Name: Yolanda
Web Site: http://www.ninadesigns.com/staff/10Yolanda.html
Bio: My love for jewelry making began as a little girl when my father found some vintage beads and presented them to me. I began to make my own necklaces using old watches, glass bead and cheap chain. My exposure to more exotic pieces began with my yearly travels to Mexico where indigenous women in the local markets wear their beautiful earrings with love and pride all the while selling fruits and vegetables. Since then I have been drawn to huge, long earrings and I tend to wear them daily, not just on special occasions. My studies in fashion, Anthropology and history have taught me the art of creating a story for my pieces. Therefore, my pieces tend to be narrative and folkloric. I have recently studied the California history of San Francisco at Mission Dolores and this opportunity has allowed me to create a line where I can incorporate the past into the present. My future goals are to create couture-worthy jewelry and I hope I can use my fashion design experience in this endeavor.
Posts by Yolanda:
Good Bye & Good Luck Silver Charm Wrap Bracelet
March 17th, 2010Express your best wishes with silver charms and silk cord. Happy beading is my St. Patty’s wish for all fellow beaders! This is my last blog entry, which saddens me but on this St. Patrick’s day I feel lucky to share with you this cultural celebration. When I think of St. Patrick’s day I think of four-leaf clovers and what they mean. For most they signify good fortune and the advent of change to come. And, at this moment in my life, that is very appropriate because March 31st will be my last day at Nina Designs. I am very lucky to be taking with me many fond memories and tons of knowledge! Seattle, WA will be my new home and to jump start my next adventure I have created my “Let’s Celebrate” four-leaf clover silk wrap bracelet.
Let's Celebrate
I started by selecting silk fairy ribbon in leaf green because it represents the abundance of four leaf clovers I hope to find as I continue to fulfill my personal legend in Seattle. I surrounded the four-leaf clover charm with the word tags: love, luck, hope, and faith. They represent each petal of the clover. Wishbones symbolize good luck, dreams come true, harmony, and gratitude (plus it reminds me of feasting with family and friends).
I love creating jewelry that has a folkloric theme. To give this necklace a folksy appeal, I have separated each charm with a simple knot. I hope that my “Let’s Celebrate” bracelet is a good representation of such a happy day. I feel super lucky to have been part of your lives here at Nina Designs. My goal starting April 1st, is to follow in the steps of all the jewelry designers out there so that I too can prosper by using the beautiful jewelry findings Nina Designs creates for all of us. Good luck and I will miss you all dearly.
I love to wear a bunch of mixed charm bracelets!
Dolce loves charm bracelets too!
Stop staring at your silver beads and charms! Tips for Staying Creative
January 20th, 2010Armed with lots of new Nina Design silver beads and charms, bird charms and trusty scroll like handmade links, I have been ready to start designing jewelry only to find myself lacking the creativity that fueled many of my favorite pieces from last year. Simply staring at my bead supplies did not do the trick. Therefore, I reverted to the tricks that seemed to help me in the past. Here are a few suggestions:
Watch period films for dramatic jewelry and interesting color combinations. See how you can make similar pieces with a contemporary feel. For a current project, I am watching lots of period films that take place in the South like New Orleans, LA.
Architecture and Nature Influences in Silk Ribbon Necklace
Go for a walk and take the time to smell the flowers. Be inspired by animals such as birds and squirrels, natural shapes like tree branches, and architectural details along public buildings or old Victorian homes. I go on walks to enjoy the diversity of architectural gems in Oakland, CA.
Listen to music. Its fun to be inspired or imagine you are creating jewelry for a rock star or to attend an Opera. I listen to a lot of classical musical while sketching new designs.
Architectural Inspiration
Travel or go Downtown. Maybe you have a friend who lives in a fun city or out in the desert. Another option is to attend a popular restaurant, a local art opening or farmers markets to see how and what people are wearing. Sometimes just browsing at your pictures from past travels will spark ideas and inspiration. I have been referring to the photos of my most recent trip to New Orleans, LA. A beautiful wrought iron porch has spurred a recent creation!
One of my favorite blogs Pikaland posted a wonderful list written by Amy Ng for fueling creativity. I take the sketch book idea very seriously.
Jewelry Findings – Plan Ahead to Meet your Holiday Deadline
November 23rd, 2009Have you started planning your holiday gift projects and only just realized that your beading supplies are running low? As the email order processor, I have been answering a lot of questions lately regarding how quickly we can get orders to designers who are preparing last minute for holiday craft fairs and boutiques. So if this sounds like you, don’t worry. You are not alone. Planning around holiday shipping schedules can be challenging. To help you meet this challenge, below you’ll find Nina Designs’ Holiday Shipping Schedule.
