Resin and gilding flake experiments

I had no idea if this would work so I was quite chuffed when it did :)
My previous experiment with flowers had not gone well as you can see. After a few days the flowers had gone all peculiar. I am not sure how to get round this.  Dip the flowers completely in resin first and then add to the piece or use dried flowers?  Any ideas?

But onto the gilding: 

I use Envirotex two part resin.  It's good because it is not as stinky as some.  you add equal portions of the two liquids and stir slowly for a few minutes.  You need to avoid the dreaded air bubbles!

I saw on a Youtube video that placing the resin under a lamp for 5 minutes after stiring, helped it to settle and the heat of the lamp helped the bubbles to pop out, so I did that. 

Here is my mould 

Gilding flakes

First layer of (bubbly) resin in the mould

Adding gilding flakes with a cocktail and mushing them around. 

After creating a full layer on the bottom and sides of the mould I added more resin and a few more gilding flakes to top it off. 

I also tried it in some bezels for a 3D effect. 

Here are my pieces drying

And here are the finished pieces after drying.  I think I am going to make some more in the moulds and do a big statement necklace.  I am also going to try some bezelled rings. 

What I did on my holidays...

I have recently come back from my my second visit of the year with my little family to the Bluestones resort in Pembrokeshire.  If you have little kids and like being outside but also like a private good hot shower and a comfy bed, I really recommend it! 

Last time we never left the resort but this time we did a bit of sight seeing and exploring and this is what I came home with!!

We visited Tenby and found some lovely shells on the beach.  We also found a gorgeous jewellery supplies and bric a brac shop in Brychan Yard on Upper Frog Street, the name of which I have forgotten but I could have spent hours in there! I bought the butterfly, turquoise and orange coloured beads and leaf shaped clasp you can see in the photo below from there along with the gorgeous wooden plate/stand everything is displayed on. The plate is from France according to the shop owner and I completely love it, it is perfect for on my desk, putting my ongoing projects into and displaying pieces. 

I also bought some fossils for some wire wrapping from Solva and some handmade Welsh slate buttons from the Solva Woollen Mill which is worth a visit for the lovely gift shop which also sells excellent Christmas cards made from sheep poo! 

The acorns and oak leaves I am going to do something with, possibly involving a silicon mould. I got these along with some lovely bits of bluestone (that gives the National Park it's name) from the woods near an Iron Age Hill Fort. Interestingly this is the same bluestone that Stonehenge is made from, though there are many theories on how it travelled all the way to the Stonehenge site. 

Here are all my holiday bits minus some stones and shells I was cleaning, all boxed up, ready for the muse to strike and make many fabulous things that remind me of my adventures :)

We also visited St David's and popped into an exhibition of the Pembrokeshire Craft Makers. Which was both humbling and inspiring. All the work displayed was superb and beautifully crafted with amazing attention to detail.  But the display by Annette Gardener of Kittywake Enamels blew my mind, completely gorgeous, detailed exquisite work. I am thinking of saving up to buy one of her pieces. I particularly loved her Seascape jewellery. Very inspiring stuff!

A morning at the local craft fair

I had a lovely morning in the small Yorkshire town I live in at it's summer craft fair. There were lots of great stalls and I had a great time chatting to the crafters.

A few were particularly good:

The Spice Lady had some delicious spice mixes and is definitely on my list for Christmas presents.  I will be visiting her permanent stall soon (also a great excuse to visit a friend who lives nearby).

Ceramics by Margaret L Glackin had these gorgeous hand crafted yarn bowls, that if i was a knitter, I would have bought immediately, such a clever and pretty idea.

Made by Matthis had the most gorgeous gift bags made from recycled maps and other upcycled paper products. She is another person I will be looking to for Christmas gifts and maybe packaging for some of the Christmas gifts I plan to make myself.

There was also a stall selling beautiful felt bits and pieces and craft supplies. I bought myself a gorgeous poppy brooch to wear in November (and other times). Having family members who serve in the Armed Forces and one that suffered terrible atrocities in WWII as a prisoner of war,  I always wear a poppy but the little paper ones do my head in. So I will wear this whilst still popping some pennies in the pot of course.




