Wednesday 15 December 2010

A little Christmas present to myself!


After a very busy November and December I finally found a little time to make something for myself to wear this Christmas!

It is a little reindeer forest spirit ring that is partly inspired by festive decorations and is also inspired by the fact that I watched Princess Mononoke again recently and have wanted to make something forest spirit inspired for awhile.

I have serious plans to make myself some totoro soon but I really need to wait until I have more silver...

Wednesday 24 November 2010

Some of my new designs...





These are some of my newest designs. I've been working with the many beads that I have in my collection to produce some contrast to my silver creations.

Vintage Shopping



I have discovered a guilt free way to go shopping and feel like I'm passing a bit of the magic of a treasure hunt on to others! Vintage jewellery shopping is my new favourite pastime and I've found some lovely things already. I think it must be the pirate in me that enjoys the thrill of buried treasure amid a sea of chaos and plastic pearls! I can't resist the urge to want to rescue jewellery in a broken or muddied form and make it sparkle again and find a home with someone who will love it for several decades more.

The only problem I really have is being able to let go of what I find! :)

Wednesday 3 November 2010

Squirrels Chasing Acorns Necklace finished!

After many hours, I have finally finished the first of my Autumn Collection pieces. Phew! It was hard work but I'm pleased with the result! You can buy this unique necklace from my etsy shop now. :D

Tuesday 2 November 2010

Autumnal Hijinks

After a bit of acorn collecting and some squirrel watching from buses on the way to work I have been having a little fun designing some little autumnal pieces. This is a peek at my unfinished Squirrel Chasing Acorns necklace...



Hope you like it!! :)

Tuesday 28 September 2010

Vikings and Knights on Horseback...

Oh how I would dearly love to get these cast into silver.... :D


Origin Craft Fair


The Origin Craft Fair is on in London and I had a lot of fun mooching about the lovely talented designer's stalls there on Monday! Alas I am extremely sans funds at the moment and couldn't make as many outrageous purchases as I would have liked but I did pick up a fabulous macabre-chintz porcelain... creation from the wonderful Anja Lubach Ceramics (see above photograph)

A couple of the jewellery designers really caught my eye and I am most keen to own something of theirs at some point soon.

Check out Momocreatura and Moon Young Shin for some really cool and imaginative trinkets :)

New Deluxe Range!

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to make a quick announcement about my new Deluxe range. I am hoping to have several new designs and variations on my existing designs featuring beautiful sparkly gems and shiny, pretty silvery things!

Here are the first two pieces in the collection but I am hoping to have many more to follow...

Sunday 15 August 2010

The Handmade Bunny


You can now find me on The Handmade Bunny website!

Bunny Inspired things from artisans working together to enhance the lives of bunny pets!

If you love bunnies and are looking for all things handmade and bunny related this is most definitely the website for you!!!

Sunday 8 August 2010

Photo shoot

Here are some photographs from a recent photo shoot that was organised through the photographer Charlotte Barker to show my jewellery being worn.



More to follow...!

Friday 6 August 2010

Pop Goes the Viking!






Wilfric the well-mannered is a sterling silver hand pierced little viking ready for battle with his silhouetted axe, sturdy boots and Highland cow horn helmet!

I have strung Wilfric on a variety of wonderful (and quite unusual) brightly coloured freshwater pearls. Kind of Pop Art inspired and wonderfully kitsch, the only problem is deciding what colour you like best!

You can buy Wilfric in all his guises at my online shops at www.sarahbirtjewellery.etsy.com and www.folksy.com/shops/sarahbirtjewellery

Tuesday 20 July 2010

New Foxes and Bunnies Stud Earrings


I have been designing sets of interchangeable fox and bunny stud earrings. Here is a photo of my sketch book to give you a sneek peek of what is to come!!!

Saturday 5 June 2010

The Dark Side...

I have been trying out the wonderful technique of oxidizing this evening! This is the effect that I created

a lovely dark matt effect, which gives quite a nice contrast to the shiny silver original

I can sense a few new designs on the horizon!!!

Sunday 23 May 2010

Teeny Tiny Viking!


I'm not quite sure how I made this little Viking (or what I'll do with him now I have made him!) but I think he's unbelievably cute!

Saturday 22 May 2010

Marie Antoinette and Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire in Conversation Necklace



I read the wonderful biography of Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman last year and was struck by the idea of this extremely fashionable woman swishing about the grand houses and palaces of England and Europe causing a stir and inspiring other ladies to dress to impress. She was a friend of Marie Antoinette, another fascinating figure from history (who is depicted in a fabulously frou frou and candy film by Sophia Coppola.)

