on my way!

I'm watching the sunrise outside the airport in Phoenix, the sky is an incredible mix of orange and purple.

It's time to switch gears. 4 days of having fun with my in-laws in Phoenix, biking, walking, skydiving (i didn't do it this time, but have in the past), golfing, eating and enjoying..

Now, I am on my way to India. It's my 9th time. After that many times, I know exactly what to expect...the unexpected...

This journey will bring new perspectives, it will open my eyes to so many things and I am hoping to transfer some of what I see into photos and some of what I experience into words, here on this blog. So, keep checking in.

Until then, wish me luck.. 3 long flights, one long taxi ride, fast forward 2 days and voila.. I will be there!

Oh mother India.. I can't wait to meet with you again!

in memory

We wrote this song in honor and memory of our dear friend and teacher Catherine Tisseront. One week ago, she lost her long battle with cancer. The photo is from Christmas Eve 2008.

We love you Catherine!

2010 escapades.. what will 2011 bring?

2011 what will it bring? Hmm, it's impossible to know. Here's a little re-cap of 2010!


2010 started off in India, celebrating New Year's Eve in the ancient and amazing city of Varanasi on the Ganges River. The photo is of us getting a ride down the sacred river.


2010 was also the year of the elis. The beautiful pendant/amulet to help reduce fear in our lives. I made several of them with my jewelry teachers in India and they continue to be the popular piece of jewelry for 2010. So, in honor of my upcoming trip to India, they are on sale until Jan. 10 in my etsy shop here


April and May took us to Turkey, where we traveled from south to north. And I met and learned from two incredible goldsmiths in the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul. From my experience with them, came the Byzantine Collection some of which is available in my online store here as well as atticus' online store here, KOBO in Seattle and soon (in the spring) on the Windstar Cruise from Athens to Istanbul!



The summer I journeyed back to my homeland.. Wisconsin.. for a beautiful and fun visit with my family and a trunk show at Ancient Healing in Sauk City!



Later that summer we flew to Spain and took the train to S. France where we spent the month helping to shoot a movie. A new endeavor for both of us, but super fun and exciting none-the-less.



October I flew to the Middle east to spend 3 weeks with my Dad in Israel and Palestine. Here we had many wonderful experiences, but it also became the place that inspired me for the new collection of jewelry I hope to make in India this year. In jerusalem, I found ancient coins.. soon to made into jewels...



Then, in November, we flew to Puerto Rico to shoot more of the movie.. A great place to be over Thanksgiving.



We ended the year in the beautiful Methow Valley, Washington, cross country skiing our hearts out with our friends. the photo is of our icy hair after a long and beautiful ski.

I think it's going to be hard to top 2010, but we will try!

dreaming of... India

I know it's right before Christmas and I should really be trying to get you to buy my jewelry (so, if you would like some beautiful amazing handmade jewelry click here), but my mind is in India..

You see, I've been invited by my goldsmith teacher's family to perform at their annual village temple festival, in a remote area of S. India. Last year they invited me also and it was a whole mind and body opening experience for me. One of those things that really changed my life. So much fear pulsed through my body as I was getting ready to perform in front of 500 people. I sat on the stage hiding behind the curtain,w hich then went up and poof... the anxiety disappeared and I sang and played my heart out. You can read all about it here and here. It really was an amazing experience.



And, I am thinking about it now, because, like I said, they invited me back, but I am arriving in India on the day of the festival and I am feeling sad and trying to figure out if I can change my ticket to get there, even one day earlier so I can make it half way across India to the remote village and sing sing sing to Krishna and the people of Adikadilye!

Oh, I hope it works out!

social media day! check it out.

Social media day. Social media, what is it? Well, in two words; Facebook, Twitter. It's a new way to connect to your friends, clients, community. It's funny how things change so quickly, just a couple of years ago, social media didn't exist and now, it is changing the way we think about a lot of things, our relationship with friends, our businesses, our activities etc.

So, today, I am working on all my social media outlets (of which I have several) and wanted to invite you to take a look.


Blog:
First of all you are here, reading. So, if you enjoy this blog, please take a look in the right side bar go down about half way and you will see an option to 'follow' Please check it out.

Over the years, this blog has morphed into a combination of writing about the ins and outs of being an artist, a way to know more about what is going on in my jewelry business and my travel blog. I hope you continue to read and please tell all your friends.


Facebook:
I love Facebook! It's one of those things the first time I found out about it, I spent hours finding friends, connecting with people I hadn't connected with in a while. Now, I have a special page just for Karazi Design. You are welcome to "like" the page by either clicking on the like button in the upper right corner of this blog or you can click here and see the page and press on the "like" button on the top.


Twitter:
Oh twitter. Twitter is an exciting fast paced way to be up to date on all the things you love. I follow, travelers, jewelry artists, things happening around Seattle and post all sorts of things I am interested in or think my followers might be interested in. If you haven't tried out Twitter and are intrigued, I recommend it. You can follow Karazi Design here just find the 'follow' button and click on it.


Etsy:
Etsy is my online jewelry store. It has been such a wonderful thing to be able to show my far away clients what is new and for sale at Karazi Design. Have you looked lately? Check it out here.


flickr:
an online photo sharing site. love it! Click here to check out photos, descriptions and prices of my gold jewelry for sale.


website:
with all the other outlets, it seems websites are archaic.. Well, not really. Karazi Design website is in the process of getting updated, but you are welcome to check it out now, here.

There you have a short and sweet intro or reminder of all the social media Karazi Design is involved in. I hope it helps a little or gets you interested!

Trunk show December 4 at KOBO. Plus, the fast pace of overwhelm

Moving forward at the fast pace of overwhelm! It's all good though.

Tomorrow, the only jewelry trunk show of the season for Karazi Design.

Please join us:
Saturday December 4,
12p-5p
KOBO at Higo
602-608 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104
206.381.3000
www.koboseattle.com

I will have my full collection of jewelry including gold and beaded work. Hope to see you there.


Also, tonight is our first scheduled music performance in Portland. I'm on guitar and vocals and my husband is on acoustic bass and vocals.. Please wish us luck.

movie making in Puerto Rico.. last thoughts

Once again, I am in awe of movie making. The team work is fantastic. It is totally and completely not possible to make a movie unless people are working together. And somehow, we were lucky enough to work with one of best teams in Puerto Rico. After the first day of observing (well, working too), I asked some questions. The 3 camera people have been working together for 15 years, but have been in the industry longer. The producers/co-directors have been together for 10 years. The respect for each department was incredible, the costumes, makeup, lighting, sound. We got to work with the people who have worked with Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Jeff Bridges and more. I, of course, asked about Johnny Depp, they said he is very nice.. (thank god)

We shot several scenes each day and night, running from this location to that location. Dressing up the actors, setting up the lights, preparing sound, making sure everything is in place. It is so exciting, fun, tiring and unbelievably creative. There were so many smiles. It was nice to see people working so hard, but absolutely loving what they do. We worked 14, 15 and one 18 hour day and still, everyone on the set was smiling. I LOVE IT!

The beach was 2 blocks from where we were staying, but we had to shoot the shower scene, and then the chasing scene and wait, the suspense scene and more. Anyway, the Puerto Ricans told us many times. 'it is too cold for the beach'. It was 80 degrees and sunny! But moments before we flew home, I walked the two blocks to the beach and laid there, in the sun, reading the New Yorker and enjoying the sound of the ocean.