My 5 minutes of fame...

Thanks to the lovely people at Simply Her, a Singapore based women's magazine, OpusMuse got it's 5 minutes of fame.

In the recent years, I've noticed a trend rising in Singapore, that is, many mothers are able to work from home or start their small home based business thanks to the advancement in technology and an embrace in the convenience of online retail. In my case, it was a dream come true. I was able to send my jewelry all over the world, even to countries which I've never been.

The article features women in Singapore who work from home, and how some of them juggle work with the upbringing of children. To me, this was a way that the society acknowledge women who desire to have a balance of holding their place in society and play an active part in the growing years of their offsprings. Very empowering!

So here's my little work studio in all it's glory. A space which I cherish with all things which are precious to me.

Simply Her November 2011 Issue...

XOXO!!
❤
Nicole | OpusMuse

Ripples in the Water (Metal Clay Class ~ Part 1)

Recently I've taken up a short course in Jewelry Fabrication in metal clay. I've been contemplating this for quite some time before jumping in, and when I do, it has been a liberating experience so far. You know something good is happening when it gives you a buzz.

I will be sharing items I created during my class every now & then. This is my favorite piece so far made using metal clay in dough form in 99.9 pure silver. It was made by rolling, cutting, pressing & shaping the clay like you would with playdough. My design morphed into an asymmetrical 3D pendant, with circles in different size & shape, which looks like ripples in the water with stacked pebbles in the center. To bring out the organic shape in different levels, I've used shiny and satin finish in parts to give it texture & visual contrast. I've decided to turn it into a necklace accented with a petite wire wrapped marquise cut labradorite gemstone for a bit of luxe & color. I love the subtle blue flashes on the cool labradorite which incidentally also represents the water element in this design. I also have a thing with unique chains too, and this is using silver wheat link chain which I bought on a trip to Japan.