|
|
One of the most beautiful and desired types of metal work is the silver filigree. The intricate nature is what has attracted people to the design element for well over 500 years. The traditional method, which consists of twisting threads of gold or silver into a unique motif, is typically used in an array of artistic pieces made in Asia, particularly Indonesia and India. In more modern times, some of the world’s finest jewelers have taken to using the method to enhance their works. Today, filigree is used in a number of contexts to describe anything considered delicate, intricate and elaborate.
In keeping with a recent theme that we have unwittingly created, we are going to show you our process in creating a pair of earrings inspired by filigree works of art found in India (you might recall that our protection amulet in the making was also inspired by the metal works of India). As we briefly mentioned above, filigree typically involves twisted threads made of gold and silver. These threads are created by pouring melted metal into molds shaped as small rods. Once cooled, the rods are then pressed to form thin, long wires. These wires are then pressed flat, molded, strung or soldered.
Our earrings will ultimately be cast, so our process will go about a little differently. As we showed you in the last few posts and as you can see here, our pieces generally start off with a drawing and a wax carving. After the carving is all finished, the piece graduates casting process, which is similar to what we mentioned in our Protection Amulet post found here.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we post the finished product for these earrings and our protection amulet. Keep in mind that we haven’t even named these pieces yet!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subscribe:
Email  |
RSS 
|
|
|
|
 India has long been known for the art of metal working—dating back almost 5000 years. The 4500-year-old statuette of a dancing girl from the ancient Harappan town of Mohenjo-Daro is a beautiful example of their ancient work. Traditionally, Indian craftsmen use an array of different metals like iron, copper, silver and alloys like bronze, bell metal, and white metal to produce items ranging from pots, pans, and utensils, to photo frames, sculptures of deities, and mythological figures and animals.
During the Chola dynasty in Southern India the art of metalworking reached great heights. The Chola craftsmen were masters at making bronze sculptures. These sculptures were usually made with the “lost wax casting” technique. This casting method begins with a hand carved wax mold of the piece, moves to covering the model with clay, and finally pouring molten metal through a hole at the top of the clay model causing the wax to melt.
Often made using the technique described above, people have worn Indian Protection Amulets for thousands of years—believing in the power of these amulets to bring health and good fortune as well as ward off evil.
We are in the process of creating our own version of a protection amulet inspired by the ancient metal working of India. It all starts with a block of wax and a drawing:
Here you have the basic shape of the amulet cut out and carved:
You will notice in this picture that more details are making their way into the wax:
Follow us in the next few days as we keep up with the process of our hand carved protection amulet. The pay off will be seeing the final product!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subscribe:
Email |
RSS
|
|
|
|
We are excited to announce that this May Avindy is partnering with QVC for their annual Designer Charms for Charity campaign. The theme for this year's jewelry campaign is "My love for Children" and proceeds will benefit Jewelers for Children and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Both foundations are dedicated to bettering the lives of children and their families who are facing catastrophic illness or circumstance.
Multiple designers will be participating and the various charms will be revealed in a special brand shop that launches on April 30th. Orders will be taken between April 30th and May 31st. The charm selections will be accompanied by a personal story about the artist's love for children.
The heart padlock charm with a diamond shown above is our contribution and is currently in production. Stay tuned as this piece progresses! We hope you will join us on our crusade to benefit these charities by purchasing one of our charms from QVC when they become available.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subscribe:
Email |
RSS
|
|
|
|
Avindy will be at the Leftover Luxuries event that starts this weekend in Miami Circle. We are bringing tons of jewelry marked down up to 75%. Make sure you come out. This is the event you have been waiting for!!!!
Atlanta
February 24th - March 3rd
Miami Circle - Buckhead
more info
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subscribe:
Email |
RSS
|
|
We Love Stitch
By Avindy
2/13/2012 11:15:00 AM
|
|
|
Tomorrow is Valentines Day! For those of you who have been keeping up with our blog this month, you know that we have been using the holiday as a reason to "Share the Love" with some of our favorite retailers of Avindy jewelry by featuring them on our blog. As we have mentioned, we decided to do this because without these shops and boutiques there is no way we could have been so sucessful in the past 10 years. Thanks to the vendors that carry our jewelry, people who have read about our pieces in magazines or online have a place where they can see and touch (and, of course, buy) our delicate handmade jewelry in person. The stores we have featured not only sell Avindy, but love it and wear it—and for that we feel so very, very lucky.
