tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65038885412330330952024-02-07T08:31:58.269+00:00Breezily Waybreezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-58508031179430594632008-07-18T20:52:00.000+01:002008-07-18T20:52:00.774+01:00Holiday snaps: including puffins!Some photos from my recent holiday on the Isle of Mull. The puffins were on Lunga, one of the Treshnish Isles.The photo mosaic was made here.breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-58225975208661013142008-07-12T10:24:00.000+01:002008-07-12T10:24:39.835+01:00Woolfest 2008An alpaca at Woolfest 2008Two weeks ago I went to Woolfest 2008, held in Cockermouth in Cumbria. "Woolfest is an annual festival celebrating all aspects of natural fibres - their sources, uses and products." It was first run in 2005 and is organised by The Wool Clip, which is a co-operative of farming and craft workers. This was the second time I have attended. Last year I purchased the fibre breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-89386898829290361622008-07-05T13:00:00.007+01:002008-07-05T13:00:12.935+01:00Mull and Iona jewellery makers: three websitesEleanor Macdougall's work includes forming metals by raising, and enamelling to capture the colours of nature. (http://www.hi-arts.co.uk/artregeleanormacdougall.html). Jewellery from Aosdana is cast from the original pieces made by Iona's Alex Ritchie and then hand finished. (http://www.aosdanaiona.com/) The Isle of Mull Silver and Goldsmiths makes a range of celtic jewellery including gold breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-77273848788827147482008-07-02T18:54:00.005+01:002008-07-02T18:54:26.501+01:00Review - Brief number 3: Design and makeImage created using Picasa and the Hockneyizer.The third brief at Level 3 of my course was introduced in this post, with a follow up in this one. We were asked to produce a learning journal based on a theme, to design a suite of jewellery based on the materials in the journal and finally to make the jewellery we had designed. I chose "Coast" as my theme, and settled on the shape of a ripple in breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-68977290455533167412008-06-29T19:36:00.002+01:002008-06-29T19:36:00.706+01:00Liver of sulphur follow upI was really excited by the results of my first experiments with liver of sulphur (sulfur). Here's an update. The ring had a good thick layer on it. I rubbed it away in places when trying to make the non-black parts shinier, but I was happy with the effect. I sprayed the ring with acrylic spray coating (mine is made by Humbrol), applying a total of about 5 thin coats. The ring is shown breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-86448564205916912762008-06-25T18:28:00.002+01:002008-06-25T18:30:50.138+01:00The beginning of the middleIn my last post I explained how my three years of evening classes have now come to an end: the end of the beginning. Now I have to start a new phase, one that can perhaps be called the beginning of the middle! I've had a few thoughts about how to provide some structure to my jewellery making activity in the absence of a weekly class:* Prepare a list of techniques to try, and then select perhaps breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-75732925459504622892008-06-21T13:08:00.000+01:002008-06-21T13:09:03.233+01:00The end of the beginningDisplay cases at end of year exhibition for OCN jewellery classesMy contribution to the display.I have now attended the last class of the three year OCN (Open College Network) course. The time has gone very quickly. I have learned a great deal, and my approach to jewellery making has certainly matured - I shall be reflecting on this in a future post. The college I attended has had to respond breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-61747199375183439342008-06-18T19:35:00.003+01:002008-06-18T19:56:38.475+01:00Ripple earrings v2.0I love my double ripple earrings, but they are just a bit big and dangly for me to consider them for everyday wear. This latest pair is slightly less flamboyant, with only one, smaller ripple on each earring. The total drop is 4.5 cm (1.75"), and the ripples themselves measure about 25 mm by 12 mm ( 1" x 0.5"). The ripples are made from 1.3 mm diameter silver wire. Because this wire is breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-33535173196615835722008-06-16T19:10:00.001+01:002008-06-16T19:11:41.880+01:00Ripple poll: vote for your favourite RippleI've set up a new online poll - you can see it in the sidebar on the right of this blog, just below the introductory bit. Please vote in the poll to let me know which of the three Ripple pieces you like the best! There are full size pictures of each of the pieces in this post. The poll will be open until 11 August 2008, but please cast your vote soon. I take great delight in seeing the votes breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-65468889129765049202008-06-15T18:54:00.003+01:002008-06-18T10:42:09.254+01:00Stone set rippleThis scrap of silver sheet carries echoes of previous work. The jigsaw bump (promontory? tab?) came from a very unsuccessful brooch. The silver from inside that polygon went on to be the back of my penannular bottle glass brooch. I've now used some of the remaining sheet for two bezel settings. The smaller one is for my puffin pendant. The other one is for a stone set ripple pendant. I breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-76605551407883823002008-06-13T19:18:00.001+01:002008-06-18T10:45:23.510+01:00The Ripple Suite: CompleteDouble ripple earrings and braceletRipple band ring with liver of sulphur (sulfur) patina. It is 5 mm wide.Double ripple earrings (again)And the inspirational photo.The work in progress posts: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, The design posts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-81223558945954928602008-06-12T19:19:00.000+01:002008-06-12T19:20:10.389+01:00What do *you* see?There's a little stick figure man in there (his head is where the two small ripples overlap) - see him? There's also a hint of two pregnant ladies, with tiny heads ...breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-160692098321701232008-06-07T15:38:00.002+01:002008-06-18T10:44:42.797+01:00First adventures with liver of sulphurI am amazed at my success with applying a liver of sulphur/sulfur patina to one of my fold formed earrings. I would have been happy with black, but getting lovely colours was quite a