Inspiration from Cornwall

Four weeks ago I was on my summer holidays in Cornwall, a place that I will forever love!
There is such a wonderful laid back and artistic vibe down there that I really feel at home whenever I visit. There is also so many beautiful and inspiring things to see....

St Michael's Mount

St Michael's Mount is a stunning small tidal island, during low tide you can walk the causeway to get to the island but during mid to high tide you can only access the island by boat.
The island is seeped in history stretching back millennia, with discoveries of flint arrow heads to a Bronze Age hoard and many wonderful legends.

Views from the Castle

The Island partly owned by the Nation Trust and run by the St Aubyn family (who still live in a portion of the castle), has its own harbour, a handful of houses, a church, an underground tram line that runs from the harbour to the castle (that is closed to the public because it is so steep), a cafe, a few lovely little gift shops, and wonderful and exotic gardens that thrive in the Islands micro climate, to name but a few of the attractions.

Maps and Models

The side of one of the houses had the most beautiful old map painted on it, and then among the treasures of the castle (which included a mummified cat and a samurai suit) there was this beautiful ornate map above. These photo's make me want to make resin and map jewellery components! 

The Giant's Heart

Legend has it that the Island was once home to Cormoran an 18ft giant who lived there in a cave, He was said to eat cattle and small children and terrorised the local people until Jack a young farmers son trapped him in a concealed pit and brought his ax down upon his head. Jack was henceforth known as "Jack the Giant Killer" and the Giant's stone heart was set into the path way leading to the castle! 

Stained Glass Featuring St Michael's Mount

The Castle even has its own built in church, with breathtakingly beautiful stained glass windows. The one above even features St Michael's Mount in the background.

St Ives Beach

Then there is St Ives! My all time favourite place. The beaches are crystal clear and there is so many art galleries (real artist galleries not those ones that just sell mass produced prints) many of them are also working studio's so you can go and talk to the artists and watch them working, they have every kind of art you can imagine ranging from raku ceramic clocks, amazing glass sculptures to very beautiful paintings and mixed media pieces. I wish I had taken photo's of the studios but I was in somewhat of a daze (think small child in a sweet shop)!

Sea Glass Glore

We have even found the best little beach for sea glass, I don't know if you can see from the photo but there is just so much of it and it is the nice well worn without sharp edges stuff too!

Light House and Boats

Every time we visit we are always drawn to the light house and I intend to use this as inspiration for a necklace I plan on making.

A Shop Full of Treasures

I don't know about you (I guess a lot of you do this too) but when I go some where I always keep my eye out (and some times check with google) for bead/crystal shops as there are none close to where I live. So I always make a point of visiting this little shop that is just off the high street in St Ives, and the best thing is that it is open this 8.30 so you don't have to hurry!

"Emjems is a family run shop that has been selling jewellery, crystals, fossils, incense, singing bowls, stones and more unusual treasures for over 40 years!"

Crystals and fossils make me very happy and here are a few of the treasures I have managed to take home with me from Emjems (looking at the photo's I really wish I had brought that stone green man he would have been perfect for the September theme challenge!)....

Treasures From St Ives

Mostly due for wire wrapping except that piece of turquoise that will go into my light house piece.

Sun Setting Over St Ives

It is hard not to be inspired by a place as beautiful as this, the colours, the scenery and the wonderful calm and peaceful feeling it gives you....

Carn Brea Castle

Carn Brea Castle can be traced back as far as 1379. The stone twin towered fortress was built by the Bassett family and is built on the remains of a Iron Age hillfort that has been restored and extended over the years and now looks somewhat like a folly. It is truly stunning and really worth googling just to see more photo's of this amazing place that is currently used as a very unique middle eastern restaurant it is however a bookings only venue or we would have been tempted to try it!

The View 

The spectacular views from the castle even left the most talkative amongst us (pictured above) stunned into silence!

