A Golden Pearl with a Golden Leaf

The raw materials

Rolling the silver to shape

The ring formed up and ready to be shaped

Checking the depth of the setting

 With the addition of the 9ct gold leaf

 Ready to be polished and for pearl to be set in place

Sometimes a job just flows from start to finish. There are no complications. Just a calm and joyful sense of achievement at each step of the process, as you channel years of learning and practice in to the making of an item. And so it was yesterday, making this beautiful pearl ring for a client. 

She had emailed me an inquiry about creating a piece for a Golden South Sea pearl that she had brought on her travels. I asked a few questions about what she had in mind, I sketched a few ideas and gave her a quote. She gave me further direction on the design and I produced a few more sketches, then she selected the design you see before you.

I love that technology gives me the opportunity not only to work from home and sell online, but also to work with clients all over Australia, and even all over the world, to produce custom made pieces.

This ring came together seamlessly yesterday during the babies nap time, and then after dinner. The customer has already given me her approval, as I sent her these progress shots as I went so she could see her piece being made. So today I need only polish it up, and glue the pearl in to place, before sending it off to its new home.

Coming Soon - Edith

It's been a busy month for custom made jewellery. Much of which I can't show you yet, as it is for birthdays and special occasions. But I will update my portfolio when I can. 

Meanwhile, I have also been working on the Edith scalloped rings, which is coming soon to my online shop. I am offering it first to my newsletter subscribers for pre-order from Monday 3rd November, at a special price. If you are interested, sign up to my mailing list to find out more.

Happy weekend! 

Notes From the Workshop

New tools - spoon stakes for the project I mentioned.

New postcards - I love new stationary.

A production line of Silver 'Beryl' Necklaces in preparation for Finders Keepers.


Working on a new collection of handmade drop earrings.


My dear Cohen, who keeps asking if he can make jewellery too. How could I say no?


Packaging up orders with a few of my favourite things.

I'm still here, keeping myself occupied in the workshop and waiting for baby. 39 weeks and 3 days today. I really am ready whenever baby is! It's a strange sort of limbo, this waiting business. 

Should baby keep us in anticipation, you can expect to see a few new pairs of earrings in the shop soon. Either way, the shop will remain open, with my sister taking over posting out orders in my absence. Only custom orders will be put on hold until I am ready to pick up my tools again after the birth.

Thanks for all your support and lovely comments here and on instagram lately. I hope to be sharing good news with you all soon. 

xx

The Process - from sketch to finished piece

The 'Joy' Pendant and Earrings are the final pieces in the 'Sentimental Collection' and they are now in the shop. For those not familiar with the process of making jewellery, I thought I would run through the various stages of creating these pieces. If you are anything like me, you may enjoy a peek behind the scenes of a jeweler at work.

Initially, there were several designs sketched in my sketchbook as I slowly built on my ideas for a doily inspired collection featuring drilled and punched details. I developed a set of stacking rings, a pendant and necklace, a pair of hoops, and of course the 'Joy' pendant and earrings.

The next step is to start realising these drawings in metal. This means sketching out the designs on sheets of metal and saw them out, filing and shaping them, and then in this case, drilling and punching them. Because I planned on making more than once of each piece, and in order to keep each piece identical and lower production costs, I made 'Masters' for each piece from copper. These masters were then sent away to be professionally moulded and cast in Sterling Silver and 9ct Rose Gold, before being returned to be hand finished.

This is how the castings return. They have the remains of the sprues on them, where the metal was poured in to the moulds, and a slightly rough textured finish. The next step is to saw and file off the sprues, emery (jewellers sandpaper) the surfaces and hand make the findings necessary to complete each piece - such as the ear wires and jump rings. These fittings are then soldered on and the entire piece is polished - first using a goats hair polishing wheel with tripoli compound to remove the scratches remaining from the emery, then a cotton polishing mop with rouge compound to create a high shine finish.

You can see the pieces in the middle have had the sprues removed and have been emeried. They have also been stamped 925 on the reverse - which is the standard mark for Sterling Silver and means that the piece is 92.5% pure Silver. They are now ready to have their ear wires, jump rings and pearl posts soldered on.

Wires, posts and bails in place, the Silver pendants and earrings are ready for another touch of emery before being polishing. First though, I check that the pearl posts are the right length and trim them down to size to fit the half drilled round Freshwater Pearls.

Ta-dah! The finished product. Polished, a satin finish applied with a fine emery, and pearls glued in to position on the posts with a two part epoxy. 

I hope that gave you some insight in to the process of a piece of cast jewellery from start to finish, and that you enjoyed this peek in to the workshop. I'm more than happy to answer any questions you might have. 

If you have ever fancied trying your hand at making your own silver and gold jewellery, there are some great courses out their run through private schools, TAFE's and Universities. For me, nothing beats the satisfaction of designing and creating a piece of jewellery.

Finders Keepers? I'm in!

Guess what? I'm going to be at the Finders Keepers market in Brisbane! My first ever market! I received an email to say there was a debut spot open for me. Hooray!

I'm excited and nervous! Excited at the prospect of meeting lots of lovely people at the market and having a stall alongside such amazing creatives as I know will be there. And nervous too, at the prospect of getting everything done in time and selling my wares on the day.

There is much to do to prepare. I've made several (hundred) lists. I've been ordering packing, working on earrings and trying to calculate how much stock I will need - but I really haven't got the foggiest.

I do know that I have new pieces in the works especially for the market, and promotions planned for the weekend. I also know it is going to be a fantastic market if the last one is anything to go by, and I can't wait!

So Brisbane-ites, write it in your diaries, keep the 16th or 17th of November free and make sure you come and say hello! I'll be on the verandah and my darling twin sister, Fiona, will be helping out at my table.

