Islay Spalding: 2012

Wednesday, 12 December 2012

Christmas is coming...

and the geese are getting fat! I'm just back from five days living in a marquee in Earls Court, London, where I was playing with Tayforth UOTC at the British Military Tournament (horse pomp and ceremonial bling) and BOOM, Christmas is almost here!

So, if you want to get your hands on a piece of Islay Spalding Jewellery or a Kilt Pin this December I'd better tell you where to get it!

The beautiful Tayberry Gallery in Perth has a range of Biocubes as well as some pieces from the Flotsam & Jetsam Collection.

Touched by Scotland in Oyne, Aberdeenshire, have a selection of Biomorphs in their Winter Exhibition.

If you're further down south then Franny and Filer in Manchester have a collection of Trisition pieces and the brand new Hop Studios in Lewes have a selection of Biomorphs.

If a Kilt Pin is what you're after then please take a look at what's available on my website here -

Ready to Wear Kilt Pins

It's a little late for a bespoke design for Christmas time... but to get your imaginations going, and ideas flowing, here's a selection of bespoke designs created over the last few months.

Italy Kilt Pin

Deconstructed Stave Kilt Pin

An Eala Bhàn Kilt Pin

Oxford/Japan Kilt Pin

Schiehallion Brooch

Skerryvore Kilt Pin

Right, off to the workshop, got some Biomorphs to fill with resin and a Kilt Pin to polish. Remember, for more updates please 'like' my Jewellery Facebook page, I have a separate one for just Kilt Pins, or follow me on Twitter or Instagram using @islayspalding Hope you all have a very merry Christmas!

meow!

Saturday, 21 July 2012

Summer holiday on South Uist

Since I'm finally up to speed again after my holidays I thought I'd better show you the pics! I spent the first week of July on South Uist at Ceòlas, a Gaelic music summer school, playing my fiddle, learning Ceol Mor the Allan MacDonald way, inappropriately hitting things with drumsticks and attempting and failing to learn any Gaelic. Except the words uisge beatha....that means whisky!

Excellent Kilt Pin inspiration

Sun setting from the ferry

Looking towards Barra

Learning tunes on the beach,,,,good times!

Me and Julia

Just want to be back there now!

Lochboisdale very early one morning


Hills with their cloud hats

And here's a wee video of the pub...

"Thig crioch airan t-saoghal ach mairidh gaol is ceol" (The world will come to an end, but love and music will endure)

Thursday, 28 June 2012

New Commissioned Work

As promised, a selection of recent commissions for jewellery and Kilt Pins -

18ct Wedding Rings

Notches and lines represent the date of the wedding.

Thistle and Shamrock Kilt Pin and Cuff Links

For a wedding to match the stationary designs.

Stac Pollaidh and Antler Kilt Pin

Hillscape with Stac Pollaidh at the top, a piece of the clients favourite music and an edge inspired by the shape of a deer's antler.

India Pendant Kilt Pin

I was given this silver pendant to mount on a brass background and turn into a Kilt Pin.

Hexagon Brooch

This piece was designed with a friend and made for his girlfriend.

Sydney Opera House Kilt Pin

For a 30th birthday, featuring the River Thames inside a Sydney Opera House shape with notches and lines around the edges representing the clients date of birth.

Collie's Kilt Pin

For graduation, St Andrews Cathedral and a map of the Lairig Ghru.

Conisby Kilt Pin

The coastline around Conisby, Islay, and the Gaelic word for love.

I've just had to delete a few images upon realising the dates they were made for have not yet passed, so better not give away any surprises!

Now, back to the workshop for a bit before a last day of work tomorrow, British Pipe Band Championships on Saturday then HOLIDAY! A week on South Uist - fiddling, piping and merriment!

Monday, 25 June 2012

New Studio!

I am excited to announce that Islay Spalding Contemporary Jewellery Designs is expanding! I now have a space in the wasps studios in Dundee, shared with my sister, to use as a design studio. For the first time in a couple of years I will have a desk, a real actual desk and not a living room table! So, no more designing kilt pins in pyjamas for me. As great as it sounds, working from home was starting to drive me a bit crazy, it looses it's appeal after a while, and to have a space where I can just work and not worry about dishes and distractions is a total treat. It's just round the corner from my workshop, 4 minutes 50 from bench to desk locking doors behind me... not bad! The other huge advantage of another work space is for the cleaner side of jewellery making. The presentation and photography of pieces, packing and wrapping and paperwork is all much easier in a space that's not filled with tools, materials and dust (my workshop buddy cuts a lot of wood...) We've still got a bit of shifting to do and some shelves to build to complete the master plan but here's a wee peek at what it looked like at the Wasps Open Studios last weekend -

Oh, and we have a hole in the floor!

I'll get a wee blog post up this week about some of the commissioned kilt pins I've made recently since there's not been one up in a while, meanwhile, take a look at this stop motion animation by Max Hattler, total jewellery inspiration!

Shift (by Max Hattler) from Max Hattler on Vimeo.

Sunday, 15 January 2012

Jigsaws For Friends

Happy New Year and aw' that! I've hit the ground running this year with plenty of projects and jobs on the go and a head full of ideas! Just back from a late one in the workshop (which is thankfully not all frozen up this year) where I've been working on some kilt pin and wedding ring commissions. And here's some I made earlier, along with a couple of my other projects.