Something new

Well I know you are going to be a little confused by me saying I’m doing something new and then showing you earrings.  But for me it is.  I don’t have pierced ears so making earrings is not something I’d naturally do.  However, I was playing with some resin with these leaves and bird charms.  I loved the result but you really need light shining through to get the full effect (kind of like stained glass) so earrings seemed the best choice.    

Porcelain necklaces

I've been trying some new Porcelain shapes and here are a couple made up into necklaces.  First up, some porcelain butterflies.  The necklaces have been knotted with some glass beads.....

...and then some Porcelain ovals with seed beads.....

Still playing with resin

I’ve been playing with coloured resin and some bought pendants.  I think the resin really adds something and it is a great way to use up the last of a batch of resin – I hate wasting a drop!  

....and here is a couple of them made up into necklaces - I felt the need for colour!!

The kiln gods were smiling…..

I haven’t shown you any of my thrown pots for a while but I was really pleased with how these bowls came out….

 and on the inside.......

These are now taking pride of place on my kitchen table.

Anyone for Scrabble?

I’ve been making pendants out of wooden scrabble tiles, paper and resin.  A simple idea (and not a new one – you’ll find lots of lovely examples on the web) but, I think, kind of fun…

The Moon and Seven Stars Pendant

It had to be done didn’t it? – a pendant to celebrate the name of this blog.  It is a continuation of the idea from my ‘Taking Flight’pendant – using a shape cut from silver along with the negative space it leaves behind.  I’ve made this pendant two-sided.  

If you are in the mood for silver you can choose this side….

But if you’d like a flash of colour choose this side……

(Sterling Silver and Resin)

People have asked me why I choose this particular name for this blog.  It is actually the name of a folk tune.  You may or may not know that I play the fiddle.  I think you would describe my playing as serviceable – I’m no great musician! – but I do enjoy it.

  

The Moon and Seven Stars is a jig that I learnt from a fabulous fiddle player – Carolyn Francis – when I used to play with the Lakeland Fiddlers (I moved house and play with a different group now).  It is a great tune, and I’ve always thought the name was pretty special, so I thought I’d borrow it!  It comes from the Winder manuscripts.  The Winder family came from Wyresdale, near where I live, and happily they kept manuscripts (from around 1790 to the start of the First World War) of the music they played.  Andy Hornby - a much more talented musician than I - has done some research on the Winders if you are interested. 

If you are curious how the tune goes, there are quite a few versions on YouTube – here is one on the mandolin…. 

….and if you can play music, the dots (sheet music) are available on Andy’s website.