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!