Tasi Designs

Silvija Starts a New Journey!

2011-11-30T11:54:00.000-08:00

Last month Taya and I celebrated the four year anniversary of Tasi! This year brings many changes, as I prepare to leave Portland and Tasi at the end of the month. I will be traveling back to Ohio for a year to focus my hands and mind on a variety of crafts, as I build my portfolio and apply to art schools.

These past four years have been some of the best of my life. I’m so glad I moved Portland; a city so rich with art, music, and beauty. Taking the plunge and starting Tasi Designs with Taya was such an incredible and exhilarating experience. I can still remember a humid summer afternoon in North Carolina, sitting on our father’s porch, we had our first business meeting. Who knew how far we’d come?

I could never have achieved so much success without Taya. It has been such a pleasure to watch our business grow as our relationship as sisters blossomed into the lasting friendship we share today.

We’ve had lots of support along the way from our kind and generous family and friends. And I have met so many wonderful people – customers, boutique owners, crafters, and vendors. It is a privilege to know you all. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for every sale and kind word you have sent our way.

I look forward to seeing where Taya takes Tasi in the future. She is an incredibly creative, smart, and motivated woman and I know Tasi will thrive in her hands.

Although leaving Portland is bittersweet, I am thrilled to be returning to school. Over the next few years, I plan to follow my passions by immersing myself in learning and exploring all that my creativity has to offer. And I enjoy thinking of the day I will come to visit this city I called home for the past four years.

Love,

Silvija

Tasi on the Big Screen!

2011-11-30T11:41:00.000-08:00

Our Kwalia Shell necklace is worn by Shailene Woodley in The Descendants! Check out the necklace in the trailer.

Hey! Whoa! Where have we been?

2011-07-20T16:18:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! We have been neglecting our little blog as we battle the everyday challenges of running a small business. Not that we're complaining, because we love what we do! It's just that boring work like bookkeeping, paperwork, taking inventory, doing taxes, and all the ugly sides to this business have been taking over lately!

But, we're finally out of the weeds. The bills are paid, the papers are filed, and the creative bug has been hitting us again hard.

Summer inspiration is here! And we've got a ton of new designs to roll out. Here's a sneak peak, but watch our Etsy site as we list these newbies over the next few days.

Green Amethyst and Rustic Silver Circles

London Blue Topaz inside a Distressed Silver Circle

Vintage Brass Cluster Necklaces Ancient Adornments Cast in Bronze

Coins reclaimed from old Sherpa necklaces

New Favorite Stones: Pyrite, Green Apatite, and Green Tourmaline

20% off all Tasi Jewelry at Tilde this Weekend

2011-03-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

We just dropped off a huge selection of our new spring line at Tilde. We're so excited about some great new stones and styles - and everything is 20% this weekend only.

Check out the details on their blog.

Plus they are having a raffle for this Tasi Necklace:

We'll be at the shop on Saturday hanging out and browsing all of the amazing Tilde items! It's one of our favorite stores in Portland. And there will be coffee from Blue Kangaroo (our favorite PDX roaster) on Saturday. Drop by and say hello!

Sunday Best Holiday Sale - Dec. 4th and 5th

2010-12-02T12:39:00.000-08:00

The absolutely gorgeous Sunday Best Holiday Sale is this Saturday and Sunday. This show is a carefully curated collection of Portland's finest artists brought to you by Studio Olivine. Some of our favorite vendors will be there:

Sunday Best Holiday Sale

When: Saturday Dec. 4: 11am - 7pm
Sunday Dec. 5: 11am - 5pm

Where: The Cleaners next to the Ace Hotel
SW 10th and Sw Stark

Giving Back - Month 3

2010-10-07T13:57:00.000-07:00

Man, where does the time go? We're already on month 3 of our Giving Back plan. We were so excited by the feedback from last month (when we donated to the Oregon Food Bank) that we decided to go with another local charity this month.

Month: October 2010
Charity: Habitat for Humanity - Portland
Purpose: To help those who need affordable housing in Portland, OR

Habitat for Humanity is really awesome; they help families afford houses that they wouldn't otherwise be able to afford, they sell used and recycled building materials at their ReStore, and they offer rad workshops. We love this donation breakdown from their website:

Can't wait to donate 10% of our online sales to them!

Studio Upgrade!

2010-09-26T15:53:00.000-07:00

Well, we actually moved into our new studio a few months ago, but we were waiting until we got it all set up to post about it.
Here's our old studio - we miss the SE industrial area and all the friends we had in the building but we sure don't miss the closet-sized space!

Our new space was built in the 1920s, and has original hardwoods, plenty of space to stretch out in, and even an extra office space!

Now I have no excuse for avoiding the bookkeeping.

Giving Back Month 2!

