Catch up

I've been a bit quiet lately but that doesn't mean that I haven't been beavering away in the background. I spent a very enjoyable weekend at the Interntaional Festival of Glass at Stourbridge and now I am going to show a little of what I have been making recently.

I made a couple more big wheel beads, this time to match some lovely silk ribbons that I bought from Di at Sowzere Designs.

A couple of bracelets to go with one of the sterling silver bangles I made. Lots of spacers went into these

I am really pleased with this bracelet. I wanted to make some murrini to match a top I had, my friend Sue at Flaming Eck suggested some colours and this was the result.

I wanted to make some brown beads to go with the ones in the bracelet and the closest I had was Effetre Dark Matter which is in the centre of the murrini. I didn't get quick what I was expecting because instead of brown I got pinky greys. (apologies for the photo it was hard to pick up the colours)

Silversmithing Course at The Quays Arts Centre.

You may have noticed I have not been very active on my blog lately. That is because I have been attending a couple of Silversmith Courses at The Quay Arts Centre in Newport on the Isle of Wight.

It is such a lovely studio set just by the river medina, I would be quite happy working their on a daily basis!

The first weekend was making charms with Vickie Harris. We made a bangle and then some charms to go on it and on a chain to make a pendant.

This is what I made and I was quite chuffed I can tell you.

There are another 2 charms the same as the two on the bangle that I later added to a different bangle I made on the next course.

So, the next course was 4 days with Nina Bulley. This time we made a ring, a bangle and then we could make whatever we liked.

As you can see I made a ring, bangle and a pair of earrings and then went on to make this ring.

It is an interchangeable ring so the orange bead can be screwed on and changed to a different one.

I am really pleased with this as it involved some investigating into soldering stainless steel onto sterling silver. I will need to wear the ring a bit to make sure the joint holds.

I learnt a tremendous ammount and came away with far more jewellery than I expected. Will definately be back for more.

My first big wheel bead

I hadn't been able to get to the torch for a while, allotment needed some attention and that always tires me out.

So was quite pleased when I got to have a go last night. But no mojo, the first two beads I made were horrible.

I bought some big hole mandrels at Flame Off and I had one left sitting there having been dipped in bead release for probably a few months and thought why not have a go at a big wheel like the gorgeous ones that Jennie makes from Raspberrry Rings.

It was a bit dodgy to start with and it's not perfectly round. Struggled a bit as the mandrel seems to be bent. But quite pleased for a first attempt.

It measures a whopping 4.5cm.