Thursday, November 29, 2012

Celebrities Photographed with Popnicute Jewelry

The end of 2012 is coming fast and I'd like to do a recap of the events I've done with The Artisan Group since the beginning of the year.

On March 2012, I designed this Heart of Drew necklace to be sent to Drew Barrymore, the actress/producer/voice actor/director. It was my first heart design that incorporated creative framing with piercing designs all over it. Also my first heart with a beaded chain necklace. I love this design! It has since become my most popular heart design. If you want to order one, contact me for a quote.

Heart of Drew necklace for Drew Barrymore is part of Popnicute Hearts collection


On June, The Artisan group represented Popnicute at GBK Luxury Gift Lounge for this red carpet event, The 2012 MTV Movie Awards. Popnicute made 6 different designs for Batik Glam Collection to go inside the celebrity gift bags, among them is this Slave Bracelet that Allison Holker was photographed with. Miss Holker kindly sent this photo through her twitter account. She's a really sweet person! We chatted for a bit. Read more celebrity tweets from the events.



Allison Holker in Slave Bracelet by Popnicute. She calls it her "hand candy" :)



Next event was creating this bold Mother of Pearl necklace for Vanessa Lachey on July 2012. She was expecting her first baby with Nick Lachey and I thought mother of pearl would be a perfect jewelry for her. This design was simple but pretty striking. Definitely one of a kind.

Mother of pearl necklace by Popnicute for Vanessa Lachey


On September 2012, about 60 members of The Artisan Group sent their items to the stylist of Pretty Little Liars, a fashionable hit TV show from the ABC Family, for consideration of making an appearance in the show. I made this Rockstar necklace, a very bold and substantial necklace, designed with the lead characters in mind. I'm still waiting to hear if my necklace would make it into the show. Wish me luck! One day my jewelry will be featured in a TV show!!

Rockstar necklace by Popnicute for Pretty Little Liars, ABC Family's hit TV show


On October 2012, another chance to be in a TV show came up. This time, it was for The Vampire Diaries. We sent our items to Leigh Leverett, the stylist of the hit TV show, for consideration of being used in the show. About 13 members out of 80 who participated at this event were already notified that their items got chosen and will be used in certain episodes. How exciting! I'm still waiting for the good news!! I made this Spellbound necklace with Bonnie character in mind.

Spellbound necklace by Popnicute created for The Vampire Diaries, a hit TV show from The CW Network.


On November 2012, here came The 46th Annual Country Music Awards. Our products were represented by The Artisan group and displayed at the backstage, the official gift lounge for the award show! This is huge! 56 well known and A-list artists and performers of The CMA Awards were gifted the celebrity bags, as well as several executives of The ABC networks and CMA Awards. Among the celebrity recipients are Kelly Clarkson, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, and Carrie Underwood, just to name a few. The complete celebrity list can be read in my post about Country Music's Biggest Night. Here below are photos from the award show.

Vince Gill is photographed with Popnicute jewelry, the Shield necklace


 Jenee Fleenor, Blake Shelton's fiddle and guitar player, 
tweeted this picture of her wearing Moon necklace by Popnicute. 
In fact all of these jewelry she's wearing were from TAG celebrity bag 
that she received backstage at The 46th Annual CMA Awards.



UPDATE:
On December 2012, Popnicute's Diadema necklace was selected by Audrey Fisher, the costumer designer of True Blood, to appear in HBO's hit TV show in Season 6. What an honor! I will update once I know what episode and who will be wearing Popnicute's Diadema necklace.


Read Popnicute's Press Releases:


Let me be the first to say, have a wonderful holiday, everyone! CHEERS!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

DIY Bench Pin Stand

I bought a vintage roll top desk a few months ago to use as my work desk. It's made of solid wood and really heavy. I had a handmade bench pin clamped on the table lip. I didn't know better and it was apparently too low for comfort for piercing. I was ready to spend on a lower chair but then the idea hit me. I could just raise my bench pin instead.

So today I visited a hardware store looking for a couple of L-brackets. My idea was to attach two L-brackets to a pice of wood and screw in my bench pin on top of it. But at the store, I found something better that requires less work! In the roofing section, I found this C-bracket made of aluminum (i think), heck if I know what the actual use of it, but it was perfect for my need. It would give my bench pin a 5.5 inch raise to a more comfortable height for sawing. I paid only less than $5 for the bracket.

testing the positioning

What you need:
- wood screws
- a screwdriver
- a drill
- bench pin
- C-bracket
- scrap wood
- C-clamp

I ended up using only one of these small screws and used another two longer ones.


