More hammering

Ancient II

I seem to be stuck on creating for my Simply Heaven Range at the moment ~ I suppose while pieces are selling I have to redo them for the shop, both on my website and Etsy ~ while in my workshop I always get waylaid into creating something new ~ which is great fun and its usually while I redoing a piece these ideas flood in. Ancient II is a remake of my other earrings this time with five recycled silver pebbles adorning each hammered ring. These will be going up onto my website very soon.

Curly Ribbons ~Sold

These beauties came from another session in my work room, they sort of just happened but I think I will be making more and these sold really quickly ~ they were also featured in a treasury on Etsy as they were being sold in my Simply Heaven shop. But fear not there will be more I promise you .
And finally I have one of my signature bracelets to show you ~ made with Claire Morris of Rowanberry Glass Arts fabulous boro beads and mixed with blue opal, Chalcedony, Iolite and peridot and of course wire wrapped to creat a stunning bracelet in blues and greens.

Obscured by Clouds

This bracelet is available on my website in the Glass Gems section.

No Love Too Small

No Love too Small

Sometimes I just play around in my workshop, seeing what shapes I can make and how I can incorporate them into my designs ~ No Love too Small ~ was just a heart commission I had last Friday, I made half a dozen hearts in vary sizes and showed the customer concerned. These were left over and I thought they were soo cute I had to use them, a 3mm rondelle in Ruby finishes them off perfectly I think. Measuring about 30mm {1.25"} approx they are small and dainty!

Cranberry

I must be in a red mood this week, with the ruby earrings and now these with Rubilitte garnet wire wrapped onto them ~ I love the effect though and these would make a perfect Christmas Day pair ~ eeeek did I say Christmas Day? haha today is my older Sister's birthday and mentally I don't even think about Christmas until after today so I am a little ahead of myself :)

Happy Birthday ALi!!

Following......

Mulsum

Ok those of you who know me well, know how terrible I have been of late and not only blogging but catching up on everyone elses blogs ~ I have great excuses ;) but won't bore you with them here because I have a new gadget on my blog! Yes, following is the new way to keep up to date with friends blogs ~ now at a drop of a hat I can see who is posting without trawling through each and everyone's ~ sadly if your blog or name was after L I probably wouldn't get to you because the beads would start calling and I would forget where I was ~ maybe its my age not the beads ....

Theodora

Showing of my surprise bracelet ~ yes I actually used gold~filled and found it very lovely to work with. I love the warmth it gives the garnet too. The earrings are a bit of sneak preview ~ as of Monday evening not even my Flickr watchers have seen them yet!! What do you think ~ Amethyst, labradorite and pink Amethyst on posts ~ I'm really pleased with the out come but need to stop putting pink Amethsyt in everything I make :P

Yay!

Me~ Sold


Eeeek not often I would even think about putting a picture up of myself but as I went on and on and on about my eyes I think you all deserve (lol actually you don't deserve it hah) to see me in them!! I actually like my glasses but I am still adjusting to wearing them - and putting them down and working for half an hour without them before realising even though I have a string for that exact reason .....



Chloris

I've done some more silver work to - I made some cute studs which I will show you below for a commission and loved them so thought I'd make a pendant which is so easy to wear! I actually love to work my frustrations out in the metal and I promise I put all the good and positive back in while polishing ;)

Fleur ~SOLD

Hope you like them :)

My Eyes continued...

Watersnake

I know its boring - the saga of my eyes but after the lovely comments and emails I had I thought you may wish to hear I have been!! I have been tested and ..................................................yes...............I need glasses!! No surprise there then ;) I have picked out some sexy black rimmed ones but as its only for close up work I shan't really be showing them off - unless you all want a pic?? Also my darling Elli needs them for th complete opposite reason - she needs them to see the white board (opposite to black board!!) so they are making her little bi-focals - and they look so cute on her!!

Watersnake Earrings

It was actually ok - the test and everything but its scary when you see how far your eyes have deteriorated although apparently for 10 years (yep thats how long I went in between) its not bad just .5 but I could really see a difference - do you think it will make a difference to my work??

I went on my hols

Kennack Sands ~ Reserved

I did, the family, some friends and I!!! But did I take any pics??? Nope - and yes I am kicking myself now! Mind you the weather was appalling , more like October than August - rain and winds - in fact my feet got so muddy - I refuse to wear wellies ( I was on my summer hols) but camping probably wasn't the best place to rebel, as the story my poor feet are telling now! Mullion is a beautiful part of Cornwall, quite wild (the way I like it) and the coast line is superb. Kynance Cove is a definite one to inspire a future design - in fact I can feel one bubbling up ;) Take a look at the website pics - much better than the ones I would have taken - because yes it was raining AGAIN!!

