Germany, Japan & The Deep Blue Sea

Hello! Guten Abend! Whew! It's been a busy couple of weeks. I've been to Germany and back...

Can any of you guess where I went/ what I do just from this iconic statue?

ps. Each morning walking past this just made me want to hit the studio and some metal!

Whilst there I met with over 40 international clients (from the day job) in 3 days. Wonderful to see folk in person who I email for the other 300 odd (who's counting) working days of the year. Except one client who did the european cheek kissing thing then announced he was ill with flu!!!

As much as I like to maintain that this extreme networking and travel is hard work (it is - really!), I have to confess the best bit is dinners shared with friends I've made over the years. This trip was a truly eclectic mix - German on Tuesday, Italian on Wednesday, German again (rude not to) on Thursday, paving the way to the gastro-pinnacle an amazing and beautiful Japanese meal on the Friday night.

Even the place settings were a work of art. They kindly let me bring one back as a poor substitute of the dining experience for Mr Silversmith

So, if any of you find yourselves in Frankfurt am Main seeking somewhere to eat, I most heartily recommend Kabuki. Don't be put off by the location but do be sensible travelling in that area if on your own - it's slap bang in the red light district. Gorgeous flavourful Teppanyaki creations handcrafted by expert Japanese chefs in front of your eyes - mesmerising! My companions and I were in awe and vowed to return come Messe-time next October.

What else? I've had 2 of 4, evil but necessary, travel vaccinations for an extremely exciting forthcoming trip(!)

And... oh yes! I did manage to make one or two of my jewellery classes (despite the day job enforced absence).

I can't resist returning to the deep blue for inspiration! I'm developing a new creation based on an old favourite design. A complementary piece for my fishy bangle. At the same time I'm dreaming up a new narrative inspired design and technique (repousse!) incorporating a larger crill-loving water-dwelling mammal... 

Pierceworking fishies was how I broke in my fabulous bench :)

Copper test for new design - can you guess what it is? (Its ribs our ceiling beams, its guts our carpeting!!!)

Because I'm in a minxy mood I'm going to leave you all guessing about these until I'm ready for the grand unveil. Both (particularly the latter which isn't fully designed yet) need more work, but I will give you another, equally enigmatic pictorial clue about the second piece....

Mwahaha! ;) 

Happy weekend to all my readers, whoever and wherever you may be! As for me, well I'd best get into my shed and get smithing. Or how will this mystery ever be solved?!

A sable silver’d: Fish Bangle

The thing you need to know about the dead, decapitated fish is that it genuinely seemed to be smiling at me.  I simply couldn’t resist a close up:

I want to start my adventure with blogging by sharing my favourite self-made piece of jewellery. One of my first pieces, designed and made by yours truly and I really love it. It had a joyful but macabre start to life as a dead and decapitated fish washed up on the beach. As I sat contemplating what on earth I was going to do with the gift of 2 hours a week to spend amongst interesting creative people in a well stocked jewellery studio adjacent to the river cam, it came to me – that fish! The dead one, the one that had been decapitated from the head down. Well, it was so cheerful! How could it translate to jewellery? Yes, of course! How about a dead fish bangle…

Well, I feel very lucky to have come across that fish. I think it turned out pretty well. Don’t you?