Revealing our new Geometric Collection 

at Sora Designs BLACK

Over the past year, I have been working on a new Geometric Collection and add the collection to a new Etsy shop called Sora Designs Black 
These photos are just some glimpse of what you might find in the new shop. I hope you like the as much as I do. To shop the collection for holiday gifts ( Believe me, it's wise to start early for the holiday gift giving to save both you and me heart attacks), please use discount code for 20% off BLOG20 at the check out.

 Gold bar brass initial necklace

 Art deco bib necklace

 Infinity circle threaded chain necklace

Elongated hexagon link necklace and Shooting star earrings

Bridal jewelry, fresh from the garden

I would like to delight you with a collection of bridal jewelry that was inspired by a walk in the garden. I like mixing sweet and tart candy colored dresses and jewelry. Pea green, apricot, lavender, mint and lemon, I have turned my workshop into a test kitchen mixing the season's best flavors.

spring's pastel palette 

Rise and Shine

The quote for today.  And I am sticking to it.

"What if? Why not? Could it be?We must ask ourselves these questions as often as we dare.How will the world change if we do not question it?"

-Leo Matienne from The Magician's Elephant

This Etsy Front Page featured my vintage OOAK necklace this morning at 7am and it goes perfectly well with the quote.

Bright Like Magic

Jewel toned vintage brooch statement necklace

Many of you already know that I am a collector of vintage enameled flower brooches.  I rarely came across vintage floral brooches in purple hues. This piece has purple ombre shades in pristine condition. I had the perfect stones just for them. This time I leave the brooch intact so it's removable. Wear this necklace three ways - pin it at the center, one the side or by itself. The three strand stones are of purple mountain jade with antique brass decorative filigree endings. Don't you just love adding bright hues to the cooler weather wardrobe!

White after Labor Day. Why not?

This vintage white flower brooch has been resting in the jewelry box for some time and I did not have the right beads for it until now. The soft white and off white Lucite beads and nude sponge coral stones in different sizes call for a versatile pieces. See how this piece can be worn in three different ways. 1) the brooch by itself; 2) the brooch on the side of the beaded chain with chunky brass links; 3) the beaded chain itself. How do you wear your white after Labor Day?

Celebrating three years of courage and creativity

In August 2009, I celebrated 1000 sales (that sale counter that we are all so obsessive about in the Etsy shop) with my visiting sister and two nieces. We did that 1000 sale dance (if there is such a thing) and I wrote a post in this blog. I was still working as a researcher in a state government back then. In 3 months, I had quit my day job an

d never looked back. 

This month, I just celebrated over 10,000 sales and it still feels unreal. All of my art is dedicated to joy and I hope you feel that joy every time you put on my creation. So I am dedicating this piece to three years of blessed creativity. A vintage lime green and yellow enameled brooch with black polka dot with vintage royal purple Lucite beads and Czech glasses.  This piece will continue to add splashes of color into the changing seasons for you.

2012 Spring Giveaway at Sora Designs

As promised let's kick off the first giveaway of 2012 (just got out of hibernation mode :-) I made this compass with vintage Formosa map (another name for Taiwan back in the 1800s). Well, this is just for me which it will remind me of my origins and all the families and friends. You can get one personalized compass like this too with the city map of your choice (I will work with you). Just comment in this thread with a city/town name if you were chosen to be given a map compass necklace. If you want to add a little story as to why you choose this city that's even better. 10 of you will be randomly picked to be given a map compass necklace of your choice (including people who comments on facebook fan page too. But for blog readers, you can post on both this blog and share at your facebook page for extra entries. Just copy your facebook post here. Sora Designs' fan page is www.facebook.com/soradesigns

2011 Thanksgivings Giveaway

It's been two years since I quit my day jobs as a government resercher and running Sora Designs full time. Thank you all for your support. I would like to give away 5 life size wishbone necklaces before Thanskgiving arrives . If you were the winner, you get to choose either bronze or antique silver finish for this cool wishbone necklace.

Here's how to enter: This contest has three ways to enter. You may enter via one method, more than one, or all three, for a maximum of 3 entries total.

1 - In the comments on this post, let me know which Sora Designs item would be the envy among your girlfriends if you were to own it.

2 - You can get an extra entry by posting this giveaway at your own facebook page. If you post this blogaway be sure to note that in your comment/email!

3 - Blog or tweet about this giveaway. Just be sure to link to your post/tweet in your comment/email.

The contest will close on Friday, November 18, 2011, at 5 PM Pacific Time. The winner will be announced on Monday, November 21, 2011 or thereabouts. Good luck to all!

The not-so fine print: You are entering to win one (1) Large Size Wishbone Necklace from Sora Designs as described in this post. This contest is void where prohibited. This prize is not transferable. This prize may not be exchanged for cash. Once contacted, the winner has 72 hours to claim the prize. International entrants welcome!

My Spring 2010 Trip to Taiwan- Part I

Ahhh, how I miss the hot springs in Taiwan. The ones that are close to my in-law's home is in Beitou which is near the Mt. Yang-ming in Taipei.

