Kali Butterfly - Aluminum Chainmaille Jewelry

Winter torpor

2012-01-25T13:30:00.004-06:00

I don't know what it is about winter, I just can't get motivated. Yes, this is a slightly ridiculous thing to say since I've been plugging away at my chainmail flapper dress, I've finished a chainmail coif and I'm working on costumes for an upcoming show. Nevertheless, I still have a ton of business things I need to do--updating my website, working on wholesale catalogs, taking photos for tutorials--that I haven't been able to bring myself to do.

Distraction at its coolest...

What's an entrepreneur to do? One thing I've learned is that I have to forgive myself if I'm not constantly working on my business. All work and no play make Jack Nicholson's character in the Shining a crazy person. Sometimes I wake up wanting to make a pillow shaped like lips. And that's okay. As long as the tutorials are written, the catalogs and updated, and the website is overhauled at some point in the near future, it's all okay. Some days you just have to sit around and sew.

Vanessa Walilko
Bold chainmail jewelry
Handcrafted chain maille jewelry

The value of professionalism

2012-01-09T09:58:00.004-06:00

Ever since I put my aluminum chainmail jewelry and armor up on Model Mayhem, I've gotten a lot of requests from photographers, stylists, and the like to use my pieces in photo shoots.

This past weekend, I loaned out my pieces to Megan Sontag, a.k.a The Shutterblade. I can't stress what a delight it's been to work with her, and I absolutely love the photos from the photo shoot. You can take a look at them by clicking here.

I'm looking forward to working with her again. Chicago fashion jewelry and fashion designers take note--if you want to work with someone prompt, professional and downright awesome, Megan is the lady to contact.

Vanessa Walilko
Aluminum Chainmail Jewelry
Handmade chain mail jewelry

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-02T12:29:00.002-06:00

This morning I thought about all of the things that I have to do this year... and my head nearly exploded. It turns out that Kat Wisniewski of Elemental Art Jewelry wrote a great overview of what she needs to do over the next few months and it inspired me to write an overview for my work in the next year. Here's a list of things I have to do in no particular order.

1) Prepare my wholesale booth for an upcoming wholesale show
2) Build inventory for upcoming summer shows
3) List new items and ship Etsy orders for both my chainmaille supply Etsy shop and my handmade aluminum chainmail jewelry Etsy shop
4) Maintain relationships with stores and ship out wholesale orders
5) Maintain Facebook and Twitter accounts
6) Photograph step-by-step photos and write directions for chainmail and beaded jewelry tutorials
7) Keep track of supply inventory so that I can make all orders in a timely fashion.
8) Photograph entry for the upcoming Bead Dreams competition.
9) Work on new clothing pieces for upcoming competitions, shows
10) Apply to juried exhibitions (gotta stay current in the art world...)
11) Keep sending out applications for 2012 summer shows. I have multiple deadlines coming up this week.

Speaking of deadlines, I'd better work on those show applications. In fact, I need to step away from this to-do list (just the first things that came to mind, mind you, not an exhaustive list) before my head explodes again.

Vanessa Walilko
Handmade aluminum chainmail jewelry
Bold aluminum chain mail jewelry designs

Kali Butterfly on WGN for One of a Kind

2011-12-24T12:32:00.005-06:00

Last year the One of a Kind show was my first "big-girl" art fair. Getting into the Etsy pavilion was the perfect entry point into the show and was tremendously exciting.

One of a Kind this year marked the one year anniversary of selling jewelry full-time. Every day I'm amazed at my life--people pay me to do what I love. It's incredible.

While last year the One of a Kind show led me to believe that I really could survive--and thrive--as a working artist, this year they gave me an even cooler gift: the first appearance of my jewelry on television. For those of you who missed the piece on the WGN midday news, you can view the video by clicking here:

Yes, she's wearing my necklace. And yes, I almost pass out with joy every time I see this.

The One of a Kind show also got me some internet love. Chicago Shopping listed my red lizard vest as one of their best picks for the 2011 One of a Kind Show in Chicago. It was a great weekend.

I love the One of a Kind Show. Did I mention that?

Vanessa Walilko
Aluminum chainmaille jewelry
Handmade chain mail jewelry

A Year In Review

2011-09-16T08:38:00.007-05:00

I had every intention of writing a re-cap on October 1, after the completion of the Year of Fearlessness project... but I've been a busy lady. I thought that end of the Plaza Art Fair would be the beginning of my vacation. I was wrong... but at least I'm never bored. However, I've learned many lessons in this past year, and I feel like sharing a few.

1) Life is very much like spinning plates. If you've ever seen someone spin plates on the top of sticks, you know that the difficult part is getting the plates up in the air. Once they're up, you just have to use momentum to keep them going. I'm done with the overwhelming effort of putting my business together, now I just have to maintain the energy. Even despite languishing after the Herculean task of starting a business, and then grieving for my grandfather earlier this year, I still managed to get into a number of awesome art fairs, win awards in the Bead Dreams competition, the British Bead Awards and the Designer Jewelry Showcase, and show my work in international competitions and exhibitions (I'm up to three continents!). It's uncanny.

2) If a photographer contacts you about using your pieces, make sure that they're reputable. I dealt with a photographer from Model Mayhem who asked to keep my pieces for two weeks and ended up holding on to them for two months. He pretty much ignored me for most of that time, not answering messages until I posted something on his online magazine's Facebook page about how frustrated I was. That was over a year ago, and I still haven't seen the photos from the shoot, haven't heard back from him, and it looks like the photos won't be included in the magazine. Creative talent does not equal business talent, unfortunately, and my time and energy were wasted on this guy.

Conversely, I dealt with a fantastic stylist named Apuje Kalu who sent me a contract, shipped my pieces back in a timely manner and sent me images of the photo shoot directly when the photographer was overwhelmed by his personal life. Because of my work with him, my jewelry has been featured in two very beautiful fashion editorials. If he contacts you, work with him. The photos will be amazing, I assure you. Plus, you might get your pieces in an Australian magazine like I did. That's pretty neat.

3) Research out of state art fairs VERY CAREFULLY before you take the time and effort to leave the state. I made the mistake of doing the Milwaukee Domes Art Festival this year. The location is gorgeous, the crowds who came out for the show were lovely (although many of the people had no idea that there was an art fair happening in the Domes that weekend), but it's a new show and that turned out to be problematic. As I said, attendance was VERY low and show policies were unclear. While the volunteers were generally nice, I ran into a couple problems:

--The show ended at 7pm on Saturday. Since I had a booth inside, this meant that the lights were turned off at 7pm. Seriously. I had a customer at my booth who was thinking about what merchandise to purchase. First the lights were shut off on her (how was I expected to clean up in the dark?). Things were then made worse when the volunteer at the door started clapping her hands and shouting, "Finish up your shopping and let's go!" If the customer had any doubts, that would have been the end of that sale.

--The director of the art fair walked up to me and said excitedly, "We're giving out the awards now." When he shook his head to indicate I didn't win one, he said, "I just wanted to have one of those American Idol heartbreak moments." I'm not exactly sure what I did to incur his passive-aggressive wrath, but I really wish he would have just brought it to my attention instead of being hurtful. A cash prize (they're generous at this show) would have made this lackluster show a real winner.

4) I already knew this, but the more time you spend doing what you love, the more confidence you develop about everything in your life. I credit improv classes with a lot of my freedom to say and do what I want. (They drill in your head immediately that if you think something you should say it.) However, doing what I love and being successful at it have worked wonders at making me freer with my opinions. There is no greater experience than just being yourself:

Vanessa
Aluminum chainmail jewelry
Handcrafted chainmaille jewelry

Prepararing and improvising

2011-08-11T14:12:00.005-05:00

Since I started taking improv classes in the beginning of January, I've spent a lot of time thinking about improvising. And I'm not talking solely about comedy shows, but the very process of creative, uninhibited thinking that goes along with doing improv. When I did the Evanston Lakeshore Arts Festival this past weekend, my improv training came into use.

