Leaves are Falling

 

Happy Wednesday folks! 

I'm in the middle of a two-weekend show on Facebook with my friends Lucy Haslam and Helen Backhouse. Inspired by the books/TV series 'Outlander' and set mainly in the Scottish Highlands at the time of the Battle of Culloden, then moving via France to Northern America, it's natural that I've included a number of pieces of work using designs based on heather, leaves and wood. 

These two new pairs of earrings are coming up this weekend in Part II - both using new, stained glass effect polymer clay leaves by Helen Backhouse. 

The top pair are lusciously long but light as a feather, using sigid wood tubes and Vintaj copper beadcaps, wound with silver/copper fancy headpins and swarowski crystals, hung on matching aqua niobium earwires. 

The second pair have more purple in them - I had these perfect stained glass effect lampwork beads by Leese Mahoney and again used copper beadcaps and the silver/copper headpins with swarowski crystals. The earwires are purple niobium. 

We all need some colour in our life at the moment. Hope you can join us over in The Very Nice Group this weekend. 

                                                              Take care out there. 

                                                                   Lindsay xx

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Haunted House

 Hallowe'en is fast approaching and time for one of my favourite designs - my Haunted Houses! I begin with polymer clay door and tower by Helen Backhouse, and add ceramic skull and flying bats by Jana Bliznakova. The orange pumpkin is one of my last from Jetta Sellars. 

               Add a fancy copper key in case you dare to unlock the door to the house of horrors! 

These are available now in my Etsy shop in good time for posting. See you again in two weeks and as always, please stay safe. 

                                                                   Lindsay xx

Jungle Fever

Last weekend in our Facebook Group my friend Lucy Haslam organised an art challenge based on colour and texture. It was very popular, with many of our group members joining in and producing some very fine work. Seems that lockdown really did bring out the creativity in us.

I'd got quite hooked on using textiles in my designs for the challenge so I carried on with the theme for todays blog post.

 

 

 

 

 





I layered black and animal print recycled sari silks, secured with oxidised copper wire to lovely twisted copper rings by Louise Goodchild. Above lie small amber Czech glass beads and etched black lampwork barrels by Joanne Joyce. Very swishy!

You can find them in My Etsy shop.

 

                             Hope you are all keeping safe - see you again in two weeks. 

 

                                                                     Lindsay x 

 

                                                                    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aztecs

Feeling like a complete change from what I've been working on lately - lots of soft blues and greens, pearls, wood, natural colours and seaside designs - I was itching to use some bright colours and geometric shapes.

I came across these lovely hand painted ceramic teardrops with Aztec patterns. The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico from 1300 to 1521. They made use of various designs in their warrior drawings,  paintings and the pictographs that adorned the walls of their temples. But bold and colourful was the name of their game. 

         For my first pair, I went long with bright copper twisted rings and  sunny yellow ceramic beads.

The second, clashing blues, pinks and red! The collars are wood, the beads Czech glass and vintage black ceramics.

Thirdly, moody grey, black and blood red with Czech glass, vintage ceramics and dark silver earwires. 

And lastly, a gorgeous green where the pyramid beads echo the border - those top beads are beautifully faceted vintage onyx. Again, with dark silver earwires. All the heavy duty dark ball end headpins are from Faerystones.

The drops are very versatile, and lend themselves to a variety of designs - you can really have some fun  with these, mixing and matching the block colours and shapes. Clash, contrast, or complement, they are colourful, striking and very cheerful. And boy, do we need cheer at the moment.

They'll be making their way over to my Etsy shop some time today. See you again in two weeks, and please take care everyone.

                                                           Lindsay xx

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Starlink

Mooching around on my bead table this week, not knowing what to make for the blog. Needing the boost of something new when I hear our lovely postman coming up the path and whoa! My headpin order has arrived from Kim Rogers. And just look at those colours and textures! The swirls of acid green were crying out for the green Basha Beads.

I wanted to represent the Starlink satellites that are orbiting close to earth at the moment - my smaller grandson is sitting outside scanning the sky for them as I write.
The pale blue I picked out with roman glass; the larger, 'orbiting' black discs are coco shell and the smaller obsidian.

I hope Oscar got to spot the satellite; small boys' memories are made of moments like this. Hope to see you again  in two weeks - stay safe, everyone.

