CUSTOM ORDER

Photo by Ethan-Zuriel Yam
Last week, a friend asked me to put together 6 pink freshwater pearls into a pair of ear-rings. I thought about making something fancy but ended up with a simple, yet elegant looking pair using gold-filled ear hooks, rings, head pins and chain. I hope she likes it!

Done, at last!

I finally managed to complete the long lariat while working on several other projects at the same time. This week has been busy with a few custom orders and working on new designs. Do check out the Necklace section of my blog to see it.


Now I'm off to complete the custom work orders. Take care!

Lariat for the week

Yesterday I put together some raw materials for a necklace and asked you to guess the finished product. Well, it's done! Check it out in the Necklace section of this blog!

Today I'll be working on another lariat, this time possibly 60 inches long! Lariats are really versatile in that you can wear them knotted in front, made into multiple strands, looped like a scarf, doubled up as a fancy belt.... Here's what I put together for my next lariat: Japanese glass seed beads, agate beads, Swarovski bicones, pyrite flower beads, tiger eye beads and picture jasper chips.

Photo by Rebecca Yam

Guess what this is going to be...

Photo by Ethan-Zuriel Yam

I've been kept quite busy this week working on custom orders and getting inspiration for new pieces of jewelry. Some of you have been asking about my lariats so I'm working hard making some for you! To keep things practical, the lariats I'm working on can be worn in a few ways.

I'll be posting some new necklaces tomorrow but in the meantime, check out the raw materials in the photo above. Can you guess what I'll be making today? Lots of freshwater pearls!

Bridal photos!

I spent this week clearing out my work space and studio to make room for new gemstones and materials. Do check out the necklace, ear-rings and bracelets sections to see some new items this coming week.

In the meantime, enjoy the bridal photos of M and J as promised! If you recall, we had 4 days to come up with 4 sets of jewelry but everything worked out just fine. M and J were really a joy to work with. Thank you M and J for allowing me to post your beautiful photos on my blog! May your new life together bring you lots of blessings, joy and happiness!

This necklace was made from crystal and crystal AB Swarovski rounds, pearls and large teardrops. I used a diamonte ring for the centre. Delicate, elegant and lots of bling!

For this necklace, besides the 925 silver chain, I used lots of Swarovski rounds in different sizes and colours, from Crystal to Siam to Paparadscha to Garnet! Same with the ear-rings!

This necklace and matching pair of ear-rings are made from off white freshwater pearls and lilac AB Swarovski bicones using wirework. Very delicate and looks absolutely lovely!

Inspiration!

Ethan and I happened to look out of the window and lo, and behold a lovely bird flew in and rested on the tree outside! Isn't he a beauty? Look at the size of his beak! Does anyone know what kind of bird this is? I absolutely love the vibrant blue and I'm going to rummage around my blue beads to see what I can make! What an inspirational morning!

Finally, Friday!

I did promise a post on Friday, didn't I? I spent the past few days trying to get my inventory together, recording and taking photos of the jewelry pieces. In between, I was also getting ideas for new designs.

Some of you have asked why my jewelry looks different from the ones sold outside. Well, it's because I think my customers like to be different and not look like everyone else who bought pieces mass produced from some factory. I also like to take simple, regular materials and embellish them into something special. I should also add I dislike making multiple pieces in the same colour using the same materials! I don't mind making a few more say, crystal ball ear-rings, in every colour that Swarovski offers! That would be inspiring!

How do I get inspiration? First, I spend a lot of time looking through books, magazines, surfing the internet, window shopping and watching people to get ideas on current trends and styles. I also subscribe to magazines and attend classes once in a while to keep up my technique. Second, I would go to places of nature to get inspiration. My friends know I get inspired in all sorts of unusual places! I sketch out the ideas that come to me and look through my stash of materials to see what I can do.

Photo by Ethan-Zuriel Yam

What happens after I decide on a design? Well, after selecting the materials needed for the piece, I proceed to make it. When it comes to new design often I will undo what I've made if I'm not perfectly happy with the design, the way the necklace or bracelet sits, etc. When the piece finally makes it to completion (anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks!), I wear it for a few hours to make sure there aren't any designer snags like the piece not hanging or falling nicely, having to keep adjusting the piece to keep it comfortable, the colour combination doesn't bring out the main theme, etc.

So by the time you get to see the jewelry piece, it's been on a long journey! Enough said for today because I know you'd like to get on with checking out what I've posted. Enjoy!

Here's a watch necklace and matching ear-rings!

Last year I made a watch necklace for YN and this week she asked me to make matching ear-rings. I thought you'd like to see it!

For the necklace, I made a peyote base and sewed beadwork flowers and leaves to make it look like a garden! The watchface is hung upside down so she can see the time handsfree when she's with her three lovely little daughters.

For the matching ear-rings, since she wanted the white and pink Swarovski pearls from the necklace, I kept it simple to one flower only. Then YN had to decide which colour flower she wanted! Hard choice, but

she chose pink.

I hope she likes them!

Photos by Ethan-Zuriel Yam

Thank you, thank you!

Thank you to all of you who have expressed delight in my new blog look. I'm afraid I can't take any credit because it was Michelle Baird of Shabby Creations, all the way in the USA, who helped me to design the blog. As you may know, I'm not very computer savvy and Michelle was an extremely great help. Thanks again, Michelle!

