Locket and Mushroom Houses

I was commissioned by a friend to make this locket for the mother of his new baby boy. It was a really good commission to get as I haven't made a hinge for AGES and this is the smallest I've tackled, it took me two attempts to get it right but I am really pleased with the end result!






I took this photo today on my way home down by the beach, you can see the two jack-up oil rigs in the distance. I almost went and worked on an oil rig as a stewardess after I graduated, did the survival course and everything! Thought it would be a good job to combine with making jewellery. But I didn't get a job immediatly and I was torn between putting more effort into that or putting more effort into the jewellery, so I decided to start my business properly, which I don't regret, but still I really like the idea of working on an oil rig, I don't know why (money?!?), so I always think what it would be like when I pass them.




These were growing on the side of a big tree that was leaning over into Loch Tay, found them on a camping trip, they're like little houses!



It's stupidly late, or early, depending how you look at it! So I think it's time for a sleep, night night.........zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Time flies when your having fun!

Ok, Who stole June? Can't believe it's almost July! And I'm sitting outside in the mist, the other side of the Tay has vanished, really hoping the weather gets better for the weekend, having a party on Saturday in the garden! (Fingers crossed!!) Just having a wee reflection on what I've done this month and I suppose quite a lot has been done when I look back. I was in Castle Sween at the start of the month, it was heaven! I was sooo chillaxed! Haze and I painted some stones with red enamel paint and left them on the beach, hoping to see where the tide would take them but it was so calm.... and peaceful....... and still.... ahhhh.... that they didn't move, just sat there in the sun enjoying the water lap over them.





I wonder where they are now?

Then there was a bit of a mad week finishing wedding rings, going to the wedding with the rings (they fitted hooray!) and visiting Edinburgh and Glasgow Degree Shows to pursued the new graduates to join the Association for Contemporary Jewellery. Oh and saw these amazing bags at Edinburgh made by Sophie Turnell.



The Association for Contemporary Jewellery is an organsation set up to help promote and encourage contemporary jewellery and I have just started helping Genna Delany co-ordinate the Scottish group which is exciting! We had a meeting Dundee with some other members at the start of the month which went well and was encouraging to find out that so many people were on the same wave length. Working away on your own a a maker gets quite lonely and it's easy to forget how many of you are out there doing the same thing. So we have agreed that meeting reguarly and staying in contact more is the most helpful thing for us at the moment, a place to ask questions, get feedback on new designs and try out new ideas.

Then I was off to Barcelona for the Sonar music festival (amazing fun!) and to check how they were getting along building that church. I think they've started a new tower since last year!



Somewhere between all that I finished some commissioned Kilt Pins. Here they are!







At the weekend I was in Ireland for the British Pipe Band Champs, we didn't play our best, I think everyone made their own mistakes which was a shame but we made up for it by having a brilliant two nights staying in Ulster University Halls, drinking in Belfast and eating chips (and a bit more drinking!) on the ferrys!

And now I'm just trying to get organised again! I think my work is now on top of and planned out for the next wee while but my clothes and belongings are all over the place! You see my room is very small and I have a sort of office/drawing space in another room and I use the spare room to pack stuff and is where I keep all my band uniforms so everything is spread out over three rooms! So that's tonights task!

Adios!

Broken Hammer

My riveting hammer broke :( I just opened my drawer and there it was, all broken and sad, I don't know how it happened! Maybe it just got fed up banging?



So I'm just waiting on the postman coming with a new one! I use a rivet to attach the pin onto my Kilt Pins and this little hammer is used to tap down the ends to hold it in place. I have quite a few Kilt Pins on the go just now and some interesting designs, here's one I finished recently. This was designed for someone in the Scouts, I was asked to include the fleur-de-lis emblem with initials, some rope and a thistle.



I am also working on a garden sculpture just now. It's going quite slow at the moment because I'm having to learn new techniques, although it's not huge it is quite a difference when I'm used to working micro! The sculpture is to look like a french onion plant, made from copper with moulded resin flowers and a concrete base. I want the base to be patterned as it will be half buried in the earth and I want the earth to fall into all the lower areas to bring out the pattern. I'm not sure whether to go with something quite rough and textured or whether to make it a really sharp clean pattern. I've done a few samples of a rough texture, they look ok although my concrete mix wasn't brilliant! I'm going to get this drawing, inspired by the plant, laser but from mounting board to make some moulds and try out this design.



Going to the caravan tomorrow! Soooo excited, the weathers looking not to bad either!

Transform!!

I have just finished making a ring...... from two other rings! First time I've done something like this but I think it turned out rather well!

Dundee Degree Show 09

The Duncan of Jordanstone Degree Show is coming up soon! It runs from the 23rd May until the 6th June in the Vision Building, Dundee, check out the website to find out more here>>

And fellow jeweller and little sister Sarah will be exhibiting! She's done really well so far, winning the Victoria and Albert Museum Student Jewellery Design Competition with a necklace and earrings set influenced by the South Asian collections and colours in the Nehru Gallery at the V&A and the Goldsmiths Precious Metals Bursary. Here's a photo she just emailed me of three new rings, hot off the benchpeg!

Drum roll please!

Boo hoo, I failed my driving test on Tuesday. Although as to be expected, I only did a day of training on Monday since my last week in August so I think, if I had passed, I would a bit of a dodgy driver! Had a great big stall and panic right in the middle of a roundabout on the Kingsway, ahhh!!!

Good news though! Check out my sexy new drum!!! I've always wanted a pearl drum, sooo shiny! The colour is amazing, the camera doesn't do it justice, it's more purple near the bottom and top and kind of iridescent. mmmmmmm...........



Another new addition to the workshop by master builer Adrian, a coffee cabinet! So we can keep all our cups and things dust free, and a place for our magazines and games!



I'm currently watching the boyfriend laying out some bacon to grill for me, he's also doing poached eggs, yum!


Do you live in Brighton?

If yes then get yourself down to Dukes Lane to a sparkly gallery called Jewel Thief, I've just sent them down a collection of exciting jewellery, go look!

If no then check out their website and book a train to Brighton, or you can see a new collection of jewellery in Hanna's Gallery, 30 South Tay Street, Dundee. And I'm coming soon to Concrete Wardrobe on Broughton Street in Edinburgh.



Right, I'm away to eat some bacon! Byeee!

New Shelves!

Yay!

At last I have put my new shelves up!