My creative space...

...is turquoise and orange...

...however, I think I may have a problem, because...

...I can't stop making things...

...in these colours...

...h...e...l...p...!

More creative spaces over at Kootoyoo.

Sneak Preview: The *Ryad* Necklace in Cinnamon

I am dreaming of Morocco...

...the warmth of the desert, the technicolour architecture, the bustling souks...did I mention the warmth of the desert...?  I would do anything to escape the Winter chill right now!

Photo courtesy of Martin Allen

So, dreaming of Morocco, I present to you another sneak preview from my Moroccan-inspired collection...

The *Ryad* Necklace is a cascade of beadwoven 'windows' in shades of cinnamon and deepest chocolate, with a splash of tangerine...

The centrepiece hangs from a delicate pure copper oval rolo chain which I have patinated, hand-finished, and sealed.  The individual components are connected with patinated copper rings, making the necklace swing delightfully as you walk.

A 'Ryad' (or 'Riad') is a traditional Moroccan house or palace, typically with an enclosed garden.  Many have been converted into hotels, particularly in the popular tourist town of Marrakech.  What an inspiring location to spend a holiday!  

Photo courtesy of  Vince Millett

The rooms of the Ryad are often focused inward and around the central garden, as the outer walls of the building often lack windows to shield the occupants from the harsh elements.  

The 'windows' of my *Ryad* necklace were inspired by these beautiful homes...

Photo courtesy of bgblogging

The Cinnamon colourway is the first in this collection, but I will be making variations of the *Ryad* necklace in different colourways...stay tuned!

What exotic locations are you dreaming of, or inspired by...?

Thanks for looking, and be well!

Sneak Preview: The *Morocco Blue* Necklace Duo

Last week, I promised you colour...and this week, I'm delivering!

I have been hard at work creating pieces for my soon-to-be-opened Etsy store.  How soon is entirely dependant upon how quickly I can make enough stock! LOL (A store with only a handful of items looks rather sad, I think...) 

So from time-to-time, as my collections come together, I will be giving you a sneak preview of what you can expect to see in my store.

Here is the first preview, The *Morocco Blue* Necklace Duo...

*click on the photo for an enlarged image*

You may recall my original Morocco Blue pendant, inspired by the famed 'blue' city of Chefchaouen in Morocco.  The original was a gift for my Mum, but I received so many wonderful comments about it that I just had to make another!


Sterling silver, Bali silver, AAA gemstones...I have used only the best quality materials here.


The necklaces can be worn together or separately (and they are dainty enough for every day wear)...or even mixed and matched with the other vibrant pendants from my Moroccan collection.


I have been contemplating whether to patinate the silver, to give it that wonderfully antiqued look.  What do you think?  Do you prefer shiny silver or patinated silver?  I'd love to hear your thoughts!


Stay tuned for more previews coming soon ;-)


Thanks for looking, and be well!

My creative space...

I love it when a new design comes together with ease.  

It doesn't happen often, I usually produce many prototypes before a good design is realised.

So imagine my delight the other night, when this romantic, vintage-inspired pendant came together in just over an hour...

Despite it's size (the pendant is almost 4cm x 4cm), it is amazingly lightweight thanks to the dainty Vintaj brass filigree component in the centre...

This design is yet to be named...I'd love to hear your suggestions!


And while you're in a commenting mood, I'd love to hear what you think of my photos!  (*click on the photos for an enlarged image*)  I have been playing around with props, and trying to inject a mood into my photos.  


The props in these photos are a vintage beaded purse from my Mum, and a scrap of vintage beaded fabric that my 88 year old Grandpa gave me.  He isn't sure of the origin exactly, but thinks it may have come from a very, very old wedding dress.  Nan had it sitting in her stash of fabric for years, and Grandpa only rediscovered it a few months ago and thought I should have it.  It is a beautifully delicate treasure, and I think it tells a wonderful story!


See what other creative people are up to at Kirsty's blog.


Thanks for looking, and be well!

And now you are One...

It seems only yesterday we looked into each other's eyes for the first time.


Those beautiful, brown eyes that remind me so much of your Daddy.  Those beautiful, brown eyes that are filled with warmth, and humour, and honesty...just like your Daddy's.

And when you smile your goofy smile at me, with your four teeth....ohhhh, that smile....you know it melts my heart.  And it melts the heart of any girl or woman in the vicinity.  You're a heartbreaker in the making...

That head full of unruly curls is cute-as-pie now, but I know you will hate it when you're a teenager.  Just remember that 'curls get the girls', honey ;-)  You know all the old ladies who stop to talk to us while we are out walking...?  They wish their perms were as perfect as your curls, trust me :-)

I always thought you were going to be the quiet child, my zen baby.  How wrong was I!  But I love that you are boisterous, and engaging, and cheeky, and intelligent, and oh-so-boyish.  And your determination is like nothing I have ever seen...except perhaps in your Daddy...

So whilst my body will never be the same for having had you, neither will my heart...because YOU are my heart, walking around on two delightfully wonky little legs.


Happy birthday, my baby boy.  


I love you now and forever...


-xxxooo-

Hooray for Colour!

Saturated colours are in!  And that makes me one happy little designer :-)

The Christian Dior 2010/2011 Haute Couture collection recently showed in Paris, and it was an explosion of bold, exquisite colour...  

John Galliano used the flowers from his childhood garden as inspiration...and there is nothing humble about these blooms...

While the head-gear was a little, umm...odd...

...the dresses were whimsical and colourful and just utterly, jaw-droppingly beautiful...

Pure, unadulterated colour...


...it takes a certain degree of daring to use it so boldly, and I take my hat off to Galliano for his bravery.  But it paid off...it was HIS collection making headlines around the world, not the forgettable neutrals, nor the predictable pastels.


Colour makes you sit up and take notice!


One of the things I love so much about jewellery (both in the making and in the wearing) is that you can be bold and explore outrageous colour combinations on a small scale.  You don't have to don a floor-length frilly, fluffy, frivolous gown a la Christian Dior...you can don an outrageously colourful pair of earrings with a white tank and jeans, or a boldly-coloured, over-the-top necklace with a little black dress.


Jewellery is the perfect opportunity to make a bold statement...on a small scale :-)


Stay tuned for some colourful creations here soon!


Thanks for looking, and be well!

I ♥ happy clients!

There is only one thing more satisfying than creating something that I love...


...and that is creating something that someone else loves!

And reading about how much someone loves something I have made is, well, just about the best thing ever!


...you can read all about it too by visiting Ange's blog.

Thanks for looking, and be well!

Treasury Fun

Have you ever created a mood board?


A collection of images, textures, swatches, words and anything else that helps to create a 'mood' based on a theme, or for inspiration, when you are designing.  I enjoy creating mood boards when ideas pop into my head for a new creation, or a new collection.  They help keep me on track, because I have been known to lose my way and start travelling along a different path... ;-)


I have recently discovered how much fun it can be to create an Etsy treasury...it's just like creating a mood board, and just as much fun.

L'Absinthe

You can find this treasury here

Terracotta

You can find this treasury here

On The Spice Trail

You can find this treasury here

**Update - 'On The Spice Trail' made the front page of Etsy....wooooo!**


Every now and then, it is nice to take a step back from working on my own creations, and appreciate what other talented artisans are creating.  There is a wealth of beautiful, handcrafted goodies on Etsy, and in the not-too-distant future, my own creations will be available there too.


If there is one thing that I have learnt from compiling these treasuries, it is that quality photographs are essential!


Thanks for looking, and be well!