Which Earring Type Are You?

I think most women who wear earrings fall into two distinct types. Those who like to wear long, swooshy, shoulder-scraping (I pinched that phrase from Claire!), wind-chime-esque highly dramatic ear-chandeliers, and those who prefer sweet, dainty, discreet and delicate ear-decor. 

I definitely fall into the former category, but I know many people who don't. With this in mind, I always try and vary the earrings I design to be a good mixture of both. 

One of my 'problems' with the latter category of sweet and delicate earrings is that often this can translate to boring. Safe. Uninteresting. Middle-of-the-road. 'Do you like my distinctly-average, rather dull earrings?'  said nobody, ever. 

They don't have to be dull is the truth of the matter. Is there anything more exquisitely lovely than a beautifully executed sterling silver stud? I may not choose to wear them myself for the most part, but I can appreciate their loveliness. My Mum, also an earring fanatic, tends towards the simpler style, and has a beautiful selection of stud earrings. Here are some I scoured from online, proving how gorgeous a simple stud can be. 

AliBali Jewellery

Alison Moore Designs

Ebba Goring (ok, these are a wee bit fancier, but they are still in the small, delicate and dainty category, and still studs!)

Until I get settled in a new abode and can get a silver-smithing station set up (been on the to-do list for, oh, only two years now...), studs are pretty much out for me. I don't trust glue-on flat-backs - they work for some people, but I just can never quite put my faith in ones I make myself in this way. Instead, I have been working on a line of sweet, dainty and definitely not dull earrings for Songbead. 

Featuring a simple glass round, and embellished with fine-silver and golden-brass. 

Now, I know that some people see glass as a poor relation to gemstones. I real shame, I think - they are simply very different materials, and both extremely beautiful in their own way. I love the history within the glass industry (and of beads in general of course), particularly that of the glass bead industry of the Czech republic. Even though most of the Czech glass I use within my designs is contemporary, many of the moulds used are not, and so they carry with them a sense of timelessness and nostalgia. Sometimes, even the glass used itself can be an 'old lot', meaning that although the bead has only just been made, the glass and the mould that created it have been around for a lot longer. 

I have added an extra something special to these by embellishing the patina-gold brass earwires with faceted brass beads and oxidised fine-silver wire. These add a tiny trail of beads connecting the point where the earring passes through your ears, down to the pretty mint and gold pressed glass rondelle. Sweet and simple, but definitely special - and a little bit different. 

Why Did The Dragon Fly?

Recently, I was lucky enough to be invited to exhibit at the Scottish Arts Club - an organisation based within a beautiful Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh. It really is an exquisite space - you can have a look at photos over on their website, but I recommend if you are in Edinburgh and are able, do arrange a visit and have a look around. They have exhibitions on which change on a monthly basis, and these are open to the public during the day - a perfect excuse to take in some art, and a stunning building to boot. I have attended a few events here as a guest, and it's always a treat to take in beautiful art in equally beautiful surroundings.

Of course, I had to get myself and my jewellery over to the Scottish Arts Club from here in Belfast! One thing that has been particularly challenging about going to and fro between Northern Ireland and Britain over the past few months has been travelling by plane. Yes, it really is fairly quick and easy to get to and from the airport (apart from the time when my airport shuttle bus broke down and I had to buy another plane ticket...), the flights are so quick that you're barely up but you're down, and the prices are not too bad as long as you book in advance. But, preparation for going anywhere requires so much more thought than driving, or even getting a train. I'm sure you can imagine, going to do a jewellery event you need not only all the jewellery you are going to put on display (and more in reserve of course) but props, cloths and supplies - at the very least, tools and basic essentials for making alterations etc. 

For the Scottish Arts Club exhibition, I didn't also have a clear idea in my head of exactly what the space would look like, or how it would be divided up, so I was keen to give myself options of what to put into the cabinet that was my space. This means packing up and preparing is even more tricky, and decisive is not exactly my middle name....Let's just say that over the past year I have become extremely grateful that EasyJet has no weight allowance on their hand luggage! Tools and clothes in the hold, and jewellery, heavy beads and metal findings with me in the cabin. 

I knew my jewellery would be displayed in a tall, slim cabinet and divided up into shelves, and I wanted each section to have a relatively cohesive and harmonious feel, without being too 'matchy-matchy', if you know what I mean! Of course, being me, this meant I had to make a few special pieces just for the event, in the few days before I set up. Nothing like making a rod for your own back!

