*ENDED* Gems

A few weeks ago I got the chance to meet an artist which I very much admire, Elaine Ho. She makes the most amazing jewelry and i've been eyeing her pieces for years! After seeing her at a local craft show, we chatted back and forth and she kindly agreed for an interview with Valentsine! I will also be hosting a giveaway for two lucky readers! Read on ♥

1. Basic info (Name, where you're from, etc)

I grew up in Calgary (18 years in the same house!!), took a couple of jewelry courses at ACAD when I was in high school... went to NYC for 4 years to study fashion design at Parsons, worked in nyc during & after I graduated, then I came to mtl on holiday with my expired student visa as well as crappy advice from an immigration lawyer, I was refused entry back into the US and ended up moving to Montreal because it was close to the border. And it kind of worked out because I love mtl.

2. When and why did you start making jewelry?

I wasn't able to find any good jobs in the fashion industry here in mtl & started making & selling my own stuff under the label "roadkill"... mostly leather cuffs & wallets and purses. Leather appliqué accessories with weird sayings like: "I love bacon" or "I like dirty old men". I must have sold hundreds of "I love bacon" t-shirts!

Starting in about 2005, I took a few jewelry classes at the visual arts centre in westmount & started getting into making more jewelry... I had been making little assembled sterling silver & gold filled earrings with semi-precious stones, but now I could make the stuff I really wanted to wear!!! The first three pendants I produced were the deer pendant, the skull w/heart eyes & the dead rabbit.

3. Where do you find inspiration?

I make everything for myself first and then hope that other people will want to wear it too. My current collection is "mineral friends". I used to go to the annual gem and mineral show in Calgary with my mom every single year, it was my favourite thing ever. Now I go to the one in mtl. I've always loved crystals & gems & minerals & so this collection is inspired by I guess rocks & make believe crystalline structures & geometric shapes.

4. Do you collect anything?

I collect cats, i've set the limit to three because I think it's a fine line between loving cats, and being a crazy cat lady. I won't say what side of the line i'm on! I have a giant cat tattoo too! I collect vintage & antique baby doll heads and limbs, west german pottery, vintage chairs, mid century furniture & design objects, antique books & toy guns. I like anything old & unusual.

5. What other hobbies do you have?

I love antiquing & thrifting!!! I'm a part time vintage seller, it's what I do for fun when I need a break from making jewelry. So I love to going to flea markets, thrift stores & church sales... I absolutely love just diving into a pile of dusty junk & the thrill of maybe finding a treasure and hopefully walking out of there without any bedbugs. I just found a vintage black silk valentino dress at a goodwills store for $5. I'm keeping that one for myself. I watch storage wars, american pickers & auction hunters religiously and then a few episodes of "hoarders" to keep myself in check.

6. What handmade possession do you most cherish?

My grandfather made a lamp with part of an old telephone and some found parts. He etched rectangles into the metal base. He loves estate sales & flea markets too! That's probably where I get it from!!

7. Since we are both lovers of cats, How many cats do you have? Tell me about them!

Pepito: I got him the day after I moved to Montreal. I didn't know anyone in the city. My first day here, I found myself an apartment on St-Denis street above the starbucks, went to winners to buy some sheets & then the next day I went to the spca to get myself a cat. He's really old. No one knows his age for sure, he was already a senior cat when I got him in 2004.

Poof: I got her at a pet store near my house. She had been there for a long time already, sitting in a cage, and since she wasn't really a kitten anymore, no one wanted her. She had a cold & had the typical drippy dirty himalayan cat eyes, wasn't looking too hot. She kept getting marked down and was 8 months old when I got her. I know it's really crappy to support pet stores that sell animals, but I felt it was also crappy to have a cat living in a cage for 8 months. I try not to buy from pet stores that sell cats & dogs anymore, but I don't regret getting Poof. She was a steal at $149.99.

Ponyo: She was a stray kitten living under our front porch. Her full name is Fraulein ponyo von mitten. She has extra thumbs. She's a fat indoor cat now, she doesn't like strangers or when you wear shoes indoors.

I now invite you to check out her website & her store. It's filled with saliva-inducing jewels, beware! Stalk her on Facebook & Twitter also

For the giveaway:

Elaine will be giving away 2 of her pieces to two lucky readers!

To win,

1. Follow my blog

2. Comment stating your name, email & the piece you prefer (earrings or necklace)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/80773318/crystal-bullet-studs

http://www.etsy.com/listing/82800844/oxidized-cube

Winner will be announced Friday January 13th 2012!!

Good luck to all ♥

**GIVEWAY HAS ENDED** CONGRATS TO THE LUCKY WINNERS