The Artist's Den by Paola Germar, Rated PG

When people remember an event, our mind utilises our memory  to fill in the gaps, by using preconceived thoughts about what we know . My bags are pieces of fun memories ,a bit jumbled and vague. They are inspired by snips of details in events in my life that I like to reminisce about.

I like creating things which make one's imagination work. My creations can be interpreted in different ways by different people, depending on what they have experienced. By using precious stones, wood and glass, I try to mimic the sharpness , strength, intensity and vividness of dreams through their assortment of colors, textures and arrangements. Hopefully, my pieces can trigger everyone's imagination and bring back fun and happy memories to people who see them.

       ABOUT THE ARTIST

 “I paint a lot and design things a lot , and ever since, I’ve always wanted to have my own brand called RATED PG or rated Paola Germar . The name came to me when I realized my initials were always on TV, and they always announced programs that are “Rated PG” , so I thought that would be free promotion for my brand , every time people hear it, they would remember my stuff. I like making everyday things look like art, or transform them so that they could be hung in galleries as artwork. I like to make everything pretty and try to make everyone smile . " - Paola Germar

As a major in Fine Arts and Painting, Paola Germar utilized her knowledge of the visual arts to create her brand of edgy handmade products. Also as a graduate of dress making and knitting, she has a command of using different mediums and materials, which she uses to enhance her creations. She came up with her brand name, Rated PG, after the “Parental Guidance” tag that’s attached to rate certain television shows, because it struck her that her initials were always mentioned on TV! As an artist, she is a combination of wide-eyed youthful perspective and quirky ideas. It is her hope that as she shares her memories and experiences with you through art, she’s simply trying to make you smile.

Wiring with Passion by Steph Lopez, FLOW

Flow’s pieces are made with the utmost care, and are usually time-consuming to make. At least where the wire pieces are concerned, I avoid making the same item over again. The end result for the pieces, I hope, is that they make the wearer feel as unique and as special as she truly is.

I’ve consigned two kinds of items to Palamuti by PJ Valenciano for her trade shows in the US this year: the Teardrop Necklaces and the Bejewelled Clutch.

Teardrop Necklaces

The necklaces with teardrop pendants are one of my more popular items.  I start with aluminum wire which I shape into a teardrop. Then, I weave on embellishments (such as crystals, pearls, and beads) onto the metal frame using stainless steel wire. I attach a jump ring to the pendant, so it can be easily slipped onto chain or omega wire. Meticulously-made and eye-catching, these pendants go well with the simplest of outfits, as much as they do with formal attire.

Bejewelled Clutch

Leather is such a beautiful material, and I wanted to incorporate wirework with leather to make these bags. Unfortunately, I have yet to learn how to work with leather, so I tapped other people to make the body of the bag for me. The ones I’ve consigned to Palamuti are made with leather from Pakistan; since my supplier could not find black leather of the same stiffness locally. The body of the bag has holes in front where I slip the stainless steel wire. Basically, these crystals and pearls are woven onto the leather body. These bags were designed for dressy nights out and formal occasions. While sparkly and feminine, these clutches are tough, as they are made of leather and stainless steel wire.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

"In 2006, I quit my full to job to pursue art full time. I tried doing corporate work again in 2011, only to leave in the summer of the following year, as I realized I could no longer keep with the pace of corporate life, and that's not where my heart really was. I took trips near the sea, contemplated on my career path, and decided that if I were to take on another kind of work, it must be centered on what I really love - art making"- Steph Lopez

While many jewelry businesses start from the love of jewelry, Flow started the other way – it first came about as a way for Steph Lopez to supplement her income as a sculptor and visual artist. This eventually cultivated her love for jewellery-making as an artform in itself, thus serving as an impetus to create pieces that make a woman feel special and unique, as she is truly meant to be. She started to learn how to make jewellery in 2012, and establishing her brand Flow, soon followed. Her unique style of handmade jewellery pieces and other trinkets has evolved gradually since then.  In the past year, she has been focused on making more ornate pieces that incorporate a lot of wirework – an element of design she lifted from her experience in making most of her sculptures. The name “Flow” came to her as she was taking a vacation by the sea. Her love for the beach and water inspired her brand name, and describes the process of how she works when it comes to making “trinkets”.  As an artist, she subscribes to a very spontaneous and “flowing” process. Usually, she simply compiles her materials in front of her, and allows her creativity to flow. Rarely does she draw or plan on how most pieces will look once they’re done.

