Flower Power

Happy Bank Holiday Monday! This is it - bonus time :) Hope you've all been having lots of fun and enjoying the glorious sunshine.

My weekend has been wonderful, thanks for asking! I've been running and walking, writing and sewing, taking lots of pictures and spending quality time with Mr S. We went for a great little pub dinner one night, had beauteous toasted sourdough sandwiches at our fave Cambridge cafe today and ate ice creams in the sunshine. Marital happiness = lots of good eats, basically.

But y'know what's even better than ice cream in the sunshine... Nothing!

No, only kidding, it's flowers! I am so happy to see all the blooms. Over the past few weeks our flower beds have been carpeted in clouds of tiny blue forget me nots. My riverside running route is ablaze in vibrant yellow buttercups and the hedgerows are bursting with luscious green leaves and fine hazy blossom.

This only goes to remind me that I haven't yet shared with you one of my signature SS pieces - my flower power earrings! So, here goes, hope you like them...

 
These have become an integral part of my daily wardrobe - I wear them all the time! That way even with the unpredictable English weather I can have a bit of spring with me whatever the skies bring ;)

In terms of making, these were great fun. They are shaped sheet so I got to do some more sawing (love! love! love!), they were my first go at etching and I shaped them using the doming block. They were also my first attempt at attaching an earring post - a slightly precarious occupation, but I got there in the end. With a little help from my far steadier-handed tutor.

Right - off to enjoy what remains of this lovely extra weekend day!
SSx

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?!