Delicate detail in gold.

My Arctic Twig has been cast in solid gold for the first time. It no longer has the cold frosty look reminiscent of the ice and snow where I picked the twig, but now a beautiful warm glow.

I think it looks very beautiful.

The ring is available in my on-line Etsy store here.

Recharging my batteries.

I have just returned from a blissful week in the sun with my two boys. The first big holiday the three of us have had alone. We spent a week on the Turkish turquoise coast, and I have come back feeling fantastic, totally refreshed, utterly full of beans, over flowing with plans and ideas and raring to go.

We stayed in Kas which is about 100 miles from an airport, which means that lots of folk can't face the transfer, and consequently it remains a very Turkish resort. The hotel was small and friendly, and is covered with the most amazing bright pink bouganville.

We spent our days doing lots of exciting things like gorge walking, (and at some points gorge swimming as the water was deep in places). We went tubing down a river then had a huge mud fight - (which the boys definitely liked that more than me). 

One day we hopped on a dive boat to go snorkelling and were lucky enough to be visited by a beautiful turtle, who we were able to swim along with for a while. Another day a group of us hired a boat and Jasper astounded me with his amazing fearless swimming, so happy with his new bright red flippers. 

There was hour upon sunny hour on beaches, on boats and by the pool. Before we left the UK Oliver said he hoped to be half aquatic by the time he came back - I think he managed it, sometimes the kids were in the water for about 8 hours a day.

One day we went sea kayaking. Our route took us through crystal clear waters and over a sunken city. Once again we spotted turtles, sometimes popping up to breathe so close to our boats. Magic.

(Shipwreck ahoy!)

We had great company of three other families doing the same thing, lots of new friends for the boys. The food was yummy, the beer was cold. In the evenings we would find ourselves out in the warm dark air in the town square eating ice creams then the boys playing with little light up helicopter catapults alongside all the Turkish children. Finally, we would walk back up the hill to our hotel and fall into bed, happy and tired after our active adventure filled days.

All in all we spotted twenty turtles in the turquoise waters during the week, and then just as we were leaving for the airport, someone spotted two dolphins playing in the bay. It was a perfect end to a perfect holiday. 

Open Studio this weekend

So it's a hive of activity here at CB HQ, with slight panic in the air. This weekend I am flinging wide the doors to the studio as part of the local Borough's Artist Open Studio event, called ARThouse. (I do wish they would just call it Open Studios - far more obvious to the general public what it's all about!)

It suddenly focuses your mind; opening the stock box and giving things a polish. It makes me realise, what I have got, what I haven't got, what I need to make, what I need to move on to next. It is very easy to get caught up in day to day orders and commissions, and scarcely find the time to move on and create new things.

Speaking of which, I was busy in the sketchbook at the weekend, working on something new. I took loads of photographs for inspiration last Summer and am only just getting round to scribbling new ideas for well needed new pieces. It felt good.

So as well as making, silver dipping, and polishing, it becomes time to take stock. Do I have enough business cards, postcards, tissue paper and bags? I spent Monday night sewing a batch of the little pure white cotton muslin bags that I like to pop my jewellery in before putting it in my little boxes. I love attention to detail, but I do give myself one more little pressure by doing this.

The studio itself needs a really good clean and tidy, it's definitely a working space just at the moment, even though it is supposed to have one end for work, and one end that is for display. Most of you know that I really love my studio. I had it built a couple of years ago. It was a big investment, but with all the chemicals, sharp tools and polishing equipment, it was preferable to have it out of the house, especially as I have children. 

I also bought it with the intention of teaching in it, but this hasn't really been able to get off the ground, as I am living in some strange limbo land, not knowing how long I will get to stay here now - I could hardly ask people to sign up for a course and then move house when they were half way through. 

So this weekend, I shall be pouring the Pimms, making some jewellery, welcoming the public. I have been rather low key about the whole thing this year, but it means the pressure is off and the event is exactly as it is supposed to be, an artist, in their space, showing and demonstrating their work to the public. Just hope I get some visitors!

Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th July

11am - 6pm

65 Holmesdale Road, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 9LJ

07946 588019

Date for the diary

I love this event, it's jam packed with great sellers. Worth marking it in the diary. You can do all your Christmas shopping, and give everyone beautiful, unique, hand made gifts.

Work in progress

I have been trying to make some stock for Open Studios in July, as well as thinking about preparing for this year's main event - Kirsty Allsopp's Handmade Fair in September. Alongside that I have been working on some commissions as always.

Today I have been making a stunning gorgeous Blue Topaz  cocktail ring...

...and also a lovely aquamarine ring, with this big curved rectangular aquamarine. The setting needs to be shaped to match the stone, and this stone also has a curved base, which makes working with it harder. I like to avoid ones with curved bases, but this was such a great shape, and I knew it would make a great ring.

Both of these are no where near finished, they need a good polish and the stone setting, but I should be able to post finished pics by the end of the week.

Come say goodbye to the studio!

It's that time of the year again. The Richmond-upon-Thames ARThouse Open Studio event is taking place on the last weekend of June and the first weekend of July. It is your chance to visit makers in their workspaces, to watch them at work, and maybe treat yourself to some of their work too. I am taking part on the second weekend only, so you can visit me in my garden studio on the 5th and 6th of July between the hours of 11am and 6pm.

As I am having to move, and leave my beloved studio, it seems fitting that this should be an Open Studio to remember. I can't promise sunshine, but the Pimm's will be flowing. Do try to get along and say hello and goodbye. I can't wait!

Moving on

The last 48 hours have been a flurry of activity getting my house ready for photographs to be taken. A  slow and tedious divorce means the house has to be sold. I offered to walk away from money and pensions so the kids and I could stay here, as I think that would have been best for the boys, but sadly the ex had no desire to try and retain any stability for his kids with their home, even after all they have been through over the last couple of years. Still; I know a loving home can be created anywhere. It's not specific to just one set of bricks and mortar. Where one door closes...

So there has been cleaning, and painting, and tidying, and to be honest, the house hasn't looked so great for years. All the jobs that couldn't be done because they wouldn't be paid for, are getting done out of necessity. I have been wielding the paintbrush because ex refused to split the cost for a coat of paint before sale, but I have done house projects since the age of 25 so this is nothing new for me. yesterday the window cleaner came, and today the photographer.

So while the Estate agent photographer worked with his wide angle lens that seemed to make all my rooms look three times their actual size, and whizzed round and took a few more arty snaps of my own.

Today the mantel piece is sporting three bits of Hensteeth textile art, a Claire Hillerby collage, an Abigail Brown bird, a piece of Julie Whitmore pottery, some boot sale finds, and some teeny cotton voile bunting I made.

A perfect spot to grab five minutes with a magazine.

The children's rooms have been tidied and edited. 

(They won't look like this for long!)

Small boy's room...

...and big boy's room

I have jet washed the deck, the grass has been cut.

The dining table has been spruced with flowers for viewings to start.

And I grouped and hung some of my favourite pictures that the kids have done over the kitchen sofa.

The other wall has my favourite clock on it...

(But the number of times it cuckoos compared to how many times the little cuckoo pops out seem to have gone wrong since I reset the time. Ooops.)

..and of course there is my perfect Alex Snowdon artwork, that was designed just for me and the boys. It is actually a perfect pale blue, my photo is not doing it justice.

My bedroom is decorated with angel's wings, and some car boot sale teacups that cost me £1 for the lot.

And now the spare room has been cleared of eight years of hoarded junk, and the ex's belongings that he has refused to take for the year and a half that he hasn't lived here, my Grandma's old dressing table looks just perfect, and the beautiful cream stocks, make the room smell lovely.

Once more, I can hold my head high that I have done all this work, and made this place look great. I have negotiated with estate agents, and am house hunting, while running my little business, and looking after the boys (who will always be my number one priority). Thank goodness my family breeds strong, invincible women, who are not afraid to work hard, and know how to do the right thing!