Style & Sensibilities by Kim Basa, Amaya Accents

Beauty and grace are traits that are innate to every woman. How one carries herself radiates one's individuality. A woman's choice of clothes, shoes, and accessories speaks volumes about her personality, and also strongly conveys her uniqueness from others. 

My personal aesthetics lean towards classic, minimalist and bold.I stick to this baseline when trying to cross elements of design when I feel like experimenting. However, there is one definite fashion statement that will not be missed out: the statement necklace! I believe and feel that wearing something different and unique can spruce up my ensemble

I think it goes with the fact that I used to be shy and timid, It took me a lot of guts to wear something so bold during the first time. Yet I felt strongly about wearing something connected to my personality, so I went for it. Ss I found my way out of my shell, I started to gain confidence to uncloak a new version of me; a new and improved version.

When my friends and I plan a gathering, we think of a theme of what everyone gets to wear. For October, which is my birthday month, we chose black themed attire accompanied by a statement necklace. Since it's going to be a dinner with other friends celebrating my birthday, a statement necklace was included as part of the theme, because it's something that speaks about me. In preparation, I considered having a customised piece, which I designed myself.  I chose a flower design with  a touch of red to break the black and white combination. I loved how this complemented my black and white outfit. You see, the look that I was able to create was about me, myself and I. I purposely didn't try to imitate a style icon, as I believe that it will go against who I am. 

In essence,personal style, for me, is being myself. I believe I can never go wrong with that. 

ABOUT THE ARTIST-ENTREPRENEUR  

Kim started Amaya due to her fondness in accessorizing with the use of uniquely handcrafted necklaces.  It started when she got pregnant with her second child, a girl, who she wanted to share her affinity and passion for dressing up. Encouraged by the thought of realizing a dream, she named her brand of unique handmade accessories after her daughter, Amaya. As she continues to pursuing this vision of providing unique handcrafted accessories to moms like her, who share the same love for handmade accessories, she’s thankful that she found the wisdom and inspiration, despite the many challenges facing entrepreneurs and artists, through one significant life event --- being a mother to a daughter named Amaya.

What we love most with Amaya Accents' handmade pieces is the simple functionality of the design. If you are the type who's looking for classic, casual wearable pieces, we recommend Amaya's Daily Wear Necklaces. Drop by and show your support for Filipino Independent Artists at the American Bead Shows this coming October 25-26 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Whispers of the Seasons: Fall/Winter Handmade Collection

These statement pieces, along with vintage Palamuti designs, will be available on our website's relaunch on October 2014. We're currently making improvements  with a user-friendly e-commerce interface, as well as a whole new look, just in time before the season of gift giving begins. 

Maharlika 

For this new collection, I have decided to focus solely on bead embroidery for all our designs. The inspiration for these necklaces is a collective vision of the fall & winter seasons. I've incorporated our signature style to the seasons' motif,colours, and themes; taking  inspiration from a wide variety of sources, taking advantage of the aesthetic diversity present among things such as the  "Fleur De Lis", Autumn Leaves, Japanese Art, and Islamic Geometric Patterns. 

Maharlika 

Fall colors reminds me of royalty. "Maharlika" is the Tagalog word for royalty, and this design is my fashion vision for this season. I have three versions of this design to represent the different neckline types women are most likely to have. The key element that brings the design together is harmony of colours, with its curved patterns and stylized branches, to give it a royal setting.

Laya

This pieces is another rendition of the stylised branch. I decided to use the depth and versatility of cut beads in making these statement necklaces; adding semi-precious stones and acrylic crystals as accents. This interpretation of a stylised branch emphasises play with this year's colours.

Rariza

This Fall/Winter season we are all about long statement necklaces and geometric patterns. Using our core technique, bead embroidery, I had our beaders creat patterns alternating the use of cut beads and seed beads. The seed beads for this neckace gives the necklace the texture necessary to prevent it from looking flat. To round out the finish, we used aluminum silver plated chain, to fuse modernity and traditional techniques present in the design.