When I got to the show, I discovered that I had a BEAUTIFUL view of the lake. I also discovered that my booth space was on a 4" slope leading to the ocean. It's not exactly an ideal situation for displaying jewelry if everything can slide off the tables. While my friend Mack and I set up as much as we could, I decided to leave most of the work for Saturday, after I had a chance to look for something I could level out the tables with.

The answer: books! I'm lucky enough to have a used book addiction, and a plethora of paperbacks and hardcover books in a variety of sizes. After protecting my books in plastic grocery bags, I promptly put them under my tables and my mannequin.

Improvising well involves being prepared, oddly enough. Having an agenda is the death of a good improv show, paying attention to what's around you and working with what's in front of you is ideal. It seems to work for art fairs too.

Aluminum chain mail jewelry
Handmade chainmail jewelry

Improving your Attitude

2011-07-29T14:09:00.003-05:00

"When you are pessimistic, your body behaves in an unnatural way. It is up to us whether we look at the good or the bad. When you are nice to others, they are nice to you. When you give, you receive." - Alice Herz-Sommer, the oldest survivor of the Holocaust.

I come from a family of worriers. And my own anxieties burble out of me like water from a faucet, although I've discovered how to channel them into making chainmaille. But it seems like the key to living a healthy, long life is not letting things touch you. This interview with Alice Herz-Sommer shows what an optimistic attitude can do to get you through even the greatest horrors. She's a true artist--she sees beauty everywhere.

Vanessa Walilko
Aluminum chain mail jewelry
Handmade chainmail jewelry

Using fabric scraps to save the earth?

2011-07-26T11:01:00.003-05:00

If you sew, chances are you have a ton of fabric scraps lying around. You don't want to throw them away, but you can't figure out a use for them. Guess what? A freezer runs more efficiently when it's full. Why not fill it with fabric scraps? This and other tips for how to keep your fabric out of a landfill can be found here: Top 5 Ways Your Fabric Stash Can Save the Earth.

How, if only I could find a way to make use of my scrap aluminum...

Vanessa Walilko
Chain Mail Jewelry
Handcrafted aluminum chainmail jewelry

Regrouping

2011-07-19T14:13:00.003-05:00

Whenever things don't work out, I take it as a sign that something needs fixing. I've recently dealt with some personal and business-related problems so when the air conditioner at my place went out, I took it as a sign. For the past week, I've been treating my apartment as my own personal sweat lodge. I mean, if people PAY to go to places and sweat themselves silly, I can use the situation as a time for personal reflection.

After organizing everything within my possession (and currently in the process of scrubbing down every surface, I've decided to focus my attention on building my business and challenging myself creatively. I'm back to using my supplies to make beautiful things (the photo is a ring I made yesterday), as well as designing new pieces for shows and to list on Etsy and Sense of Fashion.

Also, when the going gets tough, the tough work on a chainmaille kimono. My goal is to finish it by the end of the summer.

I think that's all for now. If you haven't signed up for my newsletter, now is the time. I'll be sending out the latest issue by the end of the week.

Vanessa Walilko
Chain Mail Jewelry
Aluminum chainmail jewelry

Clearing out the Clutter

2011-07-06T16:24:00.003-05:00

Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted. Let's see, in the past two months I won first place in the Wirework category of the Bead Dreams competition, taught at the Bead&Button show, and survived the first two art fairs of the season. It was a pretty good June, I must say.

Of course, as I build my business, I'm trying to settle into a regular production schedule so I'm not furiously making jewelry in the hours before a show. I'm also just trying to be more organized in general. I'm meticulous with chainmaille, fairly messy with everything else. However, Lifehacker recently published an article on how to "de-crapify" your home, and it seems like now is as good of a time as ever to de-clutter.

Of course, supplies are what's taking up the most space, so be sure to check out my supply shop on Etsy in the coming weeks as I list all of the things that I know I simply won't be using. All my other clutter will be going to the Junior League of Evanston, partly because it's a great organization, partly because it's so easy to get to.

One last note: I'll be participating in Art at the Shops in Yorktown Center on July 16-17. Make sure to stop by, I'll have lots of new jewelry to show off.

Vanessa

Aluminum chain mail jewelry
Handmade chainmaille jewelry

Mother's Day thoughts of my Grandfather

2011-05-09T19:17:00.003-05:00

Mother's Day is generally an opportunity to give the moms, grandmothers, and aunts in your life a hug to let them know how great they are. For me, Mother's Day is the anniversary of the life-changing conversation I had with my grandfather. Because of one fifteen minute conversation, I had the most productive, if not best year of my life and I continue to build my jewelry business and give myself more challenges in order to experience everything life has to offer. And, thanks to the monomania I inherited from the Walilko clan, I sent out a boatload of applications and I'm going to be in several summer shows, and in less than a month I'll be heading to Milwaukee for the Bead&Button show to teach and experience Meet the Teachers.

Every day is an opportunity to thank and honor the people who gave you life, whether physically or metaphorically. If you need the holidays to give you an excuse, use the time to say thanks to everyone. Life is short, hug those special people while you can.

Vanessa Walilko
Aluminum chainmail jewelry

Featured Artist on Petite Tuques

2011-04-26T10:24:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since I worked on this blog due to personal reasons that I should get around to blogging about in May. However, I have exciting news. My Swarovski crystal dragon was recently awarded the Gold Medal Prize in the Home Decor/Doll category of the Fire Mountain Gems Swarovski Elements contest.

And, I was recently featured on the Petite Tuques blog. Her Etsy mini is posted below--check out the cool work!

Be sure to check out the interview. Enter the giveaway for a chance to win a free pair of earrings!

Vanessa
Aluminum chainmail jewelry
Handcrafted aluminum chain mail jewelry

Beaducation - New Order and Giveaway Winner

2011-02-22T08:24:00.004-06:00

My latest order from Beaducation arrived the other day. It arrived just in time. A friend of mine asked me to alter a bracelet that she received for her birthday. Since she's so petite, she worried about how the bangle would fit. I'll be cutting down the bangle and creating a chainmail chain for the bracelet.

Yes, those are two fists bumping.

As such, I got the Power Punch Pliers so that I can punch through the sheet metal of the bracelet. I love how easy these pliers are to use. I tested them out with some anodized aluminum disks (spoiler alert: new designs will be appearing in my summer shows). They work great.

Punch through metal like paper with these awesome things.

As a final note, the winner of the Beaducation class giveaway is Cheryl H. Thanks to everyone for posting your comments. Hopefully I can do another giveaway in the future and offer another great prize.

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmail Jewelry
Aluminum chain mail jewelry

Living without Apology

2011-02-18T09:58:00.002-06:00

Deisree Adaway wrote a great post about not apologizing for who you are. I recommend reading it if you ever find yourself apologizing for all the things that make you uniquely and sincerely you.

Vanessa

Aluminum chainmail jewelry
Handmade chain mail jewelry

Beaducation Class Review and Giveaway!

2011-02-09T17:32:00.007-06:00

When Kate Richbourg asked me to review a class for Beaducation, I was honored. I've known about Beaducation for a while, but I fell in love with them last year after winning a gift certificate for the Bead Dreams competition. They have everything that a new or experienced jewelry designer could want, from supplies (I currently have my eye on their anodized aluminum blanks) to tools to video classes that you can watch over and over again.

I recently took the "Lilies and Leaves" class by Janice Berkebile. Their free videos are an amazing resource for jewelry-making tips, and as I discovered, the classes are fantastic too. This particular class offers intermediate students a ton of valuable information. Berkebile shows you how to make spirals out of wire and how to form a lily and leaves out of copper sheet metal... even showing how to correct a common mistake which is an incredible bit of information to offer students.

This is a wonderful project. I've made a couple forays into metalsmithing, but I'm a chainmail woman. This video taught me how to use pliers to texture metal--how clever! I also learned a couple extra tips about keeping bits of metal in one place for easy clean-up and how to lengthen the life of paper templates. Also, can I just say that I love how delightfully tactile this project is? I want to do some experimenting with my anodized aluminum leaves for a brightly colored variation.

I strongly recommend the class for anyone looking to take on a new project. Best of all, "Lilies and Leaves" is on sale until February 18.

