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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I've been featured!

. . . in 'Beads and Beyond' jewellery magazine! 

It's the current March issue and you can find it in all good newsagents! ;)  I'm delighted and flattered that they approached me. It's a great quality magazine aimed at jewellery lovers and makers; choc full of info, images, demos and how-to's. It's a UK based publication, but is distributed all around the world. You can also find it online.

I've been very busy lately - making new jewellery designs, visiting bead fairs, buying new materials, designing a new website, planning a huge upcoming studio sale of my paintings, and visiting Dorset. Phew, what a month it's been! I'll be sharing more on all of these in the coming weeks.  

In the meantime, have a great weekend!

And, if you have a moment, please check out the new 'jewellery' section on my Website!

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Jewellery 'sneak peek' . . .

Here are a few 'sneak peek' pics of the mosaic jewellery that I am currently working on. In the mix here are some rings and lockets, with earrings and bracelets on the way.

Each mosaic that I make is an original, intricate work of art that is made over the course of about 2 or 3 days. There are quite a few stages involved in their making, as well as drying time in between. They are a real labor of love, but great fun to make! I also like to incorporate unusual materials into the design too, often using antique or vintage components from my collection of wonderful old, but now broken, jewellery. You can see parts of old brooches in the pieces above.

These designs are nearly completed now - they just need finishing, filing and tidying up. I hope to have them in my Etsy Jewellery Shop within the week. I'll post some photos of the finished pieces soon!

You can see a selection of my finished Mosaic Jewellery on my website.

You can also find some for sale in my Jewellery Shop.

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In my jewellery studio

I thought I'd share a behind the scenes peek into my studio, and show you some of the beautiful raw materials that are just waiting to be made into something wonderful. Here are some gorgeous blue agate pieces, some sparkling druzy slices and some faceted amethyst beads, amongst other things. I like to have everything laid out before me when I'm working so that I can see what's available. I get so much inspiration from my raw materials, and often find great combinations just from looking at what's right there in front of me on my desk!

In the 2nd photo you can see a collection of necklaces that I am currently working on. They feature chunky raw Rubies, Lepidocrocite gemstones and hand blown glass. I really love them,  the colours are so subtle, delicate and beautiful. If I can part with them they'll be added to my Etsy jewellery shop within the next couple of weeks. I'll post some pictures of the finished pieces when they are completed.

I find the jewellery designing to be such a compliment and support to my painting. They don't seem to be all that different as disciplines to me in that I am playing with colour, texture and shape to create something that is, to me, a work of art, pleasing to the eye, and a pleasure to create. Making jewellery is a very joyful thing :)

You can see more of my finished designs in my online Jewellery Shop.  

You can also find more of my 'behind the scenes / in my studio' shots in my Flickr Photostream.

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