June is nearly over, so I thought it's high time I shared some gift ideas for those with summer birthdays. First up are my Daisy designs, mostly made from silver and brass, but I have recently added a pendant set with a beautiful golden yellow citrine. The designs are as neat and fresh as the … Continue reading Summer Gift Ideas
"Lost lanes of Queen Anne's lace, And that high-builded cloud Moving at summer's pace." (from Cut Grass by Philip Larkin) I have developed a bit of an obsession with Queen Anne's lace this May and June. I think this is partly because it seems to be a particularly good year for this graceful plant, and … Continue reading Queen Anne’s Lace
I should have been spending today in the lovely coastal village of Bamburgh, taking part in a craft fair in Bamburgh Pavilion. Obviously it's a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things, but it is really sad that all the fairs, markets, and shows that take place in communities up and down the county … Continue reading Bamburgh
It was difficult to order jewellery making supplies when the Covid-19 outbreak first hit (although things have improved now) so I've been on a bit of a mission to use up some of my existing materials on new designs. This copper seahorse is a case in point. I used to work with copper much more … Continue reading Copper Seahorse
Day 6 of the jewellery Insta challenge, and I’m still going strong. The prompt today is Process, so I thought I’d share a series of pictures showing the process of oxidising and polishing one on my moon-gazing hare pendant sets. The roughly polished silver pieces are dropped into a warm solution of liver of sulphur … Continue reading Process – Oxidisation
I’m combining two days of Instagram challenge posts here, because the two topics, Tool Collection and Workshop Assistant, are related. First up is part of my collection of jewellery-making tools, majoring on my pliers and snippers. The more observant amongst you will notice that this is a better quality image than most of my snaps. … Continue reading Tool Collection and Workshop Assistant
Today’s Instagram jeweller challenge picture is My Workspace. I’m just sharing a close up of a couple of bits that I’m working on at the moment. More will be revealed later in the week (she said mysteriously). The ring will become one of my Silver Birch rings, and I’m making it to order for a … Continue reading My Workspace
I hope that everyone is staying safe and well, and not finding the restrictions on their movements too onerous. I'm lucky to live in a rural area, so it's fairly easy to go out for a walk or bike ride each day, and not see another soul. I do feel for those who are stuck … Continue reading New Sea Glass Designs
It’s just over a week until Mother’s Day in the UK, so there’s still just enough time to get a special gift from Bilberry and Birch for the mum in your life. i have some lovely floral and foliage designs, which are very appropriate now that spring is on the way. There are ranges inspired … Continue reading Mother’s Day Gift Ideas
It’s that time of year again. The Coquetdale Art Gallery in Rothbury, Northumberland, re-opens for the season on Saturday 14th March. This year, I have a collection of my designs inspired by beech bark in the gallery. You’ll find a fabulous range of crafts, paintings, and cards by local artists, and it’s well worth a visit … Continue reading Coquetdale Art Gallery