I wanted to base each section around a 'show-stopper' necklace, and the weekend before set up, I found I needed to come up with one more for the display to be complete. I wanted something special, a little bit different, and wanted to push myself to make something that would really showcase me as a designer, whilst pushing myself just that little bit further....

Here's the result of that 'push' ~ 

Why Did the Dragon Fly?

Did I manage it, do you think? I must admit to being quietly very pleased with this necklace. When you are a mixed-media bead artist such as myself, you do tend towards collecting and hoarding tendencies.....both not bad tendencies, as long as they are kept in check! 

  

Why Did the Dragon Fly?

For some fortuitous reason, I had brought along a pendant I had long been hoarding saving for the right project - a beautiful porcelain dragonfly wing from Round Rabbit. I also had several of my own handwoven {song}beads in a gorgeous plummy purple, and had acquired some extremely unusual vintage filigree brass rounds, which had developed a delicious natural patina over time.  Add to these a handmade copper daisy clasp, and some of my traditional Czech pressed glass, and you have this pretty special necklace - Why Did the Dragon Fly? 

Why Did the Dragon Fly?

Of course, I always strive to make my jewellery as good as I possibly can - whether I'm designing large and intricate pieces, or simple, everyday ones. But sometimes, everything just comes together in a way that feels very special....and this necklace is one of those times. I love the idea of someone wearing this pictorial, narrative piece, with the dragonfly in profile, drawn to the pretty pansy blossoms. The dragonfly pendant seems to perfectly, motionlessly  hovering, smelling the sweet flowers....the necklace tells the story of a hazy summer's day with its soft greens, creams and warm purples. 

Here are a few pictures of it - and more of my jewellery! - in situ, in the exhibition at the Scottish Arts Club. 

Colour!

Do you love colour as much as I do? I expect that quite a few people who read my blog are also rather in love with it too. It's often the first thing I turn to when starting to design. Either the colours within a handmade bead, the lovely and sometimes unexpected harmony that occurs when bead fall together on my worktop, or external stimulus. 

And one of my favourite external stimuli to turn to is Design Seeds. If you're not familiar with this as a resource/source of inspiration/lovely website to browse through, then I suggest you hop over there NOW! You can also sign up to get daily emails, and I always look forward to a new palette or two arriving in my inbox every day. Colour simply never fails to make me smile....

Here you can see an example of what comes from working with a palette:

Initial inspiration...

Citrus Blues

...and finished jewellery.

Wild Fire (sold)

I just love these colours together - they make each other pop! 

Wild Fire

The contrast between the sunshine orange and the true royal blue is just gorgeous!

Here's another palette I have 'pinned' to my computer screen. Watch this space to see what I do with this one...

A Door Hues from Design-Seeds

Rebecca is a Scottish jewellery designer, currently living in Belfast, Northern Ireland. You can read more about her and her work at her blog, songbeads.blogspot.com and see more of her jewellery at songbead.etsy.com. She also has a supplies shop at thecuriousbeadshop.etsy.com.

Songbead in Print

Some of you will know that, until moving over to Northern Ireland ten months ago, I had taught beading in Manchester at The Bead Shop for the previous six years. It's something that grew and developed and changed over time, and I enjoyed it all. It was only after a year or so of teaching for The Bead Shop that my partner persuaded me to submit some of the many designs I was creating for the classes to craft publications - and the rest, as they say, is history. 

I've been lucky enough to have been published in Bead, The Beadworkers' Guild Journal, Make Jewellery, Jewelry Affaire and of course, Beads and Beyond over the past five years - during which time, I've been a cover girl of BaB twice! 

March 2013

 {{{~~~~~ I can only find a really weeny picture of this cover from October 2008! 

After seven years of jewellery-making teaching, and eight years in music education, it has been refreshing to have a break from direct contact teaching, much as I didn't/don't plan to leave it behind altogether. But I am so glad that I haven't had to leave the education side of my work behind entirely, through continuing to write tutorials and projects for magazines. I have been published in the past four issues of Jewelry Affaire (which is a truly stunning American publication for those of you outwith America who are unfamiliar with it) , in every issue of Beads and Beyond for the past couple of years at least, and have recently submitted to a new (for me) publication, which I am eagerly awaiting to hear back from! I feel very privileged and honoured to be included so frequently amongst so many beautiful pages, and in such good and talented company too. 