Old Rose

Flower concepts are a favorite theme in this year's collection, and I have designed several pieces inspired by the rose. I decided to make a rose statement necklace in black and gold. Unlike past flower inspired pieces that I have designed before, what sets this piece apart is the special focus on using texture to give depth to the petals. Our Palamuti Apprentice from a rural community in the Northern Philippines, Novie, took on this project as part of enhancing her skills in handmade bead embroidery.

Maximina

Maximina is our attempt to expand the possibilities of bead embroidery, most especially the use of cut beads. The idea for this collection was to minimize the use of stones, crystals and gem-like craft beads. I decided to focus on cut beads instead, to give it more sparkle. Generally, embellished necklaces are given an emphasis on dimension, by adding components with more volume. Cut beads, in comparison to seed beads, have a certain shimmering quality, which subtly adds glamor, despite its intended simplicity. We utilized this characteristic to improve the effect of beads, individually sewn by hand, to precisely match the shape of cut felt cloth. The flow of the stitched cut beads leaves no room for error, a very intrinsic element to the necklace's design.

Yuri

I am also inspired by concepts and designs from different foreign cultures. This necklace is a rendition of cherry blossoms in winter colors, a tribute to our fascination for Japanese art. We tried to give justice to the quintessential image of the Japanese cherry blossom with added depth and texture. I added raised seed beads to form delicate petals on the flowers.

Lagas

Autumn leaves are the very inspiration for this necklace. Most of all, our commitment to elevating our designs pushed us to experiment in other ways to stitch the seed beads that will create texture and depth to the leaves. Black and gold is the "must have" colour combination for accesorising this fall. Instead of sticking to the traditional gold-orange- red falling leaves, we used neutral colours accented with gold.

Keeping it real.- PJV

Designing from One's Roots

I have an affinity for the province of Ilocos, not only because the Ilocano blood runs through my veins, and because I lived there until I was 6 years old, until I had to attend school in the city. The region has become a significant place during my formative years. I still remember the basket of mangoes that my Inang and Tita Fely would keep away from me because, according to them, I loved mangoes so much they couldn't stop me from eating. I still remember the old lady who lived across the street who'd welcome me every morning to play in her house. I remember going out with my older female cousins in the afternoon to the fields to catch beetles. They would carry me on their back being their "bunso" (an affectionate term for "youngest"). I remember pretending to be asleep when it's time for my afternoon nap, because I was afraid that my Inang will give me a spanking, if she found out that I was awake. 

Both of my parents were born in Ilocos Norte, one of the northern provinces in the Philippines.  Although my siblings and I were raised in  Metro Manila for most of our lives, we grew up in a household that introduced us to the culture of the Ilocanos. Before my grandmother migrated to Hawaii, we used to travel back and forth from the city to the province, especially during summer. In the following years, when my grandmother lived in Hawaii, our Tita Fely would bring us to Ilocos Norte. Most of my childhood years were spent there. 

We were first introduced to the Abel handwoven cloth in the form of a blanket,  a common use for the Abel cloth in an Ilocano household. We had a variety of Abel blankets of different  designs. I loved the material so much that during a lone travel in the province, I went out to find souvenirs made of Abel to bring home to the city. A few years later, I became acquainted with the fabric  as a fashionable bag during my travel to Ilocos in 2001. The bag had a black and white checkered pattern, which I gave as a present to my good friend who is now living in the United States. 

Not knowing that I'd pursue a career as an entrepreneur and designer, my fascination for this locally handwoven cloth has kept me wanting to incorporate this traditional material into our designs. A part of my vision for Palamuti is to use local and homegrown materials that represent the story of my country. Through the years, I have been experimenting on how to make use and elevate the Abel into my costume jewelry designs. This year, I've decided to focus on bead embroidery, and experimented on combining the hand loomed fabric with hand stitched designs. It was imperative that both elements complemented one another because the Abel fabric was a beautiful cloth on its own; especially those with silver and gold thread accents. We couldn't bead on the fabric itself, since it spoiled the Abel's natural beauty. Finally, I decided to use the Abel in place of the chiffon fabric that we use to attach a bead embroidered necklace. 

