Amari Jewellery

Snowflake Earrings - Blog Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:34:00 +0000

Finally I've had a chance to get at the wire again - and this time I'm in a festive mood, these little earrings were great fun to make, how I've missed wire-wrapping!

As always with silver and crystal these have much more sparkle than I can capture on camera. I've wrapped sterling rings with fine gauge wire, attaching chain to the centre, and embelllished around the edge with Swarovski crystals and pearls for a very dainty pair of snowflakes!

The earrings measure approx 24mm across, with a drop of 3cm from the bottom of the earwires.

These festive earrings are up for grabs in my first blog giveaway! All you need to do is either be a follower of my blog, or a fan on the Amari Jewellery page on Facebook - if you are on both you will get two entries! Then just leave a comment here by midnight on Thursday 17th December. I will announce the winner on the Friday and if you live in the UK you should get your earrings just in time for Christmas! Good luck!

Christmas is coming!

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:33:00 +0000

I must admit, I do love Christmas - I am counting the days down to December 1st which is the earliest I have allowed myself to start decorating the house! A couple of years ago we bought a really nice quality artificial tree which looks almost real - it's the biggest size we could squeeze into our cosy lounge, I really regret having to take it down in the New Year! We also have a small real tree in the dining room - can't beat the smell of fresh pine, luckily it's a laminate floor so we don't have a problem with the needles other than having to sweep up several times a day :)

I'm busy making stock for the shops again - my workbench is a mass of pearls and sparkly crystals at the moment! I'm looking forward to a break to have a play with the wire - I have lots of sketches dotted around but never seem to find the time to create. I just don't know where this last year has gone!

Room With A View

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:44:00 +0000

My workshop window (aka the once 'spare' room) overlooks our extension roof, and the backs of other people's houses. Not the best view in the world! The window itself is very small, and although I sit right next to it the amount of natural light is minimal so I have a daylight bulb too, or I would never be able to wrap tiny wires! I'm eventually hoping to move into a studio in the garden, maybe next year if I can get things moving! Watch this space...

However, whilst the view itself isn't always inspiring, here in the UK of course we get bombarded with all kinds of weather conditions - never too much of anything (including sun in the summer, unfortunately!), but it's always changing, and from my little window I'm usually the first to spot the first flake of snow, or an approaching storm. My school reports were always full of 'spends too much time gazing out of the window'. Guess nothing much has changed then! ;o)

Queen of Hearts

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:38:00 +0000

Another sterling silver piece hand-sawn from a drawn design. This features a cut-out of the heart shape, and I've added a lovely denim-blue sodalite cabochon.

The pendant measures approx 3.5 cm in length and just over 3cm wide.

Tick Tock Earrings

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:04:00 +0000

Some more metalwork this time, from one of the many sketches/designs I have littering my desk! I'm beginning to feel a little more confident about setting saw to silver now, without worrying that I'm going to waste a perfectly good sheet of metal by making a horrible mistake. If I do, so be it! There is only one way to get better at it... :)

Hand sawn, shaped and filed from sheet silver, with black onyx cabs.

These are about 4cm long but still quite lightweight, and I love the shape - they remind me of clock hands.

Spice Trail

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:21:00 +0000

I've recently started supplying jewellery pieces to a newly opened local shop, Glacier Arc (in the Buttermarket, Newark -on-Trent - go check it out if you can, it's a beautiful shop!).

These are a couple of things I've sent already, I believe the necklace has already gone :)

Spice Trail necklace - Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls in lovely autumnal shades of warm copper, gold and rich burgundy, sterling silver and wire-wrapped.

A pair of matching earrings, again with Swarovski crystal and freshwater pearls, wrapped onto handmade fine silver headpins.

More clusters please!

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:08:00 +0000

Everyone's crazy for clusters at the moment - it's the one thing my stockists can't seem to get enough of! These long tassel necklaces are really popular, and very tactile too. The headpins on these are handmade - I always make sure the heads are nice and smooth on each pin to make sure they don't scratch the skin or snag fabric.

Earrings to match - these are Swarovski crystal briolettes with a gorgeous bicone mixture in pale blue/sandy colours, with Swarovski pearls.

As always, click on the pictures for a closer view! :)

How do you doodle?

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:52:00 +0000

I love reading books on creativity, although I don't seem to have a problem with finding creative ideas just lately - more an inability to stick to one thing at a time!

