tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40640885492905294462024-02-24T02:53:56.244-06:00Kali Butterfly - Aluminum Chainmaille JewelryElaborate beaded jewelry designs, eclectic chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille classes in Chicago, beaded armor, beaded dragon sculptures and chainmaille fashion.Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.comBlogger221125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-51147714346326982792017-11-30T23:44:00.001-06:002017-11-30T23:44:17.914-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-57716016769442439102015-11-11T19:05:00.003-06:002016-04-01T19:56:39.677-05:00Moving alongI've decided to move my blog over to Wordpress. You can check out my latest posts about jewelry, costumes, and everything else at <a href="http://kalibutterfly.com/blog">kalibutterfly.com</a>.Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-85925834073292375022015-07-07T14:15:00.002-05:002015-07-07T14:15:19.378-05:00Scale Mail Halter Top - Part 3Linking all those scales together can be a chore, but the result is so lovely, it's hard to complain.<br />
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Updates this week will be light and I'm building up inventory for Madison, but I'm looking forward to jumping into this project again when I get back. Look at those cap sleeves! I just want to spend all day working on this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5v1eW7KWmDJxjVR6NlbpGu0EqpaUXDf_N08RbYDb7O-4t-x1XhorZQ7Pyx4oYyxxiGpDo1lVryMDqnMsJZ8GXGil0Q2fjJY2iuMGiGgFI3LGg11qPJDURUuvlkTVDwf4t4lSURA2a6c/s1600/scalehalter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5v1eW7KWmDJxjVR6NlbpGu0EqpaUXDf_N08RbYDb7O-4t-x1XhorZQ7Pyx4oYyxxiGpDo1lVryMDqnMsJZ8GXGil0Q2fjJY2iuMGiGgFI3LGg11qPJDURUuvlkTVDwf4t4lSURA2a6c/s320/scalehalter.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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But for now, I'm making plenty of new designs, like little star earrings:<br />
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<br />Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-64673462716652278622015-07-02T18:50:00.003-05:002015-07-02T18:50:55.655-05:00Scale Mail Halter Top - Part 2This will be a micro-post, but these bronze scales are so yummy. The muslin template is a nice guide for the work, too.<br />
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Vanessa Walilko<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade chainmail jewelry</a><br />
Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-60634700699383895342015-07-01T16:35:00.002-05:002015-07-01T16:35:25.954-05:00Scale Mail Halter Top - The Beginning!I'm lucky enough to know a lot of talented, interesting people. One of them, <a href="https://twitter.com/pixybelmont" target="_blank">MsPixy</a>--burlesque hostess, performer, and producer extraordinaire--commissioned me to make her a scale halter top for GenCon. After a couple meetings, we settled on a bronze/gold number with a fake leather back. <br />
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I started working on this in June after teaching at Bead&Button, but here are some photos of my creative process so far. <br />
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I try to keep all of my ongoing projects in little plastic bins. It's a small attempt at staying organized.<br />
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With scale projects, I always start by linking together many pairs of scales. I get the quick feeling of accomplishment with every pair I link, and it makes the scale mail process more efficient.<br />
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Patterns... I don't know why for the first several pieces of clothing I didn't make any patterns. I guess the struggle of putting on and taking off bits of scale mail was exciting to me. In any case, when working on a piece for someone else, that's not possible. Thankfully, Pixy had some muslin and cut out some pieces like a sewing ninja at our meeting. Here are the shoulders:<br />
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I love watching a piece come to life.<br />
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I'll be posting daily updates until the piece is finished. Stay tuned tomorrow for images of the front of the piece!<br />
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Vanessa<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Chainmail jewelry</a><br />
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<br />Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-2145358466721371352015-06-16T11:35:00.000-05:002015-06-16T11:41:23.416-05:00Deadlines, chainmail, and all other thingsI wish there were enough hours in the day. While I was working on the costumes for <a href="http://www.otherworldtheatre.org/#!queen-amarantha/c1egk" target="_blank">Queen Amarantha</a>, I wanted to make a chainmail headdress out of aluminum. Sadly, because I need to eat AND sleep like a mere mortal, I didn't have enough time to finish it. However, now that I've properly recovered from Bead&Button (and the unfortunate food poisoning I suffered from there, ugh), I was able to finish it.<br />
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Hopefully it'll make an appearance at Bristol Ren Faire. Or, maybe I'll wear it while I practice belly dance moves to feel a little fancier.<br />
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Vanessa<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade chainmail jewelry</a><br />