This new improved merging of two elements and techniques represents our "Nagapwa" Collection. Last year, we released a "Nagapwa" collection, although we only used basic linking and stringing instead of bead embroidery. This year, after several attempts, "Nagapwa" Collection truly represents both me as a bead embroidery artisan-designer and a child of Ilocos Norte Philippines. 

Keeping it real. - PJV 

Time of Giving

The the holiday season is upon us, and what better way to celebrate the time of giving than by purchasing beautiful handmade accessories as gifts for friends and loved ones. These handmade creations come with an advocacy of helping talented Filipino women from marginalised sectors of society. Our business partner and supporter based in the USA, Michelle Denisoff, will be joining a series of trade shows in Ohio and Los Angeles to share with her community the products made by mothers and out of school youth from urban and rural poor communities in the Philippines.   

Among the designs that will be showcased in these series of trade shows are: 

DALOY Collection

This collection is based freehand beading, not following any patterns, with the use of recycled materials unto the felt cloth. Unlike our other designs, which we usually sketch before proceeding to actual bead embroidery, this set  requires full utility of an artisan's needle skills. She must also tap into her design skills, with a little imagination, so as to be able to come up with a balanced design using materials of different texture and size. In making these necklaces, creativity and mastery of materials, including colour schemes, are brought into play and challenged, when doing free flowing designs. 

ALITAPTAP Collection

 

"Alitaptap" is a Filipino word which means firefly. People who are accustomed to city life are deprived of chance to see these magical creatures. During our visit to one of the far-flung provinces in the Philippines, the presence of fireflies on a nightly basis was a surreal experience . Their beauty bordered on the ethereal,  inspiring us in this collection. We used gem acrylic beads to capture the likeness of its glow, with acrylic crystals as accents, finished with braided satin to form the necklace. 

EL NIDO- LIKHA Collection

The Philippines has a wide talent pool of skilled and artistic workers. Handcrafting has been in the culture and tradition of Filipinos, even before the Spanish colonial era. As the nation shifted to industrialisation and modernity, the value placed in handcrafting began to diminish. Advances in technology, communication, and appreciation for handmade works of art have opened opportunities for these Filipino women artisans to find an alternative means of livelihood with artistic skills developed through generations of handcrafting. 

This is a collection of bead embroidered pieces that were made by the participants of our informal workshop with selected women based in El Nido. The designs were inspired by El Nido's natural beauty from flowers to fallen leaves. 

SIBOL Collection

For these necklaces, we chose to incorporate brooch settings into the braided satin, as a breather from our heavy bead embroidery concept pieces. The brooch settings are hand stitched on a satin rope, embellished with acrylic crystals and faux pearls.

LAKBAY DULCE Collection

 

Marites Dulce is a mother from an urban poor community in Manila, who we trained to become a bead embroidery artisan. She handcrafted most of the pieces in our summer collection. We decided to use wood and cut beads as the main accents for these pieces. Marites has gone a long way in creating statement pieces, and in honour of her achievements as an unemployed housewife to a highly skilled women artisan,we named this collection after her.

HIRAYA Freeform Collection 

Doing freeform designs are the most difficult, but rewarding form of beading. Novie Katimpo, a high school graduate from a rural province in the Philippines who was sent to work as a housemaid, became our first in-house apprentice. After training for 5 years, she has accumulated knowledge with materials, as well as being able to mix and match them intuitively. We believe that to improve their skills, our artisans should be challenged with every project. Working freehand, without any guides and blueprints, allow them to develop their artistic vision and creativity.

For inquiries  you may contact us at the following:

E: info@palamutishop.com 

M# & VIBER #: 310-529-8991 

Follow us on Facebook 

Fleur de Lis Collection

We recently made several handmade accessories inspired by the "Fleur de Lis", a stylised design of medieval French origin. Its meant to represent the different classes in medieval society. The working class, the clergy, and the military are depicted by the three petals of the Lily, or Iris, flower. This symbol was traditionally used as adornment for coats of arms and flags of French monarchs. Its popularity became widespread as other European nations began to adapt the "Fleur de Lis" for their own purposes. To this very day, this iconic emblem is still used in many different variations.