NORMAL SHIP PROCESS: We process orders Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. Though we try our best, depending on our order volume, your package may or may not go out the same day they are received. As long as we get them by 2pm Pacific Standard Time, expedited orders requesting UPS Overnight, UPS 2 Day, or UPS 3 Day will go out the same day they’re received. Orders requesting UPS Ground and USPS Priority are processed after expedited orders and then in the order they’re received.
Monday is always our busiest day with each day slower than the previous as the week progresses. This means that a UPS Ground order placed on Sunday may not ship until Tuesday or even Wednesday. Mondays are usually spent processing expedited shipping orders placed during the weekend: UPS Overnight, then 2-Day, then 3-Day orders. After expedited orders have been processed, we move on to UPS Ground orders, starting with those placed on Friday, then Saturday, then Sunday. Additionally, any expedited orders placed on Monday might be processed before we get to a UPS ground order placed on Sunday.
HOLIDAY SHIPPING: Please keep in mind that we are currently in the middle of our busy season. Though we are processing a high volume of orders everyday, we are not able to process all orders received everyday. Also keep in mind that UPS and USPS are also moving a lot more packages during holiday season, so UPS Ground and USPS Priority mail packages are taking longer than usual to be delivered – possibly up to 2 weeks after they leave our office. UPS technically has that amount of time to deliver Ground packages before they are considered late.
To see details on Holiday Shipping Dates, click here: Read the rest of this entry “
Jewelry Display for Home Parties: A Novice Introduces her Jewelry Line
September 30th, 2009As an emerging jewelry designer, not quite ready for craft fairs or farmer’s markets, I decided home jewelry parties would be the easiest way to introduce my jewelry line composed of vintage findings and Nina Designs jewelry supplies. To help spread the cost and risk involved, I decided to partner with a friend who’s also a budding jewelry designer eager to introduce her work. We immediately faced two challenges. The first was to find a willing host for our home jewelry party. The second was how to easily display our jewelry in an appealing and professional way without breaking the bank.
Hosting the Party: We decided a party just before the holidays would be the perfect time. That way our host throws a cool holiday party with a unique twist! As a further incentive, we decided to offer the host 10% of our jewelry sales towards any jewelry of her choice. And, most importantly, she must be a hip fashion-conscious woman with lots of friends in San Francisco – an urban social butterfly. After some search, it was easier than we thought to find a host for our first party. We sent out free online e-vites to all of our friends. Just to make sure we had a crowd, friends and family committed to bringing at least one friend to the show.
Jewelry Display Cards
(Click here to read about Yolanda’s Display Ideas) Read the rest of this entry “
Drawer of Curiosities: Organizing Jewelry Findings and Beading Supplies
August 5th, 2009I love beads and all sorts of jewelry findings! Being in the jewelry industry I attend many Bead and Gem trade shows. Thus my collection of jewelry supplies keeps growing into a cornucopia of vintage finds and quirky beads that I love to pair with Nina Designs jewelry findings. In order to organize an otherwise mismatch of oddities and fine silver findings, I have to be creative in categorizing them. Here is a method that works for me so that whenever I need something new and fascinating, to wear or sell, all I have to do is open my drawer of curiosities! This is what works for me!
Design Inspiration Board
Determine your Look: I love period style jewelry therefore I have to organize my beading drawer like a museum curator would.
Get Inspired: I start with an inspiration board that displays magazine cutouts and mementos from my travels.
Get Organized: I organize my beading drawer by using plastic bins and pretty boxes and I store all my silver findings individually in a plastic baggy.
Create Themes: All my silver jewelry findings and vintage pieces are organized in themes. For example, 19th century jet spacer beads are stored in the same bin along with the our Black Garnet Gemstone Beads because they emulate a Victorian era. Old patina metal components sit alongside my sterling vermeil earring parts for a medieval theme. All my jump rings, head pins, and spacer beads are stored together so that I can easily grab the essentials when needed.
What works for you?
Drawer of Curiosities
Silver Beads with Paisley for Boho-Chic
June 10th, 2009Over the memorial day weekend I visited Venice Beach, California and I was reminded of a bygone era when the “flower child” and the “Boho-Chic” reigned there. I was inspired by the plethora of textiles and ethnic jewelry spilling over booths that are juxtaposed against 1930s Deco apartment buildings that are now hotels. Dusty pinks, turquoise, and purples along with the teal waters of the ocean made for a beautiful moment as drummers and dancers hailed the sunny day.
When I came back to the “coolness” of San Francisco, I could not wait to emulate that “bohemian feel”. I can’t wait to delve into our new Apatite Gemstone Beads, our dusty pinkish faceted Rutilated Quartz Gemstone Beads, and our teal Kyanite Gemstone Beads. I plan to pair them with our paisley print silver beads in all sizes. Our sterling silver beads Paisley Print collection is the most beautiful and under appreciated pattern (in my opinion). On our next “Design Ideas Challenge” I plan to make some “groovy” earrings!
Silver Beads and Gemstones
Bohemian Earrings