New Vintage

Here are a few of the mosaic rings that I've been working on lately. Mosaic is a wonderful medium to work with, though admittedly rather fiddly. But combine that with old vintage pieces of jewellery, and what do we have? Hours of fun! Well, weeks actually, but who's counting. 

I'm delighted with how they turned out. Unusual, elegant and romantic, with a rich, burnished patina and shine . . .

If you are interested in making your own mosaic rings, I've found these You Tube video tutorials for you: 

This first one demonstrates a fairly quick and simple method: Mosaic Ring Tutorial 1

Whilst this second one shows a much more intricate method:  Mosaic Ring Tutorial 2  

And if you'd like to read a little more about the history of mosaic jewellery please visit this page of my website here. 

My own techniques for making mosaic jewellery differ from the methods shown in the above tutorials. Not so traditional, perhaps. But I've found my own way of working, over the years, that suits my style and gives me the effects that I am looking for. I used to make jewellery boxes - that's how it all started, in fact. It took me years to refine my technique so that I could work on a small enough scale to create jewellery. These rings here are fairly simple in construction compared to, for example, my Dragonfly Ring, which requires much patience and exceptional eyesight! 

Here's a closer look at some of these vintage rings from my new Autumn 2012 collection . . .

You can find all of the above rings, and more, in my Etsy Jewellery Shop. There will be more to come as I continue to work on the Autumn collection. 

Wishing you a wonderful day, today, and everyday :)

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Colour Palette : summer meadow

I love colour, big time. I could play around with colour forever. And I could talk for hours about the slightest nuance of tone and interplay. But you wouldn't want to read that now would you?! So I thought I could share my love of colour with you in a slightly more pleasing, visual, way. 

And so this is the first (of no doubt many more) 'Colour Palette' posts. Now I can create endless colour stories in little circles. Yippee! 

So here we have a quintessential English meadow . . .

Now I don't know about you, but I'm just not ready to let go of Summer yet, so I've indulged myself with a little summer colour in an attempt to keep it alive for a while longer yet. The colours I've picked and the names I've chosen will, I hope, take you away to a summer meadow on a warm, hazy, lazy, sunny day - lying in a meadow full of fragrant wild flowers that sway, oh so gently, in a whisper of a breeze. Butterflies are busy all around, and you are lying on the soft grass, looking up into an endless expanse of clear blue sky. You can hear chirruping bird song and the sound of the ocean is just beyond. The sun is warm and you are sleepy, peaceful and relaxed. And very, very, happy . . .

Colour can take us anywhere because it sparks our imagination. And our imagination is, after all, boundless. There's nothing wrong with a visual daydream - it can be what sustains and nurtures us from within.

I'm already wondering where I'll go with my next colour palette. Into the woods perhaps, or maybe exploring the colours of a flower petal. Hmm . . . thank goodness for the magic of the imagination, a place where we can visualise worlds full of wonders.

Wishing you a wonderful day, today, and everyday :)

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INSPIRATION: Poppies by the Sea

I thought I'd share the story behind another one of my pieces of jewellery with you, and show what inspired me to create it: 

This red and aqua ribbon necklace was inspired by the wonderful sight of bright red poppies against an aqua sea - like glowing jewels set in an expanse of tropical haze:

The poppy photos were taken at a glorious seaside garden just minutes from where I live on the Cornish Coast in England. What a colourful inspiration this garden has been for me!  

In this necklace I used clear glass and/or gemstones that sparkle, like jewels, as the Poppies against the sea, while the crinkles and creases of the ribbon are reminiscent of the ocean waves.

 I love nature. I wonder just where would we be without it's beauty and inspiration?

You can find this necklace here

and browse my online jewellery shop here 

Have a lovely day!

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New Work on the way . . .

Here's a little sneak preview of my next collection:

I've been very busy creating my new range for late Summer / early Autumn. It features matt, muted shades paired with the sumptuous textures of silver, silk and gemstones - so tactile! They are designed to be worn layered - to mix and match, but do work equally well worn one at a time for simplicity and elegance.

I'm very happy with them, love them in fact, and have been making lots for myself!!

I'm very drawn to muted shades at the moment - smoky, stormy, moody. Would love to know what colours you are drawn to this year as Summer turns to Autumn. I must say I'm usually drawn to plum and berry colours as Autumn shifts in. But hey, I'm not done with Summer yet - need a little more sun still yet.

These designs will be in my shop in a few weeks time,  and I'll be posting more pictures and sharing some behind the scenes images too.

Please feel free to browse my Jewellery Shop or Website, I have a 20% OFF SALE running at the moment!

And have a lovely day!

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May 2012

May has been a busy month, full of variety and surprises. Here follows a visual story of the month of May as it turned out for me . . .

The coastal area surrounding me is bathed with the lilac haze of these beautiful 'Sea Pinks'. The combination of colours, of the pretty lilac against the green hills and the turquoise seas, has inspired a whole new range of ribbon and shell jewellery . . .  

So many beautiful sunsets. Often punctuated by birds flying home to roost . . . 

And the flowers in the garden during May were just beautiful . . . 

Another new range of jewellery born during the month of May. My 'Flower Garden' range is a selection of gemstone cluster necklaces and bracelets, inspired by all the busy growth and activity in the garden this month . . .

