Vintage Jewellery Making Set

The antiques market in the Jubilee Hall in Covent Garden is one of my favourite places to go on a Monday morning. It's got a fantastic array of jewellery, porcelain and the odd random knick knack all at very reasonable prices considering its central London location. I often find that there are those moments when you notice an item on a stall and are drawn towards it like a moth to the flame. The Monday just gone was one of those moments! A humble red wooden box holds a wonderful array of watchmakers and jewellers tools. Stone setting implements, gravers and punches. Some of the tools are a mystery to me but I knew enough about them to know that I had to have them!

The label on the front of the box reads Robert Pringle and Co. The company was formed in 1835. They ceased trading in 1965 so this is at least 47 years old!

Judging by the wear on the box, it has been well used although some of the tools are a little bit rusty. I wonder who used them in the past. Perhaps it was by an apprentice although the tools are so fine so they must have been used by someone with a steady hand and a lot of skill. I have used similar tools before so I can't wait to get to work on some silver with these!

Flying Dragon Earrings

These little dragons have moving wings. I'm thinking of making a pendant too.

Turtle Power!

Awhile ago I donated some little trinkets to the North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine's Turtle Rescue Team. I have a soft spot for animals and probably watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles too much as a kid so was happy to support such a great cause. Today, I got a very kind Thank you card from the turtles (and Adrienne, who I assume has helped them with their spelling and grammar and the writing of such notes)... If you would like to help this very good cause, you can donate through the official website here. Hooray for turtles!

Flying Dragon Necklace

I have just listed this flying dragon necklace, my homage to Smaug from The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. You can see how the wings move from this photo. I'm hoping to do some smaller versions but it's quite hard to make the hinge setting smaller as the soldering is quite intricate. It'll be fun having a go though!

Little Smaug earring...

So, this is the little silver dragon from yesterday made into a one-off earring. If you pull the yellow flame shaped lemon quartz briolette the wings go down!

Upcoming Hobbit, Flying Dragon

With The Hobbit Parts 1 & 2 coming up very soon I am trying to work on some new designs inspired by Middle Earth. This little dragon has moving wings and is the first of a few moving and slightly more complicated designs that I want to try. Strictly speaking though, he's not actually wearable at the moment! I'm still working on that part!

A little bit in love with Sherlock!

A very belated Happy New Year everyone!

I haven't blogged in a long time because I've been writing my first essay for my masters in the History of Britain. Very daunting and I have been mildly guilty of what I like to call 'productive procrastination' during the period when I've desperately needed a break from studying the actions of women in the English civil war! I've been trying to get back into portraiture. I used to draw a lot (usually people from films and television because 'real' people sometimes get upset with how you depict them!) so given the fact that Sherlock became the highlight of my week recently, I thought I'd try painting Benedict Cumberbatch.

Here is the result of my 'productive procrastination'...

It kind of looks like him and I don't think it's awful for a first attempt at using watercolours. I'm definitely going to need more practice though!

I've decided that a new year needs new designs and now that I've finally submitted my essay, I'm trying to work out what these new designs might entail. I think that dark fairytales will feature and I'm working on more layered pieces that will include lockets and secret compartments and moveable components. This may be a bit ambitious given my limited resources but I'd like to make more intricate pieces. I will also be taking inspiration from Tudor and Stuart portraiture, particularly miniatures so I will experiment and post some of my attempts in due course. Think Elizabeth I and Anne of Denmark!

Anyway, getting back to what's really important... how do you think Sherlock Holmes survived his fall?!!!

I'm sure there's an elementary explanation.