Zoe Duthie Contemporary Designs

Press!

2011-12-19T12:27:00.000-08:00

Scottish Weddings Magazine (Autumn issue)

VOGUE feature (Jan 2012)

Some nice press features to end what has been a really great year! :-)

Engagement Rings

2011-12-19T12:16:00.000-08:00

Platinum Engagement and Wedding Ring Set

(These rings were made using 'Oro Verde' Columbian ethical platinum)

18ct yellow gold & 0.24ct brilliant cut diamond

I have had the pleasure of completing my first engagement ring commissions recently! These have been a huge learning curve for me and I have really enjoyed the challenge and the extreme job satisfaction which comes with such a commission!

Spectacles Necklace (2011)

2011-10-17T01:03:00.000-07:00

'Spectacles Necklace' (2011)

One of my pieces for Made11 with Vanilla Ink. Follow the links in the post below for more information on this event!

Currently working towards my first solo exhibition which opens next month - time is flying in! Scary!

Made11 & Solo plans

2011-10-05T00:49:00.000-07:00

I have just been announced as one of the designers who will be exhibiting at Made11 next month in Brighton!

Very excited about this opportunity. I will be exhibiting alongside 5 other lovely designers - Jane Gowans, Katie Lees, Myia Bonner, Nicola Reed & Katherine Seaman as part of a collaboration between Vanilla Ink & Contemporary Lab. You can read more about this collaboration, the event and the designers here

I also have my first solo exhibition coming up. Getting a little nervous about this now! I have posted some images of what I am being inspired by for this show and my Made11 collection.

Launched!

2011-07-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

My thimble pendant design made exclusively for Muses Magazine is now available for pre-order before it's official launch on August the 1st

Pre-order Now

Read my interview for Muses

Muses Magazine - Exclusive Design

2011-07-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

This is the pendant I have designed and made exclusively for Muses Magazine.

The pendant is based on a vintage thimble which had a beautiful pattern engraved on it - the thimble has been cast in sterling silver and forms the main part of the pendant. Concealed within the bottom of the pendant is a framed section of vintage postcard. The necklace is unique in the fact that it can stand alone as a little ornament with the chain concealed inside. A silver dome with pearl detail is connected to the chain and acts as the pendant lid when not being worn.

Quirky, handmade, one off, feminine & delicate - what's not to like?

Details of prices & how to buy coming in the next couple of days as the pendant is launched with Muses

Busy Busy!

2011-06-26T03:22:00.000-07:00

I have been asked to produce some jewellery to be sold through Muses Magazine! I am working on a pendant design inspired by vintage thimbles. I cannot wait to get produce my first little prototype! The image here of the 4 little thimbles are ones that I bought earlier this week from Etsy. I think I am going to have the 2nd one from the right cast in sterling silver and the idea is to have framed sections of vintage postcards concealed in the bottom!

First picture is of my design sketches for this piece, hope it works as well as it does in my head...

...

I currently have quite a lot of commissions to carry out, which all seem to be needed in the next few weeks! eek! Below is my design for a customer which should be completed in the next couple of weeks. It will be made in 9ct white gold.

...

I am also working on some designs for a very special ring. A friend of mine very tragically lost his mum last year and I am very honoured that his granny has asked me to make a ring with a photograph of her daughter in it. We got together to look through some photos and settled on this beautiful photo of when she was a little girl. I am working on some designs at the moment. Hopefully I make something that she can love and treasure.

...

Below is an image of a portrait I recently completed for a customer of her grandson. I have another two painting jobs to complete this month - one is of a Jack Russel and the other is a golf course...

Portrait in oils (2011)

...

Very busy but enjoying the variety and freedom of working for myself! Sent off some funding applications recently and have some exciting meetings coming up - things could be about to get good! Who knows!?

I'm watching youuuu!

2011-06-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

'Watching From Within' 2011

Oxidised sterling silver pendant with photograph detail

Creepy or cool?

Photos & Outcomes

2011-05-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

Oxidised sterling silver photograph brooch with citrine detail

2011

I ordered some new photographs from Ebay to be used within my work - they arrived today! I love looking through them and reading the little notes that are sometimes written on the back! I got stuck right in and have made a brooch from one of the photos. A little preview of the piece is shown above along with some of the photos.

New work

2011-05-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

Oxidised sterling silver bangle 2011

Oxidised sterling silver pendant with photograph and pearls 2011

'Just a Face in the Crowd' 2011

oxidised sterling silver, photograph

Jewellery Project

2011-05-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

story unknown

1st birthday november 16th 1983

Carage man escorting women to the theatre in Osaka, September 2007

Japan, September 2007

''This photo is of a woman I met at the train station, we could not speak fluently of each others language but she still showed me were to go, helped me with food and find my way, she gave me a hand painted card she had done her self, she went two stops past her own to make sure I got were I needed to. Earlier this year her town was hit by the tsunami, I have no idea if she lived or died, its haunting.''