I've been reminded in many of these books about how a child will pick up a crayon and just draw, without any hang-ups or worries about ' what shall i draw', 'will it be good enough', and the dreaded 'blank page' syndrome many of us seem to suffer from!

So, I decided to start doodling again - something I used to do a lot, usually on scraps of paper or notebooks whilst on the phone. It's a great way to get the ideas flooding!

Inspired by browsing through my Arts & Crafts/William Morris books, I've drawn this tile using a black ink pen, and then watercolours - felt very strange to have a paintbrush in my hand, it's been a long time - but great fun! So much so, I started another - so the second one is work in progress!

Black Onyx Earrings

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:35:00 +0000

Some more sterling silver earrings, again hand sawn and pierced. These have black onyx - I love the contrast between the deep black of the cabs and the shiny silver! I was hoping to give the appearance of the stones being 'held' at the bottom - I *think* I've achieved that! :)

Swarovski and Silver

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:17:00 +0000

Sometimes I'm so busy trying to get nice, attractive pictures of my jewellery, that I forget how deceiving they can be - especially close-up photos, pieces can often appear huge compared to how they are real life!

So... some fresh photos of these latest pieces, and especially for Katrin! :)

On a roll !!

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Another hand sawn and pierced flower - this time in sterling silver, and with paparadscha Swarovski crystal.

The pendant is quite dainty at just 2 and a half cm, the cab is 5mm :)

The earrings are sterling again with gorgeous erinite Swarovski crystals.

These measure approx 2 and a half cm long.

I think I need to buy some more silver! :)

Spinel Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:20:00 +0000

Just a quick one! Finished off this pendant today, sawn and pierced sterling silver with a faceted black spinel marquise bead. :)

Must try and get a better picture of this!

Sodalite and Copper

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:03:00 +0000

Another hand-sawn and pierced copper pendant, this time with a sodalite cabochon.

I've also taken the plunge and cut some silver pieces which I'm hoping to finish today! :)

First Bezel!

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:10:00 +0000

My first bezel!! I've discovered I love sawing metal sheet too - this is some copper I've been practising with, then decided to take the plunge and try a bezel - so pleased with how it turned out! I've just strung it on a leather thong, I love wearing this :D

Silver next!!

Shame on me!

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:12:00 +0000

...for leaving it so long without a blog post :(

And I'm starting to miss the wire... I've been so busy with bridal jewellery and stocking up the shops (and a million other things I don't even want to get started on!), I haven't had chance to put together any new designs at all. BUT my head is full of them, so I just need to find some time!

I've also had some interest from a local jewellery boutique - so I'm going to need to get some fresh pieces out soon I hope!! :)

Spring Bling!

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:32:00 +0000

I've been busy creating to stock up after the Christmas sales, the jewellery shops I supply haven't done too badly at all - despite the credit crunch!

Unfortunately it doesn't leave me much time to play with the silver sheet I've just bought, and the lovely new ~~toys~~ tools on my workbench...!!

More of that soon... :)

So... first a long cluster necklace with Swarovski crystal (I do love this flat briolette shape!) in a gorgeous cranberry red, with garnet, rock crystal, aquamarine and crystal bicones on a sterling chain...

... and earrings to match!

I love the spring colours in this Y-necklace.... I can't wait for my garden to wake up from the winter sleep! I really could do with some early flower bulbs, but typically I remember in the spring, when of course it's too late to plant them..! (Mental note for autumn... plant snowdrops, crocuses, grape hyacinths...).

With matching earrings... in amethyst, aquamarine and vibrant turquoise apatite, on sterling silver chain.

I love wearing bracelets myself, if I'm wearing any jewellery it's nearly always something round my wrist, although for some reason they don't seem to be as popular as earrings and necklaces so I don't tend to make many (and even then I often end up keeping them for myself!).

Bracelet and matching earrings... with chalcedony, apatite, Swarovski crystal and a Hill Tribe shell charm.

I managed to dazzle myself with this one... I'm normally quite conservative with my colour schemes, but amongst other things I've resolved this year to move out of my comfort zones. This is as daring as it gets for me!

In these then... carnelian, prehnite and green fluorite cushion beads.

Roll on summer!!

