My handmade silver and copper jewellery at Made By Kent
For those of you with children, you’ll know that school’s almost out for summer! This last term has seemed particularly long and my little girl, AKA The Little Chick is really ready for some time at home with mum!
I’m going to be closing my Folksy and Etsy online shops for a short time during the summer holidays, starting yesterday the 17th July and re-opening on the 14th of August, so that I can spend some time with my daughter.
In the meantime, my handmade jewellery is still available to buy from these galleries and shops:
I’ll be updating my Facebook and Instagram pages during the holidays so please make sure to follow me as I’d love to keep in touch!
There’s some exciting new products I’ve been working on which I’m looking forward to sharing with you all later in September. There’ll be a sneak peek in my next newsletter, so don’t miss out and subscribe via the pop up form on my website.
Wishing you all a lovely summer, whatever you’re doing!
It’s been too long since I’ve last posted on my blog! Christmas is always a manic time of year for a maker and alongside the seasonal rush, I’ve been kept busy organising my new workshop space.
I spent the hectic Christmas working from my kitchen, while my new workshop and office was being built. As you can imagine, I’m delighted that it’s now finished and I can spend more time making lots of jewellery!
Here’s some photos of my new workshop and some works in progress on the bench.
Lots of works in progress: a messy bench =a happy jeweller!I love my new pegboard, but how long will it stay this organised?!Soldering – one of my favourite jobsI love the light in my new workshopA personalised interlinking rings pendantI’m so pleased with my new logo stamp! All my gift boxes are made from eco-friendly materials
I’m really enjoying designing and making in my new workshop, look out for some new designs coming soon!
I’m pleased to share with you my latest makes! Inspired by peaceful woodland walks along paths shaded with ferns, I’ve created a beautiful eco silver pendant and earrings. These pieces are made using Precious Metal Clay; the clay is imprinted with a real fern leaf from my garden, fired in a kiln and then oxidised for a beautiful rustic finish. The finished pieces are 99.9% pure silver.
Precious Metal Clay is a fabulous eco-friendly material which uses silver recycled from industrial processes. I love using it in some of my designs as it easily takes impressions from my nature finds!
And here’s the matching earrings…
I love them so much I decided to make a pendant using copper clay too. Matching earrings will be following soon, so watch this space!
With autumn fast approaching, the lovely warm tones of this copper jewellery complement the season perfectly!
This handmade fern leaf pattern jewellery is available to order from my Folksy shop. Let me know what you think? I’d love to hear from you!
One question I’m often asked is ‘how do I care for my handmade jewellery?’ Well, I’d like to share my top tips with you for keeping your jewellery in great condition. I use Sterling silver in my jewellery designs. One of the problems with Sterling silver is that it tarnishes (goes black) when exposed to the air. Below are my top tips for keeping your jewellery super shiny!
Wear your jewellery regularly! The oils in your skin help to clean your jewellery.
Avoid contact with chemicals and always remove before swimming and showering.
When getting dressed, always put your jewellery on last of all. Perfume, cosmetics and hairspray all increase the risk of tarnishing.
When not in use, store your jewellery in a zip lock plastic bag or other air tight container. I will be posting out these little bags with my online orders, they’re just the right size to pop in your jewellery box!
If your jewellery does become tarnished, a quick gentle polish with a silver cleaning cloth will leave it looking sparkly and new again.
These silver cleaning cloths are now available to order from my Folksy shop
The two Sterling silver hammered pendants pictured above are available to order now from my Folksy shop, why not pop over and take a look!
It’s that time of year again. Each spring I have to go to the woods and visit the bluebells. As I was driving through the country lanes one afternoon, I spied a few bluebells nodding their heads by the edge of the hedgerow and it reminded me that it must be bluebell time again. We’re so lucky to be living in rural Kent where there are many ancient woodlands carpeted with bluebells. I took a short detour home through the lanes to my favourite bluebell woodland and I wasn’t disappointed!