From the bench

1. 'Away with the cloud earrings' in progress. I'm pleased to have them back in stock in the shop. I've decided to keep a pair for myself and another pair have been sold as a birthday gift, so they may not last long.

2. A finished commission. 9ct yellow gold petal, pearl pendant using clients pearl - which she brought on a holiday in Broome. Simple and beautiful. I have plans for a silver version for the shop.

3. Traditionally knotted on coloured silk, with sterling silver lobster clasps, these beads were brought back from New York by another client. I find threading and knotting beads, or pearls, so calming and satisfying.

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Last week was a busy week at the jewellery bench, with sales, client repairs and commissions to work on. There will be more of the same this week. I plan to put aside some time to work on new stock for the shop too. My head is full of pearl and brooch designs, perfect for Winter wear.

In the meantime I was wondering, is there anything in particular you would like to see in the shop? Any older designs you'd like to see again? More pearl strands? Bracelets like those above? I really would love to know. 

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Large bruised clouds are scattered across the sky today, whispering the possibility of more rain. Yesterday the rain became oh so loud, it sounded as if a kettle was boiling constantly. All activities were accompanied by a steady back ground beat of raindrops. The hard rain died down to a relaxing patter and urged me to pick up a book, lay down in bed and spend a day doing a whole lot of nothing. Such bliss.

Today has been quite the opposite. I've spent the day working at the jewellery bench filling orders and dreaming up new designs. Can't wait to get some new pieces added to the shop soon.

Hope your weekend has been just as lovely and productive.

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Every now and then it's nice to make something just for yourself.
This unusual Serpentine gem with Stitchtite inclusions caught my eye and now adorns my right hand.
What have you treated yourself to lately?

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New in the shop...

'At Mrs Lippencote's I' Pendant

Imagine wearing this Snowflake Obsidian pendant with a velvet dress, layers of pearls and coiffured hair to a soiree. Or equally, with a round necked sweater, while visiting with friends for a lovely cup of tea. This elegant pendant, with it's tea pot motif, would be a choice addition to any memorable occasion. 

Inspired by Elizabeth Taylor's charming 1945 novel, At Mrs Lippencote's. The novel brings to life the sensitive, witty, unconventional Julia, who is compelled to live among the yellowing photographs of Mrs Lippencote's house. The evocative descriptions of a bygone era, preserved in the everyday items of the household, detail the women's interwoven lives and their compelling characters. While each knock on the door presents the opportunity for a shared cup of tea, which flows like the detailed narrative. 

A one of a kind, handmade piece by Christina Lowry. The 'At Mrs Lippencote's I' pendant features an oval, 30 x 22mm cabochon cut Snowflake Obsidian, set in solid Sterling Silver and stamped 925. The back plate is saw pierced by hand with a teapot silhouette. This piece will be posted with a complimentary silver plated chain, packaged in a drawstring pouch and bubble wrapped for protection.

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Enjoying a little op-shopping, while running errands. White jug, crochet hooks, table cloth. Who could resist?
And a sneak peek of a new piece in the works. The first in a collection that I'm quite excited about.

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I'm also guest posting over here at Flower Press, a tutorial and photographs of my finished brooch for the brooch swap.

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New gemstones for my collection. New works in progress for the shop.

I've been dreaming about jewellery.

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Hope you're having a wonderful weekend.

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Sneak peek...

I find that when contemplating the creation of a new piece, the stones themselves are often the catalysts for the designs. With this banded agate, the tones and lines reminded me of pomegranate seeds, resulting in the discrete pomegranate saw piercing beneath the setting.

The completed piece will be in the shop before the weekend.

My Creative Space...

I've been enjoying extra moments of creativity while Dave's been on holidays. As well as relishing breakfast in bed, a solo op-shopping excursion and extra help in the kitchen. If only I could keep him at home a little longer. 

A new knitting project has been started. Projects that have sat on my 'meaning to do' list for longer than I'd care to admit have been completed. Such as the replacement curtain for the laundry door, with recently thrifted fabric. Or hand stitching the binding to my picnic blanket, which is now nearly finished. There's also been a lot happening at the bench, with custom orders and new stock for the shop.

For purely selfish reasons, I'm not at all keen for him to return to work tomorrow...

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More Creative Spaces here.

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'The Secret of the Olive Grove' Brooch

A homage to Van Gogh's rich colour palette and compelling line work in his paintings of Olive Trees; together with the translucent nature and rich tone of this fascinating piece of Amber; inspired the creation of this unique brooch. 

The honey coloured gem reveals the secret of the Olive Grove beneath. The hammer textured back plate references Van Gogh's use of line. The organic silhouettes of the olive branches allude to the organic nature of the fossilized resin itself.

Truly a special brooch for any significant occasion. This natural beauty could be gifted with love to celebrate the birth of a child, mark a memorable anniversary, or an engagement promise.

A one of a kind, handmade piece by Christina Lowry. 'The Secret of the Olive Grove' brooch features a 34mm round translucent cabochon Amber, set in solid Sterling Silver and stamped 925. The back plate is saw pierced by hand and the design is visible through the gem. The brooch is secured with a strong pin. This piece will come packaged in a drawstring pouch and bubble wrap for protection.


Sold.

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New in the shop...

'Into my arms' Ring

Whether you're curled up before the fire knitting a new project, or swinging your suitcase aboard the train to visit someone you love, your 'Into my arms' Ring will add warmth and zest to the moment.

The honey coloured Carnelian and simple rounded setting will never go out of style and will look just as sweet with cabled sweaters, as it will with Summer frocks and cork wedges.

This solid sterling silver and Carnelian ring was handmade by Christina Lowry. The silver has a smooth brushed finish. The rounded band is 2mm wide and the oval cabochon gemstone is 6x8mm in size, set in a full bezel setting.