peach blossoms

It's spring and that means plants are in bloom (and my allergies)! The Helen Borcher peach trees are vibrant with their pink blossoms. When I was in undergrad, I used to think these peach trees were a genetic defect because the 'peaches' that later materialized were small, inedible, and sometimes oddly-shaped like siamese twins. I would dream up stories in my head about what toxins must have altered these poor peaches. Further research led me to discover that the Helen Borcher trees are just another of nature's species (reminds me of story of apples in The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan) and they're specifically known for their beautiful flowers.

peachy keen...again

It seemed like people really liked the design of the original 'peachy keen' earrings but they were designed for stretched earlobes. So I recently redesigned another pair that are made especially for standard sized ear piercings!
See them in my etsy shop..

Russian wood house

by Nikolai Sutyagin

Custom ring

Recently finished this custom made ring and sent it to it's happy new home! Sizing for ring designs that deviate from the standard circle shape proves to be challenging but they're also good problem solving projects!

swirly keen

New earring design that are made out of two dangling components so their movement, size, and design make them a lot of fun! I think they're a good alternative to the 'peachy keen' design, which are made for stretched earlobes.

www.aprilkawaoka.etsy.com

ps...the variable necklace below sold and it going to a good home!

Ice House Detroit

I can't remember exactly where I first read about this project but it immediately grabbed my attention. Its ingenuity and beauty, combined with an awareness of place and current social realities makes this work fascinating and an interesting visual metaphor.

"Ice House Detroit is an architectural installation and social change project currently taking place in Detroit. Photographer Gregory Holm and architect Matthew Radune will use one of 20,000 abandoned houses and freeze it in solid ice, referencing the contemporary urban conditions in the city and beyond."

To see their progress and more photos visit:
http://icehousedetroit.blogspot.com/

Variable

A new necklace design of mine...
www.aprilkawaoka.etsy.com