From the car window…
a beautiful carpet of blue
Each year the mass of blue flowers seems even more vibrant than the last. This year the wild garlic was in abundance, its pungent but not unpleasant scent, mingling in with the perfumed bluebells.
All was quiet in the lane. I had parked my car and switched off the engine. I couldn’t resist jumping out and taking some photos to share with you here, then stayed a moment longer to breathe in the beauty of the woodland bluebells until next year.
Earlier this Spring I was thrilled to be invited to showcase my handmade jewellery with an exciting new website Handmade in Kent. This is an online shop devoted to sharing the very best of handmade products made in the lovely county of Kent! Of course I was delighted to be accepted, alongside many other talented Kent-based designers and makers, many who are personal friends.
Handmade in Kent are also planning to organise regular events so people can meet the makers and see their products in the flesh. I really love the idea of a fresh new online shop where you can find the best of Kentish made products, with networking; so important when you work by yourself!
eco silver leaf pattern earrings
Why not take a look for yourself? Enjoy having a browse and let me know what you think of my collection of handmade jewellery at Handmade in Kent.
If you are a Kent based creative, you can find out more by emailing hello@handmadeinkent.shop
If you follow my blog, you may remember last year I took part in this fun and engaging Instagram photo challenge. Devised by illustrator and fellow Etsy seller, Joanne Hawker, the idea is to post a daily photo based on a theme that Joanne has selected focusing on life as maker. Each photo is tagged with #marchmeetthemaker and I really enjoyed searching for new, interesting designers and makers to follow.
It was a real challenge to plan, select and take photos which fitted the chosen theme of the day, whilst still fitting in with the overal style of my gallery. I enjoyed using the Boomerang app to create a fun effect on day 5.
Here’s a selection of my favourite photos I took for the challenge. I’m already looking forward to next year’s Marchmeetthemaker!
If you’ve enjoyed looking at these photos, please visit my Instagram feed to see all my #marchmeetthemaker posts!
The time is certainly flying by; I’ve blinked and suddenly we’re into November! In our house, the autumn so far has been a blur of school settling in and frequent illness. I do hope things have run a little smoother in your households?
To cheer us all up, I’m running a giveaway over on my Facebook page. Please like the post pinned to the top of the page and comment with your favourite firework, for a chance to win a pair of these cute star stud earrings.
They’re handmade from brass sheet, hand -stamped with a little star motif and feature Sterling silver posts and scroll backs. Perfect for the approaching festive season.
The winner of these star earrings will be drawn at random at 10pm, Saturday November 5th. So be sure to check my Facebook page then!
Good luck!
Copper and Sterling silver versions of these star stud earrings are available from my Folksy and Etsy shops.
Giveaway is in no way affiliated with Facebook etc.
Orange coloured quartz (looks like amber) & Sterling silver earrings.
After a glorious Summer, with hot sunshine continuing well into September, we’re only just beginning to feel the chill of Autumn. Although I dread the return of dark mornings and even darker nights as the evenings draw in, I do love the Autumn for the creative inspiration it provides.
As you know, I love using copper in my jewellery designs and what better time of year than autumn to create some new autumn inspired pieces!
Textured copper bar pendant, Sterling silver chain.
Leaves feature heavily in my jewellery designs, my favourites being my eco silver leaf range. I’ve recently been experimenting with a product called Copper Clay. It’s handled in the same way as Silver Clay, when fired in a kiln, you’re left with a product that’s pure copper. Copper Clay produces a more organic, grainy texture than jewellery made with sheet copper. Pictured below are some examples.
copper clay leaf pendant
copper clay leaf rarrings
Hammered copper bangle with oxidised silver detailAbstract floral pattern copper pendantPhoto credit:Yeshen Venema for Folksycopper handmade pumpkin stud earrings
My favourite autumn inspired piece of jewellery has to be these cute copper pumpkin stud earrings, fully handmade from sheet copper and perfect for Halloween!
You can take a look at all my copper jewellery by visiting my Folksy and Etsy shops.