But that's not all... I'm offering my first ever giveaway! I will be selecting one lucky person to win the class of their choice on Beaducation. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this blog by the end of the day on February 20 with the answer to this question: what class would you take if you win? I'll pick a winner at random from all the comments. Make sure to leave your name and email address in the comment... if we can't get a hold of you, you can't win this fabulous prize!

Don't wait--enter the giveaway today!

Vanessa
Aluminum Chain Mail Jewelry
Handcrafted Chainmaille jewelry

Birthday resolutions

2011-02-07T11:05:00.002-06:00

My new year starts on October 1. I have that time until January 1 to work out what I want to achieve. I test out those goals until February 5--my birthday--and then I get serious about things. The idea of a New Year's Resolution is a little daunting, but thankfully I can break that off into manageable monthly chunks and then really get cracking on plans for the new year when my new year comes around.

There are already many awesome things a-brewin'. I'm finally sitting down to work on tutorials for my designs. Instructions for how to make a a pair of beaded star earrings are already on my VanessaSellsSupplies Etsy shop. A chainmaille belt tutorial will soon follow.

Instructions for my Unfoldings of the Implicate Order beaded necklace are in issues 28 and 29 of Bead Magazine.

And, the trophies I won in the British Bead Awards arrived, along with some neat certificates. Best early birthday gift ever.

My shameless love of winning certificates and awards has been around since elementary school, when I craved the colorful certificates that meant I had mastered one of the Holey Cards. I guess I've always been a monomaniac.

Also, I made organic wild rice crackers with a recipe I tweaked myself. It's going to be a good year!

Vanessa Walilko

Aluminum chain mail jewelry
Handcrafted chainmail jewelry

Happy New Year and one quick word of advice

2010-12-31T08:30:00.002-06:00

All in all, 2010 was pretty stellar for me. I accomplished every goal I set out to achieve and accomplished a number of things that I really didn't expect to. I believe now more than ever that although many things are out of our control, the one thing you are in charge of is your attitude. Once you change your attitude about where you think you can go in life, the possibilities are endless... if only because you've forgotten to be afraid of things that you don't need to fear.

Now that the more metaphysical ramblings have been dispensed with, I want to offer a quick word of advice for all artists, designers, and makers of cool things: raise your prices. As the new year approaches, reassess the work that you do on a daily basis and seriously think about what you're worth. Chances are, you are not charging enough for what you make, you're not covering your expenses and your hourly rate is woefully inadequate. You might just be so excited that people are willing to buy your work that you don't want to charge more, or you don't think people will pay more. They will. Just as you can change the shape of your life by expecting more from it, you can change the shape of your business by expecting customers who really appreciate the work that you do.

Preaching over. Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve.

Vanessa

Aluminum chainmail jewelry
Handmade chain mail jewelry

Happy Holidays - A Month in Review

2010-12-15T12:50:00.003-06:00

To all of you who follow this blog, my sincerest apologies for the long absence. I have been so busy with shows and orders and something had to give and the blog was that something. For those of you who aren't fans of Kali Butterfly on Facebook, here's a little bit of information on what's been going on:

1) My work can now be found in Northern Lights Gallery in Racine, WI and Team Blonde in Forest Park, IL. If you're in either area, check them out.

2) I somehow survived doing three shows in three weekends, culminating in the awesome madness that was One of a Kind. I met a ton of people and talked to them about chainmail jewelry and armor. I also had a delightful conversation about the origin of my name and my business name, and my work was also featured in the Time Out Chicago blog (photos 13 and 14). In any case, if you missed something at One of a Kind, I am listing jewelry on Etsy so you can still find that special something. All orders placed by 3pm CST on Monday will have guaranteed Christmas delivery.

3) Instructions for my Unfoldings of the Implicate Order necklace will be featured in issues 28 and 29 of Bead Magazine. Issue 27 will feature images of both my Implicate necklace and my scalemail armor piece and hopefully that will be hitting shelves in the US soon.

4) With wholesale orders finished for the year, I have time to work on my latest armor piece. Originally it was going to be inspired by the goddess Amaterasu, but since I am mildly obsessed with the phoenix, I've decided to make a phoenix-inspired jacket. The photo below is just a small sneak peak of what is to come.

Speaking of, I am off to work on said armor piece. Happy holidays!

Vanessa
Handmade chain mail jewelry
Aluminum chainmail jewelry

Inspiration Wednesday - Shameless Self-Promotion

2010-11-10T14:10:00.002-06:00

The Bead Mavens have more than a few good things to say about shameless self-promotion, etiquette, and income.

Aluminum chainmail jewelry
Handcrafted aluminum chain mail jewelry

Inspiration Monday - Dream Big

2010-11-01T18:28:00.004-05:00

After winning the People's Choice Award in the Bead Dreams competition, my goal was to win an award in an international competition. I found out on Saturday that I won two.

I'm still totally floored by how my pieces placed in the British Bead Awards. While I wait for the shock to wear off, I'm trying to think up the next big goal. With luck, persistence, and a bit of monomania, you can accomplish anything.

Vanessa

Aluminum chain mail jewelry
Handmade aluminum chainmail jewelry

Inspiration Monday - Knowing when to say no

2010-10-13T14:58:00.003-05:00

I tend to embrace whatever opportunities come my way. I think saying yes to good things make more good things shimmy down the highway of life. But I also think that being in a relationship, job, or situation you don't want to be in anymore is bad karma... and not in a multiple lives sense, but in a "you're going to just invite more of this into your life now by sticking around" sense.

This episode of This American Life is about quitting. I'm a fan of quitting in small doses. I think it can dislodge you from a big rut and help you realize that you can be in charge of your own life and destiny.

Vanessa
Kali Butterfly - Aluminum Chainmail Jewelry
Handcrafted aluminum chain mail jewelry

Inspiration Monday - No risk, no reward

2010-10-11T11:55:00.001-05:00

Success requires believing in the value of your dreams and desires no matter what other people tell you.

Vanessa
Aluminum chainmail jewelry
Handcrafted aluminum chain mail jewelry

Inspiration Monday (Tuesday edition) - A Year in Review

2010-10-05T12:19:00.003-05:00

On October 1, I celebrated the anniversary of a big change in my life. One year ago, I embarked on my year of freedom project. My plan was to pour every ounce of energy I had in me into creating the foundation of a meaningful, joyous life spent doing what meant the most to me. The goal was to create a jewelry design business that would bring in enough income that I could support myself. A secondary goal was to establish myself as a designer. In the past year, I accomplished the following:

--I published an article on critical theory and feminism in Current Perspectives in Social Theory.
--Three wearable art pieces were exhibited at SNAG's Exhibition in Motion at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, TX.
--My beaded talons were accepted into a national juried exhibition: "Extremities: Exploring the Margins of the Human Body."
--I won the People's Choice Award and 2nd place in the Wirework competition in the 2010 Bead Dreams competition.
--My "Squares with Flair" project was published in Step by Step Wire Jewelry.
--I took home the grand prize in the Fashion Fever sewing and fashion design competition at the CHA Craft SuperShow.
--I was awarded first place in the Pendants/Necklaces category in the 2010 Jewelry Arts Awards and had my piece published in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Magazine.
--I am now represented in 8 stores, with two more orders in the works.

Looking back is always a little bittersweet because I wish that I had a sense earlier of what could be accomplished with a lot of dedication, passion, and hard work. In the course of a year, I have fundamentally changed the shape of my life. I am a professional jewelry designer. I think that's incredible.

Now that I've gotten my freedom mojo going, I've been thinking about what to do for this following year. My goal for this year is a) to establish myself as the aluminum chainmaille jewelry queen, and b) to purge myself of all my procrastination and anxiety. This is the year of fearlessness.

Vanessa

Aluminum chain mail jewelry
Handcrafted aluminum chainmail jewelry

Inspiration Monday - Crochet a Cthulhu

2010-09-20T16:21:00.000-05:00

Etsy is a wondrous place. I'm not just saying that because they featured one of my necklaces on their blog. You can find all sorts of neat things if you know what to look for.

Example: I found a kit to make a cthulhu plush. It even comes with stuffing and a little beady eye.

For those of you who already have yarn and just need instructions, here's a link to a free crochet cthulhu pattern.