Due to the "Fleur de Lis'" vertical orientation, we decided on medallion design to better capture the petals curved profile and sharp edges. All in all, we were able to come up with a total of three necklaces in different colors representing Fall & Winter. We used the following materials: acrylic gemstone and crystals, seed beads, gold plated chain with faux leather back finishing with this opera styled necklace. The bead embroidered medallion part of the necklace measures six inches, while the chain's length is twelve inches. The total neckline measurement is twenty-four inches.

These necklaces are part of our upcoming Fall/Winter collection, which we will be unveiling in conjunction with the relaunch of our website and online store. With improved skills and newly learned techniques, we are hoping that we were able to elevate the texture and depth of our handcrafted accessories. The subtle tones we were going for on the "Fleur de Lis" design give it an understated appearance for a statement necklace, yet we're very pleased with the elegant outcome of the final product.

In the coming days, we will be blogging our Fall and Winter designs,  leading up to our website's launch date. If you wish to preorder any of these new handmade accessories before we finally list them, please send us a message on Facebook, Twitter, or through email. 

Keeping it real. -PJV

Customized Gift with Love and Uniqueness

"Thank you soooo much Pj Valenciano for this superb and exquisite unique handicrafted necklace.. it's sooo beautiful and I cannot express how I am surprised because its beauty is beyond my expectation. It's more beautiful in actual.. no doubt that it was made by love and dedication.. I don't just like it but I soooo love it!!! I will surely help again  super thanks again "Palamuti" by PJ Valenciano. Please extend my deepest appreciation to the admirable woman who made it."- Carmela 

Carmela, otherwise known as Cha to her friends, is our newest client based in Singapore. Being a person whose fashion sense leaned towards the contemporary, she fell in love with one of our classic designs. The Requiron Necklace is a handmade necklace, bead embroidered with a red theme. For an upcoming special occasion, her birthday, the family celebrated with dinner at a fancy restaurant. She decided to have a handmade necklace customized, as an accent for her attire.  Cha was so enamored with her customized handcrafted piece, that  she ordered another one in a different color, as a gift for her Tita Elvie.

The power of the internet helps us communicate with our clients based abroad. While Cha now lives in Singapore, her other relatives, such as Tita Elvie, was based in the Philippines. Through a few clicks, she was able to place her order, have it shipped to a relative in a different country, and have it wrapped beautifully in an artistic manner. Included with her gift was a note from her family, written on delicate stationery paper.

We love receiving orders that speak of our  client's personality and style. We believe that every woman is unique, with her very own story to tell. Their tales, though not directly spoken, can be seen through people, place and things that shapes her life. Cha's choice of handmade costume jewelry not only shows her keen sense of fashion and art but her kind spirit towards helping Filipino women artisans. In making Cha's customized piece, we tried to present a creation which reflected her personality. Throughout the entire process of designing and crafting, we asked for Cha's opinion regarding the colors, materials, and overall appearance of the piece. Handmade art is made special because you are able to control the quality and design every step of the creation process. By incorporating elements of Carmela's fashion sense, we were inspired to make a piece that spoke of Carmela's love and affection for Tita Elvie.

Keeping it real.- PJV

A Mother's Vision: Kalinga by Amaya

"I dedicate this collection to all Moms like me, most especially to my mom who have unselfishly and lovingly raised me and my siblings the best way she could." - Kim, Amaya 

Working and partnering with entrepreneurs and businesses who share in our vision is a very important part of what we do. Being open with ideas, and sharing knowledge in design, is a good way to keep improving our skills. As artisans, we are always open to creative feedback, criticism, and suggestions to make our products better. Consistently working with projects that challenge us, allows us to continue expressing our love for fashion and art, through handmade bead embroidery.   

We believe that in growing a social enterprise, it is a key too to build relationships, not only with the artisans, but with fashion buyers such as Kim, owner of Amaya. Their trust in our capacity to design concepts stemming from their ideas. The quality of the products we provide, as well as their unique style, are the building blocks for our relationship. Kim understands the nature of designing; that the creative aspect is closely tied to the production process of handcrafted bead embroidery statement pieces. They give us the freedom to express ourselves artistically, at the same time, keeping a firm grasp of the standards and aesthetics that her clientele expects from their customised accessories. We want to grow our business along with entrepreneurs who value the painstaking art of creating by hand, because it results in beautiful artistic creations; instead of opting to sell watered down versions made with a half-hearted effort.  

