All Good Things Come To An End

Today was my last day working for Atelier Zobel. I will never forget the amazing experiences I've had working for this inspirational jewellery house. Yesterday in the Atelier we had an important customer from the united states come in and I was chatting with him about where I come from and that I'm doing my practicum for Zobel and he said "looks like you landed yourself in the right place my dear" and I thought to myself it really couldn't be better. Atelier Zobel has been around for over 40 years and has made an exquisite impression on the industry. It is a pioneer for many generations of goldsmiths. The techniques used are stimulating and the use of different metals with and on top of each other is iconic. I'm so inspired by the freedom in the design, using many colours, mediums, and forms all together in an effortless manor. I feel very honored to have my craftsmanship be displayed in the Atelier. It is a huge footstep in my journey as a Goldsmith, one of many I can only hope and dream. So although I must say good bye to my whimsical days at the house of Zobel, I still have four days left in this beautiful city. A little sunshine like last weekend would be icing on the cake... but you can't always get EVERYthing you want. Until next time... XoXo

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Honey Bee Queen

I haven't blogged in a while because quite frankly sitting in front of a computer in my last weeks while the sun is beating down is one of the last things on my mind. But therefore I have a lot to write about since my last posting. I will start with last weekend... I went on top of the Munster (which is the name for the biggest church in every city) to see a beautiful view of Konstanz. Then I took my first bicycle trip to Reichenau (the vegetable island) here in Konstanz. It's about an 18km bike ride passing by huge fields of long grass and looking across the lake to Switzerland. Once we arrive on the island it's beautiful and filled with wonderful gardens and green houses filled with veggies and flowers. The trail there is spectacular and the lake is very shallow and the bluest blue I could have almost jumped in. Swans float on the calm water and the ground is covered with vibrant flowers in every colour. Of course we stopped to have a beer and some ice cream before turning back to the city. Along the way I picked some flowers, the price is posted in the garden and you leave some money in a box beside. The whole day was tres cute. 

Konstanz (i heart u)

The BeaUtiful Lake

Reichenau with Kathrin

Extremely Important Rest Stop

My cute lil' bicycle with the flowers I picked

 

 The whole week I was working in the Atelier in the city :) I love the girls there and we have a lot of fun. I finished these fabulous Turquoise drops, re-strung a pearl necklace for a customer, and created an Opal and Moon Stone chain in my own desired design. But mainly just drank a lot of coffee and had a lot of fun. My friend Caro from Zobel has a jewellery collection of her own called HoneyMoon and she asked me to model for her collection. We worked with a local photographer Patrick Pfeiffer. The collection is made up of actual honey comb cast into silver and gold rings, some with Moonstones. The look was very natural and dewy like a Honey Bee Queen. She will choose one photo for a post card for her line. After a "hard" morning of modeling we spent the rest of the day at the beach and the evening being spoiled by her room mate who grilled for us and is an absolute gentlemen.

Turquoise and Black Diamond Drops

Behind the scenes pics for Caro's Honeymoon Collection

After our photo shoot at the beach

 On Saturday I spent the day at the beach and in the evening was invited to one of the women I work with for an Easter Grill. She is a free spirit and I adore her for it. And when I saw her house I wasn't surprised even though I still was in awe of how beautiful it was. She lives with her little girl and you feel like your in a doll house, everything is pink and floral and fantastic. I was completely jealous and wanted to move in. 

Carola setting up for the grill in her garden

Love the beautiful chic decor

Caro, Carola, and Me

Today is Easter Day and I celebrated in the best way I can think of. With Prosecco and my first traditional Bavarian breakfast. Caro's room mate Michael is an absolute sweet heart and hid Easter baskets filled with chocolates around the house. It was a great day lounging in the sun and enjoying great company. I will definatly miss these people and this place. But I still have one fabulous week and weekend left here in Konstanz and I plan to soak up as much as I can. Until next time... XOXo

Caro and I on top her terrace with our Easter baskets :) The Munster in the distance..Fabulous place to chill

SchmUck JunkiE

For a moment the magic seemed to have past but like a wizzle (the girls were searching for the word wizard and came up with wizzle) the magic is back. I spent the last two days in the Atelier where I seem to flourish. Being not the typical Goldsmith, I am also a Schmuck Junkie (jewellery obsessed). So I love to be there and be surrounded in the sparkling atmosphere of the jewels and the city. I finished the Silver and Fine gold ring that I began to make last week.. It still needs to be shot with Black and Champagne Diamonds and then it will sparkle like it should. I also began to work on some elegant Turquoise and Black Diamond drop earrings. You can see pictures below of me using the torches that you have to blow into to control your flame... This is not easy for me being used to an automatic one. I try to avoid using it in the workshop but in the Atelier this is the only torch they have! So I am learning none the less. On Monday I will spend the day with one of the girls in the shop going around to other leading Goldsmiths and researching possibilities for the materials (not ideas! after working for Zobel it's hard try to spot anything new and inspiring.. But I have a plan and need to search around for ideas for other materials.. and it's going to be so Rock and Roll. Then I will stay another day in the Atelier on Tuesday to finish the earrings :) :) :)

I have to share this beautiful song we listened to on repeat this morning...