<br />Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-12863811795166010082015-06-11T10:11:00.000-05:002015-06-11T10:11:08.211-05:00Stars of Empire KickstarterThe fine folks at Hive, Queen, & Country<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/759107276/stars-of-empire-second-edition-steampunk-vsf-rpg" target="_blank"> launched a Kickstarter</a> for the second edition of their RPG Stars of Empire. They were kind enough to use some of my work in <a href="http://www.rpgnow.com/product/120088/The-World-Beneath-the-Clouds" target="_blank">The World Beneath the Clouds</a>, with my friend K serving as one of the Venusian Sky Wolves and with me in my chainmail shrug serving as an example of Venusian fashion.<br />
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Pretty neat, right? Aside from creating a brilliant, fleshed-out world, they are also really wonderful and supportive collaborators.<br />
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So stop by their Kickstarter and pledge some money to get their second edition off the ground. <br />
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Vanessa Walilko<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Dynamic Chainmail Jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade Jewelry</a>Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-30882614443409029582015-04-12T19:18:00.000-05:002015-04-12T20:43:59.749-05:00Crochet Colonel ChestbridgeA friend of mine introduced me to <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/comedy/danger-5" target="_blank">Danger 5</a> last weekend and I immediately fell in love with the show. I grew up watching reruns of the 60's Batman show and Green Hornet so this show was hitting all of my nostalgia buttons.<br />
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Inspired by the show, I decided to crochet Colonel Chestbridge. Since they creators talk in interviews about how they had no money for the first season, I gave myself an extra challenge: I could only use materials that I already had. Thankfully, I have a ton of odds and ends, some 17-year old Sculpey that worked for the Sit Down Gun, and yarn and felt in all the right colors.<br />
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I'm pretty happy with the result, especially since it forced me to design an eagle head and beak. I'm happiest with the handmade bias tape I hand stitched to the felt jacket. Chestbridge is a dapper colonel.<br />
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Vanessa Walilko<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade chainmail jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.aluminumchainmail.com/" target="_blank">Chainmail jewelry supplies </a><br />
<br />Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-26949964655520303402015-04-03T09:48:00.002-05:002015-04-03T09:49:12.231-05:00Belly danceI recently started taking belly dancing classes at <a href="http://www.arabesquechicago.com/" target="_blank">Arabesque Dance & Fitness</a> in Chicago. After a long, cold winter, I wanted to start moving again. After seeing a friend perform at one of their haflas, I decided to sign up.<br />
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I absolutely love the classes so far, so much so that I decided to design a chainmail belly dance belt. I had disks, rings, and chain, and when I got an idea, I quickly doodled it on a scrap of paper.<br />
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I started working obsessively on it immediately. I finished it last night, and I'm so thrilled with how it turned out.<br />
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Now that it's done, I guess I'll go back to knitting that sweater I started a couple weeks ago. If I finish it soon, I might be able to wear it once before it gets too warm.<br />
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Vanessa<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum chainmail jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade jewelry</a>Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-69836107272655416282015-03-06T13:20:00.000-06:002015-03-06T13:20:08.989-06:00That Beaded Dragon and renewing creativity<a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/12/18/madeleine-lengle-creativity-hope-mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/" target="_blank">Madeleine L'Engle wrote about how she played the piano when she felt creatively stuck</a>. For me, working on my stuffed dragon helped get me out of a creative slump. I love it, although it will be a terribly heavy neck pillow when all is said and done.<br />
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Here are some shots of my progress:<br />
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Close-up of progress after day 2. </div>
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My dragon just chills out on the couch between beading sessions.</div>
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Progress after day 3. I love adding those gemstones down the back.</div>
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Stay tuned for more photos of the dragon in progress!</div>
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Vanessa Walilko</div>
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<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum chainmail jewelry</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade jewelry</a></div>
Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-88594596563920457112015-03-03T12:07:00.002-06:002015-03-03T12:10:43.722-06:00Dragon plush necklaceThere are few things more satisfying than working on a project that's been sitting in a box untouched for a few years. I got it in my head the other day that I really should finish this dragon soft sculpture necklace/fancy neck pillow.<br />