Let us now introduce you to Stitch. Having just celebrated 14 years, Stitch is located in Wicker Park, a historical Chicago neighborhood northwest of The Loop. The store boasts of an eclectic mix of home decor, jewelry, handbags, and clothing for women, men, and children. They are especially known for their selection of leather bags and accessories, although they wanted to make sure that we mentioned THEY DO NOT SELL LEATHER PANTS! They said that their name and the abundance of leather items, often times, leads to some very "osbcure" phone calls! Ha ha!! Ok back on topic...
Stitch Chicago has been selling Avindy for the past 5 years. When we asked them why they love Avindy they said, "All of their pieces have a beautiful balance of vintage, whimsy and modern edge. Avindy has a unique style that stands out while remaining delicate and refined at the same time." What an amazing compliment because that statement pretty much sums up what Avindy is going for. I am not sure we could have written a better description ourselves and we very much appreciate it!
Jackie, the wonderful Stitch team member who was so kind as to respond to our interview request, states that she has some favorite pieces, including the Gold Disc with Diamonds Necklace. She goes on to say that the Avindy rings are the real show stoppers in the store—grabbing the attention of every customer that walks by them. She seems to have no problem admitting that she and her other 3 co-workers, Matthew, Carlyn, and Pamela, have all been guilty of slipping on a stack of Avindy rings for the day. One of their best sellers (the second time we have seen this mentioned in an interview BTW) is the Pave Diamond Circle Ring because it's "bright, feminine, and just the right size for everyday wear."
Thank you guys and gals so much for being Avindy ambassadors, because that's what you really are! We cherish our relationship with you and we hope to be in your stores for many years to come. Now does that sound like a greeting card or what??
On a side note, we found this really cool do-dad on Google Maps that lets you have a virtual walk around this store. Check it out here. Waaaay cooler than just a plain ole image—though nothing is cooler than taking a walk around the store in real life. So, make sure you stop by and say hello to the staff for us. Also make sure you like them on Facebook. It's the cool thing to do.
STITCH
1723 NORTH DAMEN
CHICAGO, IL 60647
773.782.1570
Stitch on Facebook
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subscribe:
Email |
RSS
|
|
|
|
Happy February!!! This just so happens to be one of our favorite times of year. February is a special month for several reasons. First of all, it is the only month out of all 12 that has fewer than 30 days. As most everyone knows, the month has 28 days in common years and 29 days in leap years. Another reason it is special to a lot of people is Valentines Day! This 14th day of February is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other. We decided to make it special for another reason. We are going to use the month of February as an opportunity to Share the Love—and by that we mean we are going to showcase some of our favorite stores that carry Avindy jewelry. In all honesty, it's the least we could do to pay them back for their support. Alright! So let's get to sharing!
Paper Trail is a fine paper/custom invitations/gift/jewelry/accessories shop located in the historic Hudson Valley village of Rhinebeck NY, which is about 2 hrs north of New York City. They carry everything from scarves and handbags to journals and pens. This is a one stop shop for all things beautiful and mystical.
The store has been selling Avindy for about 5 years now. Their best selling Avindy piece is the Gold Bead Necklace with Beaded Horseshoe, citing that they have many horseback riders in the area of Rhinebeck. As of late they have been ordering a lot of different looks, layered necklaces and more precious pieces with diamonds and such, just to keep it interesting. They tell us that their, "customers love the combination of gold vermeil with oxidized silver that Avindy does so well." Woo hoo! They love us, they love us!
Let it be known that if you can't find the time to make it out to their brick and mortar store, they also have a beautiful and easy to navigate online store, which you can find here: www.papertrailrhinebeck.com. They have even taken the time to sort their products for Valentines Day, making it a breeze to find jewelry and other lovely gifts for your loved ones.
