Day 181 - Charm bracelets

These are two charm bracelets but they've got caught on to each other and I quite like this as it makes them a bit more chunky! It does mean I've effectively lost a piece of jewellery so I may regret wearing them both when it comes to the end of the year and I'm really struggling!! I'm not sure where they are both from, I know at least one is from Accessorize years ago, and it may indeed be that they both are to be honest! Speaking of which, there's a sale on.......

Day 180 - multi stone necklace

I made this last year using gemstones from Buffy's Beads in Kingly Court, just off of Carnaby Street. Its a real treasure trove in there and worth a look even if you don't intend on buying or making anything (although you probably won't leave empty handed!). It's hard to see in the photo but the necklace is a mix of small round flat cream, grey and black gemstones, interspersed with cloudy green smaller round beads. I'm wearing an abstract 'snow leopard' print dress today which is grey and black so the colours work really well.

Day 179 - Oui/Non necklace!

This is from Rock N Rose and is their 'Can't speak French' necklace (which duly makes me sing Girls Aloud for the rest of the day). I have been known to wear this and specifically use it to communicate my decisions - but I don't think that will work in the office today!!

Day 178 - Oliver Bonas multistone butterfly necklace

I think this was my first ever piece from Oliver Bonas, it was years ago but I really love it. Its made up of different gemstones but they are all quite natural shades so this is a really versatile piece that works with most outfits. Plus I like the fact that its not uniform and there's a random butterfly halfway down one side!

Day 177 - Red bead necklace

I made this a while ago and thought I'd wear it today as I've got a nice red dress on. Its just three strands of simple red seed beads interspersed with some red cube shaped beads. Nothing too fancy, but when its this humid you don't want anything too fiddly do you!

Day 176 - Strawberry earrings

These were a little gift from Claire at Mummybird Pretties. As it looks like we've got a hint of summer this week I thought I'd get some summery jewellery on and lets be honest, what's more summery than Wimbledon (which kicks off today) and obviously the good old strawberry!

The Sunday Summary

This week I've been speaking to one of my favourite jewellery designers, the lovely Harriet Kelsall who kindly let me interview her for The Sunday Summary. Obviously I think that makes her business my Shop of the Week as well - if you find her main range a little out of your budget I highy recommend her Purple Label range, as you know I already have some of their fab earrings!

How did you get into jewellery design?

My dad was a part time jeweller and we had a jewellery bench in our dining room at home. As a young child I was always hanging around seeing what he was up to and I actually made my first silver ring aged 4 (with his help of course!). After school I did an industrial design degree at Brunel University which was a very tough course that taught me a great deal – part of the course included an option to study jewellery design and making which I did with enthusiasm. I also covered environmentally sensitive/ethical design which has been useful too.  I started a career with computer products but my husband set me up a bench in the garden shed and I found myself with a long list of commissions from friends, then friends of friends and finally I gave up my job to start my own company full time.

What qualifications did you have, or would you recommend someone gets, to go into jewellery design?

Design is a complicated discipline and its very important – if you want to do design properly – to know what you are doing, so a course is essential. In my opinion, it is important that the course covers a good understanding of materials and techniques and is quite ‘feet on the ground’.  I only employ degree qualified designers in my company because you can’t design a ring unless you understand how it can be made and whether, structurally, it will hold together.  However our craftspeople are different and brilliant at making the jewellery – in my opinion, they are always better to learn as a goldsmith’s apprentice and not to have gone to university.

What is your favourite thing about designing jewellery?

My company specialises in bespoke jewellery and I absolutely love speaking to each of our customers as individuals – getting to know them, their style, what makes them tick – and designing something perfect for them. Jewellery has a very special emotional meaning, especially when you are talking about something as significant as an engagement ring or wedding ring and its wonderful being part of celebrating something so important an event as one of those. We also have designed, for example, mourning rings which are equally emotional but it is a positive thing to be able to design a ring to celebrate someone’s life.

I recently designed a pendant for Lisa Snowdon which was a Fairtrade and Fairmined gold design set with a garnet. It was for her 40^th birthday and garnet is her birthstone The design is based on the Aum symbol – specifically the Infinity or Dream element and the ‘id’ or self element which is represented by the swirl (pictured below and Lisa is wearing it in the image to the right too)

Is there something in particular you like designing more than anything else?