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Some ideas pop into my head and I make them immediately, some need to percolate a bit. This originally started out as a big sculpture that would wind around my body, but I settled on something bold but still wearable.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTwio2TnB4YzgTtaDTwrsEQpByNBGd7yNUMhtMD92jGFYGtQIb-0q4WXVEWrHJ7jtMlKySm4YJQ_5WdA8xZNfADbBNRBmG3tZ13J-Fqm-bKYBoKzYfyRP0CYFmHQ_u4ya7Pea2nvhWDc/s1600/dragonpillow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTwio2TnB4YzgTtaDTwrsEQpByNBGd7yNUMhtMD92jGFYGtQIb-0q4WXVEWrHJ7jtMlKySm4YJQ_5WdA8xZNfADbBNRBmG3tZ13J-Fqm-bKYBoKzYfyRP0CYFmHQ_u4ya7Pea2nvhWDc/s1600/dragonpillow.JPG" height="320" width="285" /></a></div>
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Now I just need to start working on the bead embroidery, which will take another few years, probably. But the body is finally done, which makes me very happy.<br />
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<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Personalized jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Anodized aluminum jewelry</a>Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-43458381088765432472014-12-18T14:08:00.000-06:002014-12-18T14:08:49.961-06:00Night at the Musem 3 chainmailLast year around this time, a friend and colleague contacted me about doing a huge commission on a really tight deadline. As soon as he said it was for Night at the Museum 3, well, I was in.<br />
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The next thing I knew, I was getting an overnight delivery for 20 pounds of rings that I had to link together and then overnight to Hollywood in a week. I had some help, thankfully, or it wouldn't have gotten done.<br />
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Did I mention that this happened right before the One of a Kind show last year? I still can't believe I got it all done while making inventory for the show.<br />
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Anyway, despite the rush, I had sense enough to take some photos. They aren't the best quality, but I'm publishing them for posterity.<br />
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I wish I had taken a photo of the two HUGE bags of rings I received in the mail. We all have regrets. However, I did take pictures of the rectangles. Here's the first one. <br />
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Then I took photos as I made more strips that I linked together into rectangles:<br />
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Finally, I had to get everything in the mail the same day I was setting up my booth for the One of a Kind show. So I took a blurry photo at the book showing all of the pieces.<br />
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The most fun part of the whole experience was taking the package downstairs to FedEx. When the guy at the counter saw that it was addressed to "Night at the Museum 3 - Costume Department" he asked, "Really?" When I said yes, he then called over the other staff members and we all had a fun chat about chainmail and costumes.<br />
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So, go see Night at the Museum 3 and tell your friends you know who made some of the chainmail for the movie.<br />
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Vanessa Walilko<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum chainmail jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum costumes for stage and screen</a>Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-40684147580875272992014-11-21T13:12:00.003-06:002014-11-21T13:12:42.506-06:00Bernat Blanket Yarn SweaterSuper bulky yarn is the trick to making big, cozy sweaters in just a couple of evenings. I've made this awesome piece out of Bernat Blanket Yarn. I finished this with just two skeins and I couldn't be happier. <br />
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<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Vanessa Walilko</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum chainmail jewelry</a><br />
Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-22937451124653944952014-11-12T12:52:00.002-06:002014-11-12T12:52:41.311-06:00Dragon crochet hatIt's winter. Time to avoid the outside and crochet up a storm. Pattern purchased on Etsy <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/181312405/crochet-dragon-hat-pattern-pdf-file" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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Vanessa Walilko<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum chainmail jewelry</a><br />
Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-65198075854622912572014-03-18T16:52:00.001-05:002014-03-18T16:52:17.522-05:00Chainmail for Pippin--recap of the week's workWhen I got an email from the people at <a href="http://www.pippinthemusical.com/" target="_blank">Pippin</a> to order a new chainmail tunic for their new lead actor, I was happy to take on the project. Making chainmail for a Tony-award-winning show is one of the highlights of my career. <br />
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So after sending the invoice, I ordered 22,000 rings and got started.<br />
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Starting a huge project is daunting, especially when you're working with that many rings. There were enough rings to fill more than a 14" x 11" x 3.25" bin. <br />