Winter Snowdrops

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:22:00 +0000

I always seem to have huge problems photographing anything with a lot of shiny silver - these in particular were incredibly frustrating! I started these a while ago, I have quite a few unfinished projects that I'm determined this year to complete.

I wrapped a fine silver 'art nouveau' style motif to the coiled wire frames, with peridot briolettes, and fine trace chain drops with tiny seed pearls, and vibrant green chrome diopside. Very shimmery and glamorous!

Black Magic

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 16:36:00 +0000

I have come out of hibernation finally... looking forward to getting the rest of winter out of the way! I made these earrings back in November, then hit a bit of a wall as far as creativity and inspiration goes (blame the weather!), which is why I haven't been around much.

But... I have lots of projects on the go, and lots of ideas to kick-start the New Year - I am determined to make more, and post more!

Back to these earrings, wire-wrapped on hand-made frames, lots of fine gauge sterling with tiny Hill Tribe faceted seed beads, and wonderful black faceted onyx which have a great sparkle and contrast beautifully against the shiny silver. I've selectively oxidised just the centre of these earrings to show off the twisted wire.

Spiced Pear

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:57:00 +0000

In the autumn my mum and I visit the fruit orchard at my uncle's farm, which used to belong to my grandparents. There was an abundance of apples this year - we timed it just right with the blackberries, and we managed to pick a lovely warm, sunny day too.

As well as pears, lots of different varieties of eating apples, cooking apples, blackberries and rose-hips, earlier on in the year there are plums, damsons, crab apples and elderberries. I was lucky enough to grow up in the same village - helping out on the farm sometimes collecting eggs, picking potatoes, or riding on the trailer stacked high with hay bails ( I fell off it once - or rather the bails did, with me sat on top of them! Amazingly I came away with just scratches...).

I remember my dad went through a stage of making home-made wine, he used to pay us for every pound of elderberries we could collect. That included using a fork to get all the little berries off the stalks - it took us forever. Talk about slave labour! When I was old enough to drink it though, I did appreciate the wine ;-)

These earrings I've made with both sterling silver and gold-filled beads - I'm really liking the look of mixed metals at the moment. The tassel is made up of citrine, tsavorite, and tiny freshwater pearls, with gorgeous beer quartz briolettes at the bottom. Apples, pears, and sunshine :)

Aegean Rose

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:17:00 +0000

Another gold-filled piece - this time a bracelet to match the 'Persephone' Earrings. I had lots of clusters in mind for this... but they covered up too much of the wirework, and spoiled the delicacy of the bracelet, so I decided to keep it simple :)

Gold-filled wire, handmade components, garnet and chalcedony.

Persephone Earrings

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:33:00 +0000

I thought I'd take the plunge with some gold-filled wire... beautiful to work with, and the colour seems so warm after working so long with sterling silver!

I'm really pleased with this colour combination - I've used pale blue chalcedony and aquamarine, with some rich ruby garnet to contrast.

Periwinkle Earrings

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:57:00 +0000

It's been far too long again since I last posted any new jewellery! I have lots of gold-filled wire and findings waiting to be played with too....

Some lacy earrings edged with faceted sapphires, gorgeous denim-blue colour! I've added some tiny peacock freshwater pearls, Hill Tribe seed beads, and mystic blue topaz briolettes.

Renaissance

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:31:00 +0000

Something a bit different from me - and oxidised for a change! This sort of evolved really, from the basic cross shape I originally had in mind I added lots of detail - balled fine wire swirls on the inside, and picot beading on the corners of the cross ends.

In the centre is flashy blue labradorite, with sterling beads and mystic quartz briolettes. Pretty as it looked all shiny, it was crying out to be oxidised, so after much deliberation I took the plunge and dipped it, then polished to a soft antique finish.

Sugar Plum Necklace

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:40:00 +0000

I love the berry colours in this necklace - wrapped and soldered wire focal (this measures about 4cm in diameter), with faceted garnet and amethyst beads.

I've added a cluster of more garnet and amethyst, with faceted pink amethyst briolettes for some added sparkle. Finally to finish off, an amazing plum-coloured ruby drop.

Orange Grove Pendant

noreply@blogger.com (Maz Simpson) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:14:00 +0000

Just a quick one! This is to match the orange grove earrings - this time with a teardrop shaped frame for the pendant. Again, a faceted vesuvianite drop at the bottom, with a cluster of sunstone and peridot beads.