So you may be interested in seeing what I mean by handmade, what happens right at the beginning of a creation of jewellery, from the foundations up as it were. 

I'm often asked, so I thought I'd show you.

How the Story Begins ...

Each piece starts from the spark of an idea.

An Inspiration.

Always to connect with Nature.

With an aim to Hold, and to Heal.

So, this is how it starts.

I first sculpt each piece, into tiny tiny sculptures, so that I can then turn them into a mould.

Here I am below working on the very beginnings of a few projects - for this at this stage I am using a polymer clay.

So this is the very early days.

Once this sculptures have been created, I then place it in the home oven to harden them.

I have to be really careful not to overdo it - there is the potential for it to burn and be totally unusable, which is a great shame after so much work.

Yes, this has happened!

Once this is out of the oven and cooled down it is ready to turn into a mould, so I can then start using the metal clay of my choice.

The Beautiful Alchemy of Metal Clay

The world of metal clay is a gamechanger for me, it is perfect for the way I like to work.

If you like sculpting, and want to play around with metal then using metal clay is a dream.

Metal clay gives you the freedom to create using your imagination.

It is a world in itself, but it really is Alchemy at it's best.

Metal clay comes in gold, silver, copper, bronze and more. There are many different makes, and each has it's own qualities. Depending on what type you decide to use you can either fire it with a small torch or in a kiln. This isn't the post to go any deeper into that, it's a bit complicated and each clay is very different from the other, particularly when it comes to firing it in the kiln.

The most important thing is it offers so much freedom in designs.

AND allows me to use my sculpture skills, gosh I love sculpting in clay.

As you can see, this is another potential area for disaster!  (see image below).

This happened once it had been in the kiln for a couple of hours... not good!

It doesn't happen so much any more, with a lot of practice, phew.

However, as you can see more often than not they turn out beautifully. This brings a very large smile to one's face.

These are a success, ready to be filed, polished, whatever needs to be done to create a piece that Shines On One's Soul it's Message, it's Healing.

The Story Unfolds, The Energy Builds

Now is when I create the finishing touches of each design.

From adding a simple chain ...

To adding an elaborate chains full of colour, stunning crystals, in various different ways, sometimes knotting with bronze …

and sometimes threading with silk (and a variation of both too) ...

And often I add cabochons in various ways ... large stunning beauties ...

and small tiny beautiful cabochons ...

Now they are Ready for YOU

They are ready to find their new home (each beautifully gift wrapped)

Each piece is created with the aim in mind to help Hold you.

To remind you of those parts within in to Embrace and to Heal with LOVE.

A Beautiful Journey for a Beautiful Soul.

I hope you enjoy what you see, and appreciate the love and attention that goes into each piece.  They are all original, no two pieces are the exact same.

The are masterpieces in their own right.