2010-09-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

Month: September 2010
Charity: Oregon Food Bank
Purpose: To help those who are hungry in Oregon

Continuing on with our Giving Back plan, we've picked a new charity to donate 10% of our September online sales to! We were inspired by the Give Handmade Sale (formerly the Secret Society Sale), that we've participated in for the last few years.

They always have their show the weekend after Thanksgiving and all of the vendors donate 10% of their sales to the Oregon Food Bank.

So, this year we're hopeful to participate in the Give Handmade Sale on November 28th and to start off early by giving 10% of our September online sales to the those who are hungry in Oregon!

Giving Back

2010-07-28T13:32:00.000-07:00

We're really excited to start a new Giving Back Plan over here at TASI.

From August 2010 to August 2011 we'll be donating a portion of our sales to charities. Each month, we'll pick a different charity to donate 10% of all our online sales to. First up:

Month: August 2010
Charity: National Wildlife Federation
Purpose: To save wildlife threatened by the Gulf Oil Spill

We're so excited to start this new plan! Does anyone have any suggestions for charities they would love to see on our list?

Supporting Local Businesses

2010-07-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, we grew up in our mother's brick and mortar bead store. Her store is one of those magical places - beautifully laid out displays and merchandise in a gorgeous turn of the century building. Her prices might be slightly higher than certain big chain online companies, but what she offers is a valuable experience - a whole building of inspiration coupled with incredible customer service and a very knowledgeable staff.

Checking out small local shops around Portland is one of our favorite things to do on a day off. There's always something incredible to find in these places: great local handmade items, vintage household treasures, delicious local coffees and snacks. These stores are so important to us as local business owners, as well as members of the Portland community.

We found out about the 3/50 project about a year ago. Check it out if you don't know about it already:

Our jewelry is the same price in stores as it is online and at craft fairs. Check out our store listings for one in your neighborhood!

There's nothing like it

2010-06-30T19:30:00.001-07:00

That's right. There's nothing like going to a book store and seeing our jewelry in print! We had the awesome fortune to be in a few publications this season:

Chain Style by Jane Dickerson is full of inspiration and we are so proud to be a part of it!

30 Minute Earrings could keep us busy with new earring ideas for months.

Our article in the summer issue of Stringing Magazine on How to Keep Your Customers made us feel like real professionals.

Writing about making jewelry reminds us how lucky we are to have our dream jobs! We hope that other people will see our work and feel inspired to keep making new designs.

Local Craft Groups in Portland

2010-04-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

How awesome is it that Portland has such a wonderful craft community?

When we started our business in Portland, we had no idea that there would be so many opportunities and like-minded groups out there to support us. Our first venture into craft group membership was the Portland Bead Society - one of the oldest and biggest bead societies in the US. The members have given us much need encouragement and support since the beginning of our business. Plus they bring awesome speakers and events to the Portland area.

We are also super stoked to be a part of the PDX Etsy Team! It's an amazing group of local talent, all bundled into one group. Check out the other members on the PDX Etsy Blog, and the PDX Etsy Facebook page.

Working in our studio, it's just the two of us most days, and we can go a little stir crazy if we don't get out and about. It's wonderful to have these groups to share ideas and inspirations with.

Top News: Silvija is forced into modeling for Tasi!

2010-04-16T16:35:00.000-07:00

Today - Tasi

Tomorrow - America's Next Top Model???

20% off at Tilde

2010-03-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

We're getting ready for our big 20% off sale at Tilde this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We're excited to unveil some new designs as well as some of our old favorites. Also, everyone who purchases a Tasi piece at Tilde this weekend will get entered in a raffle to win a Tasi necklace!

If you haven't been to Tilde yet (located in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland), you should definitely come check it out! It's an amazing store packed full of jewelry, home decor, accessories, and art. We'll be hanging out in the store on Saturday, 12 - 3.

Blogs we love

2009-11-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

We are super excited to be sponsors of a few blogs! After narrowing down a huge list of blogs that are awesome, we picked a few that we really love for both their content and aesthetics. Check them out if you haven't already:

Love it a lot

New Gold Line

2009-10-15T13:00:00.000-07:00

We never thought that we'd like gold in our jewelry - it's just too glitsy for us. But we fell in love with the altered surface of this gold:

Mixed metal jewelry has always been a favorite of ours, and now we're crazy about our new 24k gold vermeil line. It has a smooth, matte finish, so all of the richness of the gold remains, without all of the sparkly business.

Vermeil is a coating of 24k gold over sterling silver, and it's thick enough that it shouldn't ever rub off (at least not for 100s of years!).

Burning the midnight oil

2009-10-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

We've made over 200 pairs of earrings this week!

TASI turns two!