These are the first images I have received as part of my interactive design project 'Jewellery With a Story' The first image is from Alice O'Neill and the other 4 are from Elaine Jenkins. Click the links to be directed to their websites displaying their gorgeous jewellery!

Please send me your photos and spread the word about this project. The more photos and stories I receive the more interesting it will become! Thank you x

DOJ Degree Show 2011

2011-05-03T00:38:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would post a link to this years Duncan of Jordanstone Degree Show preparations video - looks amazing! Can't wait for the big opening night! May 21st - May 29th. View it here

Jewellery Project - Get Involved!

2011-05-02T04:49:00.000-07:00

As you might know my jewellery is inspired by the beauty and sentiment of old photographs which I source from a number of places. I know nothing of the people within the photographs and often wonder what their story was; their names, relationship, date it was taken...

I feel having this information would give my designs a new dimension and turn them into little pieces of history.

I have launched an interactive jewellery project based on this idea which is called 'Jewellery with a Story.' I need you to email/tweet/facebook me your old photographs and little paragraph of information relating to the photo. It can be as detailed or simple as you like! My plan is to use the images and stories I am sent as the basis for my next collection of work. All the photos will be displayed on this blog and the process will be shown as they are transformed into narrative, bespoke pieces of jewellery. I hope you will get involved and share this project with others! Thank you x

Charity Donation!

2011-04-27T05:45:00.000-07:00

'The Man with No Name' 2011

Oxidised silver pendant with orginal photograph detail

This is my donation for the New Artists & Designers Silent Auction to raise money for the Armistead Child Development Centre in Dundee. I am really happy with how it looks and it has the added bonus of being a complete one off design for this event! I have blogged about this event in the post below - follow the links to find out more!

Charity Auction

2011-04-24T03:48:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to be a part of the New Artists & Designers Silent Auction which is being held to raise money for the children of Armistead Child Development Centre in Dundee. This is a very worthwhile cause and I jumped at the chance to be a part of it - find out more by visiting the facebook page here .

I completed my donation yesterday and will be posting photos of it this week. I am really pleased with how it looks, the piece is based around my photograph designs and is a one off, original design! Loads of other designers are involved and it promises to be a great night! Not only will you enjoy yourself but you will be making a big difference to lots of children who need your help! So get bidding/buying your tickets! x

Commission

2011-04-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

oxidised sterling silver ring with 9ct gold detail

This ring was made for my friend Claire who has a very quirky & individual style! As far as commissions go I had complete freedom to make whatever I wanted for her which was great and luckily she loved what I came up with. Another happy customer :-)

PSYBT

2011-04-14T00:25:00.000-07:00

I was at a psybt networking event on Tuesday night which was great fun! It was my first one and I found it really inspiring listening to the guest speakers and just talking to other young people who are in the same position as myself! PSYBT (princes scottish youth business trust) is an amazing organisation and if anybody is ever considering setting up in business these guys should definitely be your first port of call!

I will be exhibiting my jewellery at the PSYBT Volunteers Conference in Perth next month which should be good. Lots of workshops and talks etc. so I should come away feeling totally fired up and ready for anything!

Lots of projects currently in the pipeline including sending work to the Tayberry Gallery in Perth run by my friend and fellow jeweller Sarah Spalding.

FACE Gallery

2011-04-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

I have just completed these pieces to be sent out to FACE Gallery in Aberfeldy run by the hugely talented artist Claire Ramsay.

Forgotten Faces

2011-03-29T07:44:00.000-07:00

I made a ring today based on the same design as one of the ones I sent to Leeds for 'Remember When.' The one on the right will be winging its way to Aberfeldy some time this week. I really love these rings and I am planning on developing the range further to create a 'Forgotten Faces' collection.

New work

2011-03-26T03:37:00.000-07:00

These two pieces will also be displayed as part of the 'Remember When' exhibition at Leeds Craft Centre & Design Gallery which opens today until 25th June!

Twitter

2011-03-26T02:00:00.000-07:00

Hello people - just want to let you know that you can now follow me on Twitter for up to the minute info and interaction! http://twitter.com/#!/ZoeDuthie x

'Remember When..'

2011-03-21T14:27:00.000-07:00

Leeds Craft Centre & Design Gallery (26th March - 25th June)

'Remember When...' 26th March - 25th June

2011-03-19T01:39:00.000-07:00

These are some images from the exhibition which I am taking part in called 'Remember When..' at the Leeds Craft Centre & Design Gallery. It runs from 26th March till 25th June. I will be posting images of some other pieces in the next week. Here is a link which tells you a little more about the exhibition & other exhibitors - http://ukhandmade.co.uk/events/remember-when-0

Development

2011-02-20T13:32:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been bursting with new ideas which I am really excited about trying out. As some of you may know I use photo-etching within my work quite regularly to transfer old photographs onto silver. This technique causes me much much frustration as I don't always get great results - usually if I etch 4 plates I will get 1 which turns out right! Very frustrating, time consuming & at times expensive!