In our company we usually do engagement rings and wedding ring but its great to do dress jewellery for a change and special projects like Lisa Snowdon’s was great. I have a particular interest in Victorian sentimental jewellery and I’ve designed some pieces inspired by that theme and style, for example this ring is inspired by the Victorian tradition of spelling out the word “regard” with the first letters of a sequence of gemstones.

What do you see as the emerging trends for the next year?

I have just been to London Jewellery Week and I noticed quite a lot of wide chunky bangles and some very delicate and feminine lattice work pendants and earrings. It seemed to me that trends were diverging into either very simple (for example simple metal pieces with a little bit of colour) or very ornate with very little in the middle ground. It seems that rose gold is on the increase and a popular colour coming forward is peach.

Wow - so much inspiration!! I'm so gutted I couldn't go along to London Jewellery week as it sounds like there were some really great events on - I'm particularly keen to see different colours other than yellow gold and silver or platinum coming to the fore as my engagement and wedding rings are both unplated yellow gold so are a very pale yellow colour, to complement the champagne diamond in my engagement ring. I also love the idea of the 'Regard' ring, I'd never have thought of spelling out words in this way - how clever! I had also never heard of a mourning ring, and I think it is a truly lovely idea and an incrdible way to celebrate someone's life rather than mourning their loss.

Day 175 - Silver flower necklace

I bought this pendant from Smitten Beads some time ago and just strung it on a simple chain. I like that its just nice and simple but because the flower is big it is quite a statement piece.

Day 174 - Bow tie necklace

My final Mummybird Pretties piece of the week! This one is a little bit quirky but it felt right for today - a bit jazzy as its a saturday and the sun is out, kind of!

Day 173 - Dangly earrings

Something a bit fancy for a Friday! I think these were an old Marks and Spencers sale purchase way back. I like that they are a bit different, not just plain drops, but with a bit of chain - and also not just plain black, mixing up the navy and pewter a bit. Sorry for the quality of the photo - it a bit blurry isn't it!!

Day 172 - Silver bangles

I honestly don't know where these are from but I am going to guess that they could have been very old Accessorize purchases. We're talking about 10 years ago! I like the slightly tribal style and pattern on the disc - its really tactile but not too heavy or annoying!

Day 171 - Stunning gold and blue earrings

These are also from Mummybird Pretties and I can't tell you how much I love them. I had so many comments on these today and they are even better in the flesh than they are in photos. Claire has popped up some new pictures on her facebook pages this week, including some similar earrings to these that come in a little matching vintage tin. I had to actually restrain myself from ordering!!

Day 170 - silver handmade bracelet

I made this with what I believe may have been my first order from Smitten Beads, a very long time ago. The charm is silver and the small beads are Tibetan silver. I've just strung them on some elastic to make a very basic bracelet - but I really like the simplicity of it.

Day 169 - Butterfly necklace

As I mentioned yesterday, I have a few bits from Mummybird Pretties so I thought after making them my shop of the week, I'd show a few off. This is a stunning butterfly necklace that I absolutely love and it always gets compliments.

The Sunday Summary

My Shop of the Week this week is the fabulous Mummybird Pretties on Etsy. Claire, who runs the site, kindly sent me some pieces which I've not had a chance to blog about yet but I will do soon. I love her jewellery and especially the fab 'pins n tins' idea - what a brilliant gift. I wish I wore hair pins more often as if I did I'd be bulk buying. Mummybird Pretties is also on Facebook and she often pops up new photos of orders...its enough to drive you wild! You must check her shop out! I only discovered her after a friend recommended her and its time more people knew about her great accessories. I also bought this - its my accessory led approach to the Olympics/Jubilee!

Day 168 - Handmade birdcage necklace

I made this using, surprise surprise, pieces I bought from Smitten Beads! I really like the swirly nature of the pendant and I've strung it on antique brass chain to make a long necklace.

I am going away for a bit so may not be able to do the next few days worth of posts as I don't know what access I'll get to the internet...but I'll save them all up and do them all when I get back!

Day 167 - Sparkly bracelet

I adore this bracelet from Accessorize but unfortunately it turns my wrists green really quickly so I rarely wear it. But its so sparkly that it felt wrong to have it tucked away so I've put it on this morning...we'll see how long I last!

Speaking of sparkly things - I've been looking into jewellers in London who have been involved in London Jewellery Week - I had hoped to go along to a few events but I've not been able to make any unfortunately. As part of my research I stumbled upon the rather lovely De Bouverie - a beautiful boutique full of sparklies. I have developed a bit of a soft spot for these lovely earrings - I reckon they'd look great with my Banana Republic necklace!

