Organisation Agh!!

Why is it when you have stocked up on just about everything you think you might need, you have more supplies than you can shake a stick at, you go and run out of the things you thought you had loads of!!
I keep a very close beady eye on supplies, on fittings, on chains, on boxes I am a reasonably well organised person in many areas of my life. But... the things you can't see a level of are the things that jump out and take you by surprise. Ink for the printer (how do I get through so much when I do everything on fast draft and even grey scale many times. Padded envelopes, you think 50 would be enough at a time but oh no, and then gas for your torch, you have a spare and then find that that has been run down as well.
So bang goes my Sunday at home 'doing' gotta go and get the car and go 'getting' instead.
Grrrr

Beautiful New Presentation Boxes for Cufflinks

I have just managed to get a limited supply of these gorgeous red wood presentation boxes, so I decided for the gift giving period I would give buyers the choice of the traditional black cufflink box or these lovely satin lined wooden presentation boxes. I can't stop stroking them they feel so lovely!!

The Most Romantic Proposal !!!

About three months ago my lovely gorgeous friend asked me to make a ring for him and his partner. He wasn't really sure what he wanted so we sat down and talked around the houses for about two months! The original design was made (many times) and I just didn't like it, so came up with something else. It was easy enough to get my friends ring size but the partner? tricky! He only has one ring and wears it all the time so we couldn't 'borrow' that to size it. I tried posting a random post on Facebook asking for people to tell me if they knew their men's ring sizes... even though he is an ardent FB poster, he didn't bite! So I started carrying around my ring guages and tossed them on the table while we were having coffee one day and asked if he could tell me his, I was starting a new range and wanted to know the 'average'. Finally we had a size. The new design was a goer, a thick silver band with a solitaire diamond in a flush set, with a heart inside and a secret message engraved!
Moving on one month to the proposal.
A short holiday in Marrakesh, a hot air balloon ride and my lovely friend, apparently gripping on for dear life, popped the question. And the answer was yes, as the picture shows - by the pool with a Morrocan tea.
I am so happy!! Will get more details when they get back.
Just wanted to post this, to show romance isn't dead!

Where it all began!

My father came in from the garden (from his workshop) and told me to close my eyes and hold out my hand. He dropped the most amazing jewel in my hand that I'd ever seen. It was the clearest crystal and a huge blood red ruby ring and he'd made it for me. I was the princess with the crystal ring.

Of course it wasn't really anything precious, it was glass and perspex, but try telling that to an awestruck 6 year old (1964)

My lovely dad, who was away at sea for many of my young years, was able to do anything. He was taller than anyone else's dad (and I used to stand on a chair to try and show people how tall he was ;-) and he could do anything at all. I suppose I idealised him, and then used to get a bit shocked when he came home from sea and would swear - he would say 'bugger' and 'bloody' but - well I supposed all men did that didn't they?
(When I grew up I realised he wasn't really that tall, and although he did swear he only used mild words).
Thing was, I grew up in a world where you were judged more by what you created than by what you knew. We didn't have any books in our house, save for a set of encyclopeadias and a few Denis Wheatley novels. Both my parents were incredibly creative. My mother was an amazing seamstress, knitter, painter, flower maker and very entrepreneurial. My father was an incredible carpenter, and could fix any and everything.

I miss the man, the honest, straight, honourable man, stiff upper lip English to the core man, but I also miss like hell the man who could tell me what I needed, how to fix it, where to start man, the man who would always sort it out. We called him 'daddy fix it'.

Anyway, I digress, I just wanted to show this ring, this was the thing that made me fall in love with jewellery, and now that I make it, I so often think back to this ring and would so love to show him that I still have his ring, and to show him the rings that I make now.
Yes, this is the most precious thing I have I suppose, it's lovely isn't it.

(By the way, yes that is a monkey on his shoulder - a great holiday we had as a family revisiting a part of the world where I spent some years growing up)

Semblance of order among the chaos

For a brief moment yesterday, my bench had some order to it. The photo on the right is only showing one end of the room of course, where most of the chaos reigns, and doesn't show the bunk to the left which has trays of stuff all over it plus supplies, or the other end of the room which has all the packaging materials, but I am pretty please with how clear it looks. I have a week coming up soon where I can spend a lot more time in here than I have been able to lately, I am so looking forward to that.
What I really want is a ten foot long solid bench, but this room is upstairs and it wouldn't fit, so I will have to make do with my two work stations at the moment, but I have to say it's much better than what I used to have to make do with.
Anyway, just thought I'd show the world where I live at the weekends.

Diamonds are a girls best friend

I have decided to up the game now. I have just received some diamonds, not rocks - it's true but diamonds nonetheless, and what sparkly little blighters they are too. Sapphires and rubies as well. I have so many ideas, and the weekend to get started on them, so watch this space.

Fire, spinning, rolling and balls!

While it is true to say that my silver pea pods are the mainstay of my jewellery business, and without them I probably wouldn't have half the tools I have been able to get, I do love to experiment when I have the chance. So here is what I have been doing; rolling (with the mill) flame throwing to make the lovely little mercury balls (which I have to say for the last 20 years I have had a thing about - what is it that fascinates me with granulation??) and redesigning a ring I made over 15 years ago into a spinner ring!! I would like to have put a gold spinner round but as it was an experiment - gold is an expensive experiment, so maybe next time. Anyway - here are the weekends spoils.

Been playing today

I should have been doing other stuff, but let myself play for a bit! Had the idea of a reversible pendant for a while but wasn't sure it would work with what I wanted on the front and back, but it's turned out just how I hoped.
The ring is a mix of all sort of bits and pieces from my bench, a truly recycled piece. Recycled fine silver and recycled sterling, patterned in the rolling mill. Doesn't fit, so gott find someone to give it to now ;-)

New Projects - splashing the colour!

I have been so caught up with new sprojects I have been a bit lax on here, which is a bit of a shame. Anyway, here is one of my projects, I have been playing with sterling and cold enamel, and having just the biggest blast. Playing with colour is just amazing, and I adore how well it goes with silver. I don't think my neighbours can be too happy though as I've been banging and hammering away like a mad thing, but I'm pleased with the results.

Of course, now I have to get all the photos done and uploaded etc etc, but I have a date in mind and I still have time, so that's ok.
The summer has been mad with new ideas and projects started, but my work room looks like a bombs hit it, I wish I could sit down and make one thing and finish it at a time - just never happens though! Ah well. More to come!

Bank Holiday but gotta work

Nothing much to report at the mo, been too busy with all this nonsense on etsy lately, and changing all my listings. I will return and write something of great insight later this week (like pics of new rolling mill and new resin and silver items - lol