I do however get consistently good results from etching zinc - it also gives a much nicer over all image on the metal. I am planning to develop a range of jewellery based around zinc etchings combined with cold enamel. Soft and girly shades of colour in whites, pinks, blues & greens painted over etched patterns, zinc photographs set in bezel settings and various combinations of my silhouettes, framed photographs and postcard sections. I am very excited! I am also looking in to printing on anodised aluminium as a way of transferring my photographs. I am hoping these new techniques will take my work to a new level and give it a fresh, interesting twist!

The above image is one of my most recent zinc etching samples - lots of experimenting & samples will be documented on here in the coming weeks and months!

Images

2011-02-20T13:19:00.000-08:00

Bezel set button earrings £35.00

Sterling silver cameo pendant with butterfly £55.00

Sterling silver girl pendant £95.00

Butterfly & Frame Brooch £60.00

I have been taking new photographs of my work using different backgrounds. I felt that my photographs weren't really doing my work much justice and I am much happier with how they look on these backgrounds - it just really gives the pieces a bit more personality and a lift! The only problem I have now is that I like my photo gallery on my website with its uniform feel with all the white backgrounds...ahh well!

The vintage button earrings shown above are my most recently listed item in my Etsy shop. The 'Butterfly & Frame Brooch' also shown above is proving to be the most popular item I have listed!

Girl & Butterfly Brooch

2011-02-17T00:51:00.000-08:00

Girl & Butterfly Brooch - £80.00

Have added this brooch to my Etsy page & Website shop - it's a quirky, feminine piece which looks great on your coat or cardigan.

The silver girl silhouette stands upon an engraved piece of silver which reads 'Once Upon a Time.' A simple butterfly silhouette dangles from the piece to finish the girly look!

A Special Commission

2011-02-05T09:52:00.000-08:00

My father-in-law Gerry turns 65 a week today and as a nice suprise my mother-in-law Susan asked me to make him a signet ring. I had never made anything like this before so it was a little bit of a challenge but I am really pleased with how it has turned out! I enjoyed working with gold for a change as well! It was so nice to be able to do something special and to know that it will be in the family for years to come!

Here is a photo of the finished piece - luckily there is no chance he will be on this page so it will still be a suprise on the 12th!

Shield Pendant

2011-02-05T09:14:00.000-08:00

Oxidised silver shield pendant with butterfly detail. £60.00

These two images are of a pendant I made this morning - it will be heading to Leeds in March for the 'Remember When...' exhibition. I will also be adding it to my website shop & Etsy store. x

Cameo Pendant

2011-01-31T23:28:00.000-08:00

This is a pendant I recently completed - pale blue cameo set in oval silver setting with butterfly silhouette detail. This item and several others have been added to my Etsy Shop.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ZoeDuthieDesigns

New Work

2011-01-28T05:35:00.000-08:00

Bird, shield and butterfly brooch

Vintage button designs

Collage necklace on angelite beads

White gold butterfly charm (Commission)

Here are some images of pieces I have been working on recently. I have been asked to do a show called 'Remember When' at The Leeds Craft Centre and Design Gallery (March 26th - June 25th 2011) so will be posting work as I complete it.

Kitty Brooch

2011-01-24T11:09:00.001-08:00

This is a commission I completed the other day - oxidised sterling silver etched cat brooch. The customer simply told me she had a friend's birthday in 2 weeks and she liked cats - could I make something short notice. TA-DA! The kitty brooch was created, she was happy and so am I :-) I am currently working on a quite a few commissions, a portrait and a collection for The Leeds Craft Centre and Design Gallery. Who says January is a quiet month?! x

painting

2011-01-07T08:07:00.000-08:00

Other than jewellery, drawing and painting are my big passion...maybe more so actually as I find jewellery making so incredibly frustrating at times whereas I find painting so relaxing. I can be painting and not realise 5 hours have gone by! I love painting portraits and have decided this year to indulge in this love of mine and start creating more work - mostly for my own enjoyment and creativity and hopefully people enjoy looking at it too!

I have lots of plans for this year, I want to not only develop my jewellery designs and painting but have plans for prints, a wedding range, cards and larger scale metal work. Ambitious maybe but I'm optimistic about it all at the moment. Ideally I would love to spend this year building up stock and developing my crafts before opening my own shop in the future. It's good to have a goal :-)

Here is my first painting of 2011, it is the quickest I have ever produced one! I think because I enjoyed it so much, it only took me 3 days on and off from start to finish. Normally I work to commission for a painting and I'm so scared to put paint onto the canvas incase I screw it up but because this was just for me I got stuck right in with big blobs of paint and as a result feel it's a much better painting!

Latest Creation

2010-12-06T06:34:00.000-08:00

Made this piece the other day to send to FACE Gallery in Aberfeldy along with a few others. It's a little unusual but would definately attract attention - hopefully somebody out there loves it enough to give it a new home! x

Some things I've been making...