But my favourite stall was called Wildflower and it was run by two jewellers. I loved their stuff and chatted away to them for ages about jewellery making and all sorts. I really like the interesting way they displayed the jewellery and the gorgeous handmade bags it came in. They were lovely ladies. they said they only sell jewellery so they can buy materials to make more!

I also bought a piece of jewellery that had been made that very morning, a bracelet featuring a wire wrapped piece of sea glass.  I loved the piece and came home very inspired...

Wire wrapped sea glass bracelet

gorgeous handmade bag that the bracelet came in. The little charms I bought from them from a future project

My Favourite Necklaces

I have decided to try (and the photos below will show I might have failed!) to photograph my jewellery projects better.  To that end, I have actually used a camera, not my phone to take photos!  I haven't got a fancy pants camera, it is an Olympus VR 310 and the main reasons behind it's purchase were; my old camera had died, I could get it with my Tesco Clubcard points and not pay extra and it is a pleasing pinky purple colour.

I tend to use my phone because I get cross with my camera. It has now become apparent that is because I have had it accidentally set up for sports photography for the last few months :)

I also bought a book called "The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos". It claims to be foolproof and was very helpful, but clearly I need to practice much more.

As my next lot of projects haven't arrived yet and someone asked me the other day what my "style" was I decided to pick some of my own favourite necklaces and explain why I like them so much. So here goes:


                                                                  Star Necklace 

This is a favourite because it is simple and reminds me of an ex boyfriend who called me an irregular star. :) I wear this when I want bling but nothing over complicated.  I got it as a treat to myself one night when I was very fed up.  It wasn't expensive, I think I got it from Amazon. 

Flower Bowl Necklace

 This was made by the lady who taught me when I did a jewellery making night class a few years back.  I made my, now, husband's wedding ring as my final project. I love the shape of it and the colour of the enamel work. You can see more of her excellent work at her website.

Red Swirly Necklace 

This was a gift from a dear, dear friend who is one of the nicest people I know.  No idea where it is from, but I love it and have had it years. It goes with loads of stuff, things you wouldn't think of  particularly big maxi dresses and tops in contrasting colours. Also it's really good for playing with when I am concentrating on complicated things :)

Purple Leather Flower Necklace

I always get lots of compliments for this one which is nice as I made it myself! It was a kit I got from Yum Yum Beads in Leeds. They do some lovely things in there and I have spent many happy half hours mooching through their beads and accessories.  They have a really good website too. 

Christmas Cracker Necklace

When I bought this I have never felt less like a Christmas Cracker. I was struggling through the most horrible, miserable pregnancy. But there was one bright spot on the horizon, the staff Christmas party. I was determined to go. OK I couldn't drink, OK I had to wear a maternity dress and flat shoes, but I was bloody going! Who knew when I would EVER go out again?  I had a lovely time and even danced. I got home at midnight and paid for it by being sick and exhausted for the next few days but I had a great time and I think part of that was due to my cool Tatty Devine necklace.

Pink and grey beads

I don't really do pearls. I like the idea but I look like I stole them from my Nan. So this is my alternative for when I want to go a bit Mad Men. I have a 50's style prom dress I have worn them with. They also look great with a grey lace mini dress that I have.  But the best thing about them is that they were £1 from the vintage market in Huddersfield. 

Winged necklace

I have yet to wear this out of the house but I can't wait to! I fell in love with it the first time I saw it in a shop window in the little town I live in. I walk past the shop every week as I collect my baby son's medicine and milk. After several weeks, I finally went in and bought it. It's a BIG statement, like something a Greek goddess or a Valkyrie would wear but I adore it. In these post baby blue months I have had no occasion or inclination to make a statement or draw too much attention to myself, mostly I have wanted to hide. But things are getting better, slowly. I think I might fancy a bit of a flight in a few months time :)

Taj Mahal Jewellery Box

This isn't a necklace but it is where some of these necklaces live. It was a gift from my husband.  He travelled to India with work and visited the Taj Mahal. It is made from the the same sort of marble and inlaid with the same stones as used in the decoration of the Taj Mahal. The craftsmen who make them are in many cases direct descendants of the men who decorated the the monument itself. I think it is really cool and a good place for some of my favourite things to be stored. 