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From working on the <a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/gallery/bride-chainmail-wedding-dress" target="_blank">chainmail wedding dress</a>, I learned that the only want to get through a huge project was by making lots of little squares and then linking them together. As soon as the rings arrived in the mail, I got working. After 2 days, I had made 45 little squares.<br />
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After day 3, I had linked 70 squares: <br />
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After day 4, I had linked together 95 squares:<br />
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Posting lots of little squares doesn't really give a sense of scope of the piece, so I made another 25 squares and started linking them together into sheets. (The pliers are for scale.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvZ7DMlxXi3IHXaBVMi58fBjsThKnsz1e4cwDkT47r24EDBx-W73VKX0ZlrwexVcbMzlN523CuDyLSzEwToxU3upOgWcBQacbFJLvUAN9JJAqU1Eot2m9TwZwBmlMrOjPu5dj5FH9HAY/s1600/IMG_0150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvZ7DMlxXi3IHXaBVMi58fBjsThKnsz1e4cwDkT47r24EDBx-W73VKX0ZlrwexVcbMzlN523CuDyLSzEwToxU3upOgWcBQacbFJLvUAN9JJAqU1Eot2m9TwZwBmlMrOjPu5dj5FH9HAY/s1600/IMG_0150.JPG" height="275" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tonight or tomorrow I'll start linking all the sheets together and work on the shaping. It's amazing how a piece like this comes together.<br />
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Vanessa<br />
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<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade aluminum jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum chainmail jewelry</a><br />
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Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-16620407888312165172014-03-06T10:46:00.003-06:002014-03-06T10:46:57.131-06:00Throwback Thursday - Shi action figureComics were big when I was in junior high and high school. And, like every self-respecting young nerd, I devoured them. As someone who grew up watching Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman, and since my hero was Catwoman (Julie Newmar is the coolest person), I was drawn to tough warrior women.<br />
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Shi was one of my favorites. Back in junior high I was customizing action figures. This one used to be Psylocke.<br />
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I found a box of old art/craft projects. I'll try to show one off every Thursday.<br />
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Vanessa Walilko<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum chainmail jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade jewelry</a><br />
Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-53187339981734092092014-03-04T16:33:00.001-06:002014-03-04T16:33:09.473-06:00Make Something Beautiful - Butterfly NecklaceWhen I first started my business, I made a point of making something beautiful every day. I got caught up with business stuff and forgot the simple joy of creating something new. Well, I'm starting that habit again. I'll probably post on Mondays for the alliteration.<br />
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For now, here's the butterfly necklace I made today.<br />
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Vanessa Walilko<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum chainmail jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade chainmail jewelry</a><br />
<br />Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-66786412686483577892014-02-24T11:03:00.002-06:002014-02-24T11:03:39.136-06:00The creative work ethicThis morning's Twitter feed brought this article to my attention: <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/creativity/" target="_blank">The Aggressive Work Ethic of Highly Creative People</a>. <br />
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While I've seen the importance of having a schedule, and doing the work, I also have found that my best work comes from moments of inspiration. What do you think? Do you follow your muse, or build your creative muscles another way?<br />
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Vanessa Walilko<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum chainmail jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade chainmail jewelry</a>Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-33159695565155710552014-02-13T16:41:00.004-06:002014-02-13T16:41:52.527-06:00Hyperbolic crochetWhen I'm not working on the chainmail wedding dress, secret chainmail-related projects, and chainmail jewelry, I look for other creative projects to pique my interest. <br />
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I'm a little late to the party, but I've been having fun with hyperbolic crochet. For those of you who don't know what hyperbolic crochet is, I encourage you to visit the website for the <a href="http://www.theiff.org/oexhibits/05b.html" target="_blank">Institute for Figuring</a>. If you want to make your own hyperbolic crochet, download the PDF here: <a href="http://museummeets.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/iff-crochetreef-howtohandout.pdf" target="_blank">Hyperbolic Crochet instructions</a>.<br />
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I made my own pseudosphere the other day, out of some yarn I bought on clearance.