2010-11-29T00:27:00.001-08:00

Well the Letham Craft Fair ended up being a bit of a disaster because of the snow! Made it out on saturday and got some orders and interest which was good however it was quiet compared to last year and then I couldn't even get there on the Sunday! The roads were so terrible there was no way I could drive out! So my poor jewellery is stranded for the time being, snow isn't showing signs of stopping so not sure when I will get it back!

I am quite enjoying the snow however - its a good excuse to get caught up on things around the house, reply to emails and design new pieces! It's also great having my husband around - he is snowed off his work so it's nice to have some time together!

The top 3 images are pieces I had on display at Letham and the photo and postcard piece will now be heading off to FACE in Aberfeldy along with some others which I will post shortly. The bottom image - oxidised butterfly bangle was a commission for a graduation present. xx

Letham Christmas Craft Fair

2010-11-25T09:19:00.000-08:00

I will be selling my jewellery at the 31st Letham Christmas Craft Fair this weekend! Very excited and looking forward to it. Last year was the first year I exhibited there and I wasn't really sure what to expect but it turned out to be very busy and a really good opportunity to talk to people about my work! So I'm coming back this year a little older, wiser and more prepared! Fingers crossed it goes well! xx

Update

2010-11-20T02:13:00.000-08:00

Hello! Well the craft fair in Dundee has been and gone - not overly busy but still managed to make a few sales and pick up a few commissions so a success in my eyes! I am now gearing up for the Letham Christmas Craft Fair which I am expecting to be a lot busier - this is the 31st year it has ran so it has a good reputation. My local paper had a nice little article about it with a bit about me and a photo so nice to get some free publicity!
Completed a commission for a graduation present at the start of the week - really happy with how it turned out! will post pics very soon!
I am now off to the workshop to do some repairs and then head through to Dundee to do my photo-etching. Things are hotting up and I have some really great designs that I can't wait to get working on, I hope they turn out how I see them in my head!! xx

Craft Fair Dundee

2010-11-08T23:23:00.000-08:00

I am going to be selling my work this Saturday from 10am to 5pm at a craft fair in St Pauls church in Dundee. The church is just opposite Debenhams in the Overgate, next to the bingo place! Hopefully it will be busy and lots of sales will be made! I have posted pictures of a few of the pieces I will be selling, I hope you like them!

Saloukee

2010-10-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

Came accross this jeweller, Sarah Louise Kelly, who is also a new favourite!

http://www.saloukee.com/collections/bracelets/

A new fave

2010-10-26T12:29:00.000-07:00

I just came across the work of Louise Frances Evans for the first time and thought I would share it with you - its beautiful! http://www.louisefrancesevans.com/index.html

New items in the shop...

2010-10-19T00:53:00.001-07:00

Oxidised motif necklace - £30.00

Oxidised motif necklace with pearl - £45.00

Here are some new pieces which I have just added to my website shop. Just adding pieces as I complete them so the shop should start getting exciting soon!

Online Shop is Now Open!

2010-10-12T23:56:00.000-07:00

ONLINE SHOP IS NOW OPEN!

Please pay it a visit and have a look around. More items to be added soon in the run up to Christmas - I will announce new products here so keep checking in! Thanks xx

http://www.zoeduthie.com/page7.htm

The McManus Galleries, Dundee

2010-09-22T02:02:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday saw me take a trip to Dundee with some new jewellery to display within the McManus Galleries Shop! The display should be up and ready in the next week or so at least until March next year. Pieces forming the display are shown above!

RBSA Brooch

2010-08-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favourite pieces from my RBSA collection which I had forgotten I still hadn't uploaded from my camera!

Exciting times ahead

2010-08-06T23:59:00.000-07:00

Just a small post to let you know that I have received funding from the Princes Trust (PSYBT) to develop my business further. I really am beyond excitment about this as I really feel it's the break I have been needing in order to push things forward!

Going to be creating collections for shops, new tools and equipment (hello rolling mill and pendant drill!! :-D ) advertising, packaging etc! Also getting my name on the window of the shop I share with watch repairer George McVey so people will finally know where to find me! It will read 'Zoe Duthie Contemporary Designs' arched above George's 'G&B Watch & Jewellery Repairs' Will have to take some piccies once it's done! xxx

'Once Upon a Time...' RBSA Gallery

2010-07-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

Anais and the RBSA

2010-07-04T12:54:00.000-07:00

Well the lovely Anais - the French student who was over here working with me for a month - has returned home :-( We developed a really good friendship as well as working relationship and I am really sad to see her go! The power of facebook and email however means that we are still in touch and already planning another meeting in the future :-) I am planning to start learning French for my trip next summer!

I have completed my collection for the RBSA - images of some of the pieces can be seen above and the remainder will be posted very soon! The show runs from 26th July to 10th September at The RBSA Gallery, Birmingham. I'm very excited about the show and really happy with my collection which is based around the theme 'Once Upon a Time.'