Well, you may want to know how M and J did at their wedding photo shoot today. They said it went very well and they were the only ones who had a different set of jewelry for each outfit. J really liked the pieces, especially the red crystal necklace. They will be going through the customary Chinese ceremony at the end of April and I hope to be able to post photos of them after that!

Some of you are asking for more jewelry to be up. I'm trying my best! I will upload pieces at least once a week, on Friday nights so you can browse during the weekend when you've more time. I'm also working on more gemstone pieces but please be patient!

Thank you!

A big thank you to those who commented on my jewelry, those who bought and also those who sent me congratulatory messages! I really appreciate your support!

Thank you too for your gracious comments about Ethan's photography skills. It has been a learning curve for both us! In case some of you don't know, Ethan is my 17-year-old son.

Last night I spent the evening with M and J who will be getting married in April. J was trying out different gowns at the bridal shop and it was great to be a part of that. I'll be making her necklaces, ear-rings and bracelets to match her 5 outfits. As I complete them, I'll post them on the respective pages for you to enjoy as well. I'm really looking forward to starting work on them as soon as I come back from the suppliers today! Stay tuned for more!

WELCOME!

WELCOME to my new blog and on-line boutique! I'm really excited to introduce my work to you and hope you'll have a grand time looking at what I've been busy about.

You'll find a collection of necklaces, bracelets and ear-rings. Do come back often for new products.

FAQ

1. Which necklace length is suitable for me?
Here's a short description of the traditional lengths and samples of my work:

a. Collar 12-13 inches
This is usually made up of 3 or more strands that lie snugly on the middle of the neck. It's very Victorian looking and goes best with elegant a V-neck, a boat neck or off the shoulder tops.

b. Choker 14-16 inches
This is the most classic and yet versatile of all single strand lengths. It can go well with any outfit from the casual to the fancy evening wear.

c. Princess 17-19 inches
This is best suited for high necklines and complements the low plunging neckline. It's also the right length to hang a pendant.

d. Matinee 20-24 inches

This is longer than the Princess and just a bit shorter than the opera length. It's a good choice for casual or business dressing.

e. Opera 28-34 inches

This is the queen of all lengths. When worn as a single strand it looks refined and is perfect for high necklines. When double, it serves as a versatile 2-strand collar.

f. Rope/Lariat Over 45 inches
Another versatile necklace which allows you to break it down to multistrands or a bracelet using a clasp. This is a must in any wardrobe!

2. How do I go about ordering if I see something I like?
Drop me an email citing the code number so I can make sure it's still available. You can then go back the page and pay via Paypal.

After payment is received I will send the piece to you by post (extra charge) or meet you somewhere convenient for both of us if you live in Singapore. For overseas orders, I'll let you know how much the postage is depending on the weight, your location, insurance and shipping choice.

3. How do I pay for what I order?
After checking on your favourite piece's availability, you can go back to the page and click on the Add To Cart button below the code number to pay via Paypal.

4. What if I see something I like but prefer a different length or colour?
This will be considered custom work which will cost about 15-30% more of the stated price (depending on how much time I spend designing a new pattern, how much more materials are needed and if I have to make a special trip to suppliers). I will also need 3-4 weeks' notice.

5. How will my jewelry be packed?

Each necklace and bracelet will be nicely packed in a box with a matching ribbon. Ear-rings are hung from a card, wrapped in plastic and pouch.

About the Designer

My encounter with beads began accidentally when my daughter, then 10, dragged me through several bead shops to choose charms for her friends. While browsing I discovered how beautiful and varied the beads were and I especially loved the gemstones and organic beads! I could almost hear the beads calling out to me,but I didn't know a thing about jewelry making.

That was when I decided to sign up for professional jewelry classes with Tanja Sadow at Bead Hub. Tanya not only taught me about choosing gemstones, how to design and make jewelry, but gave lots of tips on how to make good quality jewelry.

After making several pieces, friends asked if I would sell them and I did! The rest is history.

Today I make jewelry using different techniques like stringing, wirework, beadwork as well as bead embroidery. I especially love beadwork and bead embroidery because I get to play with tiny beads in a whole spectrum of colours! Beadwork uses waxed threads to sew tiny beads together to form designs. Bead embroidery is the art of sewing beads and gemstones on a stiff backing and then finishing the piece with ultrasuede as a necklace, bracelet or even ear-rings.

Each piece of work is painstakingly sewn and one-of-a-kind. An example would be an embroidered pair of ear-rings which takes me about 6 hours to complete. My more elaborate necklaces can take up to 100 hours to make. 98% of my work is not found in stores outside so when you choose a piece of jewelry, you can be assured it's unique and not mass produced. (The other 2% is when my customer requests something she saw in a magazine or shop using different materials or colours).

Here at Rebecca Yam I make necklaces, bracelets and ear-rings using only the finest quality materials I can find. My findings (clasps, ear hooks, wires etc) are either 925 silver, gold-filled or rhodium. I love working with gemstones, organic beads and artistic beads.

If you would like to be unique and different, do drop me an email and I'll be happy to meet with you to discuss your ideas and create something special.

In the meantime, do browse through my blog and if you see something you like, do drop me an email.