Vanessa

Aluminum chain mail jewelry
Handcrafted chainmail jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Vanessa's Power Miso Soup

2010-09-16T18:55:00.003-05:00

Today was one of those days that signaled that autumn was on its way. By the time I left work, it was downright chilly. It was the perfect day for some soup.

I've been wanting to make miso soup for a while. For a time I was addicted to Trader Joe's instant miso soup, but there isn't one for several miles, which means nothing to people with those automobile contraptions, but means an hour trip for those of us who take public transportation.

Whole Foods, thankfully, is much closer, and they had all the ingredients I needed. The following is a slightly modified recipe for miso soup found on the back of Eden brand organic shiro miso.

1 tsp wakame flakes
2 cups of water
1 small onion, diced (I used a boiler onion--worked like a charm)
1 carrot, shredded
1 green onion, finely sliced
4 ounces of tofu, drained and pressed (although the last brand I got didn't even need that--I'll update this post the next time I'm at Whole Foods)
2 tbsp of organic shiro miso, dissolved in 2 tbsp water

Bring the water to a boil. Add onions and wakame and let simmer for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat as low as possible and add the miso/water mixture, simmering for another two minutes. After that, drop in the green onions, carrots, and tofu and get ready for some super-fabulous soup.

If you do try out the recipe, let me know what you think!

Vanessa Walilko
Aluminum chain mail jewelry

Inspiration Monday - Live Well

2010-09-13T19:18:00.001-05:00

On August 24th, visionary anime director Satoshi Kon, passed away. Before his death, he wrote a rambling and beautiful letter that his family posted on his blog. Makiko Itoh was kind enough to post an English translation of the document on her blog.

The letter he left behind is a good reminder that life is fleeting. As far as I'm concerned, you should enjoy as much of your time here as possible.

Vanessa Walilko
Kali Butterfly - Aluminum Chain Mail Jewelry

Inspiration Monday (Tuesday edition) - Change your habits

2010-09-07T16:50:00.003-05:00

I used to handle stress by playing video games for hours on end. That was fun, but it would often leave me with 8-bit music stuck in my head and pixelated dreams for days. And sure, I would think it was cool that I had defeated Omega Weapon without converting and of my Triple Triad cards for items, but how many people understand any of what I just wrote, let alone care about it? More importantly, hours spend on video games would leave me with the distinct sense of accomplishing nothing. Not so great.

These days, when I'm stressed out (usually about orders), I make something. I take a break and focus on something else in order to clear my head. The past couple days have been jewelry-making central. I dropped off pieces at Hubba-Hubba, and I've been furiously working on getting out the fall batch of wholesale orders. And I've spent a good amount of time freaking out over having pieces being photographed in other states and other miscellaneous things. So I stopped fretting and got to work on something else that would keep me occupied for a while. Not only was it a good distraction, but I also had the satisfaction of making something that I can wear out in this lovely fall weather.

We all need ways to de-stress. If you choose to have better habits, you can end up with a jacket made with winged unicorn fabric. Frankly, I'll take that over maxing out the timer in one of the Final Fantasy games.

Vanessa

Aluminum chain mail jewelry
Handmade chainmail jewelry

Inspiration Monday - Thanks for everything, Julie Newmar

2010-08-30T20:25:00.002-05:00

Ever since I first saw Julie Newmar on the television screen as Catwoman, she's been my hero. Catwoman was smart, funny, and had minions--MINIONS--to do her bidding. And she had a good fashion sense. Julie Newmar played the role perfectly.

So, when I found out that Julie Newmar was going to be at Comic-Con, I had to go. I knew I was going to get her autograph and hoped to get my photo with her. And even though the anxiety of going alone to Comic-Con nearly kept me from going, I decided to put my chainmaille jacket on and go. (Wearing chainmaille makes everything easier.) And she thought my chainmaille jacket was beautiful.

The point of this, aside from bragging about meeting my childhood idol, is that if you want something, even if you might think it's silly, it's worth going after. Because your hero might also turn out to be lovely like Julie Newmar, and who doesn't want an awesome memory like that?

Vanessa

Inspiration Monday

2010-08-23T21:46:00.003-05:00

I do plan on recapping my time at Comic Con on Sunday, but I don't have it in me to write right now. But if this video doesn't inspire you to do something wonderful, you have a heart two sizes too small, Grinch.

As an aside, those Bambi toys look just like the ones I had when I was a kid.

Vanessa Walilko
Aluminum chain mail jewelry

Inspiration Monday - Frugal Living

2010-08-16T21:10:00.003-05:00

NPR published a story about frugal living in NYC. As someone who eventually wants to move to New York to be a design big-wig, it's heartening to know that it is possible to survive in the big city without a big income.

Chain Mail Jewelry
Aluminum chain mail jewelry

Inspiration Monday - Make a Mini Top Hat

2010-08-09T20:28:00.000-05:00

Yikes. It almost isn't Monday anymore, but I wanted to post something before the sun sets...

If you're like me, the idea of making a mini top hat has crossed your mind at least once. Well, I did some internet digging, and I found a very clever and easy tutorial for making your own mini top hat! It's by fetishfaerie on Deviant Art.

Aluminum chain mail jewelry
Handcrafted chainmail jewelry

Inspiration Monday - Apply to Everything

2010-08-02T13:37:00.000-05:00

I'm still buzzing over the win in the Fashion Fever competition at the CHA Craft SuperShow. I, for one, did not expect to win. I've been sewing for years, but I'm mostly self-taught (my family did show me how to sew by hand, but that's pretty much it). I consider myself a jewelry designer, even though I have been known to make chainmaille clothing. I was mostly looking for a challenge since I've devoted myself to scaring the holy heck out of myself, and I walked away with a trip to LA in January for the 2011 CHA SuperShow. Not bad for two days work.

Here is a photo of all the Fashion Fever Finalists, taken from the CHA SuperShow Facebook page.

The lesson I learned is this: apply to everything.

Aside from jury fees, you have nothing to lose. Heck, it was basically free for me to enter Fashion Fever, I just had to pay for the postage of mailing the photos of my bead embroidered Tiamat dress to Michigan. Sure, if you're sensitive, it can be painful if you apply to something and aren't accepted. But let me tell you, I have applied to countless shows, countless exhibitions and countless competitions and been rejected from countless shows, countless exhibitions and countless competitions. From going through the process over and over again, I've built up a callous. And, from applying to everything that I think I'm remotely qualified for, there are enough successes to make the rejections seem irrelevant.

If you never put yourself out there, no one will ever know who you are or care about what you're doing. If you have a passion for something, you have to let the world know, and putting an application in the mail (or in an email) is one of the easiest ways to share your work with people.

Enough preaching. I have a show to prepare for. I'll be at the Evanston Lakeshore Art Festival this weekend. I'll have loads of new jewelry. Come check it out!

Vanessa Walilko
Aluminum chain mail jewelry

Inspiration Monday - Find good people

2010-07-26T12:58:00.000-05:00

Being an artist is difficult business. As I mentioned in my blog last week, you're constantly putting yourself on the line. Your work is a part of you, and sending it out to be judged by others is exhausting.

As such, I constantly struggle with how to sustain the energy necessary to keep soldiering on. Starting and running a business (or--in my megalomaniacal aspirations--a design empire) requires a constant input of energy and time because you always have to be thinking about the next step. Working in a corporate job has its own set of emotional drains and problems, but there is an odd comfort in knowing where you're going to be each day and knowing what you're going to do. For those people who aren't threatened with lay-offs, you also can always count on your paycheck. Artists know that whether they can pay their rent or not depends on their ability to generate money off of their talent (which can be subject to arbitrary whims, as I also mentioned last week).

Something I realized not too long ago is that the easiest way to keep up all the energy to keep fighting is to find good people. Last year when I decided to redesign my life, I also purged all of the friends who didn't get what I was trying to do and who thought I was a bit of a weirdo. (I am, of course, but I shouldn't be judged for that!) These days, I surround myself with friends are supportive of what I'm doing, even if they're not artists. And they are my greatest resource--if I'm feeling anxious about a decision or feeling drained, they keep me motivated.