                                                                              Lindsay x

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Telling the Runes

Runes are the letters in a related set of alphabets known as runic alphabets, used to write various Germanic languages before the adoption of Latin, and used for specialised purposes afterwards. The earliest date from 150 AD onwards, found in Denmark and Germany. They were still used in rural Sweden for decorative purposes well into the 20th c.

I came across these gorgeous, pitted ancient looking beads while browsing Etsy. This one is Kenaz - the rune for creativity or knowledge. Josephine Wadman makes a selection of them them to order (and yes, I do have more!)

I wanted to express the nature of creativity with them so the earrings contain one of my favourite things to work with - Lucy Haslams 'punkies'. She know I love all things gothic and made some of these specially  for me to use as connectors - I've had large and small, long and short and love them all.  I'm not giving away her special recipe but there's a lot of  soldering going on...….and each one is unique, the very essence of creativity.

Natural stones seemed 'right' with these so I used slabs of silverleaf jasper, and beads of warm jasper and dark haematite.  The 'create' tag is pewter. And of course, vintaj chain. Great earthy colours.

                    I'll be popping these in my Etsy shop forthwith. See you again in two weeks!

                                                                           Lindsay x

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Indian Summer

We were certainly having an Indian Summer here last week - warm and sunny enough to get out on our bikes to the local wildlife reserve, sit and watch the swans gliding regally over the water. Leaves are turning from green to gold and red, berries are ripening, and there are some fabulous textures around as well.

Todays earrings are full of texture - Helen Backhouse wrapped polymer clay that has been textured with silk fabric and coloured perfectly for the season. The 'stamens' are Kimberly Rogers lampwork headpins. Lucy Haslam's dark copper earwires and crusty rusty czech glass finish them perfectly.  

The second pair are again Helen's polymer clay, textured with her grandmother's old silk bedspread. Beautiful brocade-like deep green, perfect with malachite, vintage venetian gilt collars and tiny beaten brass drops from Bernie Ryman.

Both pairs will be available in our upcoming 'Indian Summer' show this weekend over in The Very Nice group in Facebookland. Hope you can join Helen, Lucy and me on a brief tour of India and it's vibrant colours.
                                                  Keep well, and see you in two weeks.

                                                                      Lindsay x

                                                           
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One Day in September

It's not hard to find inspiration for earrings at the moment. I'd nothing ready for today, but doing a bit of deadheading and clipping back in the garden this morning, it was all around me. I decided to make a pair to reflect what was going on - it was warm and sunny, leaves were a mixture of green and red, butterflies were fluttering around the last flowers on the buddleias, and there were even a few ladybirds left - it's been a very good year for them. Noisy starlings were squabbling over the bird feeder. Bliss.

It also gives me the opportunity to introduce you to a new ceramicist - ceramiky, from Poland.

The first pair use Ceramiky connectors - rich and rustic - with Czech glass and lampwork leaves, a tiny brass bird atop a lampwork 'nest' by Julia Hay, dark copper leaf by Lucy Haslam, peridot, a dark copper butterfly and tiny Czech glass ladybird. Just fun! Then I couldn't resist another pair; these have ceramic leaves by Michelle McCarthy, fabulous picture jasper beads and those tiny ladybirds creeping up the connectors. 

 

 

I'm really making the most of the garden now, as it won't last too much longer. she says sadly! At least the earrings will last all year round, and they're available my Etsy shop.

 

 

See you in two weeks time; take care

 

Lindsay xx

 

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My Generation

From 15th to 18th August 1969, 400,000 music fans descended on a farmers field in Woodstock, New York, for three days of peace, love and music. Probably the most influential music festival ever held, it became legendary. I'm of that generation - in 1969 I was 18, just left sixth form after my A Levels, about to get engaged and life was magic, with music playing a huge part of it. Many of the bands playing were favourites - The Who, Jimi Hendrix (I'd seen him on tour in the UK a couple of years before, lying flat on the stage, playing his guitar behind his back !) Joe Cocker, Joan Baez, Janis Joplin - the list goes on.
This weeks earrings remind me of a 60's fad that I still love - tie dye. We dyed everything that stood still long enough - t shirts, skirts, shoes, you name it.  And of course, Jon Burgess components are recycled electronic bits with polymer clay - we recycled or re-used pretty much everything in those pre-plastic days. Anyone else make hippie necklaces from dried melon seeds? 
The beautiful mismatched lampwork in greens and blues is by Joanne Joyce, with African turquoise and raw rubies. I've played around with wiring them upside down.

