Still trying some more designs….

I’m still on my quest for more variety of designs for my porcelain disks.  Here is a necklace – a tumble of glass beads and organza…..  

(Porcelain, glass beads, organza ribbon)

....and this is a macramé bracelet, I’ve used amethyst and seed beads in a flower design with my favourite twisting knot…. 

 (Porcelain, amethyst, seed beads)

Evolution pendant

Well, I’d love to tell you how I carefully thought about and planned this design but that would be a big, fat lie - it just kind of evolved!  I was reticulated a piece of silver and for some reason this large air bubble appeared.  After scratching my head for a while, I realised that it kind of matched the shape of this dichroic glass cabochon that I made in a workshop (at the same time as this one) with Jo at the Silver Forge.  So I domed the reticulated silver and soldered on the setting for the cabochon.  Since I was in an experimental mood I tried a different bail too.  My friend said ‘oh, this is one of your abstract pieces’ which I think is her polite way of saying she doesn’t much like it.  But the shape appeals to me – what do you think?

Lampwork

I bought these lampwork beads at a craft fair.  The maker (sorry, she doesn’t have a website so I can’t give you a link) was selling some of her beautiful beads made up into jewellery but also strands of loose beads.   Naturally I gravitated to the loose beads.  I made sterling silver links and combined them, with the beads, into a necklace and bracelet. 

(Sterling silver and lampwork beads)

(Sterling silver and lampwork beads)

My cat, Tigger, was ‘helping’ during this photo shoot.  I had to grab the shot of the bracelet in between tail swishes! 

Pendants in Progress

I spent a happy afternoon yesterday making more porcelain pendants.  I was trying a few new shapes this time and some new textures (buttons and lace) that I’ve found.  I was even – and I apologise for saying this – making Christmas decorations.  It seems bonkers to be thinking about Christmas now but there are quite a few steps these need to go through before they are finished (they need to be fired twice and glazed) so I thought I ought to get these started. 

The Wave Ring

I was on holiday in the spring in the Canaries.  It was wonderful to be in the sun after the gloom of a Lancashire winter.  One of the best things - apart from being with family - was that I could swim in the sea.  I haven’t done that in ages.  I find it strangely calming to bob up and down with the waves – letting yourself go where they choose to take you for a time.  To remind me of this, I made this ring – and a promise to myself that I’d swim in the sea more often.  

(Sterling silver)