Le Hammerhead

 

I was so completely stuck for ideas at my last silversmith class this week - I needed to come up with something I could complete within my 3 hour time slot.What to do, what to do...I trawled through my blog for inspiration and, seeing as I've had sharks on the brain a bit lately... I made a hammerhead brooch, and I love it!

Brass Friday

It's Friday! Hooray! And Wellington has well and truely turned it ON today, summer is coming...
I think for the first day since May I'm not wearing a thermal top, woot!

Last night I made some brass earrings to wear with my brass ring (seeing as this 'brass' thing is new territory for me). They are made of two triangles; one large one small, one in front of the ear one behind, and I love that it sort of looks like it's hooking right through my ear! I can't take full credit for the concept, I've been majorly inspired and madly pinning as of late, but I'm still pleased with them all the same!

In even more exciting news (hah! cos' new jewellery is always exciting, especially when I made it!) I have decided to 'invest' in myself and am now starting to put together my own set of silversmith equipment so that I can continue to make pieces at home once my course finishes next week - so excited!! This is a big step for me, as it is definitely not a cheap hobby, but I'm hoping that it's going to lead to future ventures. I've had so many awesome comments from people both in blog land and in my day to day life so I'm excited to see what's around the corner!

Batty

 
Little bat earrings for a lovely blogging friend!

Starry Earred

Last night's creation - little sterling silver star earrings!

Style Changer

I'm covering a fair bit of ground in this post - first up - a little about my outfit today. This post should probably be titled something like 'What I Wore Thursday' except Thursday doesn't have the ring to it that Wednesday does, and obviously, I missed Wednesday...so meh!

I've been experimenting a bit more with my personal style lately, my style being that thing that I don't think I have one set version of. Just the same way I like a huge range of music, I like trying out different styles in fashion too, just depends how I feel! Today's outfit is a new combo for me - OK so it's made up of black, black and more black, but I dug out an old Supre singlet from the back of my closet that hasn't seen the light in over 3 years - and combined that with my bear claw necklace and new 'X' ring... I'm pretty happy! I'm going for comfort at work today as I've got a pile of upholstery sewing to get through, (using an industrial sewing machine in heels is a co-ordination nightmare!) so got the brogues on and a 'House of G' blazer. Noooice.

And yes the ring! It got a little bit of a patch extender put in the back of it last Thursday night, so it is finally wearable, hooray! I never wear brass, but this has grown on me a lot since I made it, so I'm thinking of making some earrings I can wear at the same time. I've been a silver/white gold girl since day dot, but, along with my explorations into clothing style lately, I'm feeling like changing it up a little. Cool huh?

Oh and on one more completely random note - you will see in the background of my mirror shot photo (taken at work) some styling in a visual merchandising context behind me, all done by moi. Just another area I'm having fun playing with a bit more these days. Maybe I should do a bit more posting about my V.M. work... another day perhaps...

Hello, Big Rock

 Last night I finished my druzy ring. It's a monster!
I ended up setting it quite deep in the bezel as the stone itself is a really awkward and uneven shape.It's all finished, and though it's an absolute top heavy whoppa on my finger, I like it. Well, I think I like it because I made it, but it's perhaps not something I would buy for myself... it may grow on me some more!

New Zealand Jewellery Show: Little Sister Designs

 

I went to the New Zealand Jewellery Show this weekend, and to be honest... I was kind of underwhelmed. The big glitzy jewellery companies had all the good display cases in the centre of the exhibition space, and there, with their shmoozy sales lines and fake laughs, they tried to sell me diamond rings and necklaces. I mean, really people. Do I look like someone who can afford to spend $40,000, just randomly, on a piece of bling that I'm never going to wear? I don't think so. I was THIS close to telling some of them to stick their shmancy sales pitches and jewels somewhere nasty. But I didn't. Bet my mum was glad of that! haha

What I did love, was all the smaller, boutique jewellery designers who were wedged into these tiny little aisles around the edges, in ways that made it practically impossible to see their stuff, and much cooler stuff I must add. So unfortunately, I missed a lot of it because I wasn't going to feff around waiting my turn to look at things.