I like to imagine them linking arms and strolling around the Palace of Versailles (or more likely the Tuileries) gossiping and swapping tips on dressing up and this pendant depicts such a conversation.

You can buy this necklace from my online shop now!

Friday 7 May 2010

New Jewellery Designs




Just a quick post to showcase my new designs on my etsy shop only listed today!

Sunday 2 May 2010

Blossom Trees in Brighton




These are some photographs that I took of a beautiful blossom tree in the centre of Brighton this weekend whilst having a break from London. I love blossom trees. They remind me of my trip to Japan a few years ago and always inspire me to want to make lovely little tiny blossom inspired jewellery! The pink blossoms against a blue sky also remind me of one of my favourite paintings by Van Gogh that I saw in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam several years ago. This museum is well worth a visit if you ever find yourself over there!

Monday 26 April 2010

New Moon Bunny Pendants now available!



After selling out of my first range of little moon bunnies, I have finally made some more! They are available here.

You can also shop in £s at Folksy!

Saturday 24 April 2010

Fab exhibitions at Somerset House and the Courtauld Gallery


Yesterday I went to see two wonderful exhibitions. The first is Michelangelo's Dream at the Courtauld Gallery, which exhibits exquisite presentation drawings made by Michelangelo for Tommaso de Cavalieri.

The second is Pick Me Up: Contemporary Graphic Art Fair at the embankment galleries at Somerset House. Featured is an open studio by the artist Rob Ryan, which is a fascinating insight into his working processes. The prints on display by up and coming artists are consistently witty, effective and interesting.


As I was walking through the square there was a pigeon having a bath in the fountains. It was such a charming sight that I took a few photos to capture the moment!

Thursday 22 April 2010

In Search of Vikings


Many things have contributed to my recent love of Vikings not least the film How to Train your Dragon, which combines humour with dragons and echos many of the themes that I enjoy writing about when I create my own little fictional tales.

An interest in Medieval history spurred by watching Kingdom of Heaven the director's cut (plus the copious special features) combined with the prospect of another Ridley Scott film about Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe have also kindled my interest in the concepts of knights, heroes, peasants and chivalry.

I recently visited York, an area steeped in Viking history and saw the site of the Battle of Stamford Bridge where a single Viking held the bridge and thwarted Harold Godwinson's army until he was defeated (shot from below) by a rather sneaky Saxon on a boat. This took place the day before the Battle of Hastings, which perhaps explains why Harold's army was defeated as they'd already been battling a band of fearsome warriors the previous day. I have to say when faced with the prospect of fighting a heavily armed Norman or a heavily armed Viking I would prefer to face a Norman. The Vikings of my imagination are fearsome with beards and axes in constant supply and look rather like Gimli from Lord of the Rings but taller. However, I suppose that Harold didn't do too well out of the Norman's use of arrows in battle so I'd probably want to avoid both Normans and Vikings in a battle situation!

I was fortunate enough to see the Bayeaux Tapestry last year and was fascinated by the idea that history is written by the victors. Following that, the Anglo-Saxon hoard found only a few miles from the village where I grew up was also a factor in my desire to research the jewellery created by the artisans who lived a thousand years ago. If I find jewellery techniques trying with modern tools that have evolved over hundreds of years then how was such exquisite work created in what is perceived to be a far more primitive time?

I bought a Viking design melamine plate recently from a wonderful designer called Sandra Monat who has a shop called Herzensart.

I thoroughly recommend her work and I love that her shop is based most centrally around the theme of Vikings. I know myself that I will always have a vast array of ideas that I want to create jewellery ranges around but I do sometimes wonder whether a shop with a theme could prove a more effective strategy.

Anyway, I have a book called 1066 the year of three battles and I am planning a trip to The British Museum in the next week or so to do a few sketches so watch this space for a new Viking range! It will be inspired by the courageous acts and wonderful craftsmanship that occurred in a time that most people know only a handful of details about but also by the fact that Vikings are supremely cool and it gives me an excuse to look arty whilst sketching odd little characters in a tiny Moleskine sketch book! :D

Monday 19 April 2010

Pretty New Rings!




I have had a lovely day making some dainty little stacker rings and my first ever pair of stud earrings.

They are now available on my etsy shop!