Thursday 16 December 2010

silver ring snaps and a bit flies across the kitchen!

The saga with the silver ring continues. When I was trying to solder the flower with purple heart zircona (made of silver art clay) I managed to solder it with the heart in the wrong direction. With the help of Richard we tried to unsolder it but must have heated the ring too much and it split and a bit of it flew across the kitchen. Neither of us were wearing safety goggles - a lesson learned there! Anyway, I googled how to unsolder and we managed to remove the bit that was left on the ring and although the ring is no more, the flower and purple heart are doing fine. After that episode I decided I was trying to run before I could walk and have been making silver rings with 1mm sterling silver wire, fitting them together like jump rings and then firing them with easy solder from a syringe. Then I pickle them and file and sand paper them and hammer them with my texture hammer. I have made some earrings and a pendant necklace. See piccies. I also made my own head pins by heating the end of 0.8mm wire with my torch until a little ball of silver forms and my own earwires for the earrings. All good fun. I have ordered some copper sheet from Cooksons to take to Somerset on Friday so that I can practise sawing shapes out of the copper with my jewellery saw.
The first picture is Richard snoozing the day after his office dinner dance joined by Megan who decided to sleep on his back!
Got the National Express coach from Victoria to Southampton last Thursday for a 'girls night out'. I stayed with young Wend who I have mentioned before. We had champagne at Pam and Dave's house and then a lovely meal in the Ferry Boat Inn. Got the coach back at 11am the next morning feeling slightly the worse for wear but slept most of the journey. My coach trip cost £14 return - amazing value considering the prices for the trains to Southampton! The 3rd picture is Pam, Penny and Wendy on the sofa (starting from the left).
I did a Christmas selling day at a bank in the city last Tuesday. I sold a couple of pairs of earrings and a ring which was disappointing but I handed by business card out to lots of people so you never know.
Off to Somerset on Friday and staying until 3rd January next year! Nothing to do but make jewellery, eat and drink - utter bliss. It has been great chatting to you and I hope to get a few more followers next year - thanks Claire! XXX
HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thursday 2 December 2010

Anvil on my knee!

Back again! What a day I've had. I decided to make a ring from sterling silver 2.5mm wire, solder it together (scary) and then solder an art clay (fine silver) flower or similar to it. I made a flower and circle and couple of small ovals, stuck some zirconas into them and left them in the airing cupboard to dry out. Then I started on the ring. I found I could cut the wire with my shears to avoid sawing it. It was already annealed so I could avoid heating and pickling it. All going well. Then I found that having made it into a ring shape it was too big so I would have to saw some off. I had to fix the bench peg into the anvil and fix them to my desk. It seemed very secure. I attached a saw blade to my saw and, resting on the bench peg, attempted to saw the metal. Suddenly the anvil flew off the desk and landed with a thud on my left knee - arggghhhhh. The pain was horrendous.
This afternoon I took the dogs to the park with my camera and took some great shots - see attached. When we got back I shut the bedroom doors as their feet were covered in ice, water and pink grit. I decided to shower Sophie's legs to remove the lumps of ice from her fur and when I came out of the bathroom I found that Megan had come in and decided to dance all over the bedclothes that were fresh on yesterday. Bit like the advert but no quite that bad. Life can be so cruel sometimes - damned dog!
Did a couple of craft shows. Wells was a bit of a disaster - not well advertised, not well attended and I only sold some rings and earrings. Not worth the £116 paid for the stand. Everyone left early. Then I did the village hall Xmas fayre where Richard played Father Christmas and my sister Gill helped me. Not bad, but not as good as last year.
Not sure if I mentioned my silver jewellery making class at the London Jewellery School in Hatton Garden. Had a great time - loved making the ring and pendant - in fact haven't taken the ring off since I made it!!! Richard has bought me all the equipment I need to get started as my Christmas pressie. Round in a full circle back to the anvil on my knee. If I ever get the ring made I will put a picture on this blog!!!

Wednesday 17 November 2010

Sophie has her staple removed

Here we are again. Big news is that Richard removed Sophie's staple so we didn't have to spend money at the vets. He used my jewellery pliers and cutters and she didn't feel a thing. She is all back to normal now, barking at every dog she meets!
Cabbages and Frocks market was OK but not brilliant - sold a couple of pairs of earrings so didn't even cover the cost of my stall again. Too many jewellery stalls, that's the problem - it was also very cold. Me and Lisa had a good time but I don't think I will do another outside stall.
The good news is that I am doing better with online sales on my website. People seem to be buying for Christmas now which is great.
Off to Somerset again on Friday. I am doing The Best of Wells show at the Bishop's Palace in Wells. A very grand building. I am hoping for a good turn out and good sales.
After that we are doing the village Christmas fair in Queen Camel. Richard plays Father Christmas and I sell jewellery. We would like to use S&M as elves or reindeer but have been told that's not appropriate - only joking!!
I am doing a beginners silver jewellery class tomorrow at the London Jewellery School in Hatton Garden. Looking forward to it as I want to be able to make sterling silver rings and bangles using silver sheet instead of silver art clay. I'll let you know how I get on.
The picture is me and Lisa on our stall in Marylebone and the jewellery are some items that I made recently (more info on my website www.lynettejewel.com

Friday 5 November 2010

Cabbages and Frocks again!

