Total Art Soul

Total Art Soul is a lovely web site for artists to show off their stuff. You can browse various types and styles and there is such a diversity of stuff. I've been lucky enough to be featured on their front page this week. They are starting to move over to being a selling site if that interests anyone, not sure how successful it will be but if you want to get in somewhere and be one of the first this would be a great place to go I think. I am too spread out being on 3 sites already, etsy, folksy and my own, I just don't have enough time in my life to service another one, but thought I would put it out there in case anyone else fancied it. I could well kick myself in the future, but then again may change my mind!! ;-)
Click on the title link to go and have a look.
(ps my item is the second from the bottom left - eggs in a nest)

Victorian Swirl Padlocks

Once again the copiers are out, something that drives me to distraction, but in the end what can you do. And once again it has just made me determined to combat the feeling by trying to do something new. This is my new range, it ties in with the tear drop rings in design, but compliments rather than matches. The two pendants on the right are made totally in pure fine silver, forged, hammered, polished, shined and fussed over to the enth degree!! The one on the far right is a little twee, however in person it looks quite eye catching. I particularly like the central one and this led me on to make earrings that match. I prefer long danglies, so I have also made these hanging on double rings that are caught up with a single ring hanging on an ear hook.
The earrings on the left are the simple version. I call them Victorian swirl padlocks. Back to that oh so fancy pretty yet uptight time.

Absolute last chance to grab a half price sterling silver bargain

Just a quick heads up and reminder that today is the very last day of the half price sterling silver sale. Just so’s you know, I paid 50% more for my silver from my supplier this week than last week – it’s ridiculous. So if you want to grab a bargain, maybe get your Christmas Presents early, today is the last chance. Sterling silver cufflinks, sterling silver and gemstone bracelets, and sterling silver and gemstone / lampwork necklaces are all included in the sale. Half the price you pay will be refunded via paypal.

But whatever – hope you have had a brilliant weekend, and made the most of the beautiful weather.

Half Price Sterling Silver Sale

The price of silver has shot through the roof, as the table (from the wiki site shows)
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_as_an_investment)

In 2005 it was $7.31` dollars an ounce
2009 $14.67
2010 $20.19
2011 $40.17

Now if that doesn't show it, I don't know what does, but silver keeps its value.
My supplier just last week wrote to let me know that prices are set to increase hugely. I know that I am going to have to increase my prices very soon, but just before I do I thought I'd give my lovely customers a chance to treat themselves and grab a bargain in the meantime, so until 25th April (midnight gmt) I am having a HALF PRICE sale on selected sterling silver items. These include the sterling bracelets, necklaces and cufflinks. (The fine silver is not included). So if you want to grab yourself a bargain, click the link. Be quick the stuff is going quite quickly. These prices can never be repeated (unless of course silver goes back to 2005 prices!!)

To see details click the post link.

The New Teardrop Ring Design

I am very excited with my new design. I just love the front, its like the bottom of a heart, and looks like a perfect teardrop when flat. These are so comfortable to get on, because the angle allows for the nuckle and then they are turned, where the disc can then swing. Perfect for fiddling, and who doesn't like fiddling! Loads of designs done just takes time uploading all the photos - I need a secretary!

My life in pets

I have this weekend gotten my house back to myself. Life has changed!! yay! I have been able to move all the junk and rubbish into the junk and rubbish holders, and it is now an organised tip. I think the cats have summed up exactly how it feels, serene and safe!

Masterclass with Kate McKinnon

Ah!! Where do I begin? I bought Kate's book Sculptural Clay a while back, and it totally changed the way I deal with my stuff. I was just so blown away by the information, that when I came across a picture online I followed the link to her blog and sent her a mail thanking her for the information. To my complete surprise she wrote back immediately! I went on to read some of her blog and discovered that she was going to be doing a masterclass about 150 miles from where I live. Even more surprising there was still a space on the course. I then (as I do) ummed and ahhed and decided I just could not justify the cost. Wrote and told all involved. Got a lovely message back saying I could come for a shorter period for a cheaper rate. Still in my head had decided against it, working out how many tools and books and supplies I could buy for the equivalent. Slept on it, woke up and apparently in my sleep had decided to go!!

The lovely BF suggested we make a weekend of it.

Saturday morning: Hadn't been able to make the get to know you meal the night before so made sure I was well early so as not to be the last 'billy no mates' to arrive. Was very pleased BF came with me as the directions said turn left at the substation. I had no idea what a substation was!!