bonus! Whether I shall be able to repeat this is, of course, quite another thing. I started with the ripple band ring. I scrubbed it with soap and water, then applied pumice powder using a glass brush. I used breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-6995792031407346722008-06-04T18:21:00.001+01:002008-06-04T18:22:22.553+01:00Progress with Ripple piecesThe bracelet has been tumble polished and is now completed. The main section is 16 cm (6.25") longThe double ripple earrings (in silver, based on this copper test piece) need more tumbling, and perhaps a little shape tweaking. The two shapes are arranged slightly differently from the prototype, as they look better that way in this case!The band ring is coming along. I have shaped the flat stripbreezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-38904053256802940242008-06-02T20:07:00.000+01:002008-06-02T20:07:01.338+01:00Ripple band ring startedThe ripple band ring, which will be part of my Ripple suite (with earrings and bracelet), will be made from 1 mm thick silver sheet, decorated with little ripples made from 0.6 mm wire. I've made a start on this.Each mini-ripple was made from a 6 mm diameter ring of wire. These differ a little from my other ripples as there is no loop, and I cut off a little bit of wire after shaping each.I breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-4054823124967381912008-06-01T16:40:00.000+01:002008-06-01T16:41:07.360+01:00Steel blockIn the course of my non-jewellery making life, I was given this steel block. It was one of several being used in a project, but they had some left over so I asked if I could have one. It measures 5 cm x 5 cm x 1.9 cm (2" x 2" x 0.75"). I think it will be very useful for hammering, but I'll need to polish the surface first.breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-21615479486527395242008-05-29T20:32:00.002+01:002008-06-01T17:06:59.740+01:00Pissenlit: a dandelion close-upDandelion, Leeds, 29 May 2008This link will take you to an article that appeared recently (and once before, in 2002) in the Independent newspaper. Enjoy!Miles Kington Remembered: Consider the lilies ... and the dandelions and nettlesbreezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-60262067499525655952008-05-28T19:21:00.001+01:002008-05-28T19:21:01.428+01:00Puffin pendant designAlthough I have been concentrating on the suite of items on the Ripple theme, I do still want to try and make one piece based on the shape of the puffin's beak. I have previously shown some preliminary sketches. These sketches are my latest thoughts.The shape still has a slight feel of the Starship Enterprise, but I think it is also puffin-like. Ideal for the sci-fi birdwatcher!breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-23757918960180702542008-05-25T11:09:00.000+01:002008-05-25T11:10:08.858+01:00From ripple necklace to ripple bracelet in one easy stepThe next step in assembling my ripple necklace was to solder the loops on the links closed, leaving the main part of the link open so the links could be joined together.The soldering went well. After pickling, I was able to lay out the links to check the length of the finished piece.Making the second set of solder joins (to close the links) turned out to be harder than I'd expected, and this wasbreezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-34425376940235279402008-05-23T20:29:00.001+01:002008-05-23T20:31:05.981+01:00Coast ring from Hannah Louise LambI came across a wonderful piece of jewellery featured in Coast magazine. The Coast ring by Hannah Louise Lamb has two interlocking parts, one part is polished and the other textured. The two parts represents the land and the sea, and the join is a wiggly line that represents a stretch of coastline. Purchasers can even specify which bit of coastline should be used.breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-43692668842018836072008-05-18T17:50:00.001+01:002008-05-18T17:50:01.185+01:00Ripple necklace startedI've started to construct my ripple necklace in silver. Here are some of the links at three different stages in the shaping process. So that they can be joined together neatly, the loop for these links is perpendicular to the plane of the ripple. Each piece of wire is initially 6.25 cm long.breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-15603365729049097452008-05-15T20:10:00.000+01:002008-05-15T20:10:56.328+01:00Double ripple test pieceThese earrings, made from copper with the earwires in silver, are made using two ripples links with the relative sizes mentioned in this earlier post. The total drop is about 5 cm. I am happy with the way the two links hang together and will proceed to make a pair in silver.breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-16579213890763803912008-05-13T17:47:00.000+01:002008-05-13T17:47:02.933+01:00Call for submissions for Lark jewellery booksThe publisher Lark Books often asks for submissions of work to be included in forthcoming art and craft books. Currently there are three calls for jewellery submissions, closing 16 June 2008, 1 July 2008 and 7 July 2008. The first is for projects for a book called Beading with Metal Beads. The second is for studio jewellery that prominently features plastic for the book 500 Plastic Jewelry. breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-46444204417983211952008-05-11T19:25:00.003+01:002008-05-11T19:46:38.418+01:00Glorious weatherWe've had some wonderful weather recently. I took these photos at Floors Castle in Kelso last week. Blue sky! I was rather taken with the black tulips. As far as jewellery making is concerned, I think the shape of the outline of the tulips is promising, and the brick wall might also have possibilities.As well as the lovely surroundings, they have great food at Floors. The baking is especially breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6503888541233033095.post-61856531802066601282008-05-10T10:33:00.000+01:002008-05-10T10:33:00.585+01:00Multiple ripplesI mentioned in an earlier post that I wanted to make some earrings with more than one ripple link. Obviously there are lots of possibilities here, but I started by deciding that the curvatures on the links would be the same, even though their overall sizes would differ. It took only a couple of sketches to decide that making the smaller link fit in the top, wide part of the larger link worked breezilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14705279258623569867noreply@blogger.com0