Falmouth

And then of course there is Falmouth, this photo just makes me smile! With it's beautiful rolling hills full of patchwork fields and clusters of trees, stunning blue sea and the adorable little boats. Whats not to love!

Found Treasure

Plus there is all of those new beach find/treasures to add to my over flowing hoard!

Sea Glass Earrings

Every year my other half, the children and I head down to Cornwall to spend some of the summer holidays with his family, and every year we go to some of the amazing beaches and collect lots of lovely beach treasures, which inevitably (what with me being a hoarder) end up coming home with us and being put into the "one day I will do something with all these lovely bits" box....

The Contents of the Box

So this year I decided I really need to start using some of these treasures and what better way to start then by making up some earrings....

Making Waves Earrings

To make these earrings you will need

• A pair of sea glass pieces (mine are 15mm x 10mm)
• 8mm/20gauge sterling silver wire (The amount of silver you will need for this project will depend on the size of your sea glass and how long you like your earwires. 1/2 meter should be enough to make two or three pairs of earrings).
• 2 2x1mm sterling silver crimp covers 
• Wire cutters
• File
• Flat nose pliers
• Bail making or round nose pliers
• Hammer and anvil
• Easy solder paste
• Soldering equipment (including safety goggles and apron)
• Safety pickle

Optional

• Tumbler
• Dremel with a 1mm cup burr

Making the Back of the Earring

Cut two lengths of wire long enough to wrap around your cabs and then shape them so that they are ever so slightly smaller then the sea glass, trim and file the ends so they fit together perfectly flush these will become the back of the earrings

Forming Waves

Take approx 3 inches (more if you are using large sea glass pieces) using your pliers form tiny waves, this can be a little fiddly at first. Once shaped gently hammer your waves so they are flat and cut off and file small sections to fit neatly inside the back sections you just formed (they must be touching each side).

Soldering in Place

Cut 4 small pieces of wire, they need to be twice the height of your sea glass and file one end perfectly flat. Arrange your pieces on your soldering block/charcoal block as above and apply small amounts of easy solder paste to all of the joins.

Soldered in Place

Gently solder. I use solder paste as I find it a lot easier then flux and solder pillions which all ways pop apart when I heat them! Once the solder flows wait a few seconds to cool slightly and then using your soldering tweezers place in the safety pickle after a few minute rinse and give them a brush over with a wire brush and check that your joints are strong.

Trimming the Bezels

Using your flat nose pliers gently bend your prongs 90 degrees making sure that your sea glass still fits snugly inside. Trim the wires so there is enough to bend over the top of the glass to hold it in place and then file the wires flat. I use a 4 sided nail file for this as I always have one laying around.

Forming Earwires

Cut x2 three inch long pieces of silver, file one end flat and using your bail making/round nose pliers form a neat eye pin. Heat two small scraps of silver to form little balls. Open your eye pins and thread on the prong settings, close the eye and place them onto the soldering/charcoal block. Place a small amount of solder paste onto the join in the eye pin and place the ball on top, very gently solder (it will not take long at all but be careful not to heat any of your other joints) cool for a few seconds and place into your solder pot (using tweezers of course) after a few minutes remove from the pickle and wash in bicarb and water.

Finishing Touches

Give your pieces a good brush over with the wire brush and shape the eye pins into ear wires using a pen and a pair of pliers. At this point I like to use a cup burr to neaten up the prongs. I tend to use a blob of blue tack to hold my piece on a stone while I use the cup burr in my dremel so my fingers don't get too hot, then I pop them into the tumbler for an hour so they come out beautifully shiny and then carefully using my pliers I bend the prongs over the stones and they are finished!

Finished Earrings

You can also use the same technique (and a bit more patience) to make the following bracelet....

Summertime Challenge Piece

And now you are left to wear your wonderful holiday memories!

Etsy shop - Niky Sayers Artisan Jewellery

From Scotland to Bead Fest: mermaid medleys

Did I grab your attention with that title? Come on a mixed media journey - I will explain...