In other exciting news I have had confirmation that my work is going to be on display in the McManus Gallery shop in Dundee. Got lots of new designs based around repetition and layering of silhouettes - I can't wait to get cracking and see them come together! xxx

Website

2010-06-12T08:34:00.001-07:00

I recently felt that my website could do with a little revamp and so have been working away the last few days on it and I am much happier with how it is looking! Go have a wee look www.zoeduthie.com

Recent events in photos...

2010-06-12T08:01:00.000-07:00

Been crazy busy here since my last post - I am now a happily married woman! Married life is perfect so far - very happy! After the wedding and honeymoon it was straight back into the workshop to start work on my collection of 25 pieces for the RBSA 'Once Upon a Time Exhibition..' in Birmingham in July - some of the pieces in progress can be seen above - more to come v.soon! French jewellery student Anais Paulard is over at the moment working with me for the whole of June to gain some work experience - she is really lovely and very talented!! The extra pair of hands is a great help at the moment and I think she will be one to watch in the jewellery world in a few years!

A New Chapter...

2010-04-22T16:44:00.000-07:00

Well - here is my last post as Zoe Duthie! I am getting married on Saturday and will thereafter be Mrs Zoe Hunter. So long as that volcano behaves itself I will be flying off to Turkey on my honeymoon on Monday and will return wonderfully refreshed and relaxed - something I don't think I have felt since I graduated at least! Can't wait :-D xxxx Lots of new designs to follow in the next few months as I prepare for the RBSA exhibition in Birmingham! xx

Press Release for Tenderproduct

2010-04-08T09:44:00.001-07:00

Here is a link to Tenderproduct's website which has a press release statement on me & Paula's work! I sold one of my brooches from the display (mega chuffed!) and so just hoping the others will now be snapped up by some eager beavers! The display runs until the 18th of April.

http://tenderproduct.com/

Work Placement

2010-03-14T05:34:00.000-07:00

I had an exciting email a few weeks ago from a French jewellery student in her first year at university looking for a work experience placement. She said she wanted to come to the UK to improve her english and whilst searching the internet she came accross my website and would like to come over here for one month to work with me! I am so very flattered and excited by this and cannot wait to meet Anais and work with her! She comes over in June which is perfect timing to visit all the degree shows as well! I will keep you posted about what is happening! x

Tenderpixel

2010-03-14T05:14:00.000-07:00

Well I have completed and posted my work for the Tenderpixel Gallery exhibition this week. It has been a fantastic project to work on as I really feel I have learned so much making these pieces. As the photographs were slightly more modern than the usual black and white images I tend to use, I felt the slightly sentimental/vintage feel that I usually try to create didn't really fit and so I have ended up with a collection which is a little different to my usual style. As usual I wish I had another month and another X amount of money to buy materials and make all the pieces again - why does it have to be once you have completed a piece that you realise how it SHOULD have been done! Definately learning from my mistakes as I go along and trying to remember them for next time! I will keep this blog updated with some images of me and Paula's work from the show and our press release as well. Here are some of the photos of my collection - photos aren't great I'm afraid - still learning there as well!

Tenderpixel Gallery - 10 Cecil Court, London

Paula Salischiker & Tenderpixel

2010-02-22T13:43:00.000-08:00

In the blog I kept during my 4th year at DOJ I mentioned the work of Paula Salischiker. A few months after I graduated Paula got in touch with me to discuss a possible collaboration for a gallery in London called 'Tenderpixel' I am creating a collection of 5 limited edition brooches based on Paula's photos of a Germany family. These brooches will compliment Paula's beautiful lenticulars. I am really excited to be working on this project and it just goes to show you don't know what will come from writing these little blogs! Above are some of the photos I have been working from.

Dragonfly earrings!

2010-02-22T13:39:00.000-08:00

I was asked to make these dragonfly ear-rings after the customer saw the pair of butterfly ear-rings I had made for somebody else (pictured in previous post) I think they have turned out quite nicely!

An Update!

2010-02-11T07:47:00.000-08:00

I made these butterfly ear-rings for a customer to give as a birthday present the other week - very happy with them and would like to try other things with a similar idea.

Also sent my work to Leith Gallery 'New Faces' exhibition which opened last Saturday and runs until the 27th February. I went through for a nosy and was really impressed with the work on display!

The last two pictures are me and Chris's wedding rings which I made today. Matching 18ct yellow gold plain bands - very simple but I'm happy with them.

A Few Bits and Pieces...

2009-12-14T13:33:00.000-08:00

Just a couple of images from the Letham Christmas Craft Fair - unfortunately my camera wasn't working before the fair and so have no images of the pieces which actually sold :-( booooo! Why does technology let you down when you need it most!? It feel's quite sad to know that those pieces are away and I have nothing to show of them! Have learnt my lesson however and I am getting a super duper new camera from Santa - hooray!!

