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?

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

New Collection part 2

Happy Wednesday lovelies, how are we all today? I thought I would share a few pics of some of my newer pieces now available in my shop. I am still working on the range, but these are all ready and out there for sale. This work is inspired mostly by my love of folklore and the art that it influences, using old weather/countrylore sayings and folk arts and crafts (quilts and samplers etc) as a starting point.

Shoo shoo gull, away from the sand. There's no good weather when you come to land

You can see more of my work at either of my online shops at Etsy or Folksy. And you can catch me at The Bath Artisan Market this Sunday 10-4, Green Park Station, Bath

Also don't forget to like my facebook page for the chance to win a pair of 'sewn with a kiss' earrings by April 13th xx

Competition time xx

Would you like a chance to win these 'sewn with a kiss' sterling silver earrings? Yes, you say? Well it's totally simple...

All you need to do is share this post via Facebook, Twitter, your blog etc... and head over to The Silver Shed Facebook Page and like it. If by April 13th there are 100 new likes someone will be picked at random to win these studs and if there are 200 new likes a matching pendant will be thrown in too. Neat huh?

Happy posting xx

Sneak Preview

I will be launching my new collection this month and thought I would offer up this little sneak preview for you... Oh yeah, and the sun is shining!!!!!! xx

New Year, New Designs

Hello lovelies, I hope you had a super Christmas. I have to say it was a fairly quiet one for me this year, but it was quite nice to kick back and chill out in front of the goggle box for a bit. I grabbed a cup of tea and some posh chocs from my pal Claire and cried at the Downton Christmas special and the end of Merlin (one of my many guilty pleasures!).
And now it's the countdown to the New Year which is promising to be a little more lively. I will be sharing some of my party food plans over the next few days, but first, I wanted to give you a sneaky peek at a new design I'm going to work on for my 2013 shop. My friend Jimbob asked me to make this locket for his gorgeous wife (also one of my dearest friends) to hold a picture of their little Poppy-Jo. He gave me free rein on the design and Jai called today to say she loved. So I will be looking to work on this further to put on sale in the new year. I hope you like it xx

Birds, Butterfies & Baubles

I have been making some little stocking fillers this week using some oven bake clay and ink stamps. Have a go at making some holiday ornaments yourself, just grab some clay and impress your favourite images in to it with permanent ink. Make a hole using a straw, bake according to the instructions and hang with pretty ribbon or twine... Or if you are able, come along to the Bath Artisan Market this Sunday where I will have some of these brooches for you to purchase.

What decorations have you been making this week? xx

I'm Sizing You Up

Over the weekend, whilst at the markets, I noticed that many people didn't know what size to choose in bangles and rings, so I have put together a quick guide to sizing.

The best way to find out your ring size is to visit your local jeweller and they should accurately size you without any problem, but if you need to find out at home there is a way to get a measurement that is fairly accurate. Take some string or paper and wrap it around the finger you want to size, making sure it is pulled firmly around. Mark or snip the join and measure the length, this gives you the inner circumference of the size ring you want. 

You can then use this chart to work out your size. Remember that the string/paper needs to feel as snug as the ring you want to wear.

Right, now for bangles! The size of a bangle is determined by its diameter and the standard size that most places sell will be 6.5-7 cm across. To know what size is best for you clench your hand in to a fist and measure the distance between the outside edge of your index finger to the inside of your little finger. This gives the diameter size you require.
In my shop I sell three sizes; small - 6cm, medium - 6.5cm, large - 7cm, but I can make them smaller or larger if required.

I hope you find this little guide useful xx