I also did my first ever 'giveaway', and loved it! . . . 

I gave away my most popular item, my 'Blue Bird Necklace'. 

May seems to have been all about our beautiful feathered friends - the garden was so full of busy birds and their little babies. We are currently feeding thousands!! Here is just one of them . . . 

Such a beautiful hazy light filtering through the flowers in the garden . . . 

Lots of new jewellery pieces this month. This one below is an Agate necklace, one of a collection of about six pieces added to my shop, as well as many other new designs . . . 

And such gorgeous late evening light too - sunsets so rich, warm, and inviting, not to mention inspiring . . . 

I hope May was a great month for you too, full of inspiration, wonder and colour. 

I must say I'm very excited about some new ideas that I have for my jewellery for June, working with the gorgeous new materials that I've collected during May. I'm really looking forward to what June has in store. So I'll leave May behind with a little taste of what June may bring . . . 

Wishing you a wonderful month to come.

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A Special Offer for You!

It's the last day of the 'giveaway' today. It's been a lot of fun and we've had over 9,500 entries!! Amazing! 


But of course only one person can win, which means there may be a lot of disappointed participants out there. So I'm offering you a 25% discount code which is valid for any item in my shop. So if you've spotted something you love, you can now treat yourself, at a discount! 
I don't do discounts or sales very often, so do please take advantage of this offer while it's available. You have a limited time to grab something for yourself, or perhaps a present for a loved one or a colleague.

To take advantage of this special offer, please use this code:

TSWLBONUS25%OFF

All you have to do to claim your discount is this:

1. Go to my Etsy Jewellery Shop 

2. Select the item you would like to purchase and click the green 'Add to Cart' button

3. Underneath the payment options, you should see a blue link that reads 'Apply shop coupon code' - click on this

4. Copy and paste this coupon code, exactly as written above, into the box, and press 'apply' 

5. Your discount will be automatically applied, so now just click on the green 'Check Out' button and proceed as usual.

You can also find a link to instructions with pictures explaining this process here

Offer is valid for 7 days only! 

Ends Sunday June 10th 11:59pm EST

You can check out more details about this offer, and the giveaway, on the Hosting Blog

You can browse my Etsy Jewelry Shop here

Wishing you all a lovely weekend, and a great week ahead!

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My first ever giveaway!

My jewellery shop is fast approaching being 1 year old, and to celebrate I'm doing my first giveaway! 

It is being hosted by Lelanie and Laarnie, two lovely sisters who share a passion for family, sewing, cooking and everything handmade. You can find all the relevant details over on their popular blog To Sew with Love. I'm delighted that they invited me, and there will also be an interview to follow during the week! Check it all out here!

The necklace that I'll be giving away is my 'Blue Bird Necklace':

It's a limited-edition design, in shades of aqua and teal green, with a Turquoise gemstone pendant. It's a pretty, dainty necklace with just the right amount of sparkle for day or evening wear. 

It's the best selling item in my shop to date, with a usual selling price of $58.

For more details regarding length, materials, etc, please see the listing in my shop: Blue Bird Necklace. 

So for a chance to win this necklace, for free, with free shipping and gift-wrapping, go check out the details on Lelanie's fantastic blog. This offer ends in less than 1 week on June 3rd, 2012, 11:59 PM EST. 

What are you waiting for!!

For all the giveaway details please visit To Sew with Love

And have a lovely day!

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Storyboard : 'Sea Pinks'

I thought it might be interesting to share the story of a piece of jewellery with you, and how it came about, in pictures.

This particular necklace, and matching bracelet, are part of a new range of ribbon and shell jewellery that I've been working on lately. They come in different colour combinations, but the one that I wanted to share with you today was inspired by a beautiful little wildflower called 'Thrift', sometimes known as 'Sea Pink', that grows beside the sea.

The cliffs that wind their way around the Lands End area are currently covered in swathes of these pretty lilac-pink flowers that look fantastic set against the gorgeous backdrop of blues and greens of the land and the sea:

Inspired by the colour of the Sea Pinks, and the translucent quality of it's petals, I picked out a beautiful lilac ribbon from my box of fabrics to echo these qualities. It seemed a natural choice to team it up with some of these gorgeous Abalone shell beads. Having their origins in the ocean, they perfectly embody the essence of the sea that I was looking for. Their colorful swirled surface and iridescent luster echo the way the light reflects upon the surface of the sea in ever changing, undulating patterns:

And so here are the finished pieces:

I was delighted with how this whole range turned out. I love the comination of colour, texture, luster and iridescence, and the way the light plays with the surface of the shells, sometimes shining gently through the crinkled fabric of the ribbon.

I hope this gives you some insight into how I translate my inspirations into designs, and also a little peek into my working methods and processes. Every creation is different though, and it's journey into being will be unique. The very act of creating, for me, whether it be a painting or a piece of jewellery, is an organic process that will often change direction many times from it's original starting point. But that's really all just part of the fun of it! 

You can see this Ribbon and Abalone Shell Necklace here in my Etsy Jewellery shop

You can also find the matching Abalone Bracelet here

Or click here to see other pieces from this range

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