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Since I had some yarn left over, I made a scarf. It's sort-of hyperbolic. It's a fancier version of a ruffle you'd see on a clown, but I love it.</div>
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What do you work on to relax and recharge?</div>
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Vanessa</div>
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<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum chainmail jewelry</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade chainmail jewelry</a></div>
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Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-56934820513215490562013-12-31T17:43:00.001-06:002013-12-31T17:43:13.292-06:00Pre New Year newsI try to theme my years. It gives me focus. When I started this whole chainmail-making pirate adventure, I called it "The Year of Fearlessness." This year is "The Year of Following Through."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sxUrndy2SeWotDX97N6zZXxQY67BaV4E3p2hvyIR7u1KnTL5x4Hxh0MGqONenkTvIj8D-L9ypB630STiVdMwpoWyEIAzvgHzcQBlSrmFs_dsrtA1vWMh6fI3XcoYdcsIKasZj1097oU/s1600/IMG_1395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sxUrndy2SeWotDX97N6zZXxQY67BaV4E3p2hvyIR7u1KnTL5x4Hxh0MGqONenkTvIj8D-L9ypB630STiVdMwpoWyEIAzvgHzcQBlSrmFs_dsrtA1vWMh6fI3XcoYdcsIKasZj1097oU/s320/IMG_1395.JPG" width="193" /></a>Any idea, creative or otherwise, that has been rattling around my brain will be finished (or progress will be made towards finishing it) this year. My year starts a little early, and so has my work. I recently made a reversible jacket that I'd been thinking about making for over a year. I also just launched my new website. It's not perfect, but I'm really happy with it. Sometimes I feel limited with the coding options of IndieMade, but I like the service they provide.<br />
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What are your plans for the year? What will be the theme for your 2014?<br />
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Check out the new site and let me know what you think <a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">kalibutterfly.com</a>.<br />
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Happy New Year!<br />
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Vanessa Walilko<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Chainmail jewelry</a>Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-56719491171068632632013-07-05T10:14:00.000-05:002013-07-05T10:14:01.659-05:00Inspiration FridayI'm a little too insulated. I do that on purpose. I never look at what other jewelers are doing because I don't ever want to be accused of copying. It's a little too neurotic, I think, but it's something I've been hypervigilant about since someone copied my chainmaille shrug.<br />
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But, inspired by the words of Paul Stankard, I decided to start seeking out art again. Sitting around making chainmaille all day can create some myopia. Thankfully, the Google Art Project means that I can look at art works when most cultural institutions are closed for the day.<br />
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On my first field trip to the Art Institute in Chicago when I was maybe 8 or 9, I remember seeing The Assumption of the Virgin by El Greco. I have never been religious, but this piece stuck with me. I don't know if it was the scale or the imagery, but it's my first memory of being in awe of a work of art.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLX_tgD5XY5BOBbbT9KuqX4aAfbzYDN9s5vNijmeJ2fJjSFk7udOGHzzTla0B6K1stJdFGmuvCq4M2WmnpmF773kuU87YLu7oCRavU5PwYnFoTlF8xHbN2JqCSY4JI9VxkO_0wDpSixrQ/s1600/av-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLX_tgD5XY5BOBbbT9KuqX4aAfbzYDN9s5vNijmeJ2fJjSFk7udOGHzzTla0B6K1stJdFGmuvCq4M2WmnpmF773kuU87YLu7oCRavU5PwYnFoTlF8xHbN2JqCSY4JI9VxkO_0wDpSixrQ/s1600/av-sm.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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You can check out what Google Art has to say about the piece <a href="http://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/asset-viewer/the-assumption-of-the-virgin/0wG7A7al0WzGWg" target="_blank">by clicking here</a>.<br />
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Vanessa Walilko<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum chainmail jewelry</a>Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-53614820240574840172013-06-13T16:09:00.000-05:002014-02-13T15:59:17.501-06:00Bead&Button recap!Well, it's been nearly a week since I was in Milwaukee. I always have a blast teaching at the Bead&Button show as well as connecting with friends and fellow artists I only see once a year.<br />
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This time I actually managed to take a couple photos! Oh, the beauty of free time.<br />
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Firstly, here's a picture of my Phoenix Jacket. It won second place in the Wirework category of the Bead Dreams competition. I cannot wait to use my gift certificate at <a href="http://www.beaducation.com/" target="_blank">Beaducation</a>. <br />
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My favorite piece in Bead Dreams was probably these little glass robots. They deservedly won first place in their category.<br />
