I am a jewellery "assembler"

People often ask how I come up with designs for my jewellery and quite often people are surprised to find out I actually don't drawn any of my pieces. If I think of something, I'll lay out my beads and my charms and try put something together. But I have a scrapbook of pretty things that I can draw inspiration from.

However, when I lived in China and before I found my amazing Lao Shi, I didn't make any jewellery but I'd see people wearing pretty pieces I just had to jot down so remind myself when I get back to my tools and materials. Then I travelled to Italy to do a jewellery design course for a month. My Dad had always told me to go into designing pieces with diamonds and other precious stones if I was really into it because that's where the money is (typical business man way of thought), but I know it isn't for me because I love costume jewellery - you can read about it here - and also because I love touching my stones and my beads and it's all me from start to finish...it gives me a sense of satisfaction.

So when I got to IED (Instituto Europeo di Design), the teachers who had worked for some of the top brands like Rolex and Bulgari they told me to develop a collection from a chosen theme. I was lost. I don't have "collections" per se. More like this and that. But that's because every piece is unique. So to derive an ideas from one theme was painful. And I really had only ever been inspired by jewellery itself. My classmates were inspired by Spanish balconies, architecture, fruits and plants. So I thought I'd better pick something - I chose the rainforest having grown up in Brunei. My collection ended up being something like this...

~ On another note, I wrote about The Prince's Rainforest Project recently...and it's something close to my heart given where I'm from but it doesn't seem that there has been much publicity about it (or maybe that's just me)...so if you haven't heard / read about it, check it out here and follow the link to the official website :) ~

One component of a class was to use a computer program to draw jewellery (which honestly was not for me), so I spoke to the teacher and she said, "So you're not a designer, you're an assembler". But design I did that Summer and I was delighted to see over a year later one of my ideas realised by Dior!

No, I don't think they stole my design, by the concept was the same and it makes me feel that I should have developed the idea more *oh, the potential* But that's ok, it still makes me happy. I can dream to one day be working for Christian Dior (just like how they do in the CA ads except I won't be doing the mathy stuff :))

Operation Puppy Rescue

A close friend of mine is currently studying in Beijing and over the weekend she encountered a rather sick puppy. Having lived in China for a while, I must admit there is no RSPCA equivalent over there. My friend and her classmates decided to take the furless puppy to the vet where they found out it had been infected by a mite. She decided to keep the pup hospitalized for two full weeks and have the required tests and treatments performed on it. However, she is forking out for the treatment herself. So if you'd like to lend a hand, please let me know. Alternatively, U-Fhern.com will be partaking in this rescue operation ~ 50% of profits from this and next week's sales will be donated.

On the way to the vet

The pup has been described as a "baby hyena"...terrified at the vet's clinic

Some costs for treating the puppy include:

Medical bath to kill mites infecting the skin (about 3 times a week)
RMB80 (approx AUD$18)

Internal organs test (liver, heart etc)
RMB360 (approx AUD$90)

One night hospitalisation
RMB100 (approx AUD$22)

Remembering...

A monument to remember those who lost their lives

May 12 is a date I will remember forever. It was the day a massive earthquake hit Sichuan, China. I was living in Beijing at the time and spent the next few weeks watching stories of courage, pain and sorrow emerge on television screens everywhere.

At 2.28pm on May 19, a week after the devastation struck, China stopped for three minutes to remember those who had lost their lives. Instead of standing in silence, everyone on the road stopped their cars and struck their horn for three minutes. It was a sign of unity, that together the nation would pull through the destruction.

However controversial, I do believe that China did pull through. They managed to relocate 15 million people to safety and then later host an extravagant Olympic games.

Children gather during the aftermath of the earthquake

Every time a report recounting the events of that fateful day, tears fill my eyes, and I can only imagine how painful it is for those affected. Those who have lost their homes, their children and their parents.

Though my stay in China was short, I miss it everyday. I felt safe there and found the people welcoming. The friends I made, I will cherish for a long time to come and the lessons I learnt, will make me a better person...wiser, more tolerant and more understanding.