Day 166 - Chunky bracelet

I think a friend gave me this bracelet when she was having a clear-out. It's not my normal style but actually its really fab as its so big it makes your wrist look smaller. Not that you can tell in this very bad photo! But it makes me smile anyway!

Day 165 - Joy necklace

There's something a bit tribal about this necklace. I had forgotten I had it but I was wearing it the day they took my photo that's on my work security pass and I noticed it the other day!! I got it from Joy about a year and a half ago.

Day 164 - handmade wooden earrings

I made these ages ago using some lovely wooden beads from Smitten Beads. The beads are so soft and really tactile. I made a necklace with them as well which I will wear at some point but I wish I had more as they are really nice!

Day 163 - birthday bracelet

I got this as a birthday present from a friend a few years ago. Its made from memory wire so is really fun to twist and play around with! I like the subtle violet shade and the aged silver beads gives it a really nice vintage touch.



Day 162 - Compass necklace

I got this as the husband often refers to me as his compass so I thought it would be a randomly cute thing to get and then wear for him...but he really didn't like it! He's away this week though so I am rocking it anyway! I think its from Rock n Rose but I can't be 100% sure. I admit it is a completely odd necklace but I kinda love it and I can't help but think the compass could come in handy if I were to get lost. Or need to find magnetic north. Or something.

Oh, by the way, its London Jewellery Week this week...If you are in London and interested in checking it out you can find out more at http://www.jewelleryweek.com/ I was hoping to go along to a few events but I am not able to make them. There are some fab tasters and workshops - I'm especially gutted to miss out on the Tatty Devine dinosaur session!

The Sunday Summary

This week my shop of the week goes to the rather fabulous Elsie Belle. I've never bought anything from the site (I hate this no buying rule!) but I adore the dinosaur pieces and the hilariously random cat cameos! Its a random day today (rubbish weather, not got much to do so have resorted to cleaning!) so I think random dinosaur and cat jewellery it is then!

Image courtesy of Elsie Belle.

Day 161 - glass bead earrings

I made these from some of the beads that were left-over from the necklace I wore yesterday. You can really see the detail in the bead in this photo and I do think it looks just like a boiled sweet!! Mmmm, sweets...!

Day 160 - multi-coloured necklace

I made this a few years ago using some stones from an old bracelet my mum gave me. I like the fact the bigger beads look a little bit like boiled sweets.
Its a nice tactile necklace - good for playing with in meetings!

Day 159 - Simple silver bracelet

This is really old, in fact I only found it a week or two ago as I forgot I had it! Its a nice simpe T-bar bracelet which I could hang some charms from in the future I suppose; I just like it nice and plain as more of an everyday piece of jewellery. Sometimes its nice to just stick to the old classics once in a while!

Day 158 - beaded bracelets

I genuinely have no idea where these are from, although I'm going to speculate Boots or BHS. I think the subdued grey/greens really sum up how we are all feeling at the moment wth all this rain - It's June, surely time for more of that sun we had last month! Are you all thinking that it would have been a really good idea to have booked the rest of this week off?

On another, and much sadder note; I heard today that a close friend's brother has passed away after going missing. News like that really brings it all home to you, especially after such a jubilant weekend, that life is so short. It was touching how many people helped on twitter to spread the word so thank you to everyone who retweeted messages.

If you know anyone who might be feeling more than just 'a little bit blue' at this time then remember that it is good to talk. Some people who aren't doing too well might not want to actually talk but it does the world of good knowing that someone is there. If you yourself are struggling right now then please visit the Samaritans or Mind for more information.

Day 157 - Blue heart necklace

Oooh, there's a random blue theme this week isn't there! I've been wearing white ankle socks and red trainers all over the bank holiday weekend so maybe that's why I subliminally went for blue jewellery!

This actually came free with 'Making Jewellery' magazine - I picked it up yesterday from the shop and made the necklace last night. I've already had lots of compliments and I like the fact its a bit Rob Ryan-esque with the cut out design.

Day 156 - Belgian blue bracelet

As you can guess by the title of this post I got this bracelet in Belgium. I like picking up pieces when you're away on holiday so you can remember holidays - I'll always treasure the ring I bought on honeymoon. I also have earrings to match this bracelet - I may wear them soon.