Any time you venture off the beaten path, it helps to have a few cheerleaders in your corner. Good friends will always be there as your personal pep rally. Don't waste time with nay-sayers. Chances are they're wrong, or they're trying to dismiss your dreams because they're too scared to follow theirs. And don't waste time talking to people who don't get what you're doing. Talking to people who don't understand art is a lot like talking to medieval peasants about the stock market--they're not going to get it. (As an aside, if you are doing that, you're totally wasting your time machine.)

Vanessa Walilko
Chain mail jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Chainmaille Belt

2010-07-24T21:16:00.000-05:00

I've been futzing with this belt for months. It emerged after I altered the ring size I used for one of my pieces of chain mail jewelry and suddenly had a plethora of rings in a size I couldn't use. And then I thought the former bracelet design would work great as a belt. The ends of the belt, however, thwarted me for months. I wasn't sure how to finish it off so that it looked polished. I came up with a solution just a couple of days ago, and now I have a belt that I can proudly wear. I am a happy lady.

Vanessa Walilko
Chain mail jewelry

Inspiration Monday - Don't Take it Personally

2010-07-19T12:33:00.000-05:00

I remember the first time I entered the Bead Dreams competition. I submitted my Phoenix Reborn bead embroidered necklace and my Dragon Mother beaded sculpture. I was so proud of both pieces, I had even gotten Larry Sanders to photograph them and sent in fancy high-res images. To say that I was disappointed when I got the rejection letter would be an understatement.

I used to take rejection personally, and I imagine that most sensitive artists do. It's hard not to--your pour your energy and time into making a piece of art that you adore. It's a piece of you. It takes courage just to show it to someone, let alone send it out to be judged. It can be really heartbreaking to send a piece out and find it unequivocally dismissed. You can console yourself with knowing that your friends think it's cool, but only so much.

Thankfully, I possess that weird gene that when someone tells me no, I have to prove them wrong. I have no idea where this stubborn, potentially spiteful impulse comes from, but every rejection evokes the same response: "I'll show you." Both my win in the Fire Mountain Gems contest and my publication in Step by Step Wire Jewelry came from being rejected elsewhere. I had to prove the rejectors wrong.

Of course, what I've realized over the past couple years (aside from the fact that I can put my Scorpio-moon vindictive nature to very productive use), is that you can't take it personally. At the end of the day, all judgments are arbitrary. We can hide behind an illusion of objectivity as much as we want, but without a doubt, whatever was going on inside the heads of the judges determines if we get into a show or not. They might like your work, but it doesn't fit into their vision of the show. They might like your aesthetic, but not your technical skill, or vice versa. They could have been cut off by some jerk in the morning and think your entry reminds them of the driver. They could have gotten a ton of really skilled applicants this year, and your piece was great but others made things even better. Anything is possible.

At the end of the day, you have to have faith in the work that you're doing, and keep putting it out there for the world to see. As you hone your craft, someone is bound to notice, and they will tell other someones until suddenly lots of people know and care about what you're doing. But before that happens, you have to get over yourself and not take it personally. It'll serve you better in the long run.

Vanessa Walilko
Handmade aluminum chain mail jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 62

2010-07-16T15:06:00.000-05:00

It's been another busy week. I find myself pleasantly exhausted. I've also designed a new necklace. Hope you like it.

Vanessa Walilko
Handmade aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Inspiration Monday - Overcoming Procrastination

2010-07-12T09:30:00.001-05:00

Crafting an MBA recently posted a blog entry about how to stop using "work" to procrastinate from doing real work. I do this constantly. I should be working on preparing for some upcoming shows, but instead I'm working on my cropped red scale mail jacket. It's almost done, but deadlines are looming and I'm looking for a distraction.

There are tips for how to overcome this procrastination in the form of fake work. One is to prioritize your to-do list. So I guess it's time to get off the computer and get to work!

Vanessa Walilko
Handmade Aluminum Chainmaille Jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 61

2010-07-09T20:26:00.000-05:00

Today has been a fantastic day. I found out that my chainmaille jacket was mentioned in the Evanston Review, my armor was featured on the Lark Crafts website, and I got a call that I was chosen as a finalist for the National Sewing Council Fashion Fever Sewing Competition. And that was all before noon. As I said, fantastic day.

I also am happy to report that I finally finished my latest dragon, made from Swarovski crystal elements. It's a project that I started working on MANY months ago, and I'm delighted to see the finished product.

Vanessa Walilko
Handmade aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Inspiration Monday - Practice Makes Perfect

2010-07-05T10:05:00.000-05:00

I happened to find this great post written by my cousin's cousin on honing your craft. She is a talented musician, but what she says easily applies to any creative endeavor. If you want to be really good at something, you have to practice it obsessively. She describes learning techniques for playing the piano well, but I was reminded of making chainmaille. Any time a student of mine tells me that she would like to have better closures, I reply that if she wants really good closures, she should make a piece of clothing. Closing 10,000, 15,000, or 30,000 jump rings will help you hone your skill (if you don't tear your hair out first, of course).

In any case, the blog post is a good read for anyone who wants to know how someone creative develops their skill. Read her blog post here.

Vanessa Walilko
Aluminum Chainmaille Jewelry

Inspiration Monday - Are you happy?

2010-06-28T13:02:00.001-05:00

Here's a handy chart to help you figure out how to get there if you're not.

Vanessa Walilko
Aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 60

2010-06-26T19:59:00.000-05:00

It's about time I post something new! I've finally recovered from Bead&Button madness and returned to making things, searching out competitions and shows, and sending in entries, aside from making jewelry, keeping track of the books, and doing other business things. Everyone thinks that it's easy to be an artist. Hah! It's a business, but one I'm happy to do since I love making things more than just about anything else.

Meandering thoughts aside, I finally put together a ruched halter top and skirt made of this wonderful two-way stretch knit I picked up a few years ago. It's the perfect outfit for this hot weather that I find desperately hard to tolerate. There has to be a place that has temperatures in the 60-75 degree range, right? I would move there in a heartbeat.

Also, I am hard at work on my entry for the latest Fire Mountain Gems competition. It's a Swarovski elements design contest, and I think I may finish my piece right after the contest opens. I love being early for a deadline for once.

Vanessa Walilko
Aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Inspiration Monday: Fairy Wings Tutorial

2010-06-21T09:07:00.000-05:00

I swear, not all of my inspirational posts will be about wings, but I saw this tutorial on OOAKguild.com and I had to share it. It gives you excellent instructions on creating wings out of Fantasy Film, perfect for fairies, mermaid fins, or (as I'm planning) dragon wings. You can check out the full tutorial here.

Vanessa Walilko
Aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Art Diaries

2010-06-16T16:25:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to report that one of my scale mail panels was accepted into the Art Diaries exhibit at 4Art Inc Gallery. It will be exhibited in their "RETREAT" exhibition from July 16-September 17 at the Zhou B Art Center in Chicago.

Aluminum chainmaille jewelry
Vanessa Walilko

Inspiration Monday: How to Make Moving Dragon Wings

2010-06-14T08:38:00.000-05:00

Monday has got to be the hardest day of the week. Waking up to a morning full of fog isn't so great either. We could all use some inspiration. For example, someone posted an instructional video on Youtube for how to make your own moving dragon wings. You can bet that this is now on the to-do list.

Bead&Button Recap!

2010-06-13T17:06:00.000-05:00

While the past few years have involved many work-filled days in Milwaukee due to the Bead&Button show, this year involved a tactical strike. I traveled to Milwaukee early Wednesday morning, stayed the night and then traveled back to Chicago on Thursday early evening. I somehow managed to get through two 18+ hour days on mostly adrenaline and homemade orange bread.

The Meet the Teachers reception was the wonderful whirlwind I expected. I met the editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry, Denise Peck in person for the first time. Also, my beaded animals got a lot of great attention--it looks like I'll be developing instructions for the cat first, then the little purple dragon.

Thursday was wonderful, even though I started working at 8am. My class was fantastic! I had four wonderful students and taught them all Dragonscale. Honestly, I can't believe that I get paid to talk with and teach chainmaille to lovely people. I feel like I'm getting away with something sneaky. I really hope that the classes I submit for next year are accepted so that I have the opportunity to teach there again.