Step by step:

1. Bottom up, position where you want to bolt your bench pin and make a mark to drill. You screw should be smaller than the thickness of the pin so it doesn't shoot through the wood.


2. Place your bracket and screw it in. Please disregard the photo and only screw in the hole on the far back.


3. Cut a piece of scrap wood in the length of the bracket, in my case, it was 5.5 inch. The purpose of this is to give more stability to the stand. By its own, the stand is somewhat bouncing around as I saw.


4. I drilled the holes on both bench pin and wood stick and used a longer screw to bolt it down from top and bottom. Use flat top screw and make sure you have nothing sticking out so it won't be a nuisance when you're sawing a bigger piece.

5. Use a C-clamp to clamp this stand on the table.

All in all, I spent less than 5 minutes to build this stand.


Let me know if it works for you too. Have fun piercing!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Popnicute is in National Newspaper Jawa Pos

Following the success of KHQA interview, this is my second mention in the media. Popnicute and I were honored to be featured in Jawa Pos, a major national newspaper based in Surabaya, Indonesia. The story revolves on my contribution to the celebrity gift bags that were distributed in GBK Gift Lounge for The 2012 MTV Movie Awards and my affiliation to The Artisan Group. It also tells a story about how did I get into handmade jewelry business and some blurb about my personal, cultural, and academic background.

Big thanks to my former teacher in college, Pak Obed, who forwarded my story to Jawa Pos. Otherwise this national media coverage would have never happened. I was humbled by his kindness. Glad to be his friend in facebook.

Too bad my website address is not mentioned in the article but hopefully everyone knows how to Google Popnicute! :))

Popnicute got 2/3 page feature! WOW!  Look how big the photos are ^_^

Photo credit goes to a friend in Surabaya, Rio, who kindly took this photo for me :)

My mom laminated this article for me! I will frame it once it gets here ^_____~

For you who couldn't get a hold of this newspaper, this is a copy of the text. English translation is at the bottom.


Indonesian Version
-----------------------
Kharisma R. Sommers 
Owner Line Perhiasan Popnicute
Tembus Seleb Hollywood

Ada wakil Indonesia di ajang MTV Movie Awards 2012. Tapi jangan lantas bayangkan salah seorang pemain Twilight Saga yang menjadi pemenang movie of the year itu datang dari tanah air. Keberadaan Kharisma Ryantori Sommers lah yang membuat nuansa merah putih muncul di perhelatan bergengsi tahunan itu.

Hampir di semua even besar insan musik atau film AS ada sesi pembagian gift bags. Isinya macam-macam. Yang pasti semua merupakan produk pilihan karena akan diberikan kepada para selebriti yang datang. Untuk MTV Movie Awards 2012 yang berlangsung di Gibson Amphitheatre 3 Juni lalu, pemberian tas suvenir itu diadakan event company GBK. Sebuah momen khusus bernama GBK Luxury Gift Lounge pun dibuat pada 1-2 Juni di L’Ermitage Hotel, Beverly Hills.

Diantara barang yang dibagikan ada set perhiasan bertema Batik Glam Indonesia. Itu merupakan buatan Kharisma. Lewat line perhiasannya, Popnicute, perempuan kelahiran 1 April 1981 itu mengirimkan karyanya untuk diberikan kepada para para bintang Hollywood itu.

Bisa mengisi gift bags para seleb itu tentu menjadi kehormatan bagi Kharisma. Kesempatan tersebut datang setelah dia tergabung dalam The Artisan Group, sebuah grup eksklusif yang menyediakan collective sampling untuk selebriti Hollywood. ”Tidak semua orang diterima masuk organisasi ini. Setelah menjadi anggota, kita bisa berpartisipasi di segala even yang ditawarkan. Seperti menyediakan gift bags untuk MTV Movie Awards, Academy Awards, atau Golden Globes,” kata Kharisma.

Kharisma adalah orang Indonesia asli. Dia lahir dan besar di Surabaya. Bungsu dari dua bersaudara itu baru pindah ke Illinois, AS, pada September 2010 karena menikah dengan seorang pria Amerika bernama Steven Sommers. Bisnis jewelry yang sudah mulai dirintisnya sejak dari tanah air itu pun turut diboyongnya.

Perhiasan menjadi salah satu fokus utama Kharisma saat ini. Putri Ryantori, insinyur ternama Surabaya penemu konsep Konstruksi Sarang Laba-Laba bersama Ir Sutjipto, itu mulai tertarik dengan jewelry saat menginjak remaja. Ketika SMP dia menjual bandul kalung dari bahan clay. ”Lalu tante saya yang ada di Hongkong mulai rajin mengirimi buku-buku kreasi tangan sampai monte-monte dan kristal. Setelah itu saya membuat dan menjual jewelry on and off ketika kuliah karena tugas yang menumpuk,” ceritanya.

