Tag: polymer clay
Cherry Blossoms anyone?
One of the most poignant parts of the ‘Mulan‘ story is when Mulan, the heroine of the story, meets her father under the Magnolia Trees. The conversation goes something like this, “Some (Magnolia) flowers take a long time to bloom, but once they do, they are the most beautiful of them all.” With this, Mulan was encouraged to find her life’s purpose and she became instrumental in saving the Kingdom of her time. Of course, the story is set in China and the cherry blossoms are not the same as the Mulan’s magnolia but for me both the trees’ blossoms stir similar emotions. (I would like to thank Lazar, one of the ARTE blog readers, for pointing out that ‘Mulan’ actually means magnolia. How fascinating).
So when Katarina Kovacevof MojePerle shared with me (Jan) her story of how she created the cherry blossoms pendant in polymer clay, I felt an immediate connection. Katrina says, “Cherry blossoms bloom in Japan during this time of the year.” Further research showed me that this is true for the main Japan cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, though in the rural areas it may start as early as January and end in May.
As April has already descended on us, what better way to begin the month with a story on Cherry Blossoms right here in Dubai. If you are wondering, no, Katrina is not from Japan, but from Serbia. It’s so nice to see how artisans can glean inspiration from other cultures and Katrina demonstrates this perfectly.
The above photo depicts the step by step process that Katrina uses to make her cherry blossoms pendant. Whenever she makes these pendants in polymer clay, she fondly remembers her grand mother who loved cherry blossoms. “Sadly, she passed away last year,” she says, her eyes misting up. I’d say, what a beautiful way to create a handmade product that helps you recollect fond memories of a loved one.
So if you fancy having a ‘cherry blossoms viewing’ or a ‘cherry blossoms picnic Japanese style’, right here in Dubai, pop by Katrina’s stall at the Times Square Centre on Friday, the 13th of April 2012 (and usually every 2nd Friday of the month), as part of the ARTE exhibition. She has other ‘garden’ treasures and roses to share with you, if you fancy these more than cherry blossoms.
Visit MojePerle on facebook.
We’re so Sweet for this Jewellery
Meet Sophia Mattia of Funkme Designs, who recently joined the ARTE fold with an amazing collection of quirky, fun, vibrant pieces of individually handmade jewellery.
Sophia began making jewellery in 2008 with her very first necklace made was a liquorice allsorts. What began then as a dabble into jewellery making has now developed a range of sweetie jewellery made from polymer. Each piece is individually handmade by herself. She also produces “one off” necklaces, bracelets and earrings that are different from the sweetie range using the Millefiori technique. These are pieces that cannot be produced again to an identical copy and so are completely unique.
Sophia will be returning to ARTE in May with a new look to her stand and a whole new range of products.