To top it all off they offer amazing gift wrapping services, not only in the store, but for your online purchases, as well. Their signature tissue paper wrapping with raffia ribbon is only $2.00. For your online purchases, all you have to do is specify gift wrapping when checking out. They also offer a variety of more elaborate gift wrapping options out of their vast selection of exquisite papers and ribbons. If you are interested in these options, simply call the shop to discuss their many wonderful possibilities. Their online store goes above and beyond by letting you know when gift wrapping is not available for a web ordered item due to its size by notating it in the description section AND in the shopping cart. Talk about cutting down on the confusion. Thank you for that!!!
And there you have it. Our first showcase of the month. We hope you will take the time to check out their website, like them on Facebook and all of that other fun stuff. We will provide you with their address and phone number below. If you make your way out to the store (or call for that matter), ask for Serine. She just might be wearing her favorite Avindy piece, our Chunky Gold Cross Necklace.
PAPER TRAIL
6423 MONTGOMERY STREET
RHINEBECK NY 12572
845-876-8050
www.papertrailrhinebeck.com
Paper Trail on Facebook
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subscribe:
Email |
RSS
|
|
|
|
We know it is really really cold out for most of us right now, but just hang in there because it's almost Spring!! The best part about Spring for Avindy? Introducing our new jewelry!! We have a few different collections to share with you in the coming days, but for now we are going to kick it off with Rain—which springs (no pun intended) from our brand new 2012 Gemstone Collection.
To be frank, there isn't really an exciting story about how this collection came about. We just simply fell in love with the combination of stones that we found on a gemstone searching trip. Rain is overflowing with Labradorite, Aquamarine and Chalcedony. All beautifully magnificent stones that pair perfectly with brushed brass, which we also used in this collection. You will certainly find that these gemstones reflect an abundance of nature and an endless range of colors, contours and facets that blend together in ways both subtle and striking. As always, Avindy gemstones are hand-selected for brilliance and balance, shade and texture, and are paired with unexpected materials to achieve Avindy’s signature symbiotic beauty.
Chalcedony (pronounced kal SED' uh nee) is a most interesting gemstone. It comes in several different color varieties, but for our collection we chose the blue variation. According to The Blue Chalcedony Mine, this quartz gemstone has a pretty long history in jewelry and archaeologists have dug up Babylonian and Assyrian chalcedony cylinder-seals on Minoan Crete at the Palace of Knossos, dating from 2500 to 500BC. WOW! That being said, there are a few conflicting views on where the name and the gemstone itself originate from, although most claim that it is named for the ancient seaport of Chalcedon (now called Kadiköy) located in Asia Minor (Turkey, to be exact). None the less, today deposits are found in many parts of the world, but the most prized Chalcedony are from India, Madagascar, Burma, Brazil, Mexico, and USA.
Although there seems to be conflict on where the gemstone and its name originate from, there is little argument on its healing ability and mystical powers. This beautiful stone is believed to banish fear, hysteria, depression, mental illness and sadness. Chalcedony is worn by many to promote calm and peace, and also to stimulate creativity.
So now, without further ado, we introduce you to Rain. You can click on the individual images to view a larger version of each piece.
-
DANCING BRIOLETTES - ITEM #101.1512
-
FUNKY BOX CHAIN WITH AQUAMARINE, ROMAN GLASS, LABRADORITE AND MYSTIC TOPAZ - ITEM #180.107
-
ROMAN GLASS DUO - ITEM #222.1182
-
RAIN BRIO BURSTS - ITEM #595.242
-
FUNKY BOX CHAIN LAYERS WITH ORGANIC WHITE FRESHWATER PEARLS AND VINTAGE SILVER BRASS BEADS - ITEM #198.3247
These items aren't for sale on our site yet, but you can always use our store locator to find a store that sells Avindy jewelry near you. We have listed the item numbers above for your convenience. Be sure to check back often in the next few days. We will be tickling your fancy with some more items of beauty and brilliance. In the meanwhile, you should be getting your loved ones buttered up for Valentines day...which is right around the corner :) We have this fancy thing on our site called a wish list. You can sign up for an account here and access it. The wish list feature allows you to save items that you like and email them to others. Kind of like a little :wink wink: or :nudge nudge: for someone who might be thinking about getting you a gift.
