Silversmithing

Making a Silver Box

I have just completed a weeks worth of Silversmithing at Central Saint Martins College under the guidance of Linda Robertson who is a practicing Silversmith.

Our project was to make a silver box. Here are some pictures to show you how the box developed from sheet silver to fully functioning box!

After lots of cutting pieces of silver to size the first step was to form the shape of the box on a mandrel.

The back is soldered to the form

After each Soldering the piece is put into a 'Pickle Bath' to clean it up

The base is soldered in place. A hole is pierced in the side before soldering the lid to the top and then another trip to the Pickle Bath.

Then the really scary part - the cutting of the lid!!!

Of course all these steps also required a lot of preparation such as measuring, marking, filing and preparing the silver for soldering.

Next the bezel which holds the lid in place was made using the same method as the box and soldered in place

Now the really labourious part! Lots of piercing with a saw blade! I lost count of the amount of blades I broke! Some time later I managed to get rid of all the excess silver

all the edges of the box had to be smoothed and blended so that they appeared seemless.

Files, emery and sanding papers and lots of elbow grease later,  my box started to emerge as something half decent! I still have a tiny bit of sanding and finishing left to do but I'm very pleased with what I produced! 

Now I think my arms need a good rest!

Mother's Day!

I hope all you Mothers out there were treated well this Mother's Day! I had a lovely relaxing day with my boys and I also was pleased to be the recipient of these gorgeous Earrings from Beadypool.

I was the lucky Winner of Beadypool's Mothering Sunday Competition. I have always admired Beadypool's work - she only uses Artisan Lampwork Beads and her work is very classy and beautiful. Thank you Beadypool!

All you Jewellery Makers out there should start quaking in your boots as there are two new designers in town! My 5 Year Old Twin Boys made me these lovely necklaces at School for Mother's Day!

I am still happily beavering away at my own little projects. I have recently made some Copper Viking Weave Choker Necklaces to go with the Bracelets.

Coming Soon....

My first taste of Silversmithing!

&

My favourite thing : CUPCAKES!!!!

Silver and Polymer Clay Revisited

I forgot to mention in the title that I have also revisited Wire Crochet too! The Silver Corsage was made for a wedding and eventually was attached to a hair band. The Purple Flower added an extra special finishing touch to a 40th Birthday Cake I made. The Stone is Amethyst - the Birthday Girl's Birthstone. This could also be used as a hair decoration or put in a pretty spill vase as decoration.

I'm still unsure about PMC (Precious Metal Clay). It's possibilities are endless but I find having to work with something so quickly before it dries out a bit of a pain! I did however have another go at Fingerprint Jewellery. First was a Silver Hanging Heart Pendant with three childrens' prints

I used the same prints to make three smaller charms to be attached to a Bracelet

I went on a Polymer Clay Course quite a while ago now and as with most things I shelved it for a later date!

One rainy day the Children discovered my stash and were particularly impressed with having to put the Clay through the Pasta Machine to condition it and roll it out. I ended up playing with a few scraps of clay too and made myself a pretty bracelet. I left the beads with a matt finish but did try out varnishing a few to see what they looked like. The kids' Mood Sand proved very useful for holding the cocktail sticks with the Beads on ready for Varnishing! I have to say I prefer the Beads unvarnished with a bit of Sanding and a polish with a cloth.

A little Hello from me

Hello there - I hope you are well! It's been ages since my last blog and thought it was about time I showed my face.

I'm looking out of the window at the pouring rain and thinking this time last week I was in Dubai in the warm Sunshine with my toes in the sand!

I was only there for a short time but it was just the tonic I needed away from the cold and miserable weather the UK has to offer! We soaked up the sun, splashed in water and ate nice food and most importantly spent time together as a family.

I was even lucky enough to have lunch at The Burj Al Arab - the most luxurious Hotel in the world -unfortunately I'm nowhere near rich enough to stay there! The restaurant is the bit sticking out of the side (see pic above) and had spectacular views.

Since I returned I have managed to be a little creative mainly on commissioned pieces! I'm still working on my Viking Weave creations and experimenting with different weaves. I don't know if anyone is interested in my creations but for me that's not what it's about - I just love to make lovely things. I'm still keen to work more with Precious Metal Clay and Polymer Clays as well as learn some Silversmithing techniques.

Competition Winner!

Congratulations to

SARAH -

Buddhist Musician Accessories

This Viking Weave Bracelet is yours!

Sorry to the others who entered - please visit my blog again for more giveaways!

Happy New Year!

I hope you are all having a fantastic start to 2010.

I made some delicious Pumpkin Pie thanks to Michele providing me with the necessary ingredients - Thank you Michele!

My Misi Shop is currently empty so I can concentrate on being creative and finding THE thing that defines me- whatever that is I don't know

but I hope some day to find it!

The craft I am enjoying the most at the moment is Viking Weave. I have gone Viking Weave mad!

I must look a very odd sight out in Public with my little stick and reel of wire! I love the fact that it is so mobile - you can take it anywhere and need very few tools - it is a very basic craft. I recently saw some pieces of Viking Weave Jewellery in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London - unfortunately I was unable to take a photo - I love the fact that I am doing the same thing as a Viking over a 1000 years ago!

So I've done lots of weaving but as yet haven't turned my lengths of weave into anything other than the odd bracelet like this Copper and Silver one

Competition!

Would anyone like to win the bracelet above?

It measure 7.5" from start to finish. The weave is made with bare Copper Wire. The end cones and the S-Clasp are Sterling Silver (925).

You can enter by doing one of the following:

1. Follow my blog if you're not already!

2. Tweet, Blog, Facebook etc about my Competition

3. Become a fan of my Facebook Fan Page

Leave a comment below and I'll enter you into the draw which will take place on

Wednesday 20th January 2010

This competition is open to everyone wherever you are in the world. Don't forget to leave a contact email or other link to you so I can track you down!

Best Wishes!

Happy Christmas!

I just wanted to pop along to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and interesting, productive, creative, exciting and Happy New Year!

Thanks to my American friend Michele (By Your Side) who sent me an early Christmas Present! Lovely Michele was shocked to hear I had never tasted Pumpkin Pie in my entire life!

She very kindly sent me a can of Pumpkin Pie Mix!

Also a HUGE jar of Marionberry Jam (product of Oregon!)

So it will be Pumpkin Pie for us this Xmas and Marionberry Jam on everything!

My MISI Shop is currently out of stock. I will be back with some new creations in 2010. I am currently addicted to Viking Weave and have been weaving like crazy - so expect my new stuff to be of this ilk!

I was lucky enough to be asked to provide Tiaras for a wedding so that has kept me busy too. So far I have completed the Tiaras for the girl Bridesmaid and for the star of the show - the Bride!

There are still a few days left to get you online shopping done so please do visit MISI or Michele's shop By Your Side for Christmas gifts!

Jo x