I recently took a course about experimenting with a completely different kind of wax. The hard jeweller’s wax I usually work with generally behaves itself. You start with a solid block, have a plan of what you’ll do, and slowly create something with crisp edges and detail. Mitsuro Hikime wax is quite the opposite, it’s soft, temperamental, and absolutely not interested in being told what to do!
Read MoreI’m still a bit lost for words that I’m writing this, if I’m honest. Last night, I was awarded Silver in the 2D Silversmiths category at the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Awards, and also the London Assay Office Award.
The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council has been championing craftsmanship for over a century, which makes being recognised by them feel not only incredibly special, but also slightly surreal. Kind of like being told your homework is excellent by someone who has been teaching for 100 years!
Read MoreLast week I held my first wax ring carving workshop at my lovely local pub, William the Fourth, and it was one of those evenings that reminds me exactly why I love doing this.
Sixteen brilliant and creative humans attended, some with a little experience, most with none at all. Everyone survived the sharp tools and by the end of the evening, every single person had completed their ring in wax.
Read MoreEvery so often, a commission arrives on my workbench that I particularly love. This bespoke Tree of Life necklace was a joy from start to finish, created to celebrate a client’s 50th birthday.
Read MoreNot everyone dreams of sparkle and bling! Some just want something beautifully simple, and that’s exactly what I made for this lovely client.
Crafted from 18ct recycled white gold, this bespoke wedding ring is all about quiet elegance.
Read MoreNot all wedding rings are made to sit quietly and sparkle. Some are built for action, like this bespoke recycled silver beauty, custom-made for a groom who spends his days working with his hands.
Read MoreSome pieces of jewelry are just pretty, but others have roots.
These custom Tree of Life earrings were hand-cut from recycled silver sheet using my very tiniest of all the tiny saw blades.
Read MoreRecently, I had the absolute pleasure of creating a custom necklace that’s equal parts playful and pure luxury - a solid 18 carat recycled gold scissors pendant. Yes, they even move!
The scissors have fully articulated blades that open and close with a satisfying little snip—but don’t worry, they’re not sharp enough to give anyone an unexpected fringe trim.
Read MoreSometimes, a place leaves such a mark on your heart that a fridge magnet just isn’t enough. The bespoke jewellery alternative - a handmade sterling silver EDI necklace, a tiny, shiny tribute to Edinburgh.
Read MoreA lovely client contacted me to ask if I could make a sewing needle necklace in sterling silver, to wear with her sewing scissors necklace. Clearly her love for stitching required a little extra bling!
Read MoreI do love an initial necklace - and it’s another J for this one! Hand cut and carved from recycled sterling eco-silver, then covered with a heavy coat of 18ct gold.
Read MoreQuite some time ago now, I signed up for a wax carving course at Morley College. I’ve been carving for a few years but, as I’m self-taught, I thought some tuition from the wax master himself, Russell Lownsborough, would be helpful. It was such a great class, from basics to beyond, and I’d highly recommend it. I finally had some time to get my project cast into silver and finished, so I can share the process.
Read MoreI’d like to say it’s been a blast, but where do I even start with you 2020?! This time last year, I bid farewell to my annus horribilis 2019 and promised myself that this year would be better. Not making that mistake again. Goodbye emotional and physical pain, but hiya global pandemic!
Read MoreI was recently contacted by a lovely new client, who wanted to have a replacement made for her daughter’s lost Links of London initial charm. Usually I would never even consider making a copy of someone else’s work, but (a) Links no longer make these and (b) they may have been…
Read MoreI’m finally able to share these custom peridot and diamond earrings, as they have now been received by their new owner. I started making these what feels like a lifetime ago now, just after the first lockdown, then the entire jewellery trade pretty much shut down overnight!
Read MoreSo, Black Friday… I decided not to participate this weekend, as I believe in fair pricing, which reflects the time it takes to make each piece of jewellery by hand and the cost of using ethically sourced materials. I can’t compete on price with the likes of Amazon (who quite frankly don’t need any more money) or jewellery companies that get their stuff mass produced for pennies overseas, so I rarely offer discounts. However…
Read MoreI’ve finally photographed and added my celestial collection to the website! With moons and stars hand carved from wax, then cast into recycled eco-silver and gold, I’m really happy with these designs.
Read MoreI’ve been wanting to take a hand engraving class forever, and finally booked one with the Hand Engravers Association back in April. But then, tada, global pandemic! They postponed the course to September, but by that time restrictions were still in place, so they made the decision to trial an online version of the Hand Engravers for Beginners weekend, with us as their guinea pig group.
Read MoreIt was my lovely flatmate’s birthday recently and I wanted to make her something nice. Like me, she’s half Scottish, so I picked a Gaelic type font (fonts are so tricky to choose!) and cut the initial from recycled sheet silver. I then added an emerald for her birthstone and a little star just to finish it off.
Read MoreIn the slightly odd times we are currently inhabiting, creating jewellery has been somewhat difficult due to supplier shutdowns. Whilst my lovely customers have been super patient with the delays, I have been feeling a bit frustrated at not being able to make anything, so this weekend, I recycled some of my scrap silver and turned it into some cocktail skewers.
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