To top it all off, my chainmaille jacket won 2nd place in the Wirework category for the Bead Dreams competition. I'm excited to get that gift certificate from Beaducation.

Also, before I made my return journey to Chicago, I met a bunch of lovely wonderful people from Fire Mountain Gems! I've been buying supplies from them for the longest time--and been a finalist or winner in the past three of the last five competitions. (Someone even recognized my dragon!) In fact, if I manage to eke out some time, I have a project to finish for their upcoming Swarovski crystal competition. It's going to be a bust few months!

Vanessa Walilko
Aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 59

2010-06-06T10:31:00.000-05:00

In honor of the beautiful weather we've been having, I created a happy Buddha necklace in greens and blues.

Aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Bead&Button or bust and 18 Hands Gallery

2010-06-01T17:54:00.000-05:00

I've determined that about a month before Bead&Button, anyone associated with the show develops Bead&Button brain. It's a condition that involves thinking only of the show and forgetting just about everything else. I am very excited about teaching at the show for the first time, seeing my chainmaille jacket in the on display with all the other finalists, and meeting all the lovely people who come out for Meet the Teachers, but I am also looking forward to the post-show recovery of my full brain power.

In other exciting news, two of my pieces were accepted into the Contemporary Beadwork II exhibition at 18 Hands Gallery in Houston, TX. Anyone in the area can check out my Dragon Mother beaded sculpture and my necklace inspired by David Bohm's theory of the implicate order. The exhibition will be on display during the month of July.

Unique aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 58

2010-05-30T10:09:00.000-05:00

Ammonite fossils + Parawire enameled copper wire + Lindstrom pliers = one huge ring. Isn't math fun?

Aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 57

2010-05-29T09:29:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite places to get fossils and stones is Dave's Rock Shop. It's worth a visit for the museum in the basement alone, but their selection of stone carvings, fossils, and beads is unbelievable.

On one of my many visits to the store, I came across a dendrite that I fell in love with. I finally turned it into a necklace:

I used enameled copper wire to make a prong setting for the piece. I really love the bronze color.

Aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Einstein Biker Ring?

2010-05-26T16:06:00.000-05:00

During one of my early-morning eBay searches for one of my various esoteric interests, I stumbled upon a biker ring featuring the face of Albert Einstein. No lie. Look!

I'm not sure how many bikers are fans of relativity or the EPR paradox so much that they would get an Einstein ring, but science nerds everywhere should rejoice.

Of course, if science isn't your bag, you can always get a ring of the Flying Spaghetti Monster...

Make Something Beautiful - Day 56

2010-05-26T16:00:00.001-05:00

Years ago, I purchased some beautiful handcarved aragonite flowers from Fire Mountain Gems. Of course, I had no idea what to do with them. Since I love large, sculptural rings, I thought I'd make one. It was a pretty simply project--just wrapped some green wire around a ring mandrel and voila! Of course, wearing it does make typing semi-difficult.

Vanessa Walilko
Aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 55

2010-05-25T13:19:00.000-05:00

I had made a bracelet a few days ago using lapis lazuli flowers and butterflies, and I thought that today I would make a matching pendant.

Vanessa Walilko
Unique aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 54

2010-05-24T14:41:00.000-05:00

I was looking for something repetitive to do since all of my epic projects are currently in the mentally exhausting "design as you work" stage. I decided to pick up knitting again, and made perhaps one of the most seasonally inappropriate things I've ever made. It was 90 degrees yesterday, and I wanted to make fuzzy armwarmers. Clearly the heat has already effected my brain functions. Oh well.

Unique aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 53

2010-05-23T06:32:00.000-05:00

Some time around 2002, I picked up a couple of fluorite skulls in Arizona. I always had the intention of making a ring out of them, but this project finally gave me a reason to do it.

I created a simple band because I wanted the focus to be on the stone itself, with its teal and dark purple coloring. I'm excited that a really simple prong setting holds the skull in place.

Unique Aluminum Chainmaille Jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 52

2010-05-22T10:06:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning to fog as thick as soup. Visibility was about 30 feet, maybe? Fog is really the spring/summer version of snow: everything is white, and you don't really want to go outside because you can't see too far in front of your face. The fog has started to lift, which means that the errands must get done. Tragic.

However, I did manage to get something done for the Make Something Beautiful project. I've been a slacker lately, making something every week or so, which was not what I intended. I have a ton of supplies that I've picked up over the years, and it's about time that I made something with them. In fact, several years ago I bought a piece of meteor glass that just rocks my world. With some simple wire wrapping, I made it into a pendant. It's amazing how easy it is to turn something that's just taking up space into something that has a use.

Ghostbusters in the NY Public Library

2010-05-19T14:06:00.000-05:00

A good laugh, and yet another reason why we need to support public libraries.

via Nerdist

Make Something Beautiful - Day 51

2010-05-18T20:11:00.000-05:00

I'm currently watching the setting sun cast the evening clouds in a magenta glow. It was a grey day, and it's nice to see some color in the sky.

Here's a new bracelet. I've had this idea for a while, and it's nice to finally see it realized:

Unique aluminum chainmaille jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 50

2010-05-14T22:29:00.000-05:00

I've been staring at a computer screen all day, so this will be a short post. I finished another aluminum and rubber ring bracelet for the speedweaving dragonscale tutorial I'm cooking up for Bead&Button. I can't believe that in a mere four weeks I'll be teaching my first class at the show. I'm very excited.

Epic beadwork

2010-05-07T18:56:00.000-05:00

When I finished my scale mail cropped jacket, I was thrilled that it was done, but a little sad, too. What was I going to work on now? Well, I've decided to make a return to a few things that I haven't done a lot of in a while: sewing and beading.

My latest piece is a giant soft sculpture dragon with bead and stone embellishments. It's still in the preliminary stages, but I love the way the head is coming out with the carved stone horns and the lampwork eyes. Oh, and I was lucky enough to just have some orange fabric just sitting around that looks like scales. Hooray!

Also, I started work on Tiamat again. I just put on some This American Life of MST3K and bead away. I'm in the final third now, I just have to fill in the space around the cuneiform characters. There's a certain amount of meditative repetition that occurs with chainmaille. Not so with bead embroidery. I have to think so much about where the next splash of color is going to go that I can only work on it for a couple hours before getting frustrated and/or exhausted... but the payoff is worth it.

Vanessa Walilko

Make Something Beautiful - Day 49

2010-05-07T18:51:00.000-05:00

I'll be honest, I needed a little break from making things after finishing the jacket. I just takes so much creative energy to finally put the last pieces on a project that has taken you--literally--months to finish.

That being said, here are some earrings:

Make Something Beautiful - Day 48

2010-04-30T17:17:00.000-05:00

It's done--12,000 jump rings, 6,000 scales, 10 leather straps and countless hours of work. Yes, I put the finishing touches on my scale mail jacket today. I feel a mix of relief at having finished something that consumed a good portion of my life and the sense of loss of no longer having that project take over my life. There's always the Tiamat dress...

Chainmaille armor
Chainmaille jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 47

2010-04-28T23:56:00.000-05:00

Before the day changes, a Japanese zig-zag bracelet!

Chainmaille Jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 46

2010-04-27T17:14:00.000-05:00

My eyes are officially hurting from working on my latest armor piece. With much reluctance, I put it down, just to pick up some jump rings and design a new bracelet. And now I will step away from the computer, because staring at small things all day has made my eyes feel very strange.

Unique chainmaille jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 45

2010-04-26T22:45:00.000-05:00

I'm feeling fairly nauseous because I sent out a package with four of my armor pieces tucked inside. Altogether, that's about 250 hours of my life in one box that the USPS will hopefully send to its destination, and not ship it to California by mistake like another package that went astray.

However, I am soldiering on and still working on new jewelry. Here's a Japanese bracelet I made today.

Make Something Beautiful - Day 44

2010-04-25T17:14:00.000-05:00

There's a call for a contemporary beadwork exhibition at a gallery in Houston. Since all of my compulsive behavior has been channeled into making chainmaille and applying to shows/competitions/residencies/grants, I have to apply to this one, too. (It's like my version of counting ceiling tiles.) It gave me a good reason to make something that I had been thinking about for a few months.