BUT my favourite designer that I found was Little Sister Designs (L.S.D) by Charlotte Burkhart.I have a thing for bones and animal parts in my jewellery. Yup, maybe a little weird I know, but this chic's stuff was very cool. Some of it was a little too grim for me, (human teeth and hair in some pieces!) but I still appreciated it all the same, especially because it was different! So above are some of my favourite pieces...

All images from http://www.charlotteburkhart.com/#!

Coming Up... It's a Druzy!

This is my next project - a ring using a piece of druzy. You can see I've started making the bezel already (piece of stirling silver to set the stone into) but it is still very much in the early stages, obviously! Looking forward to seeing how it turns out...

A Kiss on the Hand

Finished product today - my brass 'X' ring. Mwah! Pretty pleased with how it's turned out, except that I can't model it properly for you as I made the ring part slightly too small for my fat fingers. I could probably get it on there, but getting it off? hmmm... probably not. FAIL! So until I make some amendments next week, you get the idea. It's a prototype, right!?

Jewellery Making - Work In Progress

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend, Wellington has turned it ON today!
I've been working away on a new piece of jewellery, it's still a work in progress, so I should hopefully be able to share the finished product end of next week... fingers crossed...

Colouring Outside The Lines: Jewellery Making

One of the self-identified problems that I have which is a cause for my creative frustration, is that I have so many amazing ideas of things I want to design and make, yet I have no clue how to go about it, so the idea gets shelved, and I get shittier.

Well, I decided to pull finger by educating myself and enrolling in a silversmith night course. And so off I trundled last night, and I had a fantastic time, learned SO many things and produced this! A ring! To anyone who's worked with stirling silver they probably look at this and think, 'Wow, that's about as beginner as it gets...' but I'm stoked!

Note to the universe: Why do I insist on choosing hobbies which cost ridiculous amounts of money?

It's All Mine

This is the Ngaio Rue 'Tart' pendant, and it's all mine! Lucky, lucky me.

If you are in Wellington you can find one of your very own right here, and if you're anywhere else she's selling them here!

Ngaio Rue

I consider myself super lucky to work where I do, but my job comes with some serious dangers.

We are first and foremost, an interior design office, but we also have a retail space which showcases tons of great kiwi design talent. And that's where I have to practice restraint every day.

Last week, we got a parcel in the mail from the talented Ngaio Rue. It was chock full of a collection of her beautiful hand tatted necklaces and earrings. I can't even begin to describe the detail in these, they're fantastic! And I have my eye on this one. It's my fav. I almost didn't want to put it out in the shop cos' I want it all to myself. I'd better not catch anyone attempting to buy it... look out!

Grace Anchor

I thought I would share some eye candy from the lovely new store I am going to be working for on Saturdays at the Salt Spring Island market.

Grace Anchor design and make beautiful, contemporary pieces of jewellery using precious and semi-precious stones set into silver. My favourites are the deep blue turquoise pendants... might be saving my pennies for one of those!

Bedrock bracelet

I made these beads so long ago, I only just today got around to stringing them into a bracelet.

I feel like i've walked out of the Flintstones wearing this, but it's kinda fun.

The beads are simply made from white fimo with a clear glaze over the top, threaded onto tiger wire with a basic clasp.

Just Rosey

I have been trying to find the patience to make these little rose earrings for a couple of months now. Every time I got started my fat, fumbly fingers squished the fimo and I'd eventually give up.

Yesterday, I got the determination to see it through, and I've made two pairs of the sweetest little rose bud earrings. They are made from a pearlised pink polymer clay and have a clear glaze over the top to give them a subtle shine.

Sophie Kyron on a Monday Morning

I have just discovered a super Australian talent Sophie Kyron, designer of STUNNING pieces of jewellery.

I have tried in the past to ween myself off busy, brightly coloured, full on jewellery, but I have come to realise that it is forever ingrained in me - I think I'm a little like a magpie, drawn to all things bright, shiny and colourful, so now I am embracing it!

I love how Sophie combines layers of beading, chain, fabric and bits and bobs to create beautiful pieces of art to drape around your neck, and not to mention some great marketing photography too.

Check out her site here for more pictures, info and stockists.

New Pressies

Yayy I'm very excited about my new rings from Perth based jewellery designer Bellymoo!

She also creates gorgeous brooches and pendants - check them out here, or catch her at the next

Perth Upmarket.