Here shows one of the traditional public hot spring bathrooms. Now there are so many trendy spas in the area.

The natural hot spring in Beitou. In some of the public part, you can actually boil eggs in the hot springs. I did it when I was a kid.

I almost ordered one of those wooden tubs and had it shipped to US when I was in Taiwan. The shipping is too expensive. I think there is a maker in Berkeley that sells this kind of wooden tub. I like how the tub is small but deep so you can soak your whole body and that's the whole point.

Summer adventure giveaway

I am hosting my first ever giveaway on this blog. I would like to hear about the adventure that you are planning for this summer or just dreaming... (it doesn't hurt to have a dream). The winner (randomly picked by me) will receive a working spyglass necklace to bring along to his/her next adventure! The last day to share your adventure and be eligible for the giveaway is June 30.

I will share my adventure that had taken place this March in Southern Taiwan. I grew up in Taipei and had rarely visited southern part of Taiwan. This time during my short 3 weeks stay, I visited Tainan twice where this photo was taken.

I will be sharing more photos we took during our stay soon. For now, I can only tell you that the weather was warm and the foods were hot and delicious. I am secretly planning our next trip. It's to visit Paris and a countryside near Bern this November when there are less tourists and no craft fairs here for me to vend.

see the improvement: 2010 Spring Pool Trade Show

If you saw my booth display last August then you will find this one a greater improvement. In order to carry my vintage dress form I drove this time to Vegas. It's 575 miles one way. But it's worth it. Driving there this summer will be a challenge though. Let's see if I can handle it.

Last peek of my cubcle before packing.....

ADSC09451, originally uploaded by tomi&tree.

It's been one month since I quit my day job as a researcher at the Judicial Council of California. I finally get a chance to unpack and reflect on my experience now that the holiday sales and wholesale orders are winding down in January. I have been in the academic and research agency and government for the past 14 years ( I was in school for 8 years getting 2 masters and one doctorate degrees). I am entering a new field without any formal training. It feels safer to have proper "school education" for what you do. That's my upbrining in Taiwan. You study hard and you get good scores at every entrance exams and then you get a good job. What we have never been taught is to explore our interests and passions in life. It's never too late though so I am "re-educating" myself, street style this time. I will be the jewelry desiger, marketing reseracher, account, public relations agent, crafter and entrepreneur all at the same time with the help from the internet, from local community college, from artist forum, and from those wonderful peers at Etsy community. I feel so alive now. That's how I feel.

A crafter by the light of the moon

ADSC09113, originally uploaded by tomi&tree.

Hey, I was probably working on your orders. It may look like hard work to you. But don't you worry, I enjoyed every second of it.

the new earring stands

ADSC00019, originally uploaded by tomi&tree.

Due to the space issue, I had to get new earring stands just for this show. Luckily I found something I like at the Urban Outfitter. I like the aqua colors that goes with my background fabrics.

Pool Trade Show Las Vegas

P1070242, originally uploaded by kabakaban.

Naoko from Kabakaban took the photo for me. It was over 100 degrees in Las Vegas in August. The cash and carry section was a steal comparing to the bigger booths. I got a lot of orders that I am still working on them.

the energetic Solano Stroll

ADSC09176, originally uploaded by tomi&tree.

Watching parade while paddling my goodies. Tomi enjoyed it, I enjoyed it, everyone enjoyed it.

Solano Stroll in North Berkeley

ADSC09268, originally uploaded by tomi&tree.

It was cloudy even it's still early September. I was wearing my favorite Sunny Skies Ahead necklace. It rained at the end of the show and everything got soaking wet! However, it was still a great show for me. Thanks for everyone coming.

1000 sale party

AXDSC06717, originally uploaded by tomi&tree.

As I promised Madeline and Fiorina (my 2 nieces visiting us from Taiwan) that we would throw a party when Sora Designs reached 1000 sale, we had our party on August 2 (when it was still 999 sales). It looks like a Halloween costume party. It felt great that my families can be with me to celebrate this moment.

Sora Designs 1000 Sales!

A_soradesigns_sold_1000th_2, originally uploaded by tomi&tree.

I sold my first item on October 6th, 2008 and 10 months later, Sora Designs reached 1000 sales in Etsy. (More than 1000 items were made due to custom made bridesmaids pieces). If counting wholesales and consignments and street fairs, it's probably more than 1400 items, I don't know.) That's a lot considering each item was made by my 2 bare hands.

When I brought more pieces to the MOCFA (Museum of Craft and Folk Art) yesterday, the store manager told me that a guy came in and bought a pair of my earrings to propose to his girlfriend. I was really touched. I was also extremely satisfied when the customer told me that they wore my necklace at their wedding days or that their bridesmaids love the necklaces that I made. This is what keep me up at night or up early working because I know what I do really means a lot to my customer.

Sora Designs at the Renegade

ADSC05629, originally uploaded by tomi&tree.

First time at the San Francisco Renegade Craft Fair. My sister and her two daughters came all the way from Taiwan to join us. This is also the first I am vending with a hand made banner (see at the righ hand side of the photo). I hand cut each letter using the same fabric as my table cloth and machine stitched each letter.