Earlier in the year I had a weekend away with some of my closest high school friends ~ some of whom I had not seen for thirty years! We felt just as in tune and had just as much fun as we did way back at school, and I feel totally fortunate to have such beautiful people in my life.
I wanted to create us all a memento of our weekend, and the girls chose forget-me-nots – so apt!
I loved making these – I love all the recipients, too. Happy days!
I have a lovely sister, who has two lovely girls – my twin nieces.
I made this pendant for my sister’s birthday this year.
I saw two little girls with their heads together, reading or doing something crafty – although they could be dancing, or kissing. I love all three of those girls, super-much!
It’s not often you get asked to handcraft a llama!
I was commissioned by a lovely client to create this pendant as a farewell gift for a psychodrama therapist, who also breeds llamas. Yes, a psychodrama llama farmer.
I was very taken, both by the notion, and by the recipient! A joy to create.
At the Goldsmith’s School I studied at, the second piece that all students created was a pendant. We were asked to come up with a couple of designs, bearing in mind that we would have to cut the pieces out of sheet metal with a jeweller’s saw. Good to see I’ve had the spiral theme going for a long time!
After cutting out the circle for the base layer of the pendant, I stippled it by hammering with a stippling tool (a steel rod with a design carved into one end) all over the metal. Then I cut out the top layer, and soldered it and a a simple cup hook bail on (with some assistance from the teachers!)
I was always very taken with how, out of a room full of people given the same basic brief, so many very different pieces come to life. I’m still pretty fond of this piece, although I don’t wear it very often – perhaps I should get it out!
A client emailed me to ask if I could help her with a costume jewellery piece she loved that had deteriorated and could no longer be worn.
As she could’t replace the piece, and it had been created in a cheap base metal, I was happy to replicate it for her in sterling silver.
Now it should last forever. Ah, the joys of working with precious metal!
I was approached by a new father, who wanted to have a special piece made for his partner to celebrate the birth of their first child.
The design idea started with the baby’s birthstone, which is garnet, and her mother’s love of water. I provided a few quick sketches, and the lovely dad and I worked together to finalise the design.
The baby’s name is stamped on the back of the pendant, making it the perfect piece to treasure for a lifetime!
I created this pendant for my client Nick using a star sapphire that was his mum’s, which has great emotional value to him. It was previously set in a ring; and then in a bangle which had seen better days.
I was able to free the stone, and send it down to my lovely friend Annaig of Annaig’s Gemstudio to have a little gem-cutting done. Annaig worked her magic and made the back of the stone flat so that I could bezel set it.
I know Nick was really happy with the end result, and so am I – a modern masculine look for a treasured sapphire! Thanks to Annaig, and to another lovely friend, Lisa of Springwood Porcelain, who referred Nick to me!
One of my lovely clients (for whom I have created a number of pieces including this pendant) asked me to create a pendant for her to give to her mother in memory of her father.
Her dad would give her mum roses all the time when they were dating.
What a gorgeous sentiment. Thank you Lithy!
One of my lovely clients selected this gorgeous piece of shattuckite from my gemstone collection, and asked me to create her a pendant with it.
There is something wonderful about being able to create something to wear from some pieces of rock and metal from the ground!
Thanks Katrina, I hope you are still enjoying your pendant!
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