The Kalinga Collection was born from Kim's ideas conceptualised based on her own personal aesthetics. Our role as designers and artisans, was simply to provide her with options on how to execute those ideas, and to turn them into unique handmade bead jewellery necklaces. For this collection, she was inspired by the orchid and the many significances the flower holds over a diverse number of cultures. The orchid is a symbol of love, luxury, beauty and perfection, but what attracted her the most was its ties to feminine beauty. 

As a mother herself, Kim knows that the joy that of bringing forth new life, and nurturing them to become individuals in their own right, can be attributed to her own personal experience being raised by a warm, loving woman. Strength, beauty, and grace are qualities that any mother must imbue to her children if she expects them to thrive as people of substance, especially in a world that places value on the superficial. Thus, she dedicates this collection to all women who know the that the weight of responsibilities  placed on a mother's shoulders is well worth the effort, if you love someone unconditionally. 

Amaya by Kim Basa is one of our featured artists. We will be showcasing some of their daily handmade pieces at the Second Sunday in Main in Cincinnati, Ohio on August 10, 2014. Drop by and support Independent Filipino Artists. 

Keeping it real.- PJV

Celebrate a Vow of Love, Happiness, and Hope

"I wanted to create an opportunity to employ, train, and educate these artists as we grow and expand our website and our mission. This is where PJ and I decided to partner up; our shared vision of creating jobs and giving back to the community is the start of creating our global marketplace called palamutishop.com. "- Michelle M. Denisoff

This coming October marks the first wedding anniversary of Michael and Michelle Denisoff. More than loving Filipino handcrafted works wearable art, Michelle is an avid supporter of Filipino women artisans. As a Filipino who migrated to the United States, Michelle understands the arid economic conditions of her native Philippines, which is why she invested in a website Palamutishop.com, to help showcase Filipino handmade designs to a global audience. Last year, we had an opportunity to design Michelle's accessories for her wedding. Our artisans customized handmade accessories for most of her bridal entourage, such as; the wedding hairpiece, the flower girl's hairpiece and her bridesmaid's jewelry.

Michelle is one of Palamuti's main supporters. She eventually became one of our main business partners as well. After a 2006 volunteer trip in the Philippines, she made a promise to herself that she will come  come back to help in whichever way she can, to make a difference.  It was in 2011, when we were featured on The Filipino Channel that Michelle learned about us and a fruitful partnership has been born.

 

"I didn't how at that time and it wasn't until I watched a TFC (The Filipino Channel) segment were Filipino talents are featured with their work. I had a vision then to create an e-commerce website where Filipino artisans are able to showcase their talents in handmade products. These artists who have no means of introducing their products to the world."- Michelle M. Denisoff

                   

Among our favorite designs that we made, that has made into our list of mainstay products, is the bridesmaid set consisting of a necklace and a bracelet made of semi-precious stones, rhinestones and crystals. We based the set's design on Michelle's aesthetics and the theme of her bridesmaids' attire. Thus, the yellow Citrine semi-precious stone jewelry, served as a harmonious accent to the bridesmaids' navy blue cocktail dresses. A hand-loomed  fabric called Abel ti Iloko, which originated from Ilocos Norte, one of the northernmost Philippine provinces, was used to create the accompanying tote bags. The fabric itself was a product of a centuries-old tradition of native Filipino, proving that art has always been in the Filipino blood, before any western influence. We decided to use this material to honor Michelle's heritage and fashion sensibilities.   

We named the collection "Panata"; which ,when translated to English, means "Vow".  The collection has since taken on many forms; all varying on different elements, such as the use of colors and stones. These pieces will soon be available on our website. They will also be sold in upcoming trade shows in the US. 

Second Sunday in Main: August 10, 2014 
American & Bead Jewelry Shows: August 16-17, 2014

It was a privilege to create these accessories for Michelle. Her support and belief in the quality and beauty of our work, has been very instrumental for us in reaching out to a global market, It's also been a great opportunity for Filipino women artisans, who are willing to learn and improve, to continue striving to create something meaningful with their own hands. Through women with style and substance such as Michelle, the dream of helping underprivileged women, becomes a little bit closer to reality. 

Keeping it real.- PJV