My first design to be published in Jewelry Affaire, last year.

One of my earliest designs for Beads and Beyond - one that I'm still pretty proud of! This one was published way back in 2009.

My 'Forever Flowers' project from earlier this year in Beads and Beyond.

Eastern Landscape from the latest issue of Jewelry Affaire

Designs from the most recent issue of Beads and Beyond - from (L to R) me, Claire Lockwood, Rachel Norris and Trish Latimer.

A montage of designs coming up in the newest issue of Beads and Beyond, out next week - one of my designs is top left!

Where next? As well as continuing (I hope!) to work for these beautiful magazines, I hope to continue to spread my wings. Just a few days ago, I had a very exciting email from the publishers of a rather gorgeous magazine which I am yet to be published in, saying that they believe my designs would be a good fit with them. There really is nothing more flattering and humbling than a publication that you have long-respected asking you to submit your designs to them. I will keep wraps on the details just now - but needless to say, I am very excited to see where my designs will find themselves next, and I'll be keeping you posted here!

Shell Gatherer

A few days ago, I posted about my love and affinity with the sea. Last year, we visited California and I fell in love with the Pacific coast there and the stunning state beaches....

San Clemente, California

Being from the UK, we are close enough to Europe that I have also holidayed there often throughout the years, and have always loved visiting Mediterranean beaches there - I'm not one to 'work on my tan' being only a few shades warmer than the traditional Scottish blue, but I love the sun, I love swimming in the sea and I adore being on holiday and soaking up foreign culture. 

Found on Pinterest

However, being from Scotland, and currently living in Northern Ireland,  I am also fond of a steelier and rather more wind-lashed beach as well. In the UK and Ireland, you are never very far away from the sea, no matter how inland you are. I am lucky to have grown up in Edinburgh, not far from the sea at all, and holidayed often in and around Scotland when I was growing up. 

Beach shots from the eerily beautiful Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

As a child, we holidayed in the Highlands and Islands, but also took day trips to pretty places close by Edinburgh, often to the seaside. 

And one of my favourite activities on these trips? Collecting shells! Not big, shiny perfect shells - these rarely turn up for people to stumble upon, and they're often some wee creature's home before they are polished up and put for sale in tourist spots. 

More like these:

Found on Pinterest

Old, weathered, broken and tumbled by sea and sand. I had a huge bag. My hoarding tendencies were present, even then...

So when Claire Lockwood of Something to do with your hands used delightfully chippy and rustic blush 'rose' shell beads in a recent project for Beads and Beyond magazine, I knew I had to track some of them for myself. 

Nestled

So far, I've made a couple of bracelets with these pretty beads. The first has flown away already, but there is a second bracelet is available in the shop. 

I imagined my handwoven {song}beads being colourful pearls, nestling between the shell roses. 

Available on etsy

Me and the sea; Whitby, North Yorkshire

  

Multi-coloured Facets - Joyful Earrings

I *love* colour. Really and truly - it is something that brings me joy on a daily basis, and is one of the reasons that, despite taking a few silver-smithing classes and looking into developing the metal-work side of my jewellery work to involve more hot connections, I am continually drawn back to the beads. I know I could never give them up, and the joy and exhilaration that their colours bring to my daily studio life. 

So when a favourite bead artist of mine popped these lovely beads into her shop, I knew they had to be mine:

Beads by Earth Tones

They arrived with me only yesterday, but straight away I fell in love and knew I had to turn them into something wearable immediately. 

Joyful

I tried combining these colourful, brimming-with-happiness beads with many different beads - red, lime, blue, metallic - but ultimately, it was these sweet and simple pale grey rondelles from Beads by Laura and matte, rustic seeds from Indonesia in a pale sky blue that did the trick for me. 

Do they speak to you as they do to me? You can find them here in my etsy shop. 

One element that I do like a lot but don't always feel quite fits me, is geometric design. I think it's the precision and evenness that can go along with it....but here, the rusticity of the rounds means that the facets and me are a perfect match. 

I did a little searching on Pinterest for more facets in design to inspire me - some full of colour, some simply letting the facets do the talking.

Found on Pinterest

Found on Pinterest

Found on Pinterest

Found on Pinterest

Found on Pinterest

Rebecca is a Scottish jewellery designer, currently living in Belfast, Northern Ireland. You can read more about her and her work at her blog, songbeads.blogspot.com and at artbeadscene.com, and see more of her jewellery at songbead.etsy.com. She also has a supplies shop at thecuriousbeadshop.etsy.com.