Begitu menyelesaikan kuliah di UK Petra jurusan Design Komunikasi Visual, Kharisma bekerja di beberapa perusahaan sebagai desainer grafis. Tapi kemudian dia mengambil keputusan jika bekerja untuk orang lain bukan panggilan hidupnya. ”Saya pilih bisnis jewelry dan freelance graphic designer kecil-kecilan. Sampai pada 2008 saya mengenal teknik membuat perhiasan bernama wire wrapping dan itu saya lakukan sampai sekarang,” tutur perempuan yang tidak pernah mengenyam pendidikan formal tentang jewelry itu.

Label Popnicute lahir ketika Kharisma sudah siap untuk menjual karyanya melalui internet. Ketika itu dia sudah mulai menggeluti teknik wire wrapping dan beranggapan hasil-hasilnya layak dijual secara internasional. ”Karena itu saya butuh brand. Dan kemudian terciptalah Popnicute yang merupakan singkatan dari POPular, uNIque, and CUTE. Saya ingin nama saya unik karena saya tidak mau calon pembeli salah beli di perusahaan lain karena nama yang mirip,” jelasnya. (ayi)


Seniman Yang Juga Pengusaha

Kharisma dengan tegas menyebut dirinya adalah keduanya. Ini menjawab pertanyaan apakah dia itu sebenarnya seniman atau pengusaha. ’’Jika saya bukan keduanya, maka Popnicute tak pernah ada,’’ tandasnya.

Menurutnya, sangat penting bagi seniman untuk mempunyai jiwa pengusaha. Jika tidak, maka kecil kemungkinan dia bisa menjadi seniman yang sukses secara finansial. Dalam bisnis pop, sangat penting untuk menjaga sebuah karya dan penampilan. Dan untuk itu, juga perlu dana untuk mendapatkan nilai lebih.

Melalui sentuhan berkelas, pernak-pernik yang ditawarkan oleh Kharisma mempunyai harga yang cukup lumayan. Mulai dari USD 19 (Rp 178 ribu) untuk simple copper ring hingga USD 890 (Rp 8,3 juta) untuk set perhiasan perak Argentium houte couture.

Kharisma tak pernah asal-asalan membuat perhiasannya. Ketika masih di Indonesia, Kharisma menggunakan electrical wire dari bahan copper dan perak sterling dari Bali. Tapi, ketika sudah berdomisili di AS dia menggunakan Argentium sterling dan juga copper and brass. ’’Tapi untuk silver beads-nya, saya masih impor dari Bali,’’ terangnya.

Untuk batu-batu alamnya, Kharisma mengaku mengumpulkan yang terbaik dari berbagai negara. Mulai dari Indonesia, India, Tiongkok, hingga juga meminta bantuan dari sesama desainer perhiasan dari AS. Dalam proses pengerjaannya, Kharisma mengaku jarang sekali mensketsa awal dengan begitu detail. ’’Sebab, biasanya ide berkembang saat proses pengerjaan,’’ terangnya. Untuk menjaga mutu, Kharisma mengaku mengerjakannya sendiri. Mulai dari mendesain, memotong metal, hingga finishing. ’’Saya tak punya asisten,’’ tambah dia. Selain mendesain sendiri, Kharisma juga menerima order dari para klien. (ayi)

Kata Kharisma
  • Semua perhiasan Popnicute handmade tidak ada yang cetakan jadi produk sangat eksklusif.
  • Butuh waktu 20 menit untuk membuat sebuah cincin dan maksimal 20 jam untuk 1 buah kalung.
  • Lewat The Artisan Group sudah mengirimkan perhiasan Popnicute ke Drew Barrymore.
  • Internet menjadi sumber inspirasi tanpa batas dalam mencari ide.
-------

English translation
-----------------------
 Kharisma R. Sommers
Owner of Popnicute Artisan Jewelry
Going Hollywood

There was a representative of Indonesia at The 2012 MTV Movie Awards. But don't imagine it was one of the actors of the winning MTV Movie of the Year, The Twilight Saga, came from our homeland. It's the existence of Kharisma Ryantori Sommers that made the shades of red and white appeared in that prestigious annual event.

In most major events like music or movies awards in the U.S.A., gift lounges are always present. They contain all kinds of products. Exclusive products that will be given to the celebrities who are attending. For the 2012 MTV Movie Awards that was held at Gibson Amphitheatre on June 3rd, one of them was by GBK. A special GBK Luxury Gift Lounge was created on June 1 to 2 at the L'Ermitage Hotel, Beverly Hills.

