Simply Mad about "Haru Matusri"

Hi there!  I am finally ready, excited (and proud) to share the first pieces of Simply Mad's newest collection with you.  Every collection needs a fitting name and I have named this one "Haru Matsuri" (Spring Festival in Japanese) - what do you think? 

If you have been following this blog, then you have an idea of what I am talking about.  But for the benefit of those who might be joining us just now, here is a re-cap...You can also visit these links for more detail...
Simply Mad's Plan for 2013
Simply Mad About De-Cluttering & De-signing

Inspiration piece - Japanese silk

Up until now I had designed my jewelry from a very personal place making it hard to give each piece its own voice and story.  I am adjusting Simply Mad Jewelry and my design process a bit to incorporate my travels - and the interesting items I have collected along the way - into my jewelry creations. This will give the jewelry a "birth place" and great meaning.  The new collections will be inspired by a picture, a souvenir, a flea market find or any other treasure I have found in my journeys.  Each Simply Mad creation will now have a story to be told and when it goes out into the world it will have the power to transport its happy owner to a place that brings back memories  or to new lands waiting to be explored and where new memories are waiting to be made.  Let's go on a journey together!

Colorful Cluster Pendant

Pink Silk Ribbon Pendant

Since we (my husband, two pups and I) are living in Tokyo at the moment, it felt natural to draw inspiration from the many sources of inspiration Japan offers - ancient temples, iconic snow-capped mountains, cherry blossoms, avant-garde fashion and exquisite kimonos.
I found what I was looking for at a local flea market - a treasure; a small piece of Japanese silk featuring a bright and cheery floral pattern.  It was buried in a wicker basket under one gigantic pile of wrinkled scraps of fabrics, lace and ribbon.  "My silk" was neatly folded and protected by a plastic bag quietly waiting to be rescued from its unruly basket-mates.  And rescued it I did!

What followed was a wave of creativity that has resulted in an entire collection.  It made much sense to  me to have a Japanese element inspire this collection so close to the beginning of the spring season.  Endless spring festivals pop up everywhere in the country come March melting away the winter blues and giving way to joyful celebrations with lively dances and colorful costumes.  And who can forget the awe-inpiring cherry blossoms which color the entire landscape pink during that time of the year?!

Silk Ribbon Wrapped Bangle

I hope you will enjoy browsing through the collection - I have started listing the pieces in my Etsy Shop and more will follow in the upcoming days and weeks.  Most of the pieces are one of a kind as many of the stones (and of course the silk) used are limited in quantity due to the fact I have collected them from my travels.  There are also many styles and material I like to play with so I am happier creating new designs all the time than re-selling multiples of any one design.

Rose Quartz Pendant

All the necklaces can be adjusted in length and most metal components can be replaced with silver if gold is not your "cup of tea".  Alternatively, if you like the color scheme and the general style of the collection, but none of the pieces is exactly what you were looking for, let me know and I will be happy to design something just for you!

To see the collection and all Simply Mad's designs, visit my online shop

I love hearing from you, so do comment and/or email your thoughts and impression!

There you have it...Simply Mad's "Haru Matsuri" Collection 2013!  I hope you like it ♥
Rose Quartz Pendant

Simply Mad about de-cluttering and de-signing

I like publishing my postings on Mondays...the beginning of a brand new and shiny week, a fresh start, 5 days full of endless hours (ok, ok, not endless, but Mondays certainly hold the most hours to be had in a work week...) to make jewelry!  Mondays inspire me!  I am happy to leave the weekend behind and start up a new week with all its possibilities.  YAY for Mondays!!!!

Last week, I meant to start working on the "Japanese collection" - by the way I need a MUCH cooler name for it so send your suggestions, I feel a contest brewing.  Remember I told you and showed you the inspiration piece on the second to last posting?  Remember, that colorful and soft piece of Japanese silk I found tucked away at the flea market?  Here it is again...

Japanese silk; inspiration piece

Well, last Monday right after I told you about my find, I was ready to sit down and start making bright-colored jewelry, but something happened.  I sat at my work table and something didn't feel right.  Hmmmm...I didn't know where to start, all the beads were looking at me begging to be picked but I was stuck.  I sat back and looked around me and there it was!  THE MESS!  My studio was a complete mess...not dirty, just disorganized.  I couldn't stand it!   I put my tools and beads aside and spent the better part of the week de-cluttering, re-organizing, re-storing and re-labeling.  My beads are now neatly stored and categorized by color, folders have been filled with previously loose papers, and I rearranged the furniture for ease of movement and hopefully better flow of energy.  I felt like I was clearing my creative mind and making room for all those ideas, colors and beads that were waiting to be picked and explored!  Cleaning=Cleansing=Good for the soul :)

By the end of the week I was ready!  I sat down and approached my designing process in a whole new way.  New Year!  New Week!  New Approach!  You see,  ever since I started making jewelry, there has never been a rhyme or reason as to why I make the kind of jewelry I make or how I arrived at a particular design.  I would just buy materials I liked and in my head I would picture a piece and voila!  It was made!  That kinda of work, but there was always something missing - a why or what or how?  That has been my biggest challenge; to find my style, my theme, my story.  But with the new year and my renewed motivation, I thought I would do something different.  I have already decided my collections will have a travel-inspired twist, they will be born from places I have been to; from a picture, or a souvenir or a little treasure found in a local flea market. That will give the piece an instant story.  But I needed more.  I need to connect with my jewelry. 

This time I took my time to sit down and do some sketches of the mental pictures I had - I will not win a prize for drawing bu that's not the point.  Much like journal-ing, when you put all your thoughts on paper to clear your head (I am a BIG, HUGE journal-er, I do it first thing in the morning so I call them my "morning pages" and it does help), sketching helps me see my ideas more clearly.  By doing so, I don't stay up at night trying to dream up the next necklace or pair of earrings.  I am developing a new creative process and my little heart is very happy...jumping-up-and-down-happy.  Knowing the why? and what? of my designs makes me more proud to call them my own.  And in turn more confident in sharing them with you!  They are my babies...I am seeing them from inspiration to sketch to construction to the finish line - ready to be sent off to make someone happy whenever she wears it.

some sketches...Mad-style sketching

This inspiration piece has also made me push my boundaries a bit.  Normally, a monochromatic-muted-colors-kinda a girl, I find myself really leaning toward the pinks, the oranges and blues on the pattern.  I will dive in and roll around in these colors and I will honor Japan with a spring collection! After all, spring is the best season in Japan...endless festivals are held all across the country bringing the cities and it's people to life with colors, dances and age old traditions.  And who can forget the awe-inspiring cherry blossoms!  Here are some picts from Japanese spring festivals.  See all the color?

I could have chosen a wintery picture of Mt. Fuji and give my monochromatic-muted-colors side some joy with a black, white and gray collection....but nope!  Oh no!  This is the year to push the envelope, take risks and take a leap!  So Japan in the Spring it is! 

gathering materials

Will unveil the collection 2 weeks from today, but first I need a "SIMPLY" awesome name - submit yours for the chance to win a pair of Simply Mad earrings from the new collection - your choice!  I will have a contest on Facebook, so head on over to Facebook and click LIKE so you don't miss any of the details!

Cheers to a colorful week for everyone!!!
Mad