The Colour of Sunsets

Being neither north of south really on the Lizard Peninsula - does that make sense? - I saw some fabulous sunsets - on the rare occassion we had sun and this one sums up all the colours I saw. Beads by Caroline Cash of course with delicious Karen Hill Tribe Silver! Of course we all know the saying red sky @ night Shepherds Delight - which means a dry day following and I think the most perfect sunset I saw did actually mean this!! WE actually made it to the beach!

Splashing the Waves ~ RESERVED

Of course now we're home and now preparing for my Elli's (and mine) birthdays - a seven year olds party - please pray for dry weather!!! I can't believe she is seven - doesn't time fly when you are having fun!!

My Eyes

Aurora - SOLD

I think my eyes are starting to complain about all this close up work, I need nagging to go to the opticians! Years ago, and I mean B.E (Before Elli) in fact B.M (Before marriage) I had my eyes tested as my Auntie was diagnosed with Glaucoma, I need glasses for close up work, I had them as a Birthday gift (very expensive) and I hated wearing them. At the time I worked as a photographers assistant - setting up lights, booking in clients, sorting through the photographs, adding client base to computor, loading film etc. My head was up and down and I started getting headaches from glasses on and off, or in my case not taking them off at the right moments. So guess what I gave up wearing them.....

Tundra - RESERVED

Of course I now need to be rechecked and my eyes are so sore in the evenings, I think they are crying for help. I'm just so bad at gtting myself checked out for some reason... you'd think after all my health scares I would be the opposite, sadly anything which is slightly invasive of my person I run screaming for the hills. WEll I suppose there's always more valium ....

ANd yes I am joking ;p

You know its bad when...

your friend who lives away rings to ask if you are ok because you haven't written your blog for over a week. Or your Dad tells you off and calls you boring. So to all my blog readers near, dear and far - I'm Sorry. I have been so busy I can hardly keep up with myself, parties, wholesale, commissions and of course life! But I am still making and the above pendant (which comes in antiqued and shiny silver) Infinity is one of my latest designs. Simplicity with a organic twist don't you think??
I also had my first ring commission which I thoroughly enjoyed doing. Three slim line rings, one hammered, one grooved and one with a pebble on top. I hope you like them :)

Right more work is to be done - speak soon..

Wire Boutique

Today the Wire Boutique was launched!! All the designers on the Boutique are from within the UK - using fine quality gemstones and wire in precious metals to create exclusive pieces of Art. You may recognise some of the names on there (me!) - all the designers have their own unique style and you will definitely get an exclusive piece of jewellery. I have become officially obsesses with wire at the moment - thick or thin everything has it on ;) I would even cover my dh in it - but he is a faster runner than me ;)
Here's one of my pieces for sale on WB - Apple Blossom - with beautiful Prehnite, Rose Quartz and peridot - this is one of my favourites. Luckily all the blossom on our apple tree seems to have produced apples so a bumper crop this year!!

Take a look and let me know what you think!

Ohhh featured

Do you remember this charm bracelet of mine featuring Isabelle Anderson's wonderful shells - well she's been featured on Art Bead Scene - how exciting! Thank you Caroline of Crafted Gems for the heads up!!

I am very busy at the moment trying to fulfill orders and get stock for the new website that should be open tomorrow morning - I will blog some more tomorrow about it but here's a taster of what I made end of last week ....

Not so Pure - available on Etsy and my website as of tomorrow :D

Ooops I did it again

Honestly I think the week is just two days long here - mind you the year is only 4 weeks.... I just can't believe my daughter will be going into the Juniors (Uk we have infants from 4yr-7yrs, then juniors 7- 11) it only seems a year ago I left her in Reception class age 4 - I cried - Elli barely waved!!
As you can see I have been creating - so I'm making the most of these very short weeks ;) I've also had a few commmissions I have been getting on with as well as getting prepared for a brand new website that will be launching very soon - very exciting :)
All these pieces are available on my website or Etsy from today complete with all the other new pieces I have made.

Back into jumpers

"WARM HEART"

So I added a warm pic!! Maybe its just me, I've had this awful cold, but today and last night I have been freezing. The sun is warm but the wind has a bit of a cold freshness to it - I suppose after the balmy weather we had it just feels a little chillier!!

"DRUANTIA"

More silver work today to show which I did mean to show you last week, I also have some lampwork pieces to show - hopefully if my brain is in gear tomorrow I can show you some more. I ordered some new saw blades which is why I made these two pendants - It was definately the right decision as it was an far easier then before.

"GROW TALL"

This last picture shows my latest earrings - they are long yet I think extremly easy to wear! I enjoyed the experiment though with the vines twisting around the square silver. Watching our honeysuckle go wild was the inspiration - its taking over the top garden but I can't wait for the flowers!

