I received an email from Sharon recently, asking if I could make a ring for her similar to this one which I created for her daughter.
Sharon wanted the same style, but a grey pearl instead of a cream one.
I love the luminescence of the pearl against the silky feel of the silver.
Thanks, Sharon, it was lovely to make this ring for you!
I received a request to make a pendant with an Australian theme for a wee Irish girl. I designed this little gumleaf pendant for her.
I didn’t want to be too typically Australian, and liked the subtlety of the gumleaves and gumnuts.
The initial idea for the leaf construction came from a good friend and ex-classmate. Thanks, Fiona!
I made one of these silver sphere pendants for my mother-in-law for Christmas. In the rush, I didn’t have time to photograph it.
Providentially, it was accidentally lost, and she asked if I could make another one!
It is hollow inside. I love the soft finish.
I’m thinking of adding these to the shop – let me know if you’re interested!
Mandrels are tapered steel rods, which come in various shapes and sizes. I have three round ones, which go from a millimetre or so up to maybe 40mm in diameter.
Using either my wooden mallet, which will reshape silver but not stretch or resize it, or my bench hammer, which will both shape and stretch the silver to a different size, I use my mandrels to shape bezels, shanks and various other things as I am creating a piece. I even bend my round hoop earrings on my mandrel!
You can get oval mandrels, square mandrels, teardrop shaped mandrels, hexagonal mandrels.. I do have another one or two on my wish list, but for now I love my round mandrels!
The Mountain Kids are a fantastic brother and sister team, aged 5 and 7, who have their own great JuniorMadeIt shop on MadeIt.com.au.
I got to know of them as I have become fast online friends with their lovely mum (Kylie from Raw Toys), and after checking out their newly opened shop, Mountain Kids Creations, and the lovely goodies within, I commissioned them to make me this divine rainbow necklace.
I just love it! When I’m not wearing it, it hangs in my study and brings me joy each day!
The Mountain Family came to my place the other day, as they were interested to see what a silversmith at work looks like. It was such a pleasure to meet them in real life! I gave them a tour of my workshop and a bit of a demonstration. A few days later, and what did I find in the mail, but a lovely thank you card, and this divine bracelet.
I truly feel blessed to know such a lovely bunch of people. Do pop over and check out The Mountain Kid’s shop, and if you find yourself a little something, you’ll be helping them support the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, too. Thanks, Mountain Kids, you rock!!
I was recently contacted by Kelly, who is arranging a fundraiser at Vani-T Emporium in Glenelg to raise much needed funds for HeartKids. HeartKids are dedicated to providing support, encouragement and hope to families of children with heart disease, while raising awareness and providing vital funding into researching the causes of this chronic disease.
Kelly was looking for raffle prizes, and I was happy to donate these two pairs of earrings to this worthy cause. Good luck, HeartKids, I hope the fundraiser is very successful!
Adam wanted a special ring for his wife for their 15th wedding anniversary which is coming up soon.
Adam told me he would like a Tree of Life ring, and sent me a few pictures that he liked. Keeping those in mind, I designed a ring for him.
What a lovely idea for a wedding anniversary gift, so personal and unique!
Strawberry Quartz Rough (photo credit Promiseintime)
Strawberry quartz is sagenitic quartz, a transparent colourless quartz containing needlelike crystals, in this case red inclusions of iron oxide.
Strawberry Quartz Pebbles (photo credit Crystal Lovers)
The bright color of genuine strawberry quartz is accentuated by small seedlike inclusions of lepidocrocite and haematite. It is most often found in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Brazil.
Strawberry Quartz Point (photo credit Rob Lavinsky)
Strawberry quartz can be soothing and calming. It apparently enhances intentions of love, gratitude and generosity.
Strawberry Quartz Sphere (photo credit Crystal Cure)
Some people wear Strawberry quartz when trying to attract a soul-mate. Strawberry quartz is thought to assist in bringing balance to the psyche and the emotions.
Strawberry Quartz (photo credit CrystalRocksandGems)
I have a gorgeous little strawberry quartz cabochon available to be made into a ring or pendant – more info on that here.
Charlotte contacted me recently, as she had been looking for a special ring for a while, had come across this website and liked the look of some of my domed pieces. We designed a ring to suit her, combining elements of two other rings that I have in my Beyond Silver Dome collection.
Charlotte just picked her ring up today, and she’s very happy with it! So glad. Thanks, Charlotte!
I saw a request from Camille, my fellow MadeIt seller from the gorgeous CurlyPops, asking for donations for a raffle and trivia night being held for the Heart and Lung Transplant Trust. Camille has recently undergone a double lung transplant, and I was happy to do something, however small to help by donating a pair of earrings.
Almost $2500 was raised, which is enough to cover the accommodation costs for one transplant recipient and their carer (from country Victoria or interstate) who are required to live close to the hospital for 3 months post transplant. Well done, Camille and the team! Do consider giving support if you can, and I strongly urge everyone who is not already signed up to get yourselves on the Organ Donor Register.Talk to your loved ones today. Maybe your legacy could be that you save some lives.