Build a Line Design Challenge, Part Two ... Pamela Anger of Novegatti Designs

   

        Here we are with the second blog hop of the Build a Line Challenge by B'Sue Boutiques!  I'm Pamela Anger of Novegatti Designs, and my main assistant, of course, is Toby.  ;)   Grab a cup of coffee, and come along to see how our new jewelry line is shaping up!

       My Build a Line Challenge theme, as you may remember, is based on the three roses that my father gave to my mother when they were dating; he told her that they represented the words "I - Love - You." My mother recently recalled:  "I can remember the very first time that Dad gave me the roses, before we were married, and had the three roses with three hearts ... one taped on each rose ... with the message 'I LOVE YOU.'  It has stayed with us all of these years."   And it has ... with other family members too.  I'm happy to be using a family tradition as my line theme.

       It's been an interesting journey these past weeks, in the Build a Line Challenge.  I've wanted to create a more polished jewelry line for awhile now, so this class came at a great time.  Along with teacher Brenda Sue Lansdowne, my classmates and I have learned much through discussions about trends, designs, kinds of jewelry artists, pricing, and so much more.   I'll touch more on that in another post.   Although I did have a theme in mind for my challenge line right from the start, I struggled for awhile with how to bring it all together ...

     Finally, the "Aha!" moment arrived one day. I laid out all of the components I'd originally planned to use ... and eliminated most of the them.  The old KISS principle -- "Keep it Simple, Stupid" -- holds true.  (By the way, did you know that KISS was a design principle noted by the US Navy in 1960?)  I was over-thinking, over-planning, going overboard ... and was making things too complicated for myself  Once I simplified, it all made sense.  And I started having fun!

 I took the suggestion of a jewelry friend to use an Italian version of 'three roses' for my line name: "Tre Rose." (pronounced 'tray ro-SAY').  "Novegatti" is Italian for 'nine cats,' so also using this romantic language for the delicate rose them of my line seemed appropriate.

       Several pieces of the line are mostly completed by now, and more are coming along in stages.  Necklaces, brooches/pins, bracelets, and earrings, all in varying sizes, styles, and price ranges, are planned and being worked on ... usually with some help from the interns!   We have a lot of fun hanging out in the workroom together.  ;)

       Ivory and pastel polymer clay roses, brass filigrees and leaves, and glass pearls are the common denominators in the line, and it's fun to see what new designs and color variations pop into my mind as I work.  The more I sit at my table and use these components, the more ideas I get!

       I'm working with simple classic designs and mostly neutral colors, which have helped the line come together nicely.  Using similar and fewer components make it easy to make a classic-looking line that won't ever be out of style.  How many pieces I'll actually create before the challenge ends, I'm not sure yet ... but Toby and I are working hard and having a lot of fun doing it!  

       The complete "Tre Rose" jewelry line from Novegatti Designs will be done in late March, when we'll have a third and final blog hop.  Don't forget to "Like" my Facebook page at Novegatti Designs to keep up to date with all that's going on in the workroom with the Challenge and more! 

  
      For now, please hop along and visit the blogs of my fellow classmates and see what they're creating too.  I'd love if you left a comment below, and thank you for stopping by!

~ Pamela

Brenda Sue Lansdowne, B'sue Boutiques     Jewelry Making Outside the Box

Marcia Tuzzolino     Aurora Designs

Jann Tague     Clever Designs by Jann

Judy King     Apt to Wander Studio

Linzi Alford     Magpie in the Sky, Spoil Heap Tales

Cynthia Wainscott     Exotic Peru

Carole Carlson     Beadsophisticate

Lynn Stinten     Dragonzwench

Marica Zammit     Bead Lovelies

Catherine Shattuck     VRBrose

Michaele Collie     The Vintage Gem

Mary Craig     Jewelry Alchemy

Lee Koopman     Strega Jewelry

Erin Whitacre     Shattered Time Jewelry

Monica Casady     MJCasady Copper Works

Leila West     Leila Nicole Designs

Cindy Peterson     Howling Dog Jewelry

Leila Belcher     Leila Bee Designs

Gloria Allen     Wings and Beads

Pamela Anger     Novegatti Designs     <--- You are here!