It's called, "Unfoldings of the Enfolded Universe," and is directly inspired by David Bohm's Wholeness and the Implicate Order. In the book, Bohm discusses the notion of the undivided wholeness of all things, the connectivity of thought and matter, and the idea that all things are unfoldings of an enfolded universe. If you're interested in theoretical physics, especially the kind that challenges current paradigms, I recommend it.

Unique chainmaille jewelry
by Vanessa Walilko

Bead&Button News and Make Something Beautiful - Day 43

2010-04-24T22:20:00.001-05:00

Best news last week: I found out that my chainmaille jacket was juried into the 2010 Bead Dreams Competition in the new Wirework category. I'll be shipping them the 30,000 jump ring, 8-pound piece of clothing some time this week. Considering that the rest of my armor pieces are going to Bead + Fiber for their wearable art show, I'll be chainmaille-deprived for the next couple months. At least my scalemaille piece is almost done.

Anyway, here's the piece I made today. I usually make things out of aluminum, but I wanted to try a golden design today. I quite like it.

Facere pulchrum!

Vanessa

Unique chainmaille jewelry
Handmade jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 42

2010-04-23T21:41:00.000-05:00

Here's a new necklace. Also, I was featured on Athena's Armoury blog as part of the raffle sponsor spotlight. Janine is doing the 3-Day walk to raise money for breast cancer research. Support her cause!

Vanessa

Make Something Beautiful - Day 41

2010-04-22T22:46:00.001-05:00

For the past several days, I've been bingeing on Mythbusters episodes while working furiously on my new scale maille piece. Over 5,000 scales and 10,000 rings later, and I'm still not done, but so close...

I've also been designing new pieces, like these earrings:

Vanessa
Unique, handcrafted chainmaille jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 40

2010-04-21T14:51:00.000-05:00

Here's a ripple bubble necklace with huge rings. Frankly, I think if you're going to wear a piece of jewelry, it should be something that people can see from across the room.

Vanessa

Make Something Beautiful - Day 39

2010-04-16T10:32:00.000-05:00

For whatever reason, I haven't posted anything in about a week even though I've been making things all week. It's strange. And since I'd gotten into the habit of posting, I started feeling anxious for not posting. So here's one of my latest bracelets. It reminds me of clouds.

Unique, handcrafted chainmaille jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 38

2010-04-09T20:54:00.000-05:00

If I weren't under the gun for show and class prep, I would write about this new talisman necklace, how I picked up the shell and coral from the beach when I visited a friend of mine, and how special that vacation was. For now, I just feel like uploading a photo.

Vanessa Walilko

Make Something Beautiful - Day 37

2010-04-08T21:08:00.001-05:00

I guess the aluminum components just weren't jangly enough. I decided to add bells. Bells are supposed to dispel evil spirits... of course, I really just like making noise.

Vanessa Walilko

Make Something Beautiful - Day 36

2010-04-07T23:30:00.001-05:00

I am busy making more jewelry for the Spring Show at Architectural Artifacts in Chicago, and I just came up with something that put a smile on my face. What good is a monkey bracelet without a matching pendant?

Facere pulchrum. And come to my show!

Vanessa Walilko

Make Something Beautiful - Day 35

2010-04-06T08:44:00.000-05:00

Today's Make Something Beautiful project is a little different. Usually, I make a piece of jewelry. Lately, especially, I've been trying to incorporate materials that have been lying around for a while to make new designs. Today, I unveil some website work.

Ever since I launched my chainmaille jewelry site, I had a little notice in the upper right-hand corner letting people know that "Kali Butterfly Dark was coming soon." If we can assume, as Einstein did, that time is relative, then a year later is definitely "soon."

In any case, those of you who follow me on Facebook or crafthaus have seen these pieces before. However, I've also set up the index to include an exhibition schedule.

In any case, enough yapping, enjoy Kali Butterfly Dark!

Facere pulchrum!

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille clothing, beaded armor, and art

Monkey Bracelet! Make Something Beautiful - Day 34

2010-04-05T14:59:00.000-05:00

I made a monkey bracelet. It makes me pretty insanely happy.

Facere pulchrum,

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille clothing, beaded sculpture

Make Something Beautiful - Day 33

2010-04-04T07:43:00.000-05:00

I'm really into long necklaces lately. Here's a red one I put together.

Facere pulchrum,

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, beaded jewelry, chainmaille armor, beaded armor, beaded sculpture, and art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 32

2010-04-03T09:01:00.000-05:00

This is the consummation of an idea that I've had for quite a while. I initially made a bracelet with a bunch of beaded claws and when I hung it up, I had visions of a y-necklace. Here is the realization of that vision:

Hopefully between pricing and making inventory for the show tomorrow, I can squeeze in some experiments with gold leaf.

Facere pulchrum,

Vanessa Walilko

Make Something Beautiful - Day 31

2010-04-02T17:48:00.000-05:00

I'll be honest, this sure-sign-of-the-apocalypse (but lovely) 80-degree weather has left me a bit freaked out. I continue to compost, recycle, and not drive anywhere ever, but I wish there were more I could do. (Alas, I do not yet have Dr. Manhattan-level powers.)

In the mean time, I got my phoenix back from the Shambhala Meditation Center. It's now back on its perch sitting next to the phoenix finger puppet I picked up at Kemah Boardwalk in Houston. I knew they'd look fantastic together.

I also designed another new necklace for the show on Sunday. It uses these stones (still no idea what kind) that look like smokey quartz. Some have bands of pink and others look like they're cross-sections of flames. With an enameled copper chain and some shell beads, they make an eclectic pendant.

Okay, back to work! I have jewelry to make and tax information to compile.

Facere pulchrum,
Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille clothing, beaded armor, and beaded sculpture

Bead + Fiber Gallery and Make Something Beautiful - Day 30

2010-04-01T18:27:00.000-05:00

Today was a good day. I got some last minute supplies for the show I'm doing on Sunday. And, I just found out that several of my beaded armor and chainmaille armor pieces were accepted into the Wearable Art Show at the Bead + Fiber Gallery. Pretty neat, eh? Made for a happy day.

Oh, I made a necklace, too:

Facere pulchrum!

Vanessa Walilko
Kali Butterfly - Chainmaille Armor, Chainmaille Jewelry, Chainmaille Scales Jewelry, Beaded Fashion and Art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 29

2010-03-31T22:41:00.000-05:00

It was a freakishly warm day today. I love the weather, but I really miss Spring and Fall as seasons. One week of 60-degree weather does not a season make.

In any case, since I'm gearing up for a show on Sunday, I thought I make some more Dragon Tail Earrings.

Also, I added a couple hundred stars to the Tiamat dress, truly my most epic project.

I may also be working on a new project. Maybe the eye will tell you something.

Facere pulchrum!

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille clothing, bead embroidery, and beaded art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 28

2010-03-30T18:54:00.001-05:00

I have a show coming up. Thankfully, I have plenty of inventory from the last few shows I've done, and the Make Something Beautiful project has kept me generating ideas and fully stocked.

I've also been doing some experimenting with designs. Here's my latest with chains and scales:

Facere pulchrum. I'm off to sew stars to a dress.

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille clothing, beaded armor, bead embroidered art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 27

2010-03-29T14:21:00.000-05:00

I'm in the process of making plenty of new jewelry for the April Craft Fairy this Sunday, and I made this. It's about time I put to use all those bats lying around.

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille clothing, beaded armor, and beaded sculpture

Make Something Beautiful - Day 26

2010-03-28T20:08:00.001-05:00

After making a pink and black chainmaille scales bracelet, the idea for a necklace kept buzzing around my head until I finally made it today.

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille scales jewelry, custom chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille fashion, beaded armor and beaded dragon sculptures

Make Something Beautiful - Day 25

2010-03-27T23:05:00.000-05:00

I've taken a small break from the Tiamat dress in order to finish up my first scale mail armor piece... which I've been obsessively working on when I wasn't teaching today (even on the train, where a woman named Miriam struck up a conversation with me about it).

In any case, I took a quick break to make some earrings. But I really must get back to work. Obsession calls.

