MASTERCLASSES AT MCSJ

 Next March, I am delighted to tell you, I will be teaching two masterclasses at Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery (MCSJ).

The first one is on the 19th & 20th March and we will be making Discoidal Rings. Fun rings with lovely enamelled areas and wires added using my Enamelled Accents technique.

The second workshop is the 21st & 22nd March and is called Joyful Jewellery. We will have great fun on this one creating amusing pieces like the cheerful lot below which will again be enamelled using my Enamelled Accents techniques.

 These workshops will each cover lots of different construction techniques in silver and different enamelling techniques so if you could do both and learn loads of things!!! :)

Why not sign up and come along. I would really love to see you there.

I am back to catch up again on my Bird a Week so you can expect two birds in the coming week. I am puffing around getting there on the first one (now would that be a clue?) :)

Bird a Week 42/52 - Avian Thimble

Somebody asked me recently if I ever made silver thimbles and you know I never have, so I decided to see if I could make one. This was my second attempt, the first never got as far as being fired so will be reconstituted back to silver clay.

 

 

I will not be going into mass production of them as they are a bit fiddly but if this one sells once it is hallmarked I think I will make a few more as it was quite fun to do and it is nice to make something that is not jewellery occasionally.

 

Here is the Haiku

Sitting on the round
Silhouette with spring blossoms
Avian Thimble

I have been busy fixing dates for next year for some Masterclasses I have been asked to teach in the UK. I will tell you more about them in my next blog post but if you can't wait then pop over to Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery where I will be teaching two brand new workshops next March :)

Bird a Week 41/52 - Two Hoots

We are still on fun pieces this week, more Joyful Jewellery.

These two cute owl earrings are made of fine silver using Art Clay Silver and have enamelled faces.

Here is the Haiku

You looking at me?
No, you are looking at me
Who gives two hoots!



Zingyness and a Sheep!

Well, these two could not be much more different could they?

Firstly, above is a new Discoidal Ring. I have called this one Zingyness, for obvious reasons!

The second one is another piece of Joyful Jewellery with a cute sheep on it. The piece is called - wait for it - A Bit Sheepish. How original is that! :))

I will be teaching both of these are styles as workshops soon so watch this space for details ......

 

Bird a Week 40/52 - Having a Hoot!

As promised here is the second bird for this week so I am now totally back up to date with my Bird a Week Challenge.

I am in a bit of a comical mode at the moment and I really enjoyed making this one. As I played around with the wires for the owl I could get all kinds of comical faces and was sitting giggling away. Lovely to be enjoying my work so much!!

The back is a geometric design so the piece can be worn wither way round.

Haiku

Wide eyed little owl

With your cute expression

I'm having a hoot!

Bird a week 39/52 - Wot... No Fish?

Yay, now I am almost back up to date again. Today I made this fine silver brooch with enamel.

This one is back in the more humorous vein! I think it is also one of my favourites of the year so far. Living in a seaside town we see a LOT of seagulls!

We have a beach fishing fleet where the boats are launched off the beach and hauled back up again each day so there are always loads of gulls around the Old Town of Hastings. 

It is quite small measuring 24mm x 42mm.

Here is the Haiku

Sitting by the sea

Waiting for returning boats

Wot.. no fish today?



Wot... No Bird? and Discoidal Rings!

Where is the bird then Joy? I know I can hear you saying it. Sorry my regular bird watchers but last week got a bit busy and I got a bit side tracked!

I was making a new design of ring. I don't make many enamelled rings and for a good reason. Rings can be bashed about a bit in wearing and enamel does not like being bashed. My new Discoidal rings have enamel in a recessed area to help protect it and they have pretty fired in place stones and lovely textured ring bands.

So far I have completed two with more to come.

This one I have called Creative Mists......

 ...... and this one is called Shimmering Hot.

So the BAD news is that I did not finish my Bird a Week for last week, but the GOOD news is....

This week I will be making TWO birds so I am caught up again (and no, not one pair of earrings - no cheating here!).

Watch this space for two birdie blog posts before the end of this week. ;-)