I Need Your Help!

Hi all! Well Spring is here.... oh no wait, it's not! There seems to be nothing on anyone's lips but the weather and it's hardly surprising, Easter should bring chocolate not bring two feet of snow!  We've been lucky again, we live on a steep hill and were aware of being battered by winds and rain, but no flooding - indeed, it was only when we saw the water cascading down the steps from the park at the top of the street on the news that we realised how bad it had been. Many people have suffered though.  Here's hoping for Spring to begin soon.

I've not got any making to show you this week as we've been doing the dreaded decorating that we've been putting off!

I've been carrying out a little bit of research lately to try to establish how people search for my jewellery.  I'd really appreciate your help!  Take a look at this picture - if you saw someone wearing something like it and you didn't know it was made by me - what search terms would you use to find it on Google? It would be brilliant if you could leave me a comment with your ideas. Thank you.

Do remember that I posted about BASCA winner Simon Dobson's crowdfunding music project? Well, there's still some time left to help him reach his target. For more information and to find out what Euneirophrenia actually means take a look at Simon Dobson's profile

This is a picture of him taken recently by photographer and member of Hugh's Three Hungry Boys, Tim Cresswell.  Isn't it a fabulous photograph? It would be wonderful if you could help this album to be made.  Thank you.

If you live in or around the Plymouth area I will be at the Tavi Arts Market in Bedford Square, Tavistock on the 6th April and at Crocadon Producer's Fair, St. Mellion on the 20th April so why not come and see me and help me try out my nice new shiny card machine!

So wherever you are, whether you've been plagued by snow or floods, I really hope you have a happy and peaceful Easter with lots and lots of choccy!

Euneirophrenia - Read to find out more!

Hello all! This has felt like a busy week, but a fun one too!

On Friday, I was fortunate enough to have lunch at The Treby Arms in Sparkwell, just outside Plymouth, and the food was pretty amazing so if you get the chance to go, then do! The chef and owner Anton Piotrowski was the 2012 winner of Masterchef and the place has a really lovely and surprisingly informal ambience.

Yesterday saw me visiting the Eden Project for the World Pasty Championships as my good friend and forthcoming Three Beautiful Things contributor, Jackie Butler (Features Editor for the Western Morning News) was one of the judges.  I met up with my daughter and son-in-law there and we had a really lovely day. Hayley and Alex even managed to talk me into going up to the extremely high metal mesh walkway in the roof of the tropical biome. Very very scary!!! It took an hour for my legs to stop feeling like jelly, but I did it! Definitely somewhere everyone should visit!

So, what have I been making this week?  Well as you saw last week, I've now launched my upcycled collection and this week I've added brooches to my website in other quirky and fun shapes. They're only £15 so make sure you get yours! SlickSilver Jewellery

I've also been busy making another aluminium set of jewellery, this one is called Eau De Nil as I think it looks like water.  What do you think?

Anyway, onto something I really want to share with you all this week, because I think it's important for this particular album to be made.

My son, Simon Dobson, is a composer. He writes for any type of ensemble, however, a large proportion of his work comes from the field he grew up in, brass bands. For many this will bring forth memories of Terry Wogan performing the Floral Dance on TV, but for those involved in the scene, they will know that there is now more cutting edge and quality music within the genre, but very little money around to commission more in this country.  Whenever Simon writes a new work he pushes the boundaries and is renowned for this.  One of his more recent works A Symphony Of Colours was nominated for a British Composer Award and Simon did indeed win his BASCA in December 2012.  He is now trying to raise the funds needed to produce an innovative album of his music which will cross and blend genres, styles and ensembles. Even if it's only £1, please do consider helping to make this happen, only through public finding will it come to fruition.
Read more about this great project from Simon Dobson here.  Make sure that you're a proud part of Euneirophrenia.

That's all this time folks, see you next week and thank you for helping with the album!

2013, Onwards!

Hello folks, it's been too long!

Have you missed me? A lot has happened in the Slicky household I can tell you! 

So, it was like this.........
Remember I blogged about my forthcoming exhibition with Flameworks Art2Go? Well I was on my way to the Private View with my husband, artist David Muddyman (also exhibiting) and my son, Simon Dobson (fresh from his BASCA award ceremony!) when I fell over a metal cover sticking up out of the cobbles in the Barbican, Plymouth - invisible in the dark.  I didn't quite land in the harbour but it was close!!  Shock enabled me to pick myself up and continue to the PV even though I didn't feel quite with it and could feel a lot of pain in my hands.  A sleepless night led to a very long morning in A & E resulting in confirmation and treatment for a sprained left wrist, bruised left shoulder and knees and a fractured right ring finger and tendon damage!! Uh-Oh! Not the sort of injuries a hands-on jewellery maker ever wants to have!

A second exhibition a week later meant that I had to withdraw some of my scheduled work as I couldn't finish it and neither could I attend the rest of the craft fairs I had booked or meet my xmas orders :(

I'm now in a rigid splint for about another month which can't be removed so work is on the back burner for the moment - any of my stockists reading this, don't panic I have enough stock - anyone wanting to attend a course with me, feel free still to book and I will liaise with you regarding what I can and can't do and future dates and there is still some beautiful jewellery for sale on my website.

Coral Reef available from SlickSilver Jewellery

So we're nearly at the end of 2012 and what a year of change it's been.  Our family has adopted 'Onwards' as our motto and so it shall be......

Whilst recovering and one finger typing I have been thinking about some new directions that I might take this coming year and one in particular has been inspired by some comments I received from some lovely visitors to my stand at an Artist's Market in Tavistock in October.  A couple of groups of people said that they loved the colours and textures of my work, but didn't wear jewellery.  I must admit to being a little stumped - I had nothing to offer them.  On the way home I started to make plans and as soon as I am able to make again, my aluminium jewellery will be joined by some colourful wall art. Remember you heard it here first! Ideas are already down on paper - just need a right hand that works!

On another note from the 1st Jan until end of March, should you want to, you will be able to vote for me in the Selected Awards at Craft & Design Magazine  You can find me by following the links in the Selected Awards Section and searching for SlickSilver Jewellery, only if you want to of course! This is my first time in such exalted company!

Thank you for following my blog in 2012, keep checking in to my website at http://www.slicksilverjewellery.co.uk to find out what's new! Hope 2013 brings all of us good health, happiness, peace, luck and good fortune!