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Then, I saw a beaded kimono. It was made on a loom, and puts everything I've done to shame. Now I want to make something even bigger... because my competitiveness comes out in ways like that.</div>
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Since I sold more kits than expected, I bought a little treat for myself. For years, my table has been next to <a href="http://www.amywaldmansmith.com/" target="_blank">Amy Waldman-Smith</a>, and this year I found a bird I had to have.</div>
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I'm going to put it on a ring. And possibly make it a chainmail outfit. I haven't decided.</div>
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Vanessa</div>
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<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum jewelry</a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade jewelry</a> </div>
<br />Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-44022445299471180222013-05-30T09:51:00.000-05:002013-05-30T09:53:00.559-05:00A brief history lesson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today's history lesson: according to tradition, Poles are descended from the Sarmatians, one of the groups considered to be the basis of the Amazon myth. They are also called the Sauromatians for their scale armor.</div>
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So, I have a genetic propensity to make armor out of scales. My life trajectory makes a lot more sense.</div>
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Vanessa</div>
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<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum Chainmail Jewelry</a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handmade Jewelry</a> </div>
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Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-87676459280257581962012-10-19T09:43:00.002-05:002012-10-19T09:43:29.499-05:00You're not charging enough!After browsing Facebook pages and seeing statements like, "Bracelets starting at just $5," I lost it. I posted a minor rant on my Facebook page letting people know that this type of underpricing damages the livelihoods of other artists and the craft.<br />
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I've been making jewelry full-time for over two years. Making things is the only thing I want to do. When I see people undercut their prices, I get a bit furious. I tend to be a live and let live sort of person, except with things that affect other people. Undercharging hurts everyone.<br />
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If you make chainmaille for fun and think that's a great way of getting extra money for rings to play with, I get that. But as soon as you start charging sweatshop-made prices on your pieces, you are telling everyone that a) your time and handiwork is not valuable and b) the particular medium you're working is not valuable.<br />
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I see this with chainmaille ALL THE TIME. Chainmaille is the red-headed step-child of the metals world in a lot of ways, and this type of underpricing just perpetuates the idea that chainmaille doesn't deserve the respect of traditional metalsmithing. <br />
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As someone who has poured hundreds of hours into making couture chainmaille clothing pieces, I can tell you that this is a load of garbage. The two require a different type of monomania, but they are both labor-intensive and often tedious. And not everyone can do it right.<br />
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For a time I had a wholesale rep and on three separate occasions she told me to raise my prices. I'm thankful I did. If I didn't charge the prices I charge I would be working 60+ hours a week just to have an income under the poverty level after all my business expenses. Think about that. <br />
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If you think the race to the bottom is a good business model, let's look at the current Walmart controversy. <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/06/20/1101630/-ATTN-GOP-SENATORS-Walmart-Is-The-Largest-Food-Stamp-Recipient-In-The-Country-Fine-Them" target="_blank">According to recent reports</a>, Walmart employees comprise the largest recipient of food stamps. So guess what? You're subsidizing all that cheap crap with your tax dollars; even if you don't shop there, you're paying.<br />
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Now that I've gotten that rant off my chest, let me pass along some advice. I offer up a simple formula for figuring out how much you should charge. Mind you, there are lots of formulas, this should be seen as a starting point.<br />
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(Supplies * 2) + (Hourly wage * (minutes to make piece/60) = <b>wholesale price</b></div>
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Firstly, you need to figure out <b>your hourly wage</b>. This must be the hardest thing for artisans to do because I see so many pieces with only material costs in mind. I will save the feminist rant mostly for now, but I see women crafters devaluing their work more often than I see men do it. Women already only make 77 cents to every dollar a man makes. Let's try to make things equitable in the craft world, okay?<br />
