My best friend Morgan’s sister has a birthday today (happy birthday, Dyl!) and Morgan wanted me to create the perfect piece for her. We had lots of ideas, and in the end this square domed ring was the fav.
I think Dylan may have suggested the domed square – at first I didn’t think it could be done. After I gave it more thought, I realised of course it could!
I love this ring, I think it’s really effective and stunning. It may inspire a new collection!
Red Phone (photo credit Jake Cecil)
The Red Cross. Celebrating 100 years of helping people here in Australia in 2014, they’re a household name and a bit of an icon!
Red Cross Australia help people nationally and globally. They provide assistance in many diverse areas. We’ve all had some experience with them, whether they’ve helped in a time of need, or you’ve seen their humanitarian work on TV. As well as providing timely assistance in times of disaster, the little daily services provided are just as laudable. Someone very close to me, due to her age, receives a daily phone call from a Red Cross volunteer just to check that she is ok.
Red Cross Australia began as a branch of the British Red Cross Society on 13 August 1914 at Government House, Melbourne, nine days after the outbreak of World War I. Throughout the decades, The Red Cross have focused on social welfare, national emergencies, natural disasters, building the blood bank and first aid programs. Today one million Red Cross members, volunteers, donors, staff, blood donors, recipients and supporters make a positive difference to the lives of people in need every day.
From responding to large scale disasters to tackling disadvantage and helping vulnerable children and supporting families facing personal crisis, The Red Cross are there for everyone in need. Their watchwords are humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. To me, all of these traits are most admirable in a charitable organisation!
I urge you to consider The Red Cross as a great organisation to donate to. It doesn’t have to be monetary – giving blood is a great way to help out. I went just the other day, and it really isn’t a big deal – plenty of TLC and snacks provided, too!
This month, 10% of all The Silver Forge sales will be donated to Red Cross Australia. If you’d like to treat yourself to a little something, and help a very worthy cause, head over to The Silver Forge shop now!
Yippee! The Silver Forge will be at the Young Designers Market in Little Stanley Street, at South Bank, Brisbane, between 10am and 4pm on Sunday April 6th (that’s this weekend!).
Gorgeous handmade things to be picked up, and a wonderful walk around Southbank is always lovely. Make sure you stop at my stall for a chat, won’t you!
One of my lovely customers, Trish, previously ordered these clip-on earrings from me, and liked them so much she wanted another pair!
These Czech glass leaves are sweet, and look great as a dangle earring.
Thanks, Trish, and I hope you enjoy them as much as your first ones!
The process of creating is sometimes more intricate than you might think when looking at the final object, so I thought we’d take a look at how chain is handmade.
To start, I use some lengths of wire (which is made by rolling a block of silver repeatedly in the same direction through a rolling mill, until it is thin enough to draw through a draw-plate down to the right dimension).
After annealing the wire (a process where the wire is heated to a dark red to line the molecules up, making the silver malleable), I pickle it, by placing the metal in an acid solution to remove any oxidisation, dirt, or flux.
I then wrap it around a steel post of a suitable diameter (this tool is called a jump ring maker, and comes with steel posts of varying widths).
Once the wire is wrapped into shape, I remove it from the steel rod.
I saw each link with a jeweller’s saw.
Each link is individually created.
After a tidy up of the links if required, I join them together, in this case in a specific mathematical combination. (I love how science, maths and creativity collide!)
Once all the links are joined, I make sure the chain is the correct length.
Then I solder each link closed. Yes, each and every link! In this case, that means around two hundred and eighty links to be made, joined and soldered individually.
Once that is complete, the final links are added which join the chain together in a specific way to create the spiral effect. Then it’s back in the pickle for another bath, followed by some time in the tumbler, to polish and harden the chain. (I’ll post about my tumbler another day, I promise!)
The finished product is quite spectacular, IMHO. You can see more pics of this twisted spiral chain technique being used here and here. I love what I do!
I was recently asked if I could support a breast cancer awareness event, “Breast Friends Day”, which is been held in Cloncurry, North West Queensland. All proceeds to this event are donated to The McGrath Foundation, considered to be one of Australia’s leading breast cancer support organisations with over 25,000 Australian families supported by McGrath Foundation nurses nationally in the past 4 years. The Foundation raises money to place Breast Care Nurses in rural and remote communities throughout Australia, and to increase breast awareness in young women.
I was very happy to donate a Silver Forge gift voucher to help with this very worthy cause. “Breast Friends Day” takes place on the 22 March in Cloncurry. Gates open at 11.00am. If you’re up that way, do call in and check it out!
I created this sterling silver button ring for a customer, to replace a costume jewellery piece that she loved but that had broken.
At 37mm across, it’s a lovely big ring – simple and a great statement piece.
I enjoyed making this ring, thank you Debbie!
When I came across this beautiful piece of chrysocolla, I just knew I had to have it! My mum has a gorgeous close-up print of the bark of a gum tree hanging in her house, and this reminded me very much of that.
After some deliberation, and some collaboration, I created this pendant for her.
I was really happy with the way this piece turned out – I think it is one of my favs so far!
I’m happy to say The Silver Forge will be at the Young Designers Market again – this lovely market is on in Little Stanley Street, at South Bank, Brisbane, between 10am and 4pm on Sunday March 2nd.
A beautiful stroll through the parklands, and the most divine collection of handmade goodies. Make sure you stop by The Silver Forge stall and say hello, won’t you!
My good friend Narelle asked if I could create a pendant for her to give to a good friend of hers.
Narelle sent me some sketches of ideas she had, and we agreed on this design, which incorporates the first initial of the name of each of the members of the family.
I’m pleased with the way this one turned out, I think it’s effective – and I do love peridot! Thanks, Nez!