 

I also wanted to share these great rings and broaches that Atelier Zobel is exhibiting....click here--->Billard Ball Rings and Broaches . They are simple but made from Billard Balls and I think they are great. Being able to make my own fine jewellery I tend to gravitate towards these unconventional ideas.. at least for something to purchase.

So another wochenende has arrived already and I've got it packed with plans of FIRSTS... this weekend no party time. Tomorrow I will go on top of the Munster and see the city that I've lived in for almost 3 months from it's most spectacular view. Hopefully the weather permits. On Sunday I will spend the morning at church.. I can see jaws dropping... Yes church.. With a girlfriend from work. I told you it was a wochenende of firsts! Then we plan to check out an Art Gallery and continue looking at art for the whole day on monday... So I will have plenty to write about come Tuesday. Bis zum nachsten mal.. UNtil next time.. Xoxo

Sterling Silver/Fine Gold Ring waiting for it's Bling BliNg( Black and Champagne Diamonds)

so schon

Another Clasp I finished in the Workshop.. Sterling Silver/Fine Gold/Moonstones and Diamonds

Beginning to make some drop earrings

Love these Turquoise Drops.. Black Diamonds will circle around the top stones.

My most recent necklace being displayed in the bright new window at Atelier Zobel

Gasping for air..

Always smiling

xo

soaking the soul with sun

A mini Clasp with Moonstones, Platinum, and Diamonds

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Konstanz is hoT hot. I don't have the right attire for this kind of heat. I actually need a bathing suit.. was not expecting this. At Zobel I've been working on a few more clasps, both with moonstones like the others but more geometric and slightly more challenging. They are nearly done so I will post photos soon.  I worked for a half day at the Atelier last week and I always have so much fun there and learn a lot from one of the fine ladies that works there. She knew I was itching to make something different so when I walked in she asked if I wanted to make a ring:) So I got started on it and will go in another day this week to finish. You can see the beginnings of it below. It's got a great form and fits so beautifully on the hand. It's one of the Zobel top sellers. The surface will sparkle with diamonds when it's finished. When I leave there not only did I learn more about the techniques at Zobel but much more about the industry, other leading artists, and sources for materials and inspiration for my own collection. It is a completely different experience than working in the workshop and I'm honored to have been able to soak in a bit of both.  Today I spent the entire day laying in the grass surrounded by tiny little flowers in purple and white, soaking in the rays and watching as summer begun for the locals. My girlfriend is back from Peru and I couldn't be happier. Tonight we will have a BBQ on her roof top garden and kiss the weekend goodbye until next time. I've got 3 weeks left and to be honest, despite my love for my job, I'm itching to head to London for it's most vibrant time. Summer is just kicking off there too and a lot of people are on holidays because of the upcoming royal wedding. Not to mention the many street parties that are going to be kicking off soon. So that could be in my crystal ball in the next week or so. I'm sitting on the patio at a cafe, drinking Prosecco.. it's time to run my nose is turning red.. Until next time.. XOxo

Beginning to make a Silver and Gold Ring

Marking out the form

A necklace the girls made in the Atelier using one of the beads I made

She RinGs Like A beLL thRough thE niGht, wOuldn't you Love to Love Her

Konstanz is so killer these days. The sun was beaming all weekend long and therefore my weekend consisted of Sun sun and more SUN. After dancing at the Blechneri on Friday night ... where I will never go again because it was packed with 18 year old boys fist pumping and too high to notice anything around them but their sweaty selves. None the less I made the best of it and had good friends around me to dance:) Saturday I spent the day at the beach drinking Prosecco and eating olives and cheese by my lonesome. But don't start feeling bad for me, at times this is the best company. I felt an overwhelming sense of bliss and content surrounded by and in such a beautiful place, yet at the same time a small empty hole deep down inside missing my favorite people in the world to share this moment with me. I had Joni Mitchell playing and her song Woodstock came on. There have been many remakes of this song but Joni Mitchell was the original writer. She competes in my favorites persons list up there with Stevie Nicks. FYI. Anyways she sings "I don't know who I am, But you know life is for learning" and it got me thinking, like most things do, that we spend so much time trying to figure out "who we are" and it's such a waste of time because those who are really living are always learning and will never know who they are because we are always growing... time and time again falling, but in the end always changing and therefore never fitting into some sort meaningless description of who we are and where we fit. Joni wherever you are I fReakin' love you. 