Zinc Etching

2009-12-14T13:25:00.000-08:00

Just thought I would share a few images of some zinc etching I have been playing around with - this is my granny and grandad's wedding photograph. I have no plans to do anything with this - it was more of an experiment to see how it would look! I love how it really captures the faces and features of the photograph more than silver etching does. Unfortunately zinc has an extremely shiny surface which is a nightmare to try and photograph!

my little work bench!

2009-12-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

Tattoo Commission

2009-12-07T13:09:00.001-08:00

This was a commission I was asked to do for a 40th birthday. The woman was a tattoo artist and this was one of her favourite tattoos. Her dad brought the image into me one day and asked me to make a necklace - the only specifics being to make something bold and different but with a feminine/girly touch. I had a lot of fun with this one and knew almost straight away what I wanted to do - here is the finished piece!

Christmas Order

2009-12-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

Here are some images of an order I received at the Letham Christmas Craft Fair - 5 stacked silver bangles and a matching pair of ear-rings. Really pleased with how these looked - it was nice as well to make something relatively straight forward! no etching or rivets to battle with!

Commission!

2009-12-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

Hello! Had a very successful time at the Letham Christmas Craft Fair last weekend! Sold quite a few pieces and took on a few Christmas orders! I am now busily working away completing commissions in time for Christmas - above are some images of the necklace I made for my friend Sarah. She asked me to make her a necklace to remember her grandad by after he passed away suddenly. She sent me the photograph she had chosen and I created an etched zinc pendant with silver pearl wire frame. The zinc etching gives a really clear and realistic image which was perfect for this piece!

Quiet Time

2009-11-05T02:29:00.000-08:00

Have woken up today with a horrible cold and conjunctivitis :-( not so good! Have taken the day off to stay at home and do some paintings which I am really looking forward to! A little time away from commissions and exhibitions and repairs to do something fun for ME! Maybe having the cold isn't so bad after all....

Love this!

2009-11-01T15:00:00.001-08:00

This image is the front of an old vintage postcard that I bought from Abernyte's Scottish Arts and Antiques Centre (amazing place for little goodies and treasures!) I love it so much - would love to use the image within a design somehow but couldn't bear to cut it up or anything! Considered photo-etching but I really like the colours....hmmm he may just have to stay put as a postcard for now!

The image above is actually a photo of myself as a little girl playing in my garden! I planned to make a photo-etched brooch of this image for my degree show but never got round to it - I love the image though and think it will work well as a brooch so will get round to it one day!

Have completed my tattoo pendant commission - photos to be posted shortly!

Commission Work

2009-10-25T02:15:00.000-07:00

As my degree show work featured photo-etched silver jewellery I have had a few commissions with people wanting their own family photographs made into something! Above are some of the photos I am working from to create various pieces! The last photo is actually a tattoo which I am going to photo-etch and make into a pendant which will then be strung on pearls!

Sunday Morning Inspiration

2009-10-25T02:08:00.000-07:00

Future Exhibitions

2009-10-25T01:38:00.000-07:00

Letham Christmas Craft Fair

28th & 29th November 2009

Leith Gallery Edinburgh - 'New Faces'

February 2010

RBSA Gallery Birmingham 'Once Upon a Time'

26th July - 10th September 2010

The Edge Gallery, Lancaster

Canvas Art Gallery, Forfar

Favourite Jewellers at the Moment...

2009-10-19T11:52:00.000-07:00

Julia De Ville

Helena Lindholm

Jo Pond

Clare Hillerby

Zoe Arnold

Bettina Speckner

Anna Lewis

Hair Flower Commission

2009-10-18T12:13:00.001-07:00

I was recently asked to make some hair accessories and a corsage style brooch for my friend's sister's wedding - a bit of a challenge as I have never done anything like this before! The wedding took place on 3rd of October and here are some photos which show the finished pieces!

New Jewellery for 2009

2009-10-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on a new collection of jewellery based on silhouettes, lace and fabric patterns, photographs and text combined with pearls and semi precious beads. Really happy with how it is coming together - these pieces will be on sale at the Letham Christmas Craft Fair next month and hopefully 'The Edge Gallery' in Lancaster who have expressed interest in my work! Very excited and enjoying making new pieces outwith university - I will post a few images of the work in progress soon!

Degree Show Jewellery 2009

2009-10-12T13:12:00.001-07:00

Done!

2009-05-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

Hey guys - well thats all my work finished as of last week and I got my results today just before 5pm! I got a 2.1 and I am very pleased!! Looking forward to the degree show and everything else that comes with it! woooooooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooooooooooo! :-)

Here are some pictures of my beautiful cousin Ailsa modelling some of my necklaces. I hope you like!

Busy Bee!

2009-04-15T05:09:00.000-07:00

hello there!! oh my god - the past few months have just flown in! Coming to the end of my course now - scary and exciting! Just thought that I would give you a little preview of my work and share with you a couple of brooches I have made based on old family photographs. I hope you like! xxx

Messy Desk Day

2009-01-15T06:41:00.000-08:00

Was just working away today and thought I would take a few photos while I was at it - there is something quite inspiring about a messy desk or work area - everything jumbled up and disorganised in quite a lovely way!