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille scales jewelry, chainmaille fashion, beaded armor, and art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 24

2010-03-26T20:50:00.000-05:00

While prepping pliers for my class tomorrow, I realized that I forgot to make something new yesterday. I am working on a piece of scale mail armor, and a secret headpiece, but I'll post those when they're finished. (Yes, the rules of this project are arbitrary, but they're mine.)

In any case, today I made something cute: ladybug earrings with a little green scale serving as a leaf for the ladybug to rest on. I guess there were just no skull and armor impulses in me today.

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille clothing, unique jewelry gifts and art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 23

2010-03-24T22:56:00.000-05:00

Some pearl earrings... trying to make use of all the supplies I bought years ago. Of course, the project I've been spending time on when I'm not working on the Tiamat dress is a piece of clothing made from black scales. Oh yes, it is epic.

Vanessa Walilko
Eclectic chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille clothing, bead embroidery

Make Something Beautiful - Day 22

2010-03-23T23:29:00.000-05:00

I am buzzing from a positively radiant day (hot chocolate and a cupcake for dinner are helping with the buzz, too), but I thought I would post this before my sugar crash. Here are earrings made with anodized aluminum pink roses. I love aluminum, I have to say.

Facere pulchrum. Seriously, the payoff is amazing.

Vanessa Walilko
Eclectic Chainmaille Jewelry, chainmaille clothing, beaded armor, beaded jewelry designs, and art jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 21

2010-03-22T01:50:00.000-05:00

Ah, so I got caught up watching Highlander on Netflix and almost forgot to post a photo. From my new "Bubble" line, here's a bracelet:

Vanessa Walilko
Eclectic chainmaille jewelry, unique chainmaille scales jewelry, beaded armor, chainmaille clothing, and art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 20

2010-03-21T23:29:00.000-05:00

Okay, before it's a new day and before I pass out with exhaustion, here's a new bracelet: half-persian 5-in-1.

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille clothing, chainmaille scales jewelry, custom chainmaille jewelry, bead embroidery, beaded armor, fashion armor

Make Something Beautiful - Day 19

2010-03-20T22:15:00.000-05:00

Aside from working on the Tiamat dress (photo below) and a dragon headpiece (still a ninja-secret project), I also managed to squeeze in work on another piece in the bubble series: a longer version of the necklace. I'm tired from thinking of all these ideas. I think it's time to veg out and watch Highlander (the show is now streaming on Netflix... hooray!).

Facere pulchrum, dear readers!

Vanessa Walilko
Custom chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille scales jewelry, chainmaille fashion, beaded armor, and art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 18; and a blog about SNAG

2010-03-19T11:54:00.000-05:00

I'm finally back in business. I started to come down with a stress-related cold some time last Monday and, in a desperate attempt to will myself healthy for the SNAG conference in Houston, I spent two days in bed, drinking fluids and overloading on vitamins. I managed to make it to Houston with a little cough, but otherwise asymptomatic. (No chills and no fever = joy and rapture.)

There are no real words for how incredible the SNAG conference was. Even if I didn't have pieces in the shows, it would have been worth the trip. To be in a room with that many serious artists/artisans was divine. Being around other artists is one of the most incredible experiences, and gave me the sense of, "Hey, this is what's been missing from my life." And everyone was so nice. Really, where else can you find out that Andy Cooperman is not only insanely talented, but also a really awesome person? Where, I ask you?!

Of course, the biggest thrill was seeing my pieces go down the runway in the eXtreme Exhibition in Motion show. (Click for the short video of all the pieces.) In fact, I was initially only supposed to have two pieces in the show, the Dragon Lady beaded armor, and my chainmaille shrug, however, because one of the designers wasn't able to make the show, the Egyptian collar I was wearing was given to another model to wear. It was a Cinderella moment.

My beaded talons were also featured as a part of the eXtremities: Exploring the Margins of the Human Body exhibit. I really loved this show. Many of the pieces captured this longing to overcome the limits of the human body. While I always wanted claws, someone else wanted to be a unicorn, and a lobster. I guess we're all looking for something a little more magical.

I'll wrap up this post about SNAG by giving a big thanks to Andy Cooperman, David Gooding, Barbara Kile, Angela Gleason, and
Suzanne Ramljak, all of whom I was able to meet, and all of whom made my conference experience that much better.

Oh, before I forget, I made something today, too: a choker from my new "Bubble Series."

Vanessa Walilko
Kali Butterfly - Chainmaille armor, beaded armor, and art jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 17

2010-03-07T22:20:00.000-06:00

I learned two things today. 1) I don't particularly care for working with titanium, and 2) if the rings you bought to make dragonscale don't quite fit, you can always improvise and make something else.

Vanessa Walilko
Eclectic chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille scales, chainmaille fashion and beaded art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 16

2010-03-06T14:52:00.000-06:00

A ring made with anodized aluminum F20s. I love the combination of violet and black.

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille scales, chainmaille fashion

Make Something Beautiful - Day 15

2010-03-05T21:35:00.001-06:00

I made another found object necklace. I really like playing with the materials for these, even though I create a huge mess when I make them.

Facere pulchrum.

Vanessa Walilko

Make Something Beautiful - Day 14

2010-03-04T21:50:00.000-06:00

Today I wanted to do something a little different. I wanted to make a piece a little outside of my usual aesthetic, and use some materials that have been sitting around (I have a lot of beads and rings sitting around). The result is this necklace, which strikes me as some sort of talisman for a dark goddess. I'll use any excuse to use skull beads.

Many of the components of this piece are used in the Tiamat dress: the onyx talon, the star bead, the seed beads. They are also reminiscent of my skulls and scales chainmaille earrlngs.

Scales come up a lot in my chainmaille jewelry. I love the texture of the scales aside from the noise they make. Now, if only I could sit down and finish the scale body piece I'm working on... That's the goal after the Tiamat dress. Oh, an obsessive's work is never done.

Facere pulchrum.

Vanessa Walilko
Kali Butterfly - Eclectic chainmaille jewelry, unique handmade gifts, chainmaille fashion and art.

Make Something Beautiful - Day 13

2010-03-03T23:49:00.000-06:00

In just under the wire, the Harlequin Shaggy Scales Necklace. I've had this on my mind all week, and it's finally finished.

Vanessa Walilko
Eclectic, edgy chainmaille jewelry, unique jewelry gifts, chainmaille fashion and art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 12

2010-03-02T22:34:00.000-06:00

I'm an Aquarius. We aren't fans of discipline, unless we're this guy. We're generally the outlaw type.

But I'm trying to keep up with this Make Something Beautiful project. Almost two weeks in! Today's offering is a pink and black scale bracelet. After posting this, I'll get back to work on the Tiamat dress. I also wanted to retake some shots and upload them to Flickr. Of course, I sold some of the pieces, so I might just have to use the old photos. Oh, well!

Vanessa Walilko
Eclectic chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille fashion, and art.

Make Something Beautiful - Day 11

2010-03-01T20:55:00.001-06:00

Finally! I got some D20 ECS rings from Blue Buddha Boutique. (I went in for brownies and left with jump rings--I'm so easily tricked by chocolate things.)

In any case, I finally finished this elf weave bracelet that has been sitting around on various counters and other flat surfaces for months. I'm pretty happy with the photo, too. I've ben making good use of my swanky new Pantone sweep. Yum.

Facere pulchrum! Elf weave is awesome!

Vanessa Walilko
Unique chainmaille jewelry, beaded armor and art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 10

2010-02-28T22:34:00.000-06:00

The good thing about this project is that when I'm strapped for time, I finish pieces that have been sitting around for a while.

I think I might list this one on Etsy...

Facere pulchrum.

Vanessa Walilko
Eclectic chainmaille jewelry, unique gifts, chainmaille fashion and art.

Make Something Beautiful - Day 9

2010-02-27T23:26:00.001-06:00

I made a two-strand necklace with lots of scales. For someone who wears black all the time, I really like making colorful jewelry.

Facere pulchrum.

Vanessa Walilko
Eclectic chainmaille jewelry gifts, chainmaille jewelry and art