Inspiration

The August project isn't here yet but I have had some inspiration from various sources and I have got my crafting head on today and plan to make something new!

I have been visiting family and friends and saw a good friend, one of those friends that you don't see for 18 months and you carry on with your conversation like it was yesterday, someone I can be totally myself and honest with. I love her to bits. She encouraged me to entered my Hedgehog pendant on the Cookson's designer of the week Facebook page competition. It won't win but at least I have been brave and got my design out there. Some kind people even liked it!

But what was more interesting was seeing the other (far superior) entrant's work. It was really inspiring.  My favourite was the work of Kim Styles who does the most amazing floral designs. I hope to be half as good as her one day and failing that, to own one of her floral necklaces :)

I could, in theory have a go at some simple floral designs, I have worked with sheet metal before but it would be worth doing it in copper first as it is much cheaper and easier in some respects to work with.  I can solder and shape metal quite well but it's been a while and I would need access to a proper workshop or at least a few things I don't have right now.

I have also been reading this book that I got for Christmas. I have had an Amazon wishlist every year since my mother decided "Curious" by Britney Spears was the perfect perfume choice for a 30 year old woman.

It's a really good book on different techniques with some good ideas for projects and I am going to try some filigree techniques today and see how it goes.

Decisions, decisions

So I have a few things I want to work on next and I am not sure where to start.  I am also conscious that July's project will be arriving soon!

I have an idea for a Crystal clay compact mirror, but I think it is a little cheesy.  I'm going to sketch it out and maybe get a few more bits to add interest. The annoying thing about both clays I used this week is that they harden quickly so you have to start with a very clear idea of where you want to go.  I dunno, maybe that is a good thing :)

I also have an idea for another silver pendant, the design is something very close to my heart but it is an unusual shape for a pendant and I am unclear if it will work.  As well, I  need to order some silver chain to make the flower print pendant and the new one into necklaces.

The third thing I have to make is a whole heap of cross stitching. I like cross stitching but most patterns you come around are aimed at a particular demographic and are a little twee.

Then I came across Wee Little Stitches which I absolutely love!

I have spent a few months stitching the Superhero Alphabet for my son's room which is finally finished and have since ordered another four smaller patterns to do!

My fourth option is to get off the computer and get to bed for a reasonable hour as undoubtedly I will be woken by small people at some point!

Decisions, decisions!!

Reigniting my hobby

Everybody needs a hobby, a thing. I dabble in jewellery making. I did a couple of night classes a few years back and made all the jewellery for me, my mum and my bridesmaids for my wedding. I also made my husband's wedding ring.

But then I had a baby, I still do the odd bit. I put future projects on my Pinterest. I never do them.  I have no real interest in selling things, I just like "faffing about" as one friend put it! Sometimes I might make something as a gift or to go with an outfit, but I am never really happy with the quality of my pieces. I have loads of ideas but I needed to practice more to get to the standard I want to be.

Then I had another baby and though I wanted to, going to more classes was going to be difficult.  So for my birthday my husband gave me some money towards a distance learning jewellery making course. Every month for six months, whilst I am on maternity leave, I will get a different project to make through the post.

I will post the results of my endeavours here every month along with any other crafty stuff I am inspired to make or do. I appreciate feedback but I am a delicate little flower so be nice!

Links

The lady who taught my night classes with can be found at Pink Butterfly. She is an excellent teacher and still teaches in a private studio for an excellent price. I own one of her jewellery pieces, she makes some lovely, lovely stuff.

The course I am following is the Cooksons Gold distance learning - Let's Make Jewellery.  I may still attend some of their day courses if I can later on in the year.