Semblance of order among the chaos

For a brief moment yesterday, my bench had some order to it. The photo on the right is only showing one end of the room of course, where most of the chaos reigns, and doesn’t show the bunk to the left which has trays of stuff all over it plus supplies, or the other end of the room which has all the packaging materials, but I am pretty please with how clear it looks. I have a week coming up soon where I can spend a lot more time in here than I have been able to lately, I am so looking forward to that.
What I really want is a ten foot long solid bench, but this room is upstairs and it wouldn’t fit, so I will have to make do with my two work stations at the moment, but I have to say it’s much better than what I used to have to make do with.
Anyway, just thought I’d show the world where I live at the weekends.

What makes my pea pods so unique?

what makes them unique? they are the only pea pods that come in such a range and such a consistent style. You know that if you have become the owner of one, you can buy a matching pea pod in another item.
I have one buyer who bought a pendant last year and has since been back a few times to buy different styles of earrings, I have never had any contact with him, I presume he bought them for his lady and she liked them so now he knows he has a winner for a while

I hear so many lovely stories that go with them, and this is part of the reason for this blog is to recount some of the reasons the different items have come about and some of the stories that go with them.

bracelet

pendant

charm

pea pod keyring

Diamonds are a girls best friend

I have decided to up the game now. I have just received some diamonds, not rocks – it’s true but diamonds nonetheless, and what sparkly little blighters they are too. Sapphires and rubies as well. I have so many ideas, and the weekend to get started on them, so watch this space.

Pea Pod Cufflinks

Pea pod cufflinks

I was having a day off from the jewellery one day, over the Isle of Wight, when my phone went. A lady was getting married in a few weeks and wanted to give her fiance a pair of pea pod cufflinks, as everyone said they were like two peas in a pod, could I make some? At that time I was using toggle style cufflink backs and couldn’t really see how it could work. But I said I would think about it and get back to her. I went home and played around, did some drawings and made up some mocks and they seemed like they would work. She also wanted the date of the wedding engraved on the back. So I went ahead and made them and sent them off. She got back to me delighted. And that was where the cufflinks came from. Since them they have become a firm favourite for wedding day gifts and for valentines days gifts. There was however one fly in the ointment. I was doing a search online to see where they stood in google search and saw my photos but on a site I didn’t know. I went to the site and lo and behold there they were, My cufflinks photos, my descriptions, but apparently being mass produced for pennies in China!! Minimum buying quantities 250! I contacted them, I contacted many people but nothing has happened, they are still there and obviously a con. As were many many other poor etsy sellers cufflinks. This company had stolen totally the photos and descriptions of hundreds of etsy sellers cufflink items. I wrote a long blog piece about it, but to be honest I realised in the end I was just giving them free publicity so I stopped fretting. The problem in selling online is that there are always copies and unscrupulouses, so I slightly changed the design and just moved on, but that’s the story of the pea pod cufflinks.

I think I get some of the loveliest feedback from the cufflinks – I suppose the time they are bought for is one of the most romantic – so maybe that’s why, but I always without fail have the biggest grin across my face when I hear how happy they are.

“Utterly beautiful, have given them to my fiancé to wear on our wedding day  as he calls me and baby bump “sweet pea”. They are beautifully made!”

Fire, spinning, rolling and balls!

While it is true to say that my silver pea pods are the mainstay of my jewellery business, and without them I probably wouldn’t have half the tools I have been able to get, I do love to experiment when I have the chance. So here is what I have been doing; rolling (with the mill) flame throwing to make the lovely little mercury balls (which I have to say for the last 20 years I have had a thing about – what is it that fascinates me with granulation??) and redesigning a ring I made over 15 years ago into a spinner ring!! I would like to have put a gold spinner round but as it was an experiment – gold is an expensive experiment, so maybe next time. Anyway – here are the weekends spoils.

Been playing today

I should have been doing other stuff, but let myself play for a bit! Had the idea of a reversible pendant for a while but wasn’t sure it would work with what I wanted on the front and back, but it’s turned out just how I hoped.
The ring is a mix of all sort of bits and pieces from my bench, a truly recycled piece. Recycled fine silver and recycled sterling, patterned in the rolling mill. Doesn’t fit, so gott find someone to give it to now