As Pretty as a Picture

2009-01-15T06:27:00.000-08:00

Some Sketchbook Images

2009-01-15T06:12:00.000-08:00

Here are just a few little glimpses into my sketchbooks!

Too Many Ideas!

2009-01-08T12:45:00.000-08:00

All of the designers, websites and information I have discovered recently have been so inspiring and have given me so many ideas! Although this is good it has also left me feeling a little confused in terms of my work! I now want to research a number of different things covering themes of memories, relationships, anonymous people, sentimental value of objects and connections.

The presence of an unknown person is something which really interests & inspires me, whilst using my own experiences, relationships and memories is exciting too! It might be a nice combination to include the unknown with the familiar? I just worry that one area will gather more importance than the other as I begin my work.

I will perhaps create some pieces based on -

memories provoked by a person/relationship - etched memories, photos, objects relating to that person, images of favourite places, songs/poems etc.
anonymous people - found postcards, photos, questions/letters I have posed to that person, jewellery/objects which hold the presence of an unknown person.

This post probably doesn't make much sense but I'm just using it as a way to get my thoughts/ideas straight! They are a bit jumbled up in my head. Does anyone else have any thoughts or ideas?

The Relationship Between Jewellery & Wearer

2009-01-08T05:27:00.000-08:00

I was researching narrative jewellery today when I discovered Mah Rana's work. The inspiration and ideas behind her work appealed to me the most and I found this video of her discussing her work on YouTube which is very interesting. She is concerned with the relationships we construct with jewellery and how for some people it becomes a part of them and they never take it off. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0or46gKQRIY

Does anybody have a piece of jewellery which they have inherited?
Does anybody have a piece of jewellery which they wear everyday and they have constructed a bond or relationship with that piece?

From watching the video of Mah Rana talking about her work, I too have been thinking about other peoples jewellery and the attachments and relationships it has with people. When browsing charity shops and markets there is always a lot of jewellery for sale, jewellery which once belonged to somebody. I would quite like to play on this idea of taking something once owned by somebody else and reinventing it into my own designs. In a way the presence of that person and the stories behind their piece of jewellery would still be alive within my design.

I think I might research the idea of inheriting jewellery a little further

Swell Vintage

2009-01-03T09:42:00.000-08:00

Just came accross this blog and promptly added it to my list of favourites! This beautiful corsage/brooch caught my eye! Very pretty! Go and have a look! http://http://www.swellvintage.blogspot.com/

Design Ideas

2009-01-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

Over the last few days I have been thinking about design ideas for my degree show and I am now itching to get into the workshop at uni and start trying things out! I have a few which I feel really excited about - I dont have any sketches as yet to show you but when I do I will upload them - give you a sneaky peak! Until then I will just give you a description of some ideas I have had - any feedback, ideas or comments would be welcomed!

Sinead McCabe

2009-01-03T08:23:00.000-08:00

I only came accros the work of Sinead McCabe today when browsing the Dazzle

Claire Hillerby

2009-01-03T08:16:00.000-08:00

Was just browsing the internet for some ideas and inspiration and thought I would share with you the work of Claire Hillerby.

Handwriting forms the starting point for my work due to my interest in message making; the messages are always ambiguous and represent short uncertain conversations. Old postcards and letters are sourced, sections taken then translated into new contemporary stories. Other ephemera include maps and photographs contrasting their preciousness as personal possessions combined with their throw away references as well as an interest in recycling.

- Claire Hillerby

http://www.design-ed.org/designers/_designer.asp?d=clareh

I Thought I Would Share...

2008-12-30T15:13:00.000-08:00

Just a small selection of some photos I have taken. They aren't necessarily to do with my project or degree show but I think they are quite pretty in their delicacy and subtle colours.

What Reminds You of Your Loved Ones?

2008-12-30T11:57:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about what provokes a memory or makes me think of someone close to me. It could be a smell - a favourite perfume or aftershave someone often wore, a particular song, a place you used to go together. Wouldn't it be lovely to have a piece of jewellery which played on these things? An image of that favourite place? The lyrics of that favourite song? A piece of fabric or a button from that favourite jumper which holds the familiar smell of a loved one.

'A Picture Needs Memories to be an Image'

2008-12-30T11:23:00.000-08:00

Photographs are so precious and yet so easily lost, forgotten or tucked away in albums and boxes. Often the people in the photograph are unknown to us - simply a face of the past. One thing which I plan to do within my degree show is connect a place, name, story or date to the photograph, therefore creating a visual memory which will be worn and treasured.

I came accross the website http://www.timetales.com/ which is a collection of found photographs dating from 1930 - present day. The mystery of the photographs is beautiful but also slightly sad and haunting to some degree. Happy, smiling faces looking out from the pictures frozen in time - I wonder who they were? what they did? where they are now?

