Oh so succulents!

Ok, I've been completely sucked in! During the Easter weekend I finally gave in and joined the fabulous company of a couple of my favourite lady bloggers Wit and Whistle and A Beautiful Mess in embracing succulents! :)

This was in large part inspired by a very happy mother-daughter drawing day at Cambridge University Botanic Gardens. To shelter from the wintry conditions we hid out in the greenhouses and I fell in love in the Alpine collection...

Beauteous and wonderful shapes and shades.

To bring a little bit of this natural wonder into the Silversmith home I put together a little collection in a simple shallow terracota bowl and covered with some dark decorative pebble stuff (that's the technical term).

I'm really rather pleased with my efforts. It's cheering up what had been a rather bleak spot in our bathroom and who knows, perhaps some of these wild shapes will hold some jewellery design inspiration! 

SSx

What about you guys? Do you love succulents? Are you more into the spiky charms of the cacti? Have you ever been inspired by visiting gardens? Or have you designed jewellery inspired by flora and fauna? I'd love to hear from you...

A Sable Silver'd: Sweet Little Bunny Pendant...

It's been quite the couple of weeks at Silversmith HQ with some major ups and downs, of which I will definitely be sharing more soon! But for now, a little tale about how a local market on a bitterly cold day lead to a love of piercework (sawing silver).

I work in central Cambridge and can stroll past beautiful college buildings during my lunch break within seconds. However, having grown up in the area, this all whizzes by unnoticed most days as I dash out for lunch or a last minute chore.

One day when I was taking the time to enjoy my enviable environs I decided to venture into the Cambridge Art and Craft Market. The day was wintry and the stalls were few. Amongst them was a young girl, surely freezing her fingers off, selling a colourful array of jewellery - I had to take a peek.

To my delight I found this little beauty...

Orange and bird themed! Hurray! So, this little friend (I called the bird Nigel) came with me on one of my early jewellery classes at White House Arts. My tutor suggested making a silver version, to learn the piercework technique, which seemed like a good idea, were it not for my compulsion not to plagiarise, copy or pilfer the works of others. I'm very morally upstanding in that way ;)

But, the seed had been sown and I pondered how to make my own little lovely pendant. From birds to... bunnies...

I have a great affection for my bunny, although unlike Nigel, he didn't get named. A number of people asked if this is the work of an excellent local jeweller who specialises in sawing metal - The Hairy Growler. I take this as a great compliment! But do confirm that it's my own, because as you know that's  very important.

Anyone else had a great flash of inspiration when they've taken things more slowly, or when venturing out to a wintry market stall?