Competition for a Valentine's Treat!

Hello folks! We've just been to the Seco Lounge to meet up with other Flameworks members, however, no-one turned up so we had dinner and forlornly came home, checked our emails and realised that the meeting is next week - hey ho, dinner out next week too!! #notaseniormoment

So, who would like to win a delicate Valentine's inspired pendant? There's no cost to enter so why not have a go - you could give the pendant to someone you love or you could just keep it yourself!! I know what I'd do!

So how do you enter?  All you have to do is guess the weight of the pendant with chain and the nearest guess will win it!  The closing date is Sunday 5th of February at 5pm so start guessing and post your answers below!

What is the weight of this pendant with chain?

Last week I blogged about Alison Branagan's books on business for Artists and Designers, so I thought I would tell you about another book which is providing me with a lot of inspiration at the moment.  We all get our inspiration from many diverse directions and I get a lot of mine from naturally occurring forms, such as the bark of a tree or a lichen formation.

This book, which I received for my birthday at the end of last year, is proving to be such a source of ideas, even if I only use a colour combination or a small pattern repeat from within the pages.  If colour and texture are your thing too, then give it a try.

It's called Heaven & Earth, Unseen by the Naked Eye by Phaidon and contains stunning photographs of our planet and us, but mostly from the inside!

Do you remember the piece from my Signature Collection I showed you last week? Well this week I have used to same form but in shades of yellow ochre, green and blue, forged it and also designed a pin through it to make a very desirable brooch which would look sensational against black clothing with simple lines.  The oval head of the pin is made from heavily reticulated silver and perhaps I'll post some pictures of it next week.  I've also been working on some simple aluminium adjustable band rings and some not so simple ones!! Pics next week!

Hope you all have a good week - competition results Sunday night!

Gifts and Friends

Well hello again! I hope you're enjoying my ramblings because I'm really enjoying doing them.

I hope you all visited Mhairi Wild's website following last week's blog and have made out your wishlists for xmas!  I had a lovely surprise the other morning when I had a parcel from Perth.  It really was like Christmas as I opened it.  There was a layer of hand dyed silk and inside was a stunningly beautiful skinny scarf from her new range in colours that had been scraped straight off a Scottish glen.  See what I mean? Apparently I'm the first person to own one and I'm very honoured. 
If you would like to own any of Mhairi's accessories then she informs me that Concrete Wardrobe, Edinburgh on 0131 558 7130 will be happy to help you or you can contact www.mhairiwild.co.uk

So what I have been doing this week?  Spending far too much time on my laptop if truth be told, but it's allowed because my shoulder is still healing and I can't drive or work yet.  I feel that my time has been productive (if you don't count the internet shopping!!) and I now have very active Facebook and Twitter accounts.  I can also now be found on UK Handmade. http://ukhandmade.ning.com/profile/SlickSilverJewellery

The more time I've spent on social networking the more I've realised what a great community we have in the crafting world. Facebook is great for keeping up to date with friends, especially my closest friend who happens to live in France (she's my French agent!!) and Twitter has allowed me to make a whole host of new friends whom I chat to on a daily basis (you know who you are girls!!). Becoming a member of UK Handmade is another level of professional networking as I immediately realised that there were local groups of like-minded people, some living in the same city as me. Old friends that I've yet to meet.  I've certainly met some really lovely helpful people through my laptop and phone who are committed to their craft/art and to sharing it with others.

Whilst trundling through the virtual world I've also been looking for my next blog victim!! Seriously I'm looking for my next interviewee who's work really appeals to me.  I have a couple of people in mind so watch this space.  So far I have spotted a dress designer, a knitwear designer, a milliner and some others so I will put the feelers out.  Do you like the idea of me featuring, interview style, another artist on the blog every now and then?  I would love to know what you think so please feel free to leave me a comment below.

I thought I might show you some of my silver jewellery.
These are some of my reticulated sterling silver pendants in my Ghost Daisy range. They are hallmarked and are available to buy.  They are supplied wrapped in tissue and in my black gift bags. Please contact me on info@slicksilverjewellery.co.uk

I'd also like to end my blog this week by putting some beautiful artwork on my page.  Our house is full of paintings so I thought I would share some with you.  They are the work of my husband David Muddyman who has his own website. www.davidmuddyman.co.uk



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/