New British Comics Volume Three

New British Comics volume 3 is available now and features a host of fabulous work including Here Comes the Neighbourhood which was created by Matthew Craig and Rich Johnson. I'm incredibly proud of Rich and his work and it is so exciting to see his illustrations in print not to mention his paintings in a gallery, his poetry in a magazine! Eeeeeee! I'm gushing, he is a talented man!

Earth Hour 2011

8.30pm - 9.30pm Saturday 26th March 2011

On Saturday evening we joined many others in participating in the World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour. We spent the hour cosied up on the sofa, staring at the candles and eating our dinner which was a good way to calm my mind after a week of gallivanting ready to start back to working full time this week. I've got a lot of unfinished jewellery waiting for me this afternoon having spent this morning on the first of two assignments due this Friday. Clearly saving the fun stuff for when the not so exciting stuff is done!

Workroom Wednesday

The beginnings of a new charm bracelet chain lined up on a ruler. I must point out the super little blue gizmo on the left hand side of the picture; a tapered steel mandrel on a rest so I can shape wire into circles with ease. An ADJ original and one of the handiest tools on my newly elevated bench!

Work Bench Revolution

Check out my new and improved work table!

I have highlighted the stylishly subtle changes to my working environment which have been designed with the utmost care to aid a shoulder friendly posture when making jewellery.

After a morning of accounts I'm ready to try it out and am hopeful it will prevent neck ache and allow me to work for longer periods without strain and pain.

Hope it works!

Beads by Laura

Laura Sparling is selling some hand made glass beads for the Japan Tsunami appeal.

The first lot have sold out but if you want a way to support the work of the Red Cross in Japan keep an eye on her blog for the next batch.

Thank you Laura and all who are working to help Japan.

Workroom Wednesday

So, I've had a wonderful mini break with my fabulous siblings and today's workroom has been less hammering and sawing, more emails, accounts, assignments, photo scanning, fair arranging and cups of tea on the settee.

I am also deciding which pieces to take to the lovely Number Four Gallery in St Abbs which will be stocking a selection of my work from this weekend and feeling generally excited by the sunshine even if it is still freezing and windy enough to blow my laundry off the line!

Green News

I have joyous news - at long last I have a UK supplier of recycled silver!

This means that my next order of silver will be made up of recycled silver! I am so pleased that I will be able to create my jewellery from over 90% recycled materials as all glass, pottery, silver wire and sheet will be recycled! I also have a lovely stock of recycled copper sheet to use which I'm having fun exploring. The roughly 10% new materials used in my jewellery are fine necklace chains and lobster clasps.

I am hoping my new supplier will agree to be featured on my blog to tell you all about their work but until then if you would like their contact details please get in touch. It is so exciting that now jewellers in the UK have access to recycled silver and hopefully the large precious metals will take note and ethical metals will become the norm.

In more green news I have an even more exciting* announcement to make: laundry balls work!
After a few years of seeing these laundry balls in the shops and wondering if they work R's Mum mentioned she had bought a set and was really pleased with the results. So, today we bought a box and I have just hung the first load of washing out. I am pleased to announce that without any laundry detergent or fabric softener the socks are indeed clean and lovely, I hope it works every time as it's all rather pleasing for thrifty and eco reasons! There are loads of reports online about these laundry balls being eco-gimmicks but if this first wash is anything to go by they are working and I'm hopeful!

Happy Weekend to you all!

* update on the eco laundry balls, they ain't so hot after all! After a week I find on certain garments which have been in close proximity to armpits the eco balls don't remove deodorant whiffs so I'll have to add a wee bit of detergent in with t-shirts. Otherwise, still good!

First Fair of the Year

Last Saturday R and I had our first fair adventure of the year at St Abbs' Wool Festival run by the lovely Louise of Woolfish. It was a good day and despite still feeling a bit tired and run down getting out and talking to people about work did wonders to banish the despondent feelings which had been creeping into my sleepy head. You know the ones which hammer on about not earning enough and having to go and try to get a job you don't want to do. Just as they were serious enough for me to get a job application form other opportunities are starting to appear on the horizon and I calmed down again with the reminder that I am still in the first year of being fully self employed and just need to crack on and not fret!

Each day this week has bloomed into glorious sunshine which is boosting my energy greatly. I have been combining jewellery photographing and website updates with cycling around this fabulous place we call home and sticking bulbs in the garden with wild abandon.

It's a good mix and resulting in me finally getting my website a little bit more up to date. I've listed a few new pieces and will be adding more once I decide which bits of jewellery will be going to my new stockist - more on the who, what, where on that soon! I'm loving the way copper works with the tones of the sea glass and pottery in these pieces and am looking forward to working with more copper.


Tomorrow R and I are starting a Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector course which was recommended by the Workers' Education Association when we taught for them. I have really enjoyed teaching jewellery workshops and am hoping this course will lead me on to planning some new ones; all part of the cracking on!

Let's hope this spring delight carries on - I have siblings flying this way and it would be ace to have some sunshine to accompany their visit.