Thursday 27 October 2011

New Packaging for Christmas!

I do have particular gift boxes that I usually like to use but I thought I'd shake it up for the festive season this year with some ribbons and pretty new boxes.
I have been very pleased with what I bought from the delightful Fast Running Fox shop on etsy and thought I'd send out a recommendation! The shipping was very fast and everything was beautifully packaged, something that I can definitely boast of my jewellery this year! What I really like about the boxes is that with a little ribbon, they can even be hung on a Christmas tree so they are practically ornaments in themselves! :-)

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Things that I am working on

Well, I am diligently ignoring the fact that I really should be doing my tax return or studying history and thought I'd put some photos up of the two things that will occupy my time today. One is a lovely silver locket that I bought the other day and have cleaned. I'd love to do something special with it perhaps using the new natural emerald rondelle beads that I bought the other day but I have run out of silver wire for the moment :-(
The other is a sterling silver tree branch component that I have soldered a squirrel onto. It has taken me forty minutes to drill a hole in the other side of the branch so that it can be made into a pendant but it should look quite nice once it's all put together.

Tuesday 18 October 2011

My New Favourite Etsy Shop

Given the amount of time I spend searching etsy for unusual little trinkets, I thought it might be nice to promote fellow artisans in my blog so this will the first of my recommendations (I'm sure there will be many more!)
I rather love this hand drawn badge from Elizabeth Pawle Illustration. Just the right amount of quirky cute and a British based designer too so very fast shipping!

I have purchased one of her original drawings
as a little present to myself but I am strongly contemplating getting a few Christmas presents from her shop over the next month or so.

What etsy/folksy shops make you smile? :-)

P.S. All photographs copyright of Elizabeth Pawle Illustrations.

Sunday 16 October 2011

New Autumn / Winter Designs 2011

What with moving, starting a masters in the History of Britain (that I am supposed to be doing the reading for at this very moment!) and working full time, I am finding it quite difficult to make anything new in terms of jewellery but somehow I have managed to list a few new things in my shop this weekend and I thought I would put some photos of the new designs up for your perusal.
The setting for this citrine is the first claw type setting that I have ever made and although it took me about two hours, I am rather proud that it not only fits the stone but keeps it in place securely!
This is my extremely geeky homage to Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre. The recent film version, which should be still on at the cinemas is very good if you fancy a night out!
This buckle dating from 1901 is an exquisite example of pierced and engraved silver and looks lovely with the ethereal silvery grey pearls and fancy pearl set clasp.
My homage to Autumn and red squirrels, which I went to see in the wild the other day on Brownsea Island, has watermelon tourmaline beads paired with a gorgeous pink tourmaline cabochon set in another handmade setting with acorn detail on the reverse.
And finally, there are four of these adorable little mother of pearl buttons with carved deer and fir tree design. They are available in pink, blue, yellow and purple.

I have also booked two crafts fairs, one on the 12th November and the other on the 10th December and will give you all the details as soon as I receive the flyers.

Phew! Now back to Eric Hobsbawm and the English Revolution. I'm trying not to be biased (like every good historian) but I already know that I would have been a Royalist!

This is one of my favourite portraits in the National Portrait Gallery because it has charming and slightly ghoulish transparent overlays that chart the life and death of Charles I and it is particularly impressive that they have survived.

Monday 5 September 2011

Recommended: Glamour of the Gods Exhibition

Hello all!

If you fancy indulging in a little bit of glamour this month, then the Glamour of the Gods exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery is for you!

It is an interesting mix of images detailing how the classic iconic image of a Hollywood star was created and who took the photographs themselves.

Wednesday 24 August 2011

The second batch of Paris rings

After an extremely disappointing day of house hunting I have devoted some time to trying to finish the second part of the order from the Paris boutique.
Here are photos of the almost finished specimens...

Friday 19 August 2011

Woodland bling's the thing!

At the moment I'm wondering whether you can ever have enough little fox and bunny rings?! I'm growing quite attached to these little critters as they are all slightly different. I've finished making about twenty rings so another 12 to go. Hopefully I will be able to send some off this weekend to Paris!

Friday 12 August 2011

26 Rings Soldered!

Well, I've had a strange day of watching the BBC's adaptation of George Eliot's Middlemarch whilst simultaneously hammering a seemingly endless number of ring bands into a circular shape and then soldering them onto the corresponding silver animal!

One little bunny unfortunately bit the dust and got melted but the rest have worked out ok. I've soldered 26 out of 32 rings but I've got to stop now because I've been getting confused about which animal should go on which ring band!

Getting there though... there is almost an end in sight! Just got to file and sand every single ring when I've finished soldering...

Monday 8 August 2011

Progress on the Paris Rings...

I have managed to cut out all 32 of the little foxes and bunnies!
Now all I've got to do is attach them to each ring band and file and sand everything until it is smooth everything and then put them in the polisher. This all sounds easier than it is but I am about halfway there at least.

Wednesday 3 August 2011

Paris Boutique

Hello All,

Sorry I haven't blogged for a few weeks but I've been trying to keep up with a whole host of very time consuming activities. I'm moving house, applying for a postgrad course, working full time and running a business. Not a recipe for ever having any spare time! :-)

I do have some good news to impart though. Jewellery Designs by Sarah Birt is now going to be stocked in a boutique in Paris! I'm so excited about this! The shop is called Bird on the Wire and you can visit the lovely website here.

They have ordered 12 stargazing fox rings, 12 dancing fox rings and 8 bunny rings. Needless to say I am working very hard to make them all!

Here is a photo of my progress so far...
I have soldered all of the ring bands and have cut out seven little stargazing foxes so far. I hope to get some more done today. Then I will need to file and polish them, which always takes longer than expected but hopefully they will be in the shop by October.

I will keep you updated with my progress over the next few weeks. It's going to be hard work but very worth it!

Tuesday 12 July 2011

Moody Skies and a Giant Straw Fox

I don't know if anyone else has been to South Bank recently but there is a giant straw fox right by the Hayward Gallery! It is awesome!








Friday 8 July 2011

My sketchbook at the moment



These are a few pages from my most recent sketchbook.

You can see where the Hokusai ring came from
and a few variations on the theme, which I think will turn out quite nicely too!



These are some designs for tiaras:


I think Smaug would approve of having a tiara designed after him! He would be sitting on a pile of jewels, which I think would be suitably sparkly.

Sunset in a Poppyfield




These are some photographs that I took in an amazing poppyfield about two weeks ago in the West Midlands. It really was supernaturally beautiful!

Tiny little Silver Fox Ring

I just had this wonderful little fox ring through from Xidni (a designer on etsy) and I think you will agree that it is just so incredibly cute!

This was a custom order but there are so many beautiful things already for sale that you really will be spoilt for choice!