Anyway, I was the first to arrive and met Kate. Exactly how I imagined her. Also a tall lady (which I really liked), funny, warm, generous. We had name places round the most wonderul studio, and I was sat right next to her. She had brought us each a double DVD of hers as well as a few little items that she knew we weren't able to get hold of easily in this country.

So, it started at 10, and I sat there totally enthralled for 3 hours while she demonstrated the things she thinks are most important. Then we went for a wonderul lunch, again I was sat next to her and again she was just the greatest company. You know what it's like when you meet someone and think 'yep - I really like you'!

Back in the studio in the afternoon and again she demonstrated more bits, components to make, different ways to use the clay and I think if I was going to pick out just a couple of things I have really taken on board, (since reading the book) it would be the way to cut and dry without leading to all that bloody sanding. I had always questionned the sanding thing and the logic of breathing it in, and here was someone saying, just don't do it, get it right and you won't need to.

I had tried putting her techniques into practise from watching her DVD but when you actually see someone do them it just all falls into place.

What I love about the clay, is the full firing, and now I just adore hammering the silver into oblivion - I mean submission - sorry I mean into a nice solid strong piece. The same way that you get with sterling. I am finally proud again instead of being slightly worried that I was taking an easy way out, that is just not true, I am working with a very pure material, that when treated properly is every bit as good, if not better than sterling with bits of copper and nickle in it.!!

Am I rambling? mmm

So, eventually we got down to making. Now to be honest, that was the bit I wasn't really looking forward to, I am not someone who can do things like that in front of others, I just become all fingers and thumbs, and hey presto I made the most rediculous mistakes ;-)

Lovely BF was supposed to collect me at 5, but the class continued and continued and eventually I made my apologies and left an hour and a half later.

I had the best experience, I have no funny stories to tell, I was just enthralled all day, and that isn't really that amusing!

(The only amusing thing actually was that in that gorgeous part of the world, in the village / town we were staying on a Saturday night, the BF went hungry, all we could find to eat were two packets of crisps!! - amusing for me maybe not so much for him).

This is my proud attempt at a rivet spinning ring - I have no idea what it is actually called, but it's a beast and I love it!

Playing with Sterling again!!

I started silversmithing about 15 or so years ago, then got sidetracked with life and a lack of money. I started making jewellery again about 4 yearsa ago, beaded, and used bali silver etc, then moved onto precious metal clay. I just recently found my old boxes of sterling and thought this afternoon I'd have another go. I have all the equipment I need now, funny, I couldn't afford it years ago and now I have it, but bought for something else!

So first, I dug out the feather that I started. It has 9ct gold rolled onto sterling, that was then textured and cut into. I then realised I had no idea what I actually wanted to do with it. I polished it up today in the tumbler, and still have no idea what to do with it!! Its about 3 inches long, so it could be a chunky pendant or a brooch.

Then I fancied making some stacker rings. I soldered them and hammered them and then tumbled them and am just delighted with them, I can see what I am going to be making in the next few weeks!

Mind you I have 300 grammes of precious metal clay on its way and my funds have been totally exhausted paying for a masterclass I'm going to next weekend. So, once my dusty old supplies of yore have run out, I'll have to wait till the funds top up a bit!

Will write about the materclass after next weekend.

So into doing earrings now

I have so gotten addicted to making earrings now I have the posts sorted out. I was trying to solder them on with such a crap torch which was quite frankly, dangerous! One minute shooting out a 6 inch flame, the next dying, and no way of regulating it, but now I have a decent torch.

This was made worse with the Chinese lodger, who doesn't really speak any English, I would lock the cats up in the bathroom to keep them out of the way, he would wander through, make noises when he saw what I was doing and promptly let the cats out the bathroom, with a laugh, thinking they had gotten caught there by accident. No way of explaining. Imagine, 6 inch flame and two cats bouncing around on surfaces, it's a wonder the house is still standing! (mind they are totally bald now ;-) (but no split ends in future lol)

I love hammering silver and have to stop myself over doing it, but it is just so satisfying. I am going to make some hammered circle dome earrings, nothing particularly unique about that I know, but I do know I will get a lot of satisfaction out of them. Roll on the weekend!

Gotta get the hallmark sorted!!

Here's another little beast. However, I think, trying to decide, that this one I am keeping for myself. The problem is that these are coming out quite the weight little beasts, and in the UK you can't sell silver if weighs over 7.8 grams if it hasn't been hallmakred by the assay office. I am in the process of organising this, however it is expensive and annoying ;-) and so at the moment I can only sell my heavy bits outside UK. Perfect excuse me thinks for not selling this at all! (It also fits me perfectly - mm - wonder how that happened)