My favourite polymer clay piece to date, and the first of my Enchanted Forest series. The leaves are all cut and veined by hand, then a selection of metallic pearl ex powders are blended over the surface to create an autumnal warmth. A handmade chain forms the base (gold plated).

For more information, photographs and pricing, please visit this link.

You’ll find an informative article about mineral identification here

Definitely worth a read if you thought a stone could be identified just by looking in a photo book – if only it was always that easy!

Later, I’d also recommend visiting a good museum that keeps rock samples.  Seeing gemstones in their raw natural form, particularly the huge crystal formations… well let’s just say it’s inspiring.

It’s been years (literally) since I’ve done a hand spinning demonstration in public. At one point I did several shows a year, but since I moved back into my parents’ place I stopped. As I’m getting closer to moving out again, mum suggested I join her to spin at Thainstone.

The local support group for the Rare Breeds Survival Trust hold a stall at the spring and autumn rare breeds sale in the mart. It’s a nice venue and in the past we often picked up a few members and sold merchandise.

This year was no exception, but what a lot of people! I don’t think I’ve ever done a demo and found myself trying to talk to 3 people, surrounded by another 5 or 6 and barely draw a breath before the next set arrive. It was wonderful seeing such a huge interest in rare breed fibre and hand spinning, but I’d expected a gentle day out! I came home knackered, my mum was nearly hoarse and I believe we’ve acquired both fleece and sheep for our respective stashes. That wasn’t quite the plan, but dad managed to get a good price for some goats and a ewe with lambs. And they went to homes we already knew, so that was a good result.

The next morning I had a repeat trip and took the spinning wheel to my stall. Once again I got a lot of interest, sadly not so great on the sales front, but I think I’ll take the wheel again next week. It certainly slowed people down as they passed the stall, which can only be a good thing. If they slow down, they might see something they want! I’m not a hardened businesswoman all the time, but I can tell I’m onto something here 🙂

I’m fairly new to spinning silk.  It’s one fibre I’ve had in my stash and always felt “I’m not good enough for that yet.”  It’s such a beautiful fibre just sitting in a roving brick, and it’s not like I have a ton of it. So I’ve looked at it, stroked it and generally thought how wonderful it was just as a brick!  I think I already said I was crazy… Continue reading →

Art, Design, and Visual Thinking is a very useful reference material for designers.  I’ve barely scratched the surface of its contents, but thought I’d pass the link on here.  Enjoy!

I’ve decided that running my shop through Ebay is probably not such a great idea anymore.  So I’ve begun working on a new shop package which is much more tailored and best of all it’s free.  I can now keep my prices as they have been and afford to look around at some SEO and other sales/publicity support for the business.

The Ebay shop is good to go till the 16th, after which I expect the new shop will be operational and you’ll find it linked into the main site as before.

Darning in ends is like putting your toys away after you’ve finished playing.  I do it because it needs doing, but there’s no danger I’ll ever start enjoying it.  In both cases, I’d rather be playing!

One or two ends don’t bother me, but I just finished a hat with stripes and ear flaps which are also striped.  That’s a lot of ends.  Undarned my ear flaps make me look like a spaniel.  It’s warm, but that’s just not a good look.  Though perhaps instead of reading what the latest fashion trend is – I can create my new one.  Spaniel hats!  And someone somewhere no doubt already made a doggy hat with the nose and eyes too.  I’d rather have a sheep hat, but that’s just me.
I could get into this hat making thing, especially since the temperature here went from mild to arctic here in the space of a few days.  My prototype doesn’t just use up scraps of odd colours, it’s a great pattern for watching TV to.  Nasty things happen to fancy patterns when you’re distracted.  Most of my unpicking skills were gained after turning the TV off and looking down.   Fact 😉

Lessons I’ve learnt from my jewellery making recently…

First, the useful ones:

1) For sanding beads, a little square of sandpaper wrapped round index finger is great for sanding odd shaped bits of polymer clay. Especially if you layer the finer grades on top of each other then flick between them for each bead.
2) One of those push pin drawing pins is very handy for making holes in raw and baked clay.

3) Nail varnish remover pads are excellent at getting gloss varnish off your paintbrush.

4) Said pads also remove unwanted Pearl Ex powder from baked clay, but I always wash the clay straight after *just in case it harms fimo*

5) You should wear a mask for protection vs fumes from varnish and pearl ex powder which goes *everywhere*

And the things I’d rather not have learnt….

1) You can’t drink coffee, eat chocolate biccies or look remotely sensible wearing a mask. I’m not lying when I confess I lifted the coffee cup a few times mid varnish and found myself disappointed at the bad access. At least I didn’t have coffee dribbling down my chin before I noticed!

2) A jack russell tearaway/terrier is not compatible with jewellery making. Problems include:

– Scattering beads when trying to reach the chocolate biccies on my desk.
– Pawprints in the polymer clay during the above.
– Making a sudden movement on my lap while I’m stringing beads.
– Trying to eat polymer clay.

3) When varnishing one side of a bead, should you drop it, this is *always* the side that lands face down. If there is a bit of fluff, hair or another object or bead to adhere to – it will stick firm.

4) Sanding your fingers won’t buff you into a nice sheen, but it will shorten your fingernails.

I’ve made a new section in the blog for my jewellery ramblings, because let’s face it with my bead obsession it’s going to happen!

In line with the new website, I’m going to include design notes on my work here.  Basically the ideas behind the jewellery and how it was constructed.  I hope you find it interesting 🙂