Yes, it's back - Cabbages and Frocks market tomorrow. I am running the stall with my niece Lisa and we are hoping the weather will be good to us. Sunny, not too cold and definitely no rain!! This has to be a great time to sell jewellery to people looking for Christmas presents.
Have made lots of pearl jewellery lately. See photos. The mulberry pearls are such a lovely colour.
Went to my friend Beryl's birthday party 2 weeks ago - see photos. We stayed with Wend and Pam and Dave were there. Had a lot of laughs. Beryl loved the pearls I made for her - see photo.
Last weekend we went back to Somerset and Sophie got bitten by a greyhound. She now has a staple in her side which will have to be removed on Monday - bet that's going to be painful!
Piccies are me and Wend, me and Richard, Pam and Dave and Beryl and her son Stephen - who was also having a birthday! Beryl's pressie is the necklace, bracelet and earrings set.
I'll let you know how we get on tomorrow.

Thursday 21 October 2010

Busy selling jewellery

Wow - that was a big gap! I did the Cabbages and Frocks market with Jo on 25th September. Did OK - one lady bought 3 of my wire rings and I sold a necklace and a bracelet. There were a lot of people walking through but not many people buying. It was a sunny day but cold - my feet were numb - must wear thick socks and walking boots next time!
Mary Clare Buckle has sold 4 of the items I left with her in Abbotsbury which is OK.
I then went back to Somerset and did the Dorset Arts and Crafts Show in Sherborne. Not very busy, and not many people buying. I sold a ring and a pair of earrings in two days. Very disheartening. I did sell 7 of my wire rings to a shop in Sherborne called Mabers.
Off to Southampton on Saturday to stay with Wend again and we are all going to Beryl's birthday party. Then I have another Cabbages and Frocks market on 6th November with my niece Lisa. Hopefully people will be buying Xmas pressies by then. Hope its not too cold.
While I was away I made some lovely things with garnets - see piccies.

Friday 24 September 2010

Back from Nice

Hi - had a wonderful time in Nice. Lovely hotel on the front, great crowd of people and wonderful weather who could ask for more! Only problem was that someone stole the tour guide's bags containing, not only her passport, money and credit cards but also our return rail tickets from Nice to Paris and Paris to London - all first class seats but of course the French railway people insisted that we all had to pay again for the first lot of tickets and some of us had to re-pay for our Eurostar tickets as well! They did let Rosie back into the country without her passport - nightmare journey home - not sure about rail travel now - seems as bad as flying! Maybe we will stick to cruising. Attaching some piccies of our trip. The first one is a bunch of us having a drink on the terrace outside the hotel. The second is the casino in Monaco where we lost 50 euros at roulette. The third is me and Richard having a mega expensive lunch on the beach at Cannes and the final one is all of us stuck by the Eurostar terminal in Paris for two hours!!! Working hard for the Cabbages and Frocks market on Saturday - I hope the weather clears up as it's terrible here at the moment. Jo (Richard's daughter) is helping me on the day so it will be good to have someone younger on my stall!
S&M had a fab holiday in Camden but they are not liking this rain. Have made a couple of new rings and some earrings this week. I will let you know how I get on on Saturday.

Friday 10 September 2010

must show you this before we're off on holiday!

S&M are ready and waiting for Victoria to collect them for their holiday in Camden! Tomorrow morning we set off for the South of France. In the meantime, check out this wonderful necklace I have just managed to make before we go. In the process of wiring on the plum heart in the middle of the silver plated heart I stabbed myself in the finger with the wire - don't worry though, I have washed all the blood off ha ha!

Wednesday 8 September 2010

Weekend at Wend's

pearl bracelet
pearl necklace
bridesmaids
the happy couple
Pam & Dave
Sophie swimming!
Richard with S&M Me & Wend
Had a lovely weekend with Wendy and also managed to get together with friends Pam and Dave on the Sunday for a lovely ferry ride over to Hamble and a very boozy lunch in the pub. Unfortunately the weather wasn't good but we managed to go to Southsea on the Saturday. A good time was had by all (including S&M). They were very well behaved apart from spending the nights on Wend's bed!
Then last weekend was my niece Claire and Rhys' wedding in Wales. They were so lucky with the weather last Saturday and everything went wonderfully, having been organised by Claire. I made Claire's earrings and bracelet and also the bridesmaids earrings and necklaces. (see pictures).
We are off on holiday to Nice in the South of France on Saturday. The weather is forecast to be very good so I hope they are right. S&M are staying with Victoria in Camden for 8 days. They love her so much they almost don't want to come home. S&M stayed in kennels when we went to Wales for the wedding - they seemed OK afterwards but very pleased to see us!
Have managed to make some jewellery - lots of bracelets. I'll be back after the holiday. XX

Friday 20 August 2010

So many weddings, so little time!

Had another wedding last weekend. This time it was Richard's eldest daughter Joanne. She married Jac in Sussex and we all had a wonderful time. We are still getting over it! When you get older it takes so much longer to get over a mega drinking session! Jo and Jac had a photo booth at the wedding and had to censor some of the piccies. There is one of me snogging my sister in law though - think that should have been censored.
This weekend we are off to stay with my friend Wend near Southampton. Sounds like another boozy weekend. Piccies to follow!
Whilst getting over my boozing I have managed to make some jewellery, see pictures. I never thought I was capable of making chain maille but this pattern is quite easy and looks good.
S&M are coming with us to see Wend - hate to think what they will get up to!