Earlier this year, my friends Sarah Dressler ( of Toadstools and Treestump artist dolls) and her family went to the UK. Sadly there were ashes to scatter, but also family to visit and adventures to be had. One pivotal stop was at The Ha'en. (Ethie Haven, north of Arbroath on the East Coast of Scotland). Sarah’s maternal grandfather purchased a cottage in the early days of this century. Originally fisherman's cottages, they have been shared and passed down to family members to this day.

Ethie Haven, Scotland aka the Ha'en. 

Naturally Sarah and her daughter Emma (my fabulous, talented teacher's aide) did some beach combing. I was struck by the delicate beauty of their dainty treasures; which they graciously offered to share with me. The idea to encapsulate memories, to create a talisman for them was instantaneous. Here is what I created:

Mother and daughter "Memory medleys" contain shells, sea glass, coral chips, pebbles... from the beach at the Ha'en. 

The tiny bits of sea pebble, beach glass, coral, shell are cast into a resin cabochon. The outer shell was a beach combing find as well, and I knew I wanted the wee pieces to peek through the ring of shell. The pairing is tab set for strength, security, and to provide a bright reflective backing - highlighting the treasures.

This medley of sorts, a mermaids treasure, a selkie's collection - the idea took hold of me... I can't walk the Delaware beaches without at least one pebble or shell. The ocean gives me a small token each trip. I have ocean treasures in many spots around my studio, AND I recently went to the Sea Shell City shop in Fenwick DE with this idea in mind.

Treasure on my "water" shelf; purchased materials and found treasures. 

These are the first pieces. They are a bit yellow as I was using older resin, and that doesn't bother me. A bit of a golden glow... They are easy to do, yet very time consuming as each involves 2-3 resin pours. Items are added in layers to control floating... and sinking!

Mermaid medley resin cab prototypes. 

These would be perfect for tab setting. For bead embroidery. They could be drilled. I plan to do 4 different things to these four. Oh so many possibilities! 

And I am making a batch for Bead Fest - please! Chime in now! How would you like to see them? What format works for you? Cabs? Drilled? Already tab set? Id love to hear your thoughts!

To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower. Hold infinity in the palms of your hand and eternity in an hour.     William Blake

Making Polymer Stones and Sea Glass GIVEAWAY

Quite some time ago I purchased a class called

  Making Polymer Stones and Sea Glass with Cynthia Tinapple.

 Then somehow I forgot about it and never watched it (very strange I know) until last night!
 Can't believe I forgot about it!! It's a fun class and I can't wait to try making Stones. I was however able to try my hand at the Sea Glass. I need to get a couple more supplies before I can have a go at creating Stones.

My first attempt at the Sea Glass got away from me,

Cynthia warns you during the class not to walk away from them. I didn't actually walk away but I obviously wasn't paying close enough attention because before I knew it this is what happened.

Yup, I burned them, smoke alarm going off and the whole nine yards.

I was trying to get them out of the oven but wasn't prepared for having to do it so quickly.

OOPS!!

They also stuck to the paper which is a first for me, I guess it's not a surprise though.

Kind of cool looking actually but not a good thing.

Won't be doing that again I hope.

Better, only just slightly overcooked.

Almost there, the colors are a little bit to saturated but I didn't burn them!!

I had fun playing with this new technique and I'm really excited to try making Stones.

Maybe my next post will be about just that!

I've made some little Ammonite beads in Polymer before so I thought they might be the perfect thing to start playing with this Sea Glass mixture using my own aestetic.

Faux Sea Glass Ammonite beads.

These set of beads is available on HERE on Etsy.

Making Polymer Stones and Sea Glass

 

The Giveaway is now closed,

Congratulations to Jan Scarborough!!

 

Feel free to

Click HERE

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And tell them who sent you!!

 

Kristi

KristiBowmanDesign.Etsy

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