FLames

"BUBBLES"

Fridays for me is usually coffee with friends but every so often something happens to change the plan from our usual cappacino at CHarlies (Charlestowns fabulous coffee shop) Friday was one of those days so with the arrival of my new torch I set about soldering - and boy I did lots. I was on a mission my "Just Silver" section on the website was looking a little sad and I really need to get pieces added. Of course I am slowly doing this so if there is something on todays post you fancy - drop me the usual email :)

"DULOE"

Bracelets and earrings and a lovely necklace (you can already find in my Etsy store) I did have fun - there's something very theraputic about soldering, pickling and finally taking out of the tumbler!! Maybe its the hammering ;0)

"GOODAVER"

My jewellery this weekend was influenced by the stone circles and the bracelet and necklace are both named after Cornish ones.

Where the week went!

What fabulous weather we have been having - ok its not going to last (in the southwest at least) so of course I've been making the most of it! Monday, a bank holiday or May Day as we call it, was really warm and we (the family) went to TRerice, owned now by the National Trust, a beautiful Elizabethan house and gardens. Elli and E even had a go at playing Cornish Kayling - a game of skittles, and ELli tried her hand at brass rubbings. LOts of sunshine and a run around the maze - great fun. Mamma, Gump and Nanny came to - so cups of tea and slices of cake finished off the day!
Of course when the weather is fine my designs tend to turn blue don't they and this one is no exception - named Arethusa after the NYmph who who turned into a fountain - these turquoise briolettes are gorgeous!
This bracelet is named Rioja and is garnet, crystal quartz and bali silver - all wound onto dainty chain for a really slinky feel - I'm working on a kyanite, iolite and moonstone one at the moment and have slightly pink arms from sitting outside this afternoon!!

Wire

I am so enjoying wire work at the moment and the above piece "Artemis" was a real labour of love - one of those projects that seemed to click even though it wasn't exactly what I started out to achieve. I definitely had aching hands by the end but am so pleased with the final outcome I am hoping to attempt another at some point.

Gorgeous boro beads by Claire of Rowanberry Glass - amazing colours to pull out - my favourite type of beads - someone on Flickr (sorry if its you) said it looked "appley" and I think they're right - like apple blossom - maybe I should photograph the blossom on our apple tree for comparison?
Finally some earrings I created with beautiful apatite, Iolite , aquamarine and gorgeous smooth rock crystal .
And thank you Hannah (Of Kutuu) who checked up on me this morning - she was worried because I have been a bad, neglectful blogger recently!! May, I promise will be an improvement :)

On strict orders

My lovely Dad has been complaining that I'm not updating my blog enough so here I am as promised (well I promised my Mum ;0) ) The above pic is from Pentewen , a beach not far from us - the weather was quite rough as you can see - there was even surfers in the water - which you don't see much on the south coast - the waves are usually too small to be any good - but obviously the wind was in the right direction!

I've also been making lots of pendants too - this one is lapis lazuli and the blue is beautiful with oxidised silver on chain. I love the simplicity of pendants.

I promise to be back tomorrow with more...

Rolling In Gemstones!

Today I had a meeting with a lady from a gemstone suppliers - a lovely lady - who fell in love with my cat! She had so many gemstones I was in heaven. I even held in my hands a strand of th most beautiful diamonds which cost nearly as much as my lampwork collection :) Keishi pearls with an incredible luster, rubies - oh I could go on but I would get all you gem lovers drooling over your keyboards!!! Sadly I'm too busy pooling all my money into silver at the moment for my party on Friday!

I've also being doing some mor wire wrapping - I love this one with the ethereal blue of the Chalcedonywith ros quartz, pearls , crystal quartz and more Chalcedony all oxidised. It was a lot of work but well worth it - well I think :)

Weekend Posting

Elli had her first sleepover last night - they were chatting a lot - until gone 10 and E went and told them to calm down - then just before 6 am they woke again! Urghhh I know tonight Elli will be struggling , normally at the weekend she lies in until 8 (so do we!!) and she needs her sleep (so do we!) and getting up at the crack of dawn all week means the weekend lie ins are sacred !
I'm down to 38 sets of artisan glass beads but I have succumbed twice - I know a moment of weakness - sadly the beads are beautiful and je ne regrette rien ;) (Or I regret nothing for those of you who can't read french - or remember the song by Edith Piaf ( although I wasn't even a twinkle in my Daddy's eye when the song came out!)
The top bracelet is still available but the second - after being spotted on Flickr is off to the US to her new home. I'm now preparing for a party next Friday - lots to make and create - so back to it!!

Numb fingers

MY fingers are numb and my s isn't working properly because I have been playing with wire - a lot!! There is little pieces of wire under the s on my keyboard so I have to press really hard - so if anything doesn't make sense - add an s ;)

The earrings I love I made myself some a few weeks ago and haven't yet changed back to my other which is a good sign - with little teeny weeny seed pearls - let me know what you think won't you ? The necklace is with 'Autralian Opal' which is actually IMpression Jasper - its a beautiful oft bluey/green so with added aquamarine and fw pearls in bronze and ivory I thought she looked very ocean like.

and finally some more earrings with rose quartz on a twisted ring - I love these and plan on more in the near future!! Now before you nag I am still making with my lampwork beads so to finish some lampwork earrings - fun and beach themed