 

 

 

 

 

A fun pair of earrings. Were you lucky enough to be at Woodstock? If so, share your memories with us!

These will be on sale in our Woodstock 50 show over on Facebook this weekend in The Very Nice Group - come and join in the nostalgia. 

 

Lindsay x

 

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My Etsy shop 

Industrial Decline

This week I was looking back on some old Instagram posts from a visit to Liverpool, where we stayed at the Titanic Hotel, beautifully and evocatively converted from an old rum warehouse.  Back in the 18th and early 19th century, Liverpool  Docklands were once a hub for the import of rum, tobacco, and slaves, and an exit point for emigrants crossing the Atlantic to the New World. Many of the huge old warehouses now lie dormant, rusted and overgrown, but are slowly being brought back into use as hotels and apartments, part of Liverpool's economic and cultural revival.

I was inspired to make a few pairs of earrings to reflect the architecture and colours; lots of old chain, rusty metal, algae, decay, decline. I saved this pair for the blog. 

 

 

 

The focals are Kim Rogers lampwork paizools, rusty and crusty. Tears, for a dying shipping industry. Tears, for those forced into slavery, to whom Liverpool has dedicated a Museum.  There's a nice ginger/rusty patina on the copper washers and earwires by  Lucy Haslam.

 

Those top beads are wonderfully marked leopardskin jasper. An evocative pair of earrings.

Hope you are having  a lovely summer - are you going anywhere nice for your holidays? I'm away to Greece next week hoping for some inspiration!
                                                                See you in a couple of  weeks
                                                                             Lindsay x

                                                               
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Lumiere

Hope you are all enjoying some decent weather where you are. It's patchy here in the North of England but we are making the most of the sun, when it appears!

I've been making a lot of long, complicated earrings again and wondering what to make for todays post I reined myself in and went short, but definitely not sweet.

I had some Basha beads out, and was holding them up to the sun, admiring the rainbow they flashed on my wall. With Basha beads I always try to avoid overdoing it, because I don't want to detract from their singular beauty.

I simply stacked them on blackened copper headpins with a touch of gold, and crackled black agate drums - light and dark, juxtaposed. Lucy Haslam's original Tangled earwires complete them perfectly.  Lumiere - the torch.

            Should be popping these in my Etsy shop over the next couple of days, if you like them.
                                Have a lovely day, and see you again in a couple of weeks. 

                                                                             Lindsay xx
                                                                   
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Oh, I do like to be beside the Seaside

Thoughts are turning to seaside holidays so we set a challenge in The Very Nice Group for all our members; make something in a seaside theme. We have beaders, knitters, glass artists, metalsmiths, textile artists, painters and other crafters in the group, so I'm hoping for some exciting entries. Amongst mine are these two pairs of earrings; very different in style and colours.

The first pair are dark and tentacly (is that even a word?) - they remind me of a crab or lobster claw. Greek copper beads with a great patina are nested together with rustic biwa pearls wired inside. 

My second pair are colourful as a saucy seaside postcard; asymmetrical, with beautifully detailed bronze starfish and shell by Lesley Watt, a lampwork shell by Rita Bennett, lampwork bead by Jo Wadman, soft  pink freshwater pearls, and rustic Czech glass. Both ends of the seaside spectrum - the colour at the end of the pier, or moody windswept Welsh coastline. You choose!


Pop over to our group and view the challenge entries - on Sunday 7th July. Should be good!

                                                          See you in two weeks

                                                                    Lindsay x
                                                                                                                      
                                                                
                                                                  My Etsy shop

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A Game of Thrones

Well, it's finally ended. After 8 series, countless battles, deaths and political wranglings galore. Much anticipated, much discussed. A Game of Thrones - inspiring so much debate, it even has a TV programme (Thronecast) dedicated to dissecting every detail of plot and character.

Up to 8 weeks ago, I hadn't watched a single episode, falling into the 'what's all the fuss about, silly dragons etc' camp. Then my friend Lucy Haslam finally persuaded me, after two years of pestering, to base our latest jewellery show around it. So I thought I'd just watch a couple of episodes, get the feel of it, the type of jewellery I could conjure up from the themes, costumes etc.
                                                               
                                                                       Hooked.