Oh and don't forget to add us on Facebook for quick updates, industry news and the occasional special deal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subscribe:
Email |
RSS
|
|
|
|
This time of year we are always extremely busy. The holidays simply run us ragged—and while we are slap in the middle of the holiday season we have to be multitasking by not only shipping out hundreds of orders, but also researching trends for Spring, creating the Spring collection (which we do by hand), going to photoshoots for the new Spring collection—all while scrambling to get everything for the Spring collection finished so we can leave the shop to head out for show season to showcase the Spring collection. Which, might we add, entails gathering booth materials for all of the shows we will be attending, not only in Georgia, but also around the rest of the country. Whew!
So, it is always nice to know that hard work does indeed payoff. That being said...Woo hoo, more press for us!! We don't mean to gloat, we are just really really excited!!! That's because our best selling items this past holiday season, the Avindy Letter Stamp Necklaces, received a little notoriety in the December issue of Gifts & Decorative Accessories Magazine, a very well respected trade magazine that has been sending out monthly issues since 1917!!!
About the necklaces
Our letter stamps are hand stamped, by the one and only Kitty Carswell, using a mallet and the vintage letter stamps pictured in the magazine. The stamps never come out perfectly centered, which our customers seem to love because it makes each and every necklace very unique. The necklaces come in 4 different styles (silver, gold, with diamonds and without) and several different price ranges. Click the images below to buy.
   
P.S. Make sure you check out tomorrows blog post where we will finally show you that new Spring collection we have been babbling about since yesterday. We just know you are going to love it!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subscribe:
Email |
RSS
|
|
|
|
We received some exciting news for Avindy by way of some very sad news for one of Avindy's retailers. Everyone always likes to hear the good news first so we will start with that. Shania Twain bought some of our jewelry!!!!! We don't know when it was or what she bought, but we found out about it today when we read an on-line article about one of our retailers, Accessity, today.
And now for the not so good news: Accessity, an accessories boutique located in Ontario Canada and open for 32 years, has decided to close down shop. According to the article from thestar.com, Accessity has been host to tons and tons of Hollywood stars during its 32 years on the retail encumbered Bloot Street—including, but not limited to, stars such as Whoopi Goldberg, Halle Berry, Carol Burnett, Heather Locklear and Jennifer Love Hewit. Just like The Toronto Star article says, "Who didn't shop here?!"
 Owner, Oriella Stillo, wants to stress that it's not a bankruptcy issue. It's just that when she was asked to renew her lease for another 10 years, she wasn't so sure that she wanted to commit to the business for that length of time. Who can blame her? After 32 years of success, a woman is entitled to a nice retirement if she so chooses.
You should also know that Acccessity is having a going-out-of-business sale with items reduced from 30 to 70 per cent off. So, it seems we have made a little good news, bad news, good news sandwich—meaning there is more good news than bad, and for that we are happy! So, cheers to Oriella, her success and her retirement or whatever she so chooses to do with the rest of her life! We very much appreciate her loving Avindy enough to have it in her store and we also appreciate her mentioning us in her interview.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subscribe:
Email |
RSS
|
|
Winter adventures
By avindy
1/23/2011 1:03:00 PM
|
|
|
It's trade show season, when we get to go out and say hello to lots of the lovely people who carry avindy in their stores, but it's also blizzard season, and the two don't match up well!
Earlier this month, when the south and the northeast got smacked by two big storms right in a row, we had quite a time of it: all our displays and table cloths got stuck in New York, Avril got stuck in New York, Cindy had pneumonia and was stuck at home in Atlanta in the snow BUT we pulled it together! Avril and our new employee Raven made it home two days later on Thursday, Cat and Cindy put together a makeshift booth for our next show at the last minute and poof, here we are with a snowy addition to our booth:
And just to show that it's never a dull moment even without weather shenanigans, here's a crazy local marching band wandering through High Design at the Atlanta Gift Show!
We hope your winter's going well: low on inconvenient snowstorms and high on cocoa consumption.
xoxo,
Avril & Cindy
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subscribe:
Email |
RSS
|
|
|
