A Roman Pendant...Something to be Treasured.

A Very Happy New Year!!!!
I recently had a very interesting and exciting commission, considering I'm a jewellery designer and huge archaeology fan! Geoff and Laura asked me to make a similar gold pendant to the one their archaeologist daughter unearthed in a dig, a beautiful solid gold leaf shaped Roman pendant...... judging by the photograph of its unearthing it was around 3 cm long and 18mm wide with a subtle texture and gorgeous large fastening hoop with gold drop.

I experimented with a number of texturing techniques on brass, different surfaces sandwiched through the rolling mill and numerous hammered techniques.

I decided to use a softened hammered technique as the original finish was so subtle.

The finished beauty on my jewellers bench!! Geoff and Laura were very pleased with it and reported the look on Emily's face was something to be treasured!!



Honesty's Bangle

I make personalised silver bangles with names, dates and messages. I've recently completed a bangle for Honesty's thirtieth birthday, her birthday and great name were required.

Well.... I couldn't leave it like that.......

I'm pleased to say she loved it!





Moonflowers

I have moonflowers on the jewellers bench....... well they're actually 'almost earrings' but I kinda thought if there were such a thing they might look something like these! Could be the start of a new range!



Latest Wonderful Workshop

I just completed a wonderful 5 week workshop with Rachel and Jessica, these workshops work so well because students are able to work at their own speed and after making a pair of earrings which familiarise students with basic jewellery making skills, they can then go onto make what they like!
We covered piercing, filing, texturing with a rolling mill and hammers, forming and polishing.

Jessica brought in some beautiful delicate leaves from her own garden, she impressed these onto silver using my rolling mill and created a beautiful intricate pair of leaf earrings.

Rachel textured her silver earrings with a hammer to create a lovely natural bark texture, she added textured copper squares to contrast and the earrings were domed slightly using a doming block so they do not lie flat.

For Rachel's next project she made two intertwining bangles, one silver and one copper, they go perfectly with her earrings!s

Amethyst's caught Jessica's eye and these became the focus for her next project, a lovely amethyst and silver bracelet using wire wrapping techniques.

The girls did a fantastic job of their projects and were a pleasure to teach. Check out my New Workshops page for the Spring Schedule, if the dates don't work for you and there are 2 or more people interested just let me know and we can arrange a date to suit!











The Moustache Magic Family

I now have my moustache family, moustache pendant on gold filled chain, moustache brooch with sterling silver safety pin (you would hate to lose this little family member) and moustache ring with sterling silver band. These are shown in brass but can be made in silver.
I now have a mo page on the Movember website, raising the profile of mens health and fighting prostate cancer. Everybody who donates will be entered into a prize draw to win a wonderful piece of moustache jewellery! The jewellery range is your choice!
http://uk.movember.com/mospace/3188597

If you can't grow 'em, make 'em!!

If impatient to wear your unique handcrafted metal tache please visit my Etsy shop shop to purchase.

Wear with pride!

Moustache Magic

Soooo I had an idea to make metal moustaches for the facially fuzz denied of us - or even the blessed may wear 'em. These brass beauties start life as flat ol' sheet brass. I wanted to adorn my taches with a stylish waxed twist and have them standing voluptuous and proud!! Here's a few pics showing my process.

Once I started, couldn't stop! I have a family!

Next instalment will be the finished product........

A Brooch Making Experience

So.... I am into making brooches of late, I love the process of press forming using my wonderful arbor press, I like to get a three dimensional quality to my work, of course including the all necessary texture. Using brass and copper adds another dimension, colour and contrast, they seems to sit perfectly with Autumn.

My design is sketched onto brass and pierced out, I love to cut metal!

Silver sheet is textured and press formed into my leaf shapes.

The silver leaves are pierced out and soldered onto the brass back, alot more work is involved......texture, soldering on a brooch back and a huge clean up.. before ..

The finished brass and silver beauty is ready to present itself!

My sunflower brooch is made in a very similar way.

Both brooches can be purchased from my Etsy shop, or directly from me!

Glam up your outfit for the Autumn!