In 8 weeks him indoors and I binge watched the whole 7 previous series to get up to date for the new, and final one. And the ideas are flowing. 

This pair of earrings are one of the first I completed. Helen Backhouse had been working on some new polymer pieces using moulds from teasel heads in her garden - in my deluded state they looked to me like dragon wings, so I sourced some black brass dragon claws; the black brass crescent moons curve nicely around the top of the 'wings' and Lucy's black copper bobble earwires fit perfectly.

 This pair is for Viserion, the middle dragon. And of course, there are three, all differently coloured…..so let's see what transpires! Our show is in  The Very Nice Group over the Bank holiday weekend 31st May to 2nd June. It's a must for all you GoT fans!

 

 

Hop to see you there.

 

Lindsay x 

 

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Living Coral

Erin choosing to highlight Living Coral, the Pantone Colour of the Year for 2019,  as this months Earrings Everyday challenge happened to coincide with a colour challenge I'd set in The Very Nice Group last weekend. Lots of fellow designers stepped up to the plate and we had some really nice work shown.

I really wasn't sure about the colour coral. It's not one I use a lot and would probably steer clear of in my wardrobe but once I got started I changed my view. In the end I made four pairs of earrings.  Of course buying new real coral is an environmental issue but I'm lucky enough to have a stash of my mums old vintage coral (she collected old Victorian and early 20thC broken jewellery, and restrung it, but kept rather a lot!)

For this pair I wired tiny old coral branches onto metal connectors with a Verdigris patina, and hung bronzed drops from Petra Carpreau on the bottom.

The next have verdigris fold formed copper leaves by Annie Laura, again wired with coral and the lampwork beads are by Kimberly Rogers.

 

Old sponge coral beads echo the slightly more pink toned coral in these lampwork bicones by Angelika Schott, with blue patina copper rings and soft aqua deerskin leather.

 

And finally a little drama - lampwork bicones by Karin Hruza in coral, blue, grey and black, on beaten copper paddle pins with jasper spacers and ornate copper beads, adding a slightly Moroccan flavour.
Have you had a go at designing with Living Coral? What do you think of it? What colours would you prefer to see with it? I'm rather liking green.....

The top two pairs have sold, but the bottom two are in my Etsy shop now. See you in a couple of weeks time.

                                                                  Lindsay x

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Looking Back

Christmas is over, it's the last day of 2018 and I'm looking forward to the year to come. New colours to try out (and Erin will be telling you all about them shortly); new designs and maybe getting around to seeing some of the plans I've had for a while come to fruition. All I need is 48 hours in every day!

Looking back over the last year and wondering what to make for today's post, I couldn't help but return to a pair I liked so much I used them for my Etsy shop banner and for my business cards. I wasn't able to replicate them as the headpins and lampwork beads were unique, and nor would I want to.  So here's a variation on a theme.

The crusty bubbly drippy lampwork headpins in luscious lilacs and pinks are of course by Kimberly Rogers. Those 'lit from within' beads are the world famous Basha Beads and the central black arte metal lily structure that I've split with rhinestone rondelles is from Fallen Angel Brass.

         Not unlike the icicles that are supposed to be heading our way with a cold snap next week!

 

 

It just remains for me to thank you all for following our blog this year, for your support and your encouraging comments. We all hope to see you again in 2019, to join us in new earring adventures.

 

Happy New 2019!

 

Lindsay x

 

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In the Bleak Midwinter

A little bit previous this week, as it isn't really yet midwinter nor is it particularly bleak - more wet and windy up in the north of England. I have Christmas Carols on the brain though - our village Christmas tree lights are being switched on this weekend, I'm helping organise a Christmas Fair in our village hall on Sunday and next week we have our carol concert. But possibly my favourite event will be my next on line jewellery show, this time with a Christmas Carol theme.

My friend Helen Backhouse has recently begun adding ceramics to her repertoire of polymer clay and metal components. Just as you'd expect from her, organic in shape and beautifully glazed. As tester in chief, I made these, which I have named In the Bleak Midwinter.