''The photographs are found at fleamarkets, thriftshops, some are scooped up from streets and alleyways, fallen from an overstuffed bag or torn pocket. Others turn up in a cabinet’s hidden compartment, found while wandering the rooms of an abandoned house. Now the photos exist by themselves, lost in time. Time Tales does not want to reveal their mysteries. Time Tales asks to be the new home for lost photos, a resting place, for the nameless and the lost.''

- Timetales

Julia De Ville

2008-12-30T07:45:00.000-08:00

I just had to post these images of Julia de Ville's work. She is a contemporary jewellery designer and taxidermist who is influenced by the Memento Mori jewellery of the 15th to 18th centuries and Victorian mourning jewellery. By incorporating materials such as human hair, taxidermy and jet (a petrified wood historically used in Victorian mourning jewellery) she reminds us of our own mortality in a bold but beautiful way.

'I consider my taxidermy a celebration of life, a preservation of something beautiful.'

- Julia de Ville

http://www.discemori.com

A Quote...

2008-12-30T05:56:00.000-08:00

'...And here, the last words your fingers wrote, scrawled in broad characters accross a page in this brown book I gave you.'

- Edna St Vincent Millay

I love poetry and quotes and this one just seems so lovely. I wonder if anyone else has a favourite quote or poem which reminds them of something - a memory, a person, a place?

Lin Cheung

2008-12-30T05:44:00.000-08:00

I believe that all jewellery is ultimately conceptual: requiring a voice, our experiences, our thoughts and values to fully define it beyond a mere decorative object. Often, my work results in attempts to visualise the hidden values found or perceived in jewellery. The key to understanding jewellery lies within each of our own life experiences: past, present and future. Where better to start the process of exploring what jewellery is and can be, than with life itself.

-Lin Cheung

http://www.lincheung.co.uk/

Paula Salischiker

2008-12-30T05:05:00.000-08:00

Can photography fill the emptiness of death? Is a photograph enough to remember someone´s existence? Or are the objects the ones that bring us back the certainty that there was a past? Perhaps in the objects and in the longevity of images we find the same painful truth: what does not have a life will never die. Even after we are gone, we will be remembered through small things, pieces of who we were will be kept by the ones who loved us, while trying to escape the oblivion. My images are born from this gesture of remembrance.

-Paula Salischiker

I was really interested to discover the work of Paula Salischiker as it echoes my own idea of involving photos,objects and text to create a memory of someone or somewhere. She has done this through her photography - drawing a connection between a person and a belonging.
http://www.pausal.co.uk/projects.html

Jo Pond

2008-12-30T04:51:00.000-08:00

I came accross the work of Jo Pond a few years ago now and I just think it is absolutely beautiful!! I love the subtle colours and delicate appearance, it looks too good to wear! Every piece appears to be a little art work which is trying to convey a message or a story. http://www.jopond.com/

'Things we do for Love'

2008-12-30T04:17:00.000-08:00

I came accross the link for this exhibition on dailypoetics and was really interested by the concept behind the exhibition. 24 contemporary jewellery designers were asked 'what have you done for love's sake' and created a piece of jewellery inspired by the question. I particularly loved the piece made by Luzia Vogt 'A locket to hold a treasure of the loved person inside.' I love lockets and its so nice to see the traditional idea of a locket but with a contemporary edge.

http://www.dailypoetics.typepad.com/

http://www.platina.se/Pressrelease/Thingswedo_press.html

Some Things of Mine

2008-12-29T15:54:00.000-08:00

Just some images of things I have done in the past. As you can see the idea of using text and handwriting within my work is something I have always liked!

The Beauty of Handwriting

2008-12-29T14:37:00.000-08:00

One thing which will play a huge role in my work is handwriting and text. I have a huge love just now for vintage postcards which I get from The Scottish Antique & Arts Centre, Abernyte. There are hundreds of them, beautifully worn and aged with handwritten messages! I get very excited by them and think that they will look beautiful set in silver or resin. Handwritten notes and messages adds a very beautiful personal touch and gives the viewer a glimpse into the life of an otherwise unknown person.

The ceramic work of Fiona Gray incorporates this idea through her use of personal letters and diary entries. I find her work very inspiring - it is beautiful, precious and delicate and I hope you like it too. Here is a link to her shop and images of her work http://www.asmallfi.co.uk/

Where it began...

2008-12-29T12:42:00.000-08:00

The idea for my degree show came from quite a few different things. I have always been interested in vintage items and things from the past which show signs of age. The idea that these items once belonged to someone else fascinates me and I have always wondered who they were, what they liked about the item and the relationship they had with it. My engagement ring is antique and all I know about it is that it is from the 1930's - I would love to know who the ring once belonged to and what they were like!

When my granny died earlier this year I ended up with a lot of things which belonged to her, such as her jewellery box, her sewing and knitting box and hundreds and hundreds of buttons which she had kept from old cardigans and jumpers. These little items have such a sentimental value to me and remind me of her whenever I see them. It was then that I began thinking about the power of objects and the memories/stories they can reveal and how they could be incorporated into my jewellery designs.