2009-09-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

It's our second anniversary!
Just two years ago Silvija moved to Portland and we started searching for the perfect studio to start Tasi Designs. It's been an amazing two years - lots of ups and downs and lots of lessons learned. We got lots of help starting out from local resources like SCORE, and Mercy Corps NW. They are wonderful tools for small businesses in Portland. In a way, starting a business during a recession has made us realize how rewarding it can be if you stick through the tough times. Like we say around the TASI studio, "at least we have nowhere to go but up, right?"
But we would never be where we are today without our wonderful customers and stores!
Many thanks to all who have made TASI what it is today.

New Resin Work for the Objects and Elements Blog

2009-09-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

This month, we're so excited to be the Guest Artists on Susan Lenart Kazmer's Objects and Elements Blog! The blog is written by Design Team member Jen Cushman, and it focuses on the vision and creativity that different artists bring to the wonderful supplies offered at www.objectsandelements.com.

We got to experiment with Susan's ICE Resin to create some new pieces that fit with our collections. We were really inspired by the shapes of old, worn objects, so we cast some old coconut shell beads, an old amber bead, and an antique Kwalia shell and then filled the casts with ICE Resin using Susan's techniques. The transparent resin got just a touch of color from spices and other weird finds from around the kitchen.

Check out the whole article for more info along with the Q and A we did with Jen!

It's September!

2009-09-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

We can't believe September is here already! Last year, we didn't even think about holiday orders until they were coming in, so we're trying to get a jump on things by starting in August this year. Right now, we're busy applying to holiday shows, ordering supplies, oxidizing our stash of silver, and coming up with new designs.

Yesterday we brainstormed a list of new designs and here's some of what we came up with:

Long delicate necklaces
Long stone necklaces
Men's Line
Bangles
Very simple everyday necklaces

The list doesn't sound too complicated, but we have visions in our heads of how they might start to take shape. I'll post pictures as they are created!

The lovely Becki Singer

2009-08-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

Today, we got to meet Becki Singer from ShoppingsMyCardio.

Just over a month ago, she wrote about Tasi Designs on her ShoppingsMyCardio Blog!

Not only does she blog about stylish wardrobe essentials, home decor, and beauty products, but she is also a marketing consultant! We brainstormed lots of new ideas with her and can't wait to get started on them. Thanks Becki!

More about the Tasi Designs revamp later!

Tasi Designs at The Renegade Craft Fair

2009-07-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

Come on down for the Renegade Craft Fair this weekend in San Francisco!
We've been busy busy busy getting ready with tons of new jewelry designs -
See you there!

Patina that silver

2009-06-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

At craft shows, people are always asking: what kind of metal do you use in your jewelry?
We tell them that we take sterling silver and artificially age it, thus giving it a patina (also commonly called oxidizing).

Years ago, we would use any old chain or finding we could get our hands on, but problems kept popping up. For instance, about 70% of Americans are allergic to Nickel, which is found in most "basemetal" chains and ear wires.

When we started experimenting applying patinas onto precious metals like silver, we knew we were onto something. We LOVE the patina we decided to use, and find ourselves mixing up new batches a couple times a month.

Our patinated silver goes so well with old metal trade beads like these from Thailand and Ethiopia:

It also looks great with fancy gemstones, like these rare Moss Aquamarine beauties:

If you want to read the step-by-step instructions for making your own patinated sterling silver, you can download the article Creating the Perfect Patina we wrote for Stringing Magazine in the Fall 2008 issue!

Our jewelry in Twilight

2009-06-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

We were so excited when costume designer Wendy Chuck wanted to work with us for the Twilight movie. When they were filming in Portland, Wendy decided to work with local designers for some of the costumes, and she purchased some of our work. We designed the chain that Rosalie wears throughout the movie, as well as some pieces worn by Renee, Bella's mom, in the film. Seeing our work on the big screen was so exhilarating! When Rosalie first walked on screen wearing our chain, we couldn't contain ourselves. Luckily, all the young girls in the audience were screaming anyway...

Check out some exact replicas from the movie, as well as other pieces Wendy chose, on our E tsy site. Special thanks to our good friend Miranda who helped hook us up with the Twlight crew!

Our Mom is the best.

2009-06-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

We wouldn't be where we are today as business women without our wonderful mother. She started out making jewelry when she was 14, and has owned Bead Paradise in Oberlin, Ohio for 20+ years! She passed on all of her jewelry making skills to us, not to mention her vast knowledge of ancient and antique beads. Growing up, working in her bead store, we never realized until now how much we were learning about life, business, and all of the incredible materials out there. She truly is an inspiration to us and many others. Thanks Mom!

A little background

2009-06-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the new Tasi Designs blog! Tasi Designs has been going strong for over a year and half now, and it really has been a thrilling ride so far. Back in 2007 we were both working in retail, and making jewelry on the side to get by. One summer night we brainstormed over the phone, and hatched a plan to combine forces. Silvija left small town Oberlin, Ohio and joined Taya in Portland, and within a month we had a tiny studio up and running. We love living here and working in our studio, designing jewelry all day long - it truly is a dream come true.