L’atelier d’ilemas ouvre ses portes pour la traditionnelle verrée-vente de Noël !
Samedi 26 novembre et dimanche 27 novembre 2016
de 12.00 à 19.00 heures
Passez donc à l’atelier, choisir des cadeaux personnalisés pour vos proches, commander un bijou qui sera monté selon vos choix, ou boire un verre, bien tranquillement avant que le tourbillon de décembre ne nous emporte….
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Les commandes passées jusqu’au 30 novembre seront terminées pour le 15 décembre au plus tard
I have a soft spot for lemon balm leaves. Their veins are so well defined, just perfect for earrings. I’ve been waiting impatiently for spring to complete my winter orders, on the look out for the new leaves on my favourite lemon balm plant in my little herb garden. It wasn’t until the end of April that the first leaves began to push shyly out of the earth in the pot. They were so tender and fragile I knew they’d be crushed immediately if I picked them.
On 15 May I was finally able to collect some leaves…
The harvest
I select the leaves carefully for the use I will give them. The finer and more fragile they are, the faster I have to work so that they don’t wilt before the process is finshed.
Selecting the leaves
The first layer of porcelaine is always the most delicate and tricky. It is as thin as paper and breaks from the slightest touch. But it is the only way to get the relief of every detail of the leaf and the veins.
The first layer of porcelaine
Then I place the wire loops that are covered by the successive layers of porcelaine.
Adding the wire loops
Once the leaves are finished, I choose the closest matching pairs that will become earrings. The other leaves are used as components for different designs.
The finished porcelain leaves
The colouring stage is a true joy! Nothing ever comes out as planned, the pigments collect along the veins and unexpected marriages take place in front of my very eyes. The challenge is to recreate the colours exactly as the future owner has chosen (like the large leaf in the middle). When the pigment has dried and is stable, each leaf is varnished to protect it from moisture and dirt.
Colouring process
Here’s the result of the day’s work, with my beloved lemon balm leaves and some groups of other leaves earmarked for other projects.
Just for a change I’m making leaves… but these ones are for eating not for wearing !
If you like sumptuous birthday cakes, I take orders and will make one specially for you. It looks as good as it tastes. The recipe of that mouthwatering delicacy comes from my great-grandmother). You’ll have to come and pick it up, though.
Gâteau fleuri un peu sauvage à deux étages (pour 20 personnes)
Gâteau fleuri plus sage (pour 15 personnes)
Celui-là, je l’ai confectionné pendant une nuit de canicule, une des plus chaudes de l’année 2015… Pas évident de former les feuilles parce que le chocolat refusait tout bonnement de se figer (pour 6-8 personnes)
Sometimes the underside of a leaf is as interesting that the “good side”.
This is due to how the different pigments were absorbed by the material at the time of application. It’s easy to recognize the sense of the ribs, which correspond to thickness variations of the leaf.
Experience has shown that it works only with natural pigments, chemicals are fixed too quickly to penetrate the white base.
Depending on the mood, this pendant can be worn upright or upside down