I won the trip to Belgium in a charity raffle although it wasn't the trip I won, just 2 nights accomodation in a lovely B&B - it did mean I had to pay to get there and back but it wasn't too much on the Eurostar and was a really nice random trip!

I don't think I would have thought 'oh I must go to Belgium' but actually its a really lovely place and we had a fab time. I went with my friend who is getting married next month - can't wait, I do love a good wedding!

Day 155 - Long Accessorize necklace

I got this ages ago and always think of it as my summer necklace! the lighting is really bad but its basically a long pewter/brass chain with various charms hanging from it, most of which are turquoise - and then at the end it has a charm that looks like an animal tooth. Its very random but I really like it!

The Sunday Summary

I know they've already been my Shop of the Week but I couldn't resist bestowing the honour again because look at this necklace! LOOK! LOVE! The lovely folks at Oliver Bonas have some amazing new pieces in store this month and I caught up with Rebecca Jones, Jewellery Buyer for Oliver Bonas, about her role at one of my favourite shops! 

How did you get into buying jewellery? My background is in Jewellery Design, I studied Jewellery and Silversmithing at The School of Jewellery in Birmingham. After finishing uni, I moved to London and worked as a production assistant for a number of high profile Fashion Jewellers but decided I wanted to go into the buying side of the industry. I started at Oliver Bonas 5 years ago in an admin role in The Buying team and have worked up to my current role as the company has bloomed.  

Many people would probably think getting paid to buy jewellery is the dream job (I know I do!) but what other projects do you get to work on? I always say it is not as glamorous as it sounds! There is a lot of work that involves negotiating costs and analysis. I also work on a lot of development which involves designing collection with the suppliers which means we can offer exclusive designs to the lovely Oliver Bonas customers.

What's the best thing about working for Oliver Bonas? I think the involvement that I have in the development of new collections as well as being part of the Buying team at such an exciting and evolutionary time for the company.

Do you have a favourite piece from the new collection? I love the new enamel collection that we are set to launch in June as I have developed the range and my favourite has to be the Humming Bird necklace. I'm also really excited about the new semi-precious collection that we will be launching later in the summer. It is a new look for us that is more delicate but sleek and stylish made using 14 carat gold base metal and semi-precious stones such as Labradorite and Amazonite.

What are your top tips for the new season / key emerging trends you'd recommend? For Autumn/Winter there are going to be a few key trends coming from the catwalk shows including crystal bejewelled jewellery and boho style. Brooches are also making a come back.

Do you have a favourite jewellery designer and why do you love them so much? I am lucky enough to have a lot of Jewellery Designer friends who are amazingly talented people. My favourite designer at the moment is Phoebe Coleman. Her designs are very simple but very cool.

I think you'll agree that the new enamel pieces are really fab and great for summer - I am completely in love with the sausage dog necklace! It's also great to see new faces - I'd not heard of Phoebe Coleman before and I look forward to checking her designs out! If you're interested in getting your hands on the new range at Oliver Bonas then the birdcage is in store now and the owl and the sausage dog will be in stores mid June.

Incidentally as its the Jubilee, Oliver Bonas also sell my fave tea towel of the moment, made by my friend Caroline at The Design Mould! See, I really am feeling the love big stylee for Oliver Bonas today!

Day 154 - multitasking bracelets...

These aren't actually proper bracelets...they're hair bands. Its one of those ideas that you think, oh my god, why has no-one thought of this before!! Simple bracelets that are also hair bands. I don't really wear them on my wrist as much as I do in my hair but that's because they are a little tight on me - but I think its such a fab idea. Sometimes you want a piece of jewellery that is as simple as plain black cord with a silver bar on it (I know I do) so I will definitely be making use of these as both hair and arm accessories!

Day 153 - Monochrome earrings

As promised, here are the matching earrings that go with yesterday's bracelet!

They're much bigger than I would normally wear but hey its the Jubilee Weekend so why not! They're a nice way of jazzing up a simple outfit and still feeling 'done'.

Day 152 - monochrome bracelet

I've been trying to remember where this one is from and I think it might be Oasis - we're talking from about 10 years ago now though!! It's a simple pearl bracelet but then it has various charms hanging from it.
When I had a hunt through my jewellery recently I found it along with the matching earrings which I think I'll wear tomorrow so you can see them - they're a bit blingy for a weekday!