Interactive Blog - Get stuck In!

Hi all!

Well yesterday I really thought that Spring had arrived and even managed to catch the sun a little whilst walking by the sea, however, today it's back to normal!  Hope those of you who've got the nice weather are enjoying it on my behalf.

So, this post is intended to be an interactive one!  I've been working on a new pastel coloured sheet of aluminium, in shades of pink, peach, pale yellow and pale green and I'd like you to come up with the name for the pattern.  I've put some photos of the pieces cut out and semi-finished so that you can have a look.  There will be cuffs, a couple of necklaces and some earrings in this colourway and I have kept aside a special piece to make up as a prize for the winning suggestion, so get posting your ideas! You can make more than one suggestion and to keep the ideas fresh, send them to me via my website contact page.

Have you got some ideas then? Can't wait to see what you come up with! Remember, the winning suggestion will get a pendant in this design! You have until Sunday 21st to get your entries in and the cut off time is 2pm so get busy!

 

I've also been working this week on a new design shape and so far I'm really pleased with the outcome.  I'm planning to explore this shape further - do you like it? I think it's very stylish and if you're interested in owning this little beauty let me know SlickSilver Jewellery.

 

 

Hubby's away this week so I shall be busy, busy, busy! Lots of designs planned, some shopping for some little niceties for my craft fair stand, lots of social networking, some craft fair entries to do and some new galleries to stock so that should keep me amused for a few days.

 

I'll be at Crocadon Producer's Fair at St Mellion, Cornwall on Saturday from 9 - 3 so come and pay me a visit and if you ask me nicely I might give you one of my new discount cards!

 

Look forward to hearing from you!

Inspirations

This week, whilst still exploring and learning about online marketing, I have been thinking about the sorts of things that inspire me.  Really I'm yearning to start making again, but physically my shoulder hasn't recovered enough for that yet - so let's take a look at my inspiration board.  It sits obediently at the side of my workbench and I glance at it periodically, but I'm not entirely sure that I'm using it as I should.  It's covered in pictures I really like, postcards, odd ideas that I've tried (some of them really odd!!), love notes, business cards, application forms, a couple of little paintings by my husband etc, but does all that just make it a noticeboard??? When does a noticeboard become an inspiration board anyway? I feel like it needs to fulfill it's potential by being draped with beautiful swatches, colour charts and the like and perhaps I'm letting it down a little - holding it back as it were.



Reticulated Sterling Silver Pendant
 with Blue Seaglass



So here's the thing. I like having somewhere to keep the bits I don't want to throw away. If I'm really honest, my inspiration comes from what I see outside the house.  I can go into raptures over the colour and texture of an old stone wall, rusty metal, lichen (don't get me started!), the bark of a tree and whilst I don't always try to recreate those textures, I do believe that they show in my work, particularly in my reticulated silver. 

Recently on honeymoon in St Ives we spent a great deal of time in galleries, in fact, there were few we missed in the area.  There are a couple of places that I particularly love that we visited again and previous visits had led me to some designs.  The first is Barbara Hepworth's studio and garden.  Her amazing scultpures immediately make me wish I was at my bench. My other favourite place is the Tate overlooking the beach, particularly out on the rooftop coffee shop on a gorgeous sunny day.  I don't think there's a more stunning view.  Recently I was colouring a sheet of aluminium, and as I've said previously, I'm never quite sure what the final result will be, but as soon as this particular sheet came out of the dye bath I knew what it would be called.  This collection is called The View From The Tate and if you've ever visited the area and seen the amazing light you'll know what I meant.

The View From The Tate Cuff and Pendant (there's also earrings available) and indeed the silver pendant above are all available from me should anyone be interested in buying them by contacting me at info@slicksilverjewellery.co.uk

or through my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/SlickSilver-Jewellery/241037522592328 or you can contact me on Twitter at SlickSilverJ

One final shoutout this week to my lovely Twitter friend S L Jewellery and Accessories.  She wrote a great blog about me but she also makes beautiful wedding jewellery and button bouquets which deserve a look so check out her site at http://www.sljewelleryandaccessories.co.uk/