Serendipity

I've not had time to make a new pair for my blog post this week so I thought I'd take the opportunity instead to introduce you to a lampworker, new to me.  Kate Holmes, of Copperstone Art Glass. Kate lives in beautiful Portugal. I'd spotted these beautiful silver dotted beads and luckily they arrived on the same day as the enamels from Candan Imrak. Serendipity, as they are a perfect fit. 

I added dangles with some of my mums old vintage amber, and tiny seed pearls on bronze ball end headpins. The colours are just perfect. These sold at the weekend but it won't be the last time I use Kate's beads.


I shall see you again in two weeks, which just happens to be Christmas Eve. And please, don't ask if I'm ready for it !

                                                                            Lindsay                                                                                                                                                                 

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Out of Africa

This weekend I'm taking part in a show I've been planning for ages - Out of Africa. I haven't made much tribal jewellery for a couple of years but it's one of my favourite styles. I had a whole collection named for Conrad's novel 'Heart of Darkness' about 6 years ago so it felt like time to revisit. I've made quite a lot of pieces with old African beads that Kimberly Rogers sourced for me at last month's Tucson Bead Show and the lovely Claire Lockwood, who was over there staying with Kim, brought them back for me in her luggage. What it is to have beady mates, and to choose your stock via Messenger!

The pair I'm showing you today are typically African in style, with vibrant yet earthy colours and textures, and plenty of movement.

Beautifully enamelled brass work by Candam Imrak is complemented by a fringe of rich red amber - vintage from my mums collection - on copper ball end headpins with tiny brown, lilac and gold seed beads. Hand made pure copper earwires finish them nicely.

 

 

Do join us over in facebookland in The Very Nice Group from Friday evening - I'm in good company, with Helen Backhouse, Lucy Haslam, Susan Schmidt Moran and Julia Hay. We plan  a virtual tour of the dark continent, from the Souks of Marrakech to the plains of Kenya, the treasures of Cairo to the sands of the Kalahari. And after that, I'll see you in two weeks.

 

Lindsay x

 

My Etsy shop

 

My facebook page

Forever Amber

I clearly recall reading 'Forever Amber' by Kathleen Winsor in my teens; it became an international bestseller, spawning a whole new generation of girls called Amber!

Abandoned on the streets of London, pregnant and penniless, 16 year old Amber St Clare manages by her wits, beauty, and courage to climb to the highest position a woman can achieve in Restoration England - that of mistress to Charles II.

                    Thank goodness that isn't the height of ambition for women these days!

Seriously though, this week's earrings all feature amber. Amber is fossilized tree resin, appreciated for its colour and natural beauty since Neolithic times. It comes in a range of shades from sunny yellow to dark and treacly. I love them all. The first pair is rustic - in mid shade, with rhyolith discs and copper shell segments by Helen Backhouse.

Next we have the sunny yellow with shimmery lampwork wing headpins by Juliette Mullet and faceted citrine. The rose gold findings add to the warmth of this pair - downright pretty.

And last, my favourites, looking ancient with roman glass and polymer clay vessels by Jon Burgess.

The amber nuggets and the citrine I used here are from Sylvia Stungo's shop Fizzy Elements; a real treasure trove of colour and texture.

 Hope you like them. I've also used them as three of my Instagram posts for the #100DayProject - #100DaysofArt which has just begun - are you joining in?
The top pair are gone but the other two will find their way into my Etsy shop over the next couple of days; and I'll see you again in two weeks time.

                                                                       Lindsay x

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