th, 2011 | No Comments »

Preparing for Renegade

I have lots to do, Renegade is a little over a month away. This will be the largest fair I’ve ever done and can’t wait! I’m nearing the end of the fabric for my ‘sun kissed collection.’  These are some embellishments made using the smaller scraps.

I’m hand making my business cards. The idea for my business cards was born last minute, last summer, after my original cards (two-sided) weren’t delivered in time.

The night before I found myself printing the cards at Kinkos and after cutting them out, was given the idea to run them through the sewing machine. Since they were originally designed as two-sided, they needed something extra. I like them a lot better than my original design because they have texture and that handmade touch!

This is the left over thread from running 100 business cards through the sewing machine. Just 300 more to go, to reach my goal of 400. I collect all the loose threads into a jar for later use.

Tags:
Sunday, May 1st, 2011 | No Comments »

Curio collection

Introducing my newest collection, the ‘curio’ collection which showcases the beautiful hand printed silks from Matt Shapoff, of Handmade on Peconic Bay. Matt’s work is inspired by botanical and marine specimens, feathers and other ‘curiosities.’ He combines 19th century printmaking techniques with 21st century digital design. A cyanotype is a photographic printing process that produces a cyan-blue color. The wrap bracelet pictured above is made using one of his cyanotypes on silk. Read more about Matt’s process on his blog.

See more from my ‘curio’ collection in my shop.

Tags: ,
Saturday, April 23rd, 2011 | No Comments »

Older Posts »