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When determining your hourly wage, keep a few things in mind. You have to be mindful of how long it takes to make the piece, yes, but there are other incidental things that you also have to be mindful of. From adding price tags to pieces, to ordering supplies--anything related to creating your piece is something that you should build into the price. If you don't, all those unpaid minutes add up to A LOT OF UNPAID MONEY. These are costs you're taking on. Amateur crafters might not care. Again, if you do, you're screwing over those whose ability to pay for food is dependent on consumers taking on these costs. And believe me, you are paying for these costs and more with anything you purchase in a retail store.<br />
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You might ask, "Why is the supply cost doubled?" Well, this allows for fluctuations in the price of your components (especially for people working in silver or gold right now, yikes) and more importantly, it allows you to reinvest in your business. If you only add the supply cost once, you've only covered the materials used in the piece. What if you want to expand your business? That little bit of extra money will help you make that investment to purchase more supplies. It's also probably wise to add another 15% on top of this to make sure you've taken care of any incidental costs (like shipping costs of getting supplies from your suppliers).<br />
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And yes, all of this is only the <b>wholesale price</b>. There are lots of artists who only charge wholesale prices in their Etsy and Artfire shops. Pricing things at wholesale rates will only hurt you. Say you make really cool things and are approached by a store. This store will expect to purchase items at at least half of your retail prices. Stores typically do a markup of 2.2-2.5 on their wholesale prices so that they can make money. Divide your price by 2.2 Are you comfortable earning only that much on your work?<br />
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I see wholesale prices on work at art fairs and that makes no sense considering the overhead. I charge full retail at shows. Say I sell $4,000 of jewelry at a show. Sounds nice, right? Well, at $2,000 I've covered the cost of making all of the jewelry that sold--time and materials. From the remaining $2,000 I have to deduct expenses such as booth fee (typically $300-$700), hotel fees ($200-$500), food costs, and my time for setting up the booth and standing around all weekend (at least 20 hours of work to upwards of 40). In terms of pure profit, I'm only seeing a couple hundred dollars. And most of that money goes to additional supplies anyway.<br />
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I'm running out of steam, so I'll leave you with this final thought. Lots of artists are scared to charge more because they think that people won't spend the higher price. I sell more now than I ever did at my cheap prices. Why? I've found the people who value handcrafted jewelry. I don't compete with Lia Sophia or any other mass produced jewelry. That's not who I am and not what I want to do.<br />
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Rant over. Thanks for reading.<br />
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Vanessa Walilko<br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handcrafted jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Aluminum chainmaille jewelry</a><br />
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<br />Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4064088549290529446.post-71073749837643834052012-08-21T09:33:00.001-05:002012-08-21T09:33:03.993-05:00Crochet crazyA couple weeks ago, I was pretty stressed out. Chainmaille wasn't cutting it anymore in terms of distracting me from stressful things, so I decided to teach myself crochet. And let me tell you, I love it! Crochet is one of those things that I just couldn't do for a long time--it made no sense. But now I've found a love for making knots with a hook. <br />
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I even made a hat! Yes, that is an octopus. I crocheted that too. (It's detachable.)<br />
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So, in between working on the chainmaille wedding dress and inventory for my last show of the summer, I've started crocheting. Clean up for a ball of yarn falling on the floor is a lot easier than picking up a spilled bag of rings. For that alone, it's the best craft to travel with.<br />
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I'll be posting more crochet instructions in the near future, but here's the one that helped me get started:<br />
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Best,<br />
Vanessa<br />
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<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Chainmaille jewelry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kalibutterfly.com/" target="_blank">Handcrafted jewelry</a><br />
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<br />Vanessa Walilko - Kali Butterflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03725165914147302011noreply@blogger.com1