They're textured using a stone I brought back from Greece this summer. Cool blues and steel grey, echoed by lampwork headpins from Linda Newnham and steely chain, with 'magic' glass beads above which would be happily at home on your Christmas tree. Lots of copper wire and earwires made by Lucy Haslam.

 

 

These will be included in our show in our Facebook group The Very Nice Group on 8th December. Do join us!  

I shall be back tomorrow to introduce Lucy Haslam, writing her first guest post. Hope you'll pop in and welcome her.

                                                                        Lindsay x

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Buttoned Up

It's getting chillier out there! I was looking through some old photos this week, and found a picture from one of my blog posts this time last year. I had discovered Dorset buttons and now I had  a sudden urge to make another pair.
Traditionally made in Dorset, southern England from 1622 onwards, the buttons were a cottage industry where all the family - mum, kids, and dad when he returned home from the fields - would work on them, and sell to the local gentry. They're still a Heritage Craft and I got mine from Gilleoin of Woolrush on Etsy. Made in Scotland with hand spun and dyed wool, the frame is now plastic rather than the original ramshorn.    

They're a great blend of lilac and orange wools so I highlighted both colours - orange recycled sari silk to add even more texture, and the double lampwork headpins in lilac are from Kimberly Rogers at Numinosity. Those chunky copper ball end headpins and earwires are by Lucy Haslam, who's going to write a guest blog on here in a couple of weeks time. 

                                                   A little bit of cosy for your ears!

 

 

See you again  in a couple of weeks - in the meantime, keep warm and dry; stay buttoned up!

 

Lindsay x

 

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The Hagstones

💀 Hallowe'en approaches and I'm getting very excited. The grandchildren have decorated their houses and planned their outfits - the youngest is dressing as the creepy clown Pennywise so I shall be reluctant to open the door to him!

On the eve itself Helen Backhouse, Lucy Haslam and I are having  a little event in our Facebook group where we take everyone on a virtual trip up Pendle Hill. Pendle was the home of the famous Lancashire Witches; the trials of the Pendle Witches at Lancaster Castle in  1612 are amongst the most famous witch trials in English history. Helen can see Pendle from her home and I'm about 20 minutes drive away, so it's a very real place to us, and has been since I read Harrison Ainsworth's 1849 novel The Lancashire Witches when I was about 11. 

So we've been making witchy things, and these are one of mine - The Hagstones. Hagstones were stones with natural holes in them, nailed up over stable doors in order to stop the hags (witches) from riding their horses out. And they're still in  evidence today on many farms. Old superstitions die hard. 

 

 

The spikes and gilded 'hagstone' connectors are ceramics by the one and only Petra Carpeau - who better, for gothic grunge? With Lucy Haslam's tangled earwires, swarowski crystals and gold seed beads.

 

Come and join us on our journey - it should be fun! The Very Nice Group at 4pm GMT on Wednesday.

 

 

 

 

 

See you again next week.

 

Lindsay x

 

My Etsy shop

 

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Harlequin

When I've had a good couple of weeks making - wise I tend to burn out a bit - the ideas won't gel, I push beads aimlessly around my table and generally make a huge untidy mess with little to show for my efforts. This is when I find fashion magazines to be an invaluable resource.

I was having my hair done last week and asked for a magazine while the highlights were developing (and no, I'm not ready to embrace the grey!). My hairdresser always has Harpers Bazaar, my favourite. So with a coffee or three, a piece of chocolate, Harpers and an hours peace and quiet I'm in heaven.

This was the picture I was drawn to - it's a quick snap, so excuse the glare. The rich, vibrant colours, the shapes, just perfect. Lots of scope for textures - something I'm drawn to in the colder months. 

Ideally you'd have the magazine to work from but a picture will do. The elongated black triangles are coconut shell, nice and light, hung on links of vintaj black oval chain. The red fritty enamel circles by Kimberly Rogers, the plum greek ceramic rounds and beads above all from Smitten Beads. Black copper earwires are from my friend Lucy Haslam.

 

 

 

Try it next time you're stuck for ideas - it adds a different perspective to your design.

These will be for sale at the weekend in Kimberly's Facebook group Numinosity where a bunch of us are getting together to show a range of designs using her components. Here's the link https://www.facebook.com/groups/967164829979604  

 

See you here next week!

 

Lindsay

 

 

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My Etsy shop