I'm in Making Jewellery - Christmas Issue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Way back in August in the chilly, rain lashed days of an English summer, I was lucky enough to be interviewed by Kira Wither-Jones. This week it appears as a full page in the Christmas issue of Making Jewellery Magazine, here in the UK. I'm so proud and delighted they chose me for the Inspirations page
It's taken me 3 days since it arrived to pluck up the courage to read it! In fact I got my friend Sally, my son and my husband to go over it before I did. I don't know what I was nervous about. I was, after all talking about jewellery and I love talking about jewellery
I chose my favourite ring , which I am wearing in the picture, and talked about the inspiration behind it. The part I found most  difficult was giving them a picture of my sketchbook. It's my personal diary of sketches and  ideas and I was nervous about sharing it. I shouldn't have been, it's all good. In fact it's such a fun magazine, I want to do it again,

Page 68, since you ask!

Weekend Deal 10% off at Quercus Silver on Etsy

The Festive Season starts here.
This weekend only, from Friday 13 until Sunday 15th Quercus Silver (that's me!) and many other members of Etsymetal Team are joining in  the Weekend Deals offers on Etsy!
You'll get a mahoosive 10% discount in my shop if you follow these simple steps~
1. Choose your jewellery.
2. Add your items to your cart.
3. When the "Message to Seller" window comes up at time of purchase, write in it: "Weekend Deals."
4. Make your payment.

5. I will refund you 10% of the purchase price through Paypal. Visit the Etsymetal blog to find other jewellers are participating . Settle back and get that shopping done!

BBB is for buttons

I have a secret passion for buttons. My mother's button tin was a source of stories and wonder when I was little. There were army buttons leftover from my Dad's uniform, beautiful crystal buttons from my grandmother's flapper dresses and big bold Bakelite buttons from Mum's old suits and edge to edge coats. It  all seemed so glamorous and exotic,The button box itself was covered in faded, gilded images of the Taj Mahal. It made me yearn for travel and the grown up world.

Well, now I have added to that collection and every new cardigan that I own has it's buttons replaced with something more interesting. My favourites are hand-crafted Dorset buttons from Alix at Big Blue Bed (BBB). They're beautifully made, colourful and I even have a hair clip to match! If you visit her Etsy shop you're sure to find more delights and complete adventures for girls.

The other "C" word

Now, in my family, no-one is allowed to mention the "C" word til after October. If my boys even so much as hum a carol or "ho-ho-ho" before November they're in big trouble. However, in the spirit of parental hypocrisy, I have been doing a little preparation on the quiet. Christmas, Christmas, Christmas. There, I've said it.

I think buying jewellery is very intimate and beautiful wrapping is an important part of the occasion. My husband also thinks all shops should gift-wrap his gifts for him and, come to think of it, that would be good. So, my Christmas wrapping takes a little time and planning.

I started making my little hand stitched bags a couple of weeks ago, because they always take me longer than I think. I love dawdling through our local  quilting shop looking for the perfect festive-but-not-too-obvious fabric. These designs have just enough subtle gold, I think and I've lined them in a contrasting fabric. Hopefully, they'll be re-used and re-cycled.

I found these beautiful handmade papers from India in rich warm shades of green and gold and crimson. Once they're tied with ribbon, it will all come together, all ready to give and to receive.

Let the festive season commence, but please don't tell my boys I used the "C" word.

Conkers, Yeah! It rhymes with bonkers

Conker Originally uploaded by Quercus Silver

Why do the English collect conkers? Why did my eldest son collect 4, yes 4, kilos of them this week, leaping about under the trees in delight at every treasure found? In October, our parks are overrun by a scrabbling of children (and parents) under the trees, And for why? To collect the smooth brown wonders of the horse chestnut tree - conkers. The tourists here in Bath look on, perplexed. The Brit is usually so quiet, sedate and unexcitable. They must wonder "They must eat them, surely? Sell them for vast sums? Use them to make beer? Fuel their fires with them?" Oh no. We drill holes in them, our chidren hang them on a piece of string and do battle with them . Bashing and smashing all comers until they own the last vistorious "Champion Conker" . Now you know , so don't say we don't have a frivolous, competitive side. Why isn't "Conkers" in the London Olympics?

Weekend Deals : FREE Shipping

Just so you know I have FREE WORLDWIDE shipping across my Etsy shop this weekend. September 11th to 13th. So, if you love handmade and original jewellery, please come and have a look at my colourful sterling silver and resin pieces all designed and made by me in this lovely World Heritage city of Bath. I'm also chuffed to bits that my Treasure Box Ring is featured in the Etsy Weekend Deals e-mail and Storque article by the fragrant Mary of Etsy admin. The offer applies to the whole kaboodle - sample sale, custom orders and items in stock. Of course, everything will be beautifully gift-wrapped as usual (even more important if you're thinking of buying a gift for yourself) and international items will be insured and trackable. I've even adjusted the prices in my shop for you , it really couldn't be easier. Happy weekend.

My First Piece of Metalsmithed Jewelry

Etsymetal Team are asking their members about their first ever piece of metal work (see links below). This was my first piece of metalsmithing, some years ago now. It's a bangle made of copper wire soldered and polished.This was the test piece and I then made it in silver. what did it mean to you? It took a lot of courage to sign up to the course and walk into my first class. I really thought metal working was what I wanted to do...................but what if I hated it, or was hopeless at it. I had no plan B. what materials? I worked in copper for the first few weeks, practicing annealing, manipulating , hammering, plaiting, embossing the metal. I remember it as a magical time and I couldn't wait for the next class. were you in class/ home?The class was at the local college here in Bath. 3 hours workshop time per week with Mel Sproat, a fine teacher who has a lot of patience and a huge fund of knowledge. I was fascinated by it all and so worried about getting it right. Ha! Learning to relax, make "mistakes" and value what it taught me was one of the hardest lessons. what would you do different now to it? Hmmm, I still like the simplicity of the design, but the metal is too thin and needs soldering in more places. If I re made it I'd add texture to one strip or maybe use 4 or 5 wave "strips" using mixed metals. Now, that's set me thinking. what did you learn from making it? Ooh, lots about annealing and fire stain and soldering and shaping and just how satisfying I find the whole process. I'm pleased to say I still haven't had to come up with plan "B". These fabulous Etsymetal Team jewellers will be blogging their own stories on this theme on Monday September 7, 2009 http://sarawestermark.blogspot.com/ http://ninagibsondesigns.blogspot.com/ http://daniellemillerjewelry.blogspot.com/ http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com/ http://duckduckgoosestuff.co.uk/duckduckBLOG http://discomedusa.typepad.com/ http://tangerinetreehouse.blogspot.com/ http://gentrydesignco.typepad.com/ http://andescruz.wordpress.com/ http://cynthiadelgiudice.blogspot.com/ http://elizabethrosasjewelry.blogspot.com/ http://ninadinoff.blogspot.com/ http://clarestoker.blogspot.com/ http://kerinrose.blogspot.com/