Whale Watching and the Call of the Sea

It's safe to say that I am *not* an outdoorsy person. Whenever I see people posting about camping, hiking and generally getting out and about in the dirt, I wish that I was like that - I even feel a little bad that I'm not like that.....but I'm just not.

There are many reasons for this - and I'll be honest, not least is the fact that I am a bit lazy in some many ways. But I'm also pretty much as pale as they come, I am not good with extreme temperatures in any way (once I am too hot/too cold I stay that way until I am immersed in water of the opposite temperature!) and manage to have been born allergic to all of the world. Cats? Yes. Dogs? Yes. Asthma? Tick. Plants? Oh yes. Very much so. Particularly grasses, but a lot of other polleny things too. Hayfever til my sinuses are blocked to the max and my eyes are puffed up slits. Not only that, but my allergies also set off delightful skin rashes at times. And of course, along with that I can also count on being bitten to death my midgies/mosquitos - which, you guessed it, when bitten I'm also prone to having an allergic reaction to. 

It's not so fun. I even had to have an operation on the inside of my nose four years ago, because my turbinates (the squishy bits on the inside that become inflamed) had become so irritated with 29 years of being allergic to life, that they were permanently huge and I was struggling to breathe through my nose on a normal, non-coldy, non-allergy day. No joke!  I have a delightful nasal douche now that to me is as key to my daily routine as brushing my teeth. 

But.....there is one big exception both my physical and mental allergy to the outdoors...

...and that's the sea. 

St Ives, Cornwall

I LOVE the sea - water in general, but particularly the sea. I love swimming (although I don't do it often enough), particularly outdoors; I love being around water, being in the water, looking at water, listening to water.....If I am on a beach, it's pretty much the law that I have to dip my toes in, whatever the time of year. 

My feet in The Sound of Harris, Outer Hebrides 2013; my feet in the Atlantic, St Ives, Cornwall 2012. 

It's actually giving me goosebumps writing this post! 

The Pacific Ocean, somewhere along the Pacific Coastal Highway, view from Ala Lani the VW camper van, 2013. 

Elephant seals on a beach up the Pacific Coastal Highway, 2013

 I remember having a student once who told me he felt such a connection with the outdoors that he longed to live in a tree. I do *not* relate to this! But being around water, I guess I can relate to how others feel about the dirty, itchy, allergen-riddled land-based outdoors. I think on some level, my body senses that the sea and it's watery, cool saltiness is a safe-haven from most allergies for me.

Clockwise from top left - The Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland; Over the Sea to Skye, Scottish Highlands; El Capitan State Beach, California; the coast of Skye, Scottish Highlands; somewhere in the Red Sea between Egypt and Jordan; the Sound of Harris, Outer Hebrides. 

The sea is amazing in all its guises, and I do have dreams of one day having a coastal home, somewhere around Edinburgh. I just have to look at the sea to feel a sense of inner-calm wash through me. Ok, we don't have the weather of the Californian coast, but Scotland's not so bad-looking either!

So when one of my absolute all-time favourite, desert-island, got-to-have-them-all bead artists makes ocean-themed beads, I am of course going to have to buy some, right? 

Whale bead from Kylie Parry

Whale Watching

Here's the very sweet and beachy bracelet I made with one of my Kylie whale beads. I have another couple of whales, quite different to this wee chubster, and I'm looking forward to making some more ocean-themed pieces. I just had to pair wee Mr Whalie with a starfish clasp from Green Girl Studios, and a few keshi freshwater pearls.

I would, of course, love to go whale watching one day. 

Found on Pinterest

Aren't these creatures simply magnificent? 

Found on Pinterest

 I hope that will be me up there, some day, diving with the whales. I scuba-dived (-dove?!) in Egypt last year; a baby dive down amongst the coral reefs of the Gulf of Aqaba, and it totally whetted my appetite for more ocean adventures. It was literally one of the best experiences of my life so far, and I can't wait to go again. 

 Whether you are as in love with the sea as I am or not, I hope you get a chance to catch some waves this summer. I have a feeling mine will be chilly, steely North Sea waves and bracingly beautiful Outer Hebridean waves, but still as wonderfully wild and beautifully and intoxicating as any others.

Whale Watching - available on etsy.