Tammy Adams     Paisley Lizard

Lynda O'Mara     LOmara Creative

Elizabeth Hildreth     MadScientistsDesigns

Dana Hickey     Wind Dancer Studios

Janet Calardo     Jan Lea Designs

Maria Clark     Sweet Willow Designs

Lori Beekman     B. Accessorized

Jennifer Kroeger     Relic Charm

Amy Jorgensen     Hoarder's Corner

Robin Reed     Artistry: Handcrafted Bead Designs

Ingrid Anderson     Lilis Gems

Louise O'Shields     Desire Divine Jewels

Susan Killam     Killam Creative

Mary Katherine Deis     The Rose Sword: Artisan and Vintage Collectible Jewelry

Nike Bottalico     Nike Bottalico

Susan Bowerman     Woodside Wireworks

Kristy Le     Kristy Le Trendy Jewelry Designs

Jan Peters     Stylized Vintage

Mitzie Crider     Needful Luxuries Occasional Blog

Gina Hockett     Freestyle Elements

Linda Anderson     From the Bead Board

Alexandra Sefton     Imaginary Jewelry and Altered Art

Melida Boman     The Journey of Pens and Things

Teresa Shurter     TreeZ's Treasurs

Melissa Latimer     Smithed Up

Renee Hong     Fine and Dandy Jewelry and Art

Nadine Edris     Moondance Jewelry

Lori Meyer     Parisienne Girl

Jennifer Merrill Williams     Artists of All Stripes

Denise Lussier Poirier     Jewelry by Denise

Renee Allen     Small Stuff Design

Autumn Adams     Autumn Dawns

Elizabeth Owens     1996 Shabby Lane

Kat BarronMiller     Midnight Kat Productions Art Jewelry

Sandra Ballard     Mama San's Mojo

Coral Law     ab:coraldesign

A Morning in the Workroom

       My favorite time to work on jewelry is in the morning ... the early morning. Very early.  In the summer and on the weekends when I don't work at my 'real' job, I head up to my workroom around 4 or 5 a.m.  It's dark, it's quiet, it's peaceful ... as long as I tiptoe and most of the cats don't wake up and beg for breakfast! First stop before the workroom, though, is the pantry.  There my faithful assistant, Toby, has already prepared the coffee and is ready to pour a cup for me.  (Hah, I wish!)  Grab a cup and come along with me ....

     Coffee mug in hand (and usually an over-the-shoulder totebag full of jewelry supplies that have somehow migrated downstairs), I make my way to my second-floor workroom.  Sometimes my grandcat, Lily, has spent the night warming up my chair for me ... isn't that nice of her?

     Lily gets moved to another place to supervise, but Kody contentedly keeps snoozing on the worktable. He's no trouble at all, unless he stretches and his looong legs knock something over!

       Finally, I can settle in at my very neat and tidy (hahaha) table to work.  I usually have about 80 gazillion projects in the works at a time, but there are times that I just let the beads and components tell me what they want me to do with them.  There's plenty of pretty things to choose from:

      And if we run out of beads (like maybe in the year 2099) ...  there's always spare jars full of sparklies ...

       The worktable turns into a big mess while I work, but somehow I manage to keep track of my beads, brass, charms, and tools.  Most of the time.  Well, sometimes.  Now where did I put those roundnose pliers??

       It's about time for a coffee break.  Too bad my assistants won't run downstairs to get it for me!  The coffee is hot and strong, and in my favorite mug .... featuring the 'mug' of my special Himalayan, Lynsi.  You'll notice it also matches my pliers cup on the lazy susan. Cracked coffee mugs make great tool and pencil containers.  Oh, there's the roundnose pliers!   ;)

       Usually I stop working on jewelry creations by about 9:00 a.m. or so ... the chickens are outside cackling for their breakfast, the dog has to go out, the garden needs tending in the summer, and WHAT was that crash downstairs??  TOBY ......!!! :)

       Most mornings, I'll end up in the middle of a project or six, but on good days, I'll have completed jewelry pieces, such as this recent 'goddess' trio.  

       My workroom is my favorite place to be, a cozy beadcave where I can lose myself for hours and hours, yet find myself creatively.   I'm glad you came along to visit ... thank you for sharing a morning with me.  Come back to visit anytime ... the door is always open, and Toby will have the coffee ready!   :)

~ Pamela