Today was spent getting some more vitamin B sitting in the sun, drinking more prosecco, and enjoying a lovely BBQ on top of my friends roof top terrace. Life is so DAMn good. Back to work tomorrow... Until Next Time... XXo

Love this artwork in a friends flat

 

 

 

At the Blechneri for a DJ show

Best hang over day Ever

I know how to do it right

Sunshine and Blue Skies

TwinKle tWinkLe DiAmonDs are a GiRls bEst FriEnd

After a few too many gin and tonics last night I thought my day at work would be dreadful.. But it totally roCked! The Zobel store had to get a lil' makeover for spring and easter... and I got to pick out and merchandise all the jewellery for the ten or so display cases inside! I went through all the drawers picking out my favorite, most eye catching pieces... for a second I thought maybe I shouldn't display so many BIG rings and GiAnt Couliers etc etc but then I thought to myself... This is Zobel..Go Big OR gO hOme:)  After coating the walls with bright green and violet paper and the drawers with faux grass, we layed the jewellery out in the collections I thought looked nice together :) I used to be in my glory merchandising at a surf shop, so today doing it for Zobel was way FUN. Not to mention I got to try on all the big rings and dream of the day I will own one. I've heard I can pay month to month so this could be a dream that just might come true! Also being featured as of today in the Atelier Zobel are the ceramic designs of Thomas Kummer http://www.thomas-kummer.com/. The website does not do much justice so check out the photos on my facebook fan page. My blog isn't allowing my photos to show for some reason so I've also posted photos of the two recent clasps I finished for Zobel. But wow... these bowls, cups, and vases by Thomas Kummer are absolutely bad ass! Some with spikes, some with polka dots in gold or silver, and the cups with quirky handles and curves. We featured alot of the pieces in the front window and they actually really compliment the jewellery. It is days like today that I remember very clearly why I am here and how lucky I am to be working for this inspiring company. To contribute to Atelier Zobel is a very VeRy rewarding feeling.  
So this weekend I have no plans, so I've heard that across the lake are some great vintage shops (which I miss so much about Vancouver, we kill it for vintage) but I'm not expecting to buy anything because this shop is more like Marc Jacobs Vintage and so on. But it wont hurt to have a peak. Until next time... and remember to check out the pics! Click Here For Pics Xo

When You Climb a Mountain you Must Turn Around

I had such a awesome weekend in Konstanz. Took a lazy day on Saturday filled with running a few errands seeing as everything is closed on Sunday.. and a nap or two in between:) Saturday night I hit the Kantine with an awesome girl from work and the two amazing daughters of the couple I used to live with. It was really nice to have all the girls out because I miss my ladies back home so SO much. The Kantine was bumpin' electro all night. As much as I love to dress up, I am diggin' the casual styles of the local students at the klub. No ones there to impress, we are just there to DANCE and have a fantastic time. So after another weekend of mayhem, work on Monday was a bit of a challenge, so I decided to get back to my roots and take a long jog around the lake... actually I should say ALONG the lake because to jog around the lake would probably take you a few days.. Something so simple as a jog along the lake can be a really blissful moment for me. The weather was a mix of sun and misty rain. I took a break at a point that was crucial to take a break because it was so freakin' beautiful and the sun was beginning to set. I layed down on a ledge that hung a bit over the rocky beach to strech and take in the views of the alps, with my music on and then it started to POUR! It was so amazing, I wish I were in that moment forever. I pretty much do anything possible to stay out of my cave that I call home. I was excited about it at first because it was MINE! But now I just feel claustrophobic in there, so thank goodness that weather is beautiful these days and I can spend the afternoons having coffee in the city or out for a jog. In the Zobel headquaters things are Fun FUN. I've been working on two clasps, one with Sterling Silver, Platinum and Diamonds and one with in the same but with Moon Stones set in yellow Gold. I finished one already but it got quickly shipped off to the Atelier and I didn't snag a picture first... So I will have to get on that and I will post photos of them soon. One of my coworkers is making a Chi BAng Chi BAng Cuff. It is screaming my name and I can't stop staring at it from across the work bench. It's in Sterling Silver with an amazing Platinum pattern flowing across the surface. Rouch Black Diamond beads flow in the same direction leading the eye to a HUGE Black Drusey Quartz Crystal. The whole thing is sparkling.. I WANNA MAKE ONE.. I can I can I swear. Until next time... XO