Among the distributed items there was a set of themed jewelry called Batik Glam Indonesia. They were made by Kharisma. Through her jewelry line, Popnicute, this girl who was born in April 1st sent off her handiwork to be given to Hollywood stars.

To be able to participate in the celebrity gift bags was an honor for Kharisma. The opportunity came after she joined the The Artisan Group, an exclusive group that provides a collective sampling for Hollywood celebrities. "Not everyone is accepted into this organization. Once a member, we can participate in all events offered, such as providing gift bags for the MTV Movie Awards, Academy Awards, or Golden Globes,"said Kharisma.

Kharisma is a native of Indonesia. She was born and raised in Surabaya. The youngest of two sisters recently moved to Illinois, USA, in September 2010 to marry an American man named Steven Sommers. Jewelry business that she has founded in her homeland also moved along with her.

Jewelry is currently Kharisma's main focus. The daughter of Ryantori, the famous civil engineer, co-inventor of the concept of Konstruksi Sarang Laba-Laba (Cobweb foundation construction) with Ir Sutjipto, became interested in jewelry making as a teenager. She started selling pendants made of clay materials in high school. "Then my aunt who lived in Hong Kong began to diligently sent how-to books and materials like beads and crystals. When I was in college I made and sold jewelry on and off due to heavy college tasks," she said.

Once completed the course at Petra Christian University in Visual Communication Design department, Kharisma worked in several companies as a graphic designer. Later on, she took the decision that working for someone else was not for her. "I chose to work as a freelance graphic designer and jewelry maker. Until in 2008 I was introduced to a jewelry making technique called wire wrapping and that's what I do until now," said the woman who never received a formal education in jewelry making.

Popnicute label was born when Kharisma is ready to sell her work through the internet. At the time she had begun to cultivate the techniques of wire wrapping and thought the results were sellable internationally. "Therefore, I needed a brand. And she created Popnicute which stands for POPular, uNIque, and CUTE. I wanted my name to be unique because I did not want any potential buyer to be misguided," she explained. (Ayi)


The Artist who also an Entrepreneur

Kharisma unequivocally calls herself as both to answer the question of whether she was actually an artist or entrepreneur. ''If I was not both, Popnicute would never exist,'' she said.

According to her, it is very important for artists to have the entrepreneur spirit. If not, there is little possibility that he/she could be a financially successful artist. In the pop business, it is crucial to maintaining creation and image. And for that, greater funds are needed to get more value.

With a touch of class, handmade jewelry offered by Kharisma has a pretty good price. Starts from USD 19 (Rp 178,000.00) for a simple copper ring to $ 890 (Rp 8,300,000.00) to set of houte couture Argentium silver jewelry.

Kharisma never crudely created her jewelry. When she was in Indonesia, Kharisma used material like copper electrical wire and sterling silver from Bali. But when she domiciled in the U.S., she started using Argentium silver, besides copper, and brass too. '' But for silver beads, I'm still importing from Bali,'' she explained.

For natural stones, Kharisma admitted collecting the best from various countries. Starting from Indonesia, India, China, to asking the help from fellow designers from the United States. In the course of the work, Kharisma rarely sketched a design in detail. ''Because, more often than not, the ideas are developing in fabrication process,'' she explained. To maintain the quality of her jewelry, Kharisma made everything herself. From designing, cutting metal, to the finishing. ''I don't have an assistant,'' she added. In addition to designing her own jewelry, Kharisma also accepts custom orders from clients. (Ayi)


Kharisma Says
  • All handmade jewelry by Popnicute are exclusive because no mold are used.
  • It takes from 20 minutes to make a ring to a maximum of 20 hours for 1 piece of necklace.
  • Through The Artisan Group Popnicute jewelry has been sent to Drew Barrymore.
  • Internet is a limitless source of inspiration.
-------

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Popnicute Studio Before After Photos

This blog is due for a new post. Thought I'd share photos of my work bench. A sneak peek to the inside of Popnicute Studio. I admit I'm not the most organized person in the word. It's more of an organized chaos. I know I'm driving my mom and the in-laws crazy with this. But hey, to my defense, my creativity doesn't flow in a sterile environment.

I'm trying to be better but for some reason I just can't organize my desk without mess it up again in the next minute. So what's the point of organizing now, amirite or amirite?

Enjoy the pictures. Play some I Spy, if you'd like! :)

I spy ...... on Popnicute's work bench!

Click the image to view it bigger.

If you're wondering where did I got my scrapbook digital elements, go to my Pinterest and check out the links! LOVE.


-Kay.