New Silver Cloud Jewellery

I’d been working on some new shiny weather last year, but have only just found the time to photograph it.

I liked the idea of taking the double cloud design from my large raincloud necklace and translating to a smaller version.

So, we have some new stud earrings:

  

And a new raindrop version (I may have mentioned previously how much I like dangly earrings…)

 

And a delicate little rain cloud necklace:

 

I’ve used sky blue topaz for the raindrops on these, rather than the darker London blue topaz I usually use.

There’s also a little pair of London blue topaz mini cloud drop earrings, which are much less dangly:

 

I’ll have them up for sale on my website in the next couple of months.

New stuff.  Exciting!

New Custom Skate Necklace

I made another custom skate necklace in between Christmas and New Year, with the skater’s number, 333, on it.

Here are the numbers after I’ve cut them out but before the carving on the edges and the engraving has been done:

And the finished necklace:

 

I’m also working on some new ways to customise my little crash helmet necklaces, but it requires a bit of experimentation!

Hi There 2013

Well 2012 disappeared pretty quickly!  I’m amazed how fast the end of the year especially went by.  One minute it was August, and then suddenly December snuck over the horizon, bedecked with tinsel and blowing little glittery raspberries at me.

Again, I had rather failed to be organised in the run up to Christmas, mainly due to foolishly deciding to entirely rebuild my website from scratch a couple of months previously.  Next year there WILL be organisation.  No, really, there will.

So, 2012 then.  Achievements included the aforementioned new website.  Pretty, isn’t it?

I also designed an entire new collection, inspired by baroque architecture, for a wedding:

 

   

   

My roller derby jewellery was excitingly popular this year, and I got to do a few custom skate necklaces.  I love making the little numbers.

 The most exciting thing about 2012 though, was finally managing to reduce my hours at my day job, which completely saved my sanity!  My jewellery is starting to be a full time job in itself, so combining that with working full time hours at a law firm was just no longer sustainable.

So, what awaits me in 2012 then?  I’m pretty excited about this year actually – I have so many ideas that I want to get off the ground.  I have plans for new shiny things to add to my roller derby range for a start.  I’m also going to learn about etching and cold enamelling – watch this space for experiments with alarming chemicals!

Right, back to the workshop now – need to get started on my plans for world domination.

Happy new year!

New Custom Work

Phew, survived Christmas unscathed!  Chrismas dinner was nice, almost on time, and I didn't poison anyone with the turkey.  The less said about my doomed from the very start Christmas cake, however, the better...

Also I can now share some custom orders/pressies that I made for people, as (hopefully) they'll have received them by now.

A silver initial letter 'T' in my gothic font:

 

A custom roller derby necklace with skate number and black spinel gemstone:

And a Christmas present for my mum, made to match the earrings I made for her 60th birthday:

 

And a pair of earrings for someone at work, with little garnet stones:

The photography was done on my iphone, so it's rubbish I'm afraid, but I didn't have time to get out my proper camera and lights before I had to send everything out.

I've also done another couple of custom orders that I can't share just yet...

Christmas Chaos!

Yes, I know every year I say I'll be more organised in the run up to Christmas, but every year I fail!

This year, I decided to rebuild my entire website a couple of months before Christmas.  That was silly.  I spent so long having a nervous breakdown over Wordpress, I was frantically making orders and posting them out right up until December 20th.

I finally did my Christmas shopping and put up decorations the day before Christmas Eve!  Didn't get round to getting a tree this year, so I put up ALL the lights instead.

Here's some fairy lights in a vase:

I managed to make the cuckoo clock look even more mental:

And my ultimate triumph:

This piece of gorgeous tropical bird fabric was a gift from the boy's lovely auntie. She's an interior designer and makes the most amazing curtains and I fell in love with this fabric when we helped her move workshop. The birds are a combination of applique fabric and embroidery with sparkly threads and it's just brilliant! I'd stretched the fabric over a canvas and stapled it, then I found these amazing lights for half price in the Habitat sale - the colours and shapes went perfectly with the birds.

The boy initially despaired (his first reaction was "Oh god, my eyes!") but I think I've won him over to its awesomeness and will be allowed to keep the lights after Christmas, hurrah!

I also managed to go home to Jersey for a far too brief weekend with my mum just before Christmas, which gave some much needed relaxation.  Mum had left putting up the tree so I could help as I don't have one of my own this year.  My mum is the best!

Here is the tree:

We were checking all the old lights that have been on the tree since we were kids.  This set of alarmingly demonic decapitated Santa heads used to scare me when I was little.  Eeeeeevil Santa!

Also took some pictures of the Jersey Christmas lights and various cats whilst I was home.

  

 

 All I need to do now is pick up the turkey and buy a few last minute food bits, and await the arrival of the boy's lovely family.

Merry Christmas!

New Website!

After months of shaking my fist at Wordpress and despairing wails of "but I don't understand WHAT THAT MEANS!" my new jewellery website is finally (pretty much) finished, hurrah! I'm so proud that I didn't give up at any of the many hurdles, especially given my general lack of technical ability.
Thanks to my very patient first customer, who helped me iron out a couple of final glitches :)

You can see it here: www.laurengracejewellery.com

New Skate Necklace

I've had a few requests now for a derby skate necklace without the wings.

As the wings are actually a big pain in the bum to do, I am delighted to oblige!

Here you go:

Now available to purchase here on my website.