Peridot Skies

Social Experiment

May 04, 2012

Where did the name Social Experiment come from?

The name is a direct reflection of what began as a hobby & now has turned into a small business. I took a course at Country Beads back in April 2009 as something fun to try. I made these cocktail rings are gifts for family & girl friends. Suddenly there was an interest & a close girl friend urged me to start selling them. Social Experiment started out as a social experiment, to see if people like my designs, product etc. Guess they did!

Why did you choose to focus on rings instead of other types of
jewellery? Do you have any plans on expanding beyond just making rings?

Well the simple answer is that I took a wire wrapped ring course and have stuck with what I know. Once you start making jewellery, whether it is for yourself or as a business venture, it is very easy to get sidetrack by all the possibilities (and of course the supplies!) I have tried bracelets, but they were not as successful. I am open to exploring other avenues of jewellery making, but at the moment I am content with growing my small business creating cocktail rings.

How are your designs inspired by the West Coast?

All things “West Coast” & my love for Vancouver have always consumed me, so much so that I have a tattoo of a seashell on one ankle and a snowflake on the other. The West Coast is physically a part of my body (and of course my soul). I choose semi-precious stones (that are then drilled into beads) that represent nature. Whether it be the shape, size, colour, reflection, feel etc.
"Each Social Experiment piece is inspired by the natural beauty of the West Coast. The sun, sand, rain, surf, ancient forests and high mountains of the Pacific Northwest."

What kind of hobbies and activities do you partake in that truly make you

a Westcoast kind of gal? (sports,outdoor activities.)

Again on top of having the west coast be a part of my physical self, my lifestyle, attitude, outlook on life, and sense of style reflects the west coast. I love to swim in the ocean when its warmer, kayak, surf, skimboard, I love to run, do yoga, rock climb, hike, telemark ski, cross country ski, golf. As for leisure, I am at the beach a lot in the summer (at least 3x week), I love to check out as many patios in the summer as I can, run the seawall, and in the winter spend as much time in the mountains as I possibly can. Vancouver really truly is a west coast city 365 days a year. I cannot think of another amazing city where you can ski, run, kayak, sit on a patio & shop at amazing stores in the same day! I could talk about our amazing city the even more amazing natural surroundings (mountain, ocean, ancient trees...) for hours!

Georgia is so generously offering to my readers a 15% discount off your purchase for one week in her Etsy shop. Just be sure to use the discount code PERIDOTLOVE at checkout. I want one of each!! Which one will you be ordering?

All images courtesy of Social Experiment

May 04, 2012
1 Comments

Baubles and Bling and Everything In Between

May 03, 2012

Decor

Mother's Day is May 13th and you want to show her how grateful you are for everything she does. Hopefully this roundup will help you choose the perfect gift for your mom. If she is a lady after the bling then this first group is for her.

Spike bracelets Ettika//Tortoise link J. Crew//Tortoise bracelet Loren Hope//Necklace Design Darling//Bangle Kate Spade //Earrings Kate Spade//Starfish ringJ. Crew// Friendship bracelet Ettika

If she is sentimental what better than to show her you appreciate her with a hand written note. I am always touched when my boys write me a note in their cards.

Rifle Paper

Limited Edition cards

I See Noise

Sugar Paper

Inslee

Flowers more her style? then chose her a vessel to display them with.

Jill Rosenwald

You can never go wrong with leather!

Limited Edition Traveling Trio
Blair Ritchey

Blair Ritchey

Limited Edition Gold Polka Dot pouche crossbody

KSladeMade

You didn't think I would forget the sweetest category of all did you?

Sprinkles

May 03, 2012
0 Comments

Dip Dye DIY Ombre'

May 02, 2012

DIY

A few weeks back two of my sisters, my niece and I got together for a day of fun. One of our projects was to dip dye shirts. We laughed all day. It was a fun activity and we will be doing this one again. I recommend you have great girl friends or sisters together for this project as you will spend most of it laughing at each other and your creations. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Your supplies are fairly simple. A bucket, all thought a stainless sink is recommended we think now maybe a wallpaper tray would work. My sister's sink was ceramic so we used her sons baseball buckets! It worked just fine.

A spray bottle to help bleed the color, clip hangers, dye, rubber gloves, and a location to hang them to drip dry. (The yard)

We mixed the dye as directed. We used Dylon dye. I did research on dye and found this to be a vibrant color. I think our colors were Flamingo Pink, And China Blue.

Once we mixed it we only added 3/4 of the dye to the bucket of water until we dipped the shirts the first two times. Then once the shirt was ready for the final color we added the remaining dye to the bucket. There are no pictures to show the actual dipping process for two reasons: 1. We were up to our elbows in dye, and 2. We were laughing pretty hard at the whole process. At one time in the day (feeling confident that my hands were fine), I rubbed my nose with my glove! Yes, a glove that has been in blue dye. Laughter ensued! Katie's leg itched so I scratched it with my glove again.... this time my hands had been in pink dye. Later on her leg looked as if she had major varicose veins! So lets pretend we understand how to dip a shirt in a bucket. We clipped the shirts onto the hangers by the shoulders so they would be ready to dry, and it assisted in keeping them straight. We had pre washed all the shirts and re wet them to dip. One person held the shirt by the shoulders while another guided the shirt in the dye careful not to get it on the top section we wanted to remain white. With the shirt ready to dip, lower it in the dye up as far as you want the first color. We chose right at the armpit, but you can make it where ever you want. Hold it in the dye for no more than 5 seconds then lift it straight up. Your assistant will need to spray this color at the top with the clear water spray bottle. This helps diffuse the bleed line into the white to not be a harsh line.

Then dip the shirt again but this time only dip it in the dye 2/3rds the way in. Hold in the dye for approximately 20 seconds. You may need to spray this line with the clear water, but judge the color line after you lift it out. Then the final dip is the lower 1/3 of the shirt and we left it in for several minutes. Pretty pink huh?

The first shirt I dipped was this one. It ended up getting a deep dye spot on the front of the shirt where the dye absorbed greater than other areas. I was ready to forget this shirt until my sister in law suggested we tie dye effect it and dip the top white, then soak the bottom section in dye. It ended up coming out pretty fun and was no longer a waste!

Katie wanted to do a onesie for her baby that is due in just a few weeks, and I decided to make a blue onesie for my newest grandson that is due this fall. She said it would jinx me to do blue, but nope it didn't!

It was hard to get a picture showing the true effect, but they turned out pretty good and the best thing about it was the fun we had making them!

All photos by Lisa

May 02, 2012
1 Comments

Wedges

May 01, 2012

Nordstrom

I am loving the choices of neutral wedges this year. There are so may styles that you could have them all and not feel as if you have duplicates! I guess 4 and 8 are pretty similar other than one is cork and the other is rope, but that leaves 7 different pairs to have and with the range of price points there is sure to be at least on of these in every budget!