Tourmalinated quartz is such a lovely stone, and when my gorgeous client Jane chose this one from my gemstone collection for a ring to replace one that we had an issue with, I was very happy to create with it!
I still get such a buzz out of every ring that I make.
If you need one of your own, let me know!
My Granny likes opals, (I created this opal ring for her a few years ago), and I wanted to create her a ring that she could wear each day.
She admired this opal ring I made a dear friend, so I thought she would like one of her own! This stone is a boulder opal, which is found only here in Queensland, Australia.
I love my dearest Granny! xx
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.
One of my clients asked if I could create a pair of earrings to match this raw ruby ring.
I was able to source her some matching cabochons, and here is the end result!
I think they turned out pretty well. I was fond of that ring, too, so it was nice to see it going off to a good home!
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!
When I started attending the Goldsmith’s School in Brisbane back in 2005, the first piece that everyone made was a plain half round ring. This is known in the trade as a ‘wedder’ (as it is a basic wedding ring.) The ‘half round’ refers to the profile of the ring.
It is possible to use a rolling mill and roll wire to be half round, which is the easy way to make one of these rings; we started with a thicker, flat piece of metal, shaped it into a ring, then filed and emeried until it was half round – it’s a good way to learn those basic techniques, and also to get an understanding of the complexities of silversmithing.
I made this ring to give to my son at the time – I don’t think it would even fit onto his pinkie finger these days!
I’m amazed to find that three years have passed since I opened The Silver Forge. I finally found what I want to be when I grow up! To be able to send my creations out into the wide world for others to enjoy makes the already zen experience of silversmithing just perfect.
A great big thank you to everyone who visits this website, browses, emails me, buys things; everyone who likes my FaceBook page, likes my posts, comments on them, shares them; everyone who follows me on Instagram, Twitter, and other social media; everyone who subscribes to my newsletter, new release update email, and blog updates; everyone who comes to me with their custom piece requests; everyone who makes donations to my worthy causes, and for all the other forms of love and support you’ve shown; I appreciate each and every one of you ~ thank you all from the bottom of my heart!
I love the challenge of creating custom pieces for my lovely clients; and in between times I love to make new creations for my online shop. I even get time to build the occasional piece for myself!) I am also proud to have supported a number of worthy causes this year – I try to help spread a bit of peace and love in our crazy world, and sometimes the best way to do that is to support others who are making a difference.
As a way of saying thank you to all you lovely people for your ongoing support, I am offering 40% off all drusy pieces until the end of May. Just use coupon code DRUSY40 at the checkout.
As part of the celebrations, I am also giving away two pairs of Czech glass earrings to two lucky winners. All you have to do is to be signed up to receive my monthly newsletter ~ and you can do that here if you’re not already subscribed!
I hope you all have a most excellent month, full of joy and wonder. Thanks again to you all!!
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!
23 Jul 2012
For a while now, I’ve been taking random pictures of my workspace. Sometimes I post these on my Instagram page, and sometimes on my FaceBook page; but I thought it was time I posted them here for you to see. Look how clean my workspace was only a few months after I first got my jeweller’s bench set up! Look at that nice new engraving ball.
2 Jul 2013
A year later, and I’ve achieved the more lived in look. All clean work in progress mess of course! I spy the beginnings of the Elementals collection.
24 Jan 2014
As time goes on, storage becomes more of an issue, as you can see by the stacks of boxes full of Czech glass.
28 Feb 2014
Here you can see my jump ring winder… and I think those are parts of this bracelet and ring combination piece.
03 May 2014
That’s a wax stick for stone setting you see there amongst the tools and bits and pieces. I was working on this chrysocolla pendant amongst other things here!
15 May 2014
More joy, and more pieces in the works.. including this peacock blue round drusy ring, and this stormy blue oval one. That’s my ring sizing equipment in the top left hand corner.
19 Sep 2014
Besser brick is not very exciting, but I brighten up my space with a fabulous piece painted by a three year old, and I love my beautiful Granny’s landscape oil painting of the cliffs at Fairlight – it is calming and inspirational. And yes, I do drink a lot of tea!