Hen Party - jewellery making workshop

This weekend I provided a jewellery making workshop for a hen party at Dove Farm, Ellastone, on the Staffordshire Derbyshire border. I arrived at Dove Farm before the party had returned from there morning walk which allowed me time to have a brief chat with Jane, from Dove Farm, before setting up. I have known Jane for quite a few years now thanks to Women In Rural Enterprise (WiRE), and it is always a pleasure to meet her, I received a very warm welcome, thank you Jane!
The workshop was held in the studio dining room - part of the cottages

 a great space for workshops.

All set up and ready for the ladies to return - so time for a cup of tea, outside in the afternoon sunshine, with one member of the party who had opted to relax at the farm for the morning.
Then the rest of the party arrived back and the jewellery making began.

A very enjoyable afternoon, and some fabulous items of jewellery made, earrings, bracelets and necklaces with plenty of tea and cake!
I hope the hen Jo and friends enjoyed themselves as much as I did!

Beady eyed hares

More doodling with wire -  Wire hare's with a tiger-eye beaded eye!

handmade by Angela Smith

More pressed spring flower cards

With another visit to Gallery at 12 due soon, another batch of spring cards needed to be made ready to take over. I have used more of my pressed primroses from my garden and a few miniature daffodils too, each flower is mounted on some of my handmade paper and has a single bead threaded on for decoration.

handmade cards by Angela Smith

pressed spring flower cards

I have used pressed flowers from my garden, mounted on my own handmade paper and then added a single bead to each flower to make these cards which will be in Gallery at 12 next week.
snowdrops and primroses.

handmade cards by Angela Smith

Wedding jewellery change around in Gallery at 12

As a member of The Staffordshire Artists Co-operative I always have some of my jewellery on display and for sale in Gallery at 12, Eccleshall, Staffordshire. I also have to spend a couple of days a month manning the Gallery, Today was one of my days there, which gave me the opportunity to bring in new items and change things around a bit. During my last visit I took in several new items for Spring, today was the turn of my wedding jewellery.
These are my wedding shelves after the re-vamp

If you are a Staffordshire bride and looking for totally unique handmade wedding jewellery and or tiaras, please visit Gallery at 12 and take a look at my work, If you want to talk to me about commissioning  your wedding jewellery please contact me to make an appointment in the gallery - I am happy to talk through ideas with you so you end up with jewellery you love!

handmade jewellery by Angela Smith 

three dresses become brooches

After several people saying they would buy my dresses if they were made into brooches, I thought I really should see if they or anyone else would - so here are three of my knitted wire, bead and sari silk ribbon dresses now made into brooches -  A unique Mothers day gift, and perfect for someone who enjoys dancing and or fashion

 £20 each

handmade jewellery by Angela Smith

How long does it take to make an item of jewellery?

It is a question I am often asked - the answer isn't that simple as it really does depend on what the item of jewellery is! If it is a simple pair of earrings like these it would take no more than than a couple of minutes, in fact in my workshops, it takes me the time it takes to say 'first thread your bead onto your headpin, cut the wire leaving approximately quarter of an inch from the top of the bead, make a loop using your round nosed pliers, slip in an ear hook, and close the loop' to make one earring!

A floating necklace like this would take me about fifteen minutes.

A full string of beads can take anything from twenty minutes to an hour, depending on the size of beads and length of necklace.

This knitted crown took far too long, possibly 18 hours!

and this weekend I made this wire and beaded flower, this took over four hours and I still have to then add it to a piece of jewellery which will probably take at least another hour to make. I will share the finished item in a post on here once it is made!

So next time you visit a handmade jewellery stall please try and appreciate the amount of time the designer has taken to make the items you are admiring, as well as the uniqueness of each individual piece of jewellery.

Pretty pink lampwork glass beads

I was supposed to be enjoying a day off today, having attended a craft fair last weekend, but as per usual, I just can't help myself.
I walked into my workroom to put something away and saw this necklace

Way back in November 2010 I ordered these fabulous beads from Beads By Laura I even wrote a post on this blog about them and showed some of the jewellery I made using them. I loved them when I received them and I still do think they are such pretty beads, but for some reason the jewellery I made just didn't sell, so last year I removed the items from my stock with the plan to make up other items instead. Finally today I have done exactly that, creating 4 new pretty necklace earring sets

Aren't they lovely!!!!

handmade jewellery by Angela Smith

A weekend of sales

I would love to say that I make jewellery just for my own enjoyment - but even though I enjoy every minute of making my jewellery, unfortunately I also have to justify the hours and hours I spend making it, which means I have to sell it too, which means that occasionally I will attend craft fairs, and this weekend was one of those craft fair weekends. I spent two very enjoyable days at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, Wolseley Bridge, Stafford selling my wares and catching up with other crafty friends such as Helen Billingsley with her fabulous ceramics - Helen also sells her ceramics in Gallery at 12 as one of our guest members

and Kim Robinson with her beautiful wildlife art printed on bags, aprons, cushions, cards and other items, Kim has also exhibited in Gallery at 12

Noel Bennett a fellow member of the Staffordshire Artists Co-operative - Gallery at 12 was also in attendance selling his fantastic photographs and paintings along with his wife Christina who was selling her pastel pieces and promoting her art classes, As well as Vance Lupton another member of the Staffordshire Artist's Co-operative demonstrating his amazing wood turning skills and selling his wares along with a group of Staffordshire wood turners. I didn't manage to get any photos of their stalls as when I remembered to get my camera out their stalls had customers in front of them, so you will just have to visit the Gallery's website or better still the Gallery itself!

The visiting birds of prey from Red Lion Farm were well shaded from the sun which was out for the whole of the Sunday.

The sunshine was very welcome and it brought lots of visitors to the Wildlife Trust who spent a lot of time wandering around the grounds, and many of the visitors ventured indoors too to look at the stalls.

And yes I did manage to sell items of my jewellery, and had several orders for name necklaces which I could make there and then, and I even sold some of my photograph cards which was amazing as there were three very talented photographers at the event so I didn't expect to sell any as they weren't the main part of my display.

My stall 

Dichroic glass dressed up!

Just by placing a bead cup each side of a bead changes the whole appearance of jewellery - As these two necklace earring sets show. Both made with Dichroic glass beads and Swarovski crystals.

SOLD

these would make fabulous gifts for Mothering Sunday
Both of these necklace earring sets are packed up ready for the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust craft fair which starts at 10 am  tomorrow at Wolseley Bridge  if you can't make Saturday it is also on Sunday too!

handmade jewellery by Angela Smith

pretty square dichroic glass jewellery

Making jewellery with larger beads doesn't necessarily mean that the finished items will be chunky as hopefully this pretty necklace earring set shows.

Made with square dichroic glass beads and Swarovski crystals, threaded onto fine silver plate chain, the necklace has a silver plate clasp and the earrings have silver plate ear hooks.
With Mothers Day fast approaching, who could resist!!!

handmade jewellery by Angela Smith 

sparkling grey on silver

Necklace earring set made with grey Swarovski crystals - the necklace is a fine silver plate chain and the earrings are hanging on the same fine silver plate chain with silver plate ear hooks - A lovely gift idea for Mothering Sunday.

handmade by Angela Smith

Dichroic and crystal in blues

This dichroic glass and Swarovski crystal necklace earring set is a new make for today. It will be for sale at the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust craft fair this weekend unless someone requests it before then!

handmade jewellery by Angela Smith