Happy to be back

Well, I was finally back in the studio today and what a lovely feeling that was. After the manic end to 2013 and the excesses of Christmas and New Year I took some time out, but being in the studio is where I actually feel I need to be.
I started out by playing with some simple designs but there are already lots of ideas floating around so watch this space for new pieces, including more rings and lockets.

My studio

Working on stock for Bath Christmas Market and that means a few cloudy days!

My Studio

Worked on a commission piece today, my first Christening bangle. I have to say that I'm pretty darned pleased with it.

My Studio

Today I have been answering a few questions for the Made in Bristol blog Meet the Maker spot and thought I would share some of the photographs that were taken to go with it. Be sure to check out their blog and pop along to the two pop-up shops in Quakers Friars, Bristol.

My Studio - commissions

I love getting the chance to put people's thoughts and ideas into real pieces of wearable art, when someone asks me to make a commission piece neither of us know how it will look for sure but it is great when a design comes to life and exceeds mine and my customers expectations.

This happened last week when someone asked me to put together some 18th birthday gifts. The drawings my customer gave me were tweaked and given a twist of my personal style and eventually came to life, both of us were thrilled with the outcome. See what you think...

Does your craft ever surprise you?

My Studio - day of design

Hey, how's your week so far? Monday was glorious here but it has clouded over a little since. I'm hoping the sun will come back as we are heading to a July 4th picnic tomorrow. I know none of us are from the States but with the American Museum on my doorstep it'd be rude not to join in the celebrations, right?

This week has seen me delivering stock to Paper. Scissors. Stone in Quaker's Friars, Bristol, where I am going to be selling for the summer season of the pop up shop. I'm really excited by this as the store looks very slick with many other artisan makers I admire. Today though is design day, I am putting together a few new pieces and thought I'd share my sketch book snaps with you.

Also here is a little info about the Cabot Circus pop up shop...

Do you have any plans for the 4th of July?

My Studio - snapshot in blue

This week the lovely Jan over at Poppytalk is running the blogs annual colors week, a photography project that anyone with an instagram account can join. Each day a new colour is announced and all you have to do to play along is follow @poppytalk on instagram, upload your instasnap and tag it with #summercolors13. This is my snapshot in blue for Tuesday, my studio desk with items of inspiration through to final pieces of silver.

You can also follow me on instagram @thesilvershedgirl

My Studio - Wedding Season

The sun is out and wedding season is upon us, and as a jeweller this is a time when I get to make very special things for people that they will wear forever. How amazing is that?!
I am in the process of making a beautiful ring for one of my lovely Etsy customers from my 'I want a fairytale' series so I thought I would share a few photos of jewellery that has been purchased for weddings in the past.

These are a selection of commission pieces and pieces I sell in my my shops, the white gold wedding rings at the top have been sold several times for Alice themed weddings and can be customised. I have also had several brides wear my bangles on their big day and buy pendants for their bridesmaids. The cufflinks were a commission piece but I am looking at introducing cufflinks into my range.

New Collection Part 3

It is no secret that I have a few mild obsessions in life, like tea, pirates and a love of history and art. The latter is what lead to my interest in old folklore and folk art and the Arts & Crafts Movement it inspired. When studying both as a jewellery designer and an art history course we touched on this era in design. The ethos of beauty in functionality and the celebration of the handmade really stuck with me and although my work doesn't directly reflect those artists, I do find inspiration in the crafts that folk art produced.

Here are some photographs of the latest pendants and earrings coming to my shop inspired by heritage samplers, patchwork quilts, vintage lace and buttons.

Patchwork square in silver with a hand painted cold enamel fabric effect, the edge is textured with tiny kisses like cross stitching.

Silver button earrings textured with vintage lace embossed in to the silver.

Silver button earrings decorated with hand painted cold enamel.

Silver stacking rings - stitched with a kiss band, little heart ring and thin band.

Hope you like these new pieces, I will have them with me at the Bath Artisan Market this coming Sunday if you want come along and say hi.

What are your loves that inspire you?

My Studio

Well I am taking advantage of the dry days to get some photography done this week, getting some snaps of the new pieces for the shop etc.
I'm not the best of photographers but I also can't afford to get my work professionally shot, so here is how I go about things. Jewellery needs close ups, good light and often the odd prop to show it at its best. I like to take my shots outside if I can using a basic homemade light box and my Nikon D5000 (don't ask me too many details as I am still teaching myself how to use a dslr). A bright but slightly overcast morning is the ideal light in my opinion, however the odd adjustment is sometimes needed in the editing suit.

A simple light box made by lining a 3 sided cardboard box with white paper and a few props to stage the jewellery. 

The props need to highlight the jewellery, not shadow it, so just one or two items to lift it should do. Here I used a reel with ribbon and lace and a pair of wooden scissors to compliment the style of the pieces, which have been inspired by heritage folk crafts and homespun patchwork quilts.

Have a great Wednesday sweets xx

My Studio

Hello friends, I have been thinking for a while about whether to introduce you to my studio properly and how I work, rather than just showing the finished results. Although I've snapped the odd pic before, my studio is like my sanctuary and I'm quite protective of it, but I think I would like to start sharing snippets from my working day. So here is a little tour via my iPhone to start us off (apologise for the not so great quality images!).

My jewellers bench next to the window is never going to be beautiful but I love to have everything in its place, if it gets too cluttered then my work really suffers. Playing music also helps me focus, usually folksy type stuff but it really depends on my mood.

This is my reading zone for tea breaks or when doing some research with one of my millions of books. This wall is also slowly being covered with bits I have collected, found or been given.

And this corner is for designing and packaging up finished jewellery, it's my inspiration corner. Oh and Jack is there to watch over everything, people who know me well know that I have a slight pirate obsession!

My shelf of curiosities includes an old abandoned birds nest found in the garden and a Victorian tile.

The typewriter was originally given to my mother in the 70's by an old guy who worked on the local newspaper, I think it came from the news office. The desk it is sitting on is also special as it is my school desk, they updated the ancient furniture a couple years after I started and as mum worked at the school she asked if she could have my desk. It is obviously quite low but I kinda like still using it, so do my little cousins when they visit.

Anyway, there is the mini tour of my workspace, it is constantly being added to and changing and I love it!