Isn't nature amazing!

It's no wonder I get so inspired by flowers and plants and they seem to feature frequently in my jewellery designs. Look at this amazing plant that has been growing in my garden all summer.

I'm not sure what it's called but my mum gave it to me in the spring and it has been sitting in a pot on my patio. I was outside this morning photographing some jewellery and decided to take some photos of it using the macro setting on my camera. I love the way the centre spirals around and the bright green contrasts dramatically against the muted red.

You must check out Kanna Glass Studios

Ooo... it's been a while since I blogged. June/July are always very busy months for me with lots going on including many birthdays, family holidays and last weekend was Glastonbury Festival. My tenth year of going and this year was one of the best for me. We had the obligatory rain/mud but it soon dried out and I still managed to come home with a suntan having seen and done so much.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you about Jenn from Kanna Glass Studios and urge you to check her out. Back in April I won her blog giveaway of some beautiful green swirl beads from which I made teardrop earrings and a teardrop pendant. I loved these beads so much I immediately commissioned her to make me more in different colours and here's what arrived.

Her packaging and attention to detail is outstanding. It felt like my birthday as I opened up the beautiful little pillow boxes to find the lovely beads inside.

Then, very soon after that, I won another of her giveaways with a twist. To fit in with her Blooming in June theme, she sent me and another lucky winner a set of similar beads and has challenged us to create something with them and post our creation. I won this stunning Tuscan Bead Set with a fab swirly flower.


The colours are HOT, HOT, HOT (just like the weather here today) and the bead collection says 'bracelet' to me (might even manage a pair of earrings too). I have a few ideas swimming around in my head but I'm not sure whether they will work.

Thank you so much Jenn for all the goodies. I think you have helped me find my inspiration (it's been such a long time, I was thinking it had gone for good!). Watch this space...

Thank you

I am really touched by all the comments I received on my last post 'Where is my inspiration?' . Thank you so much to everyone for your support and suggestions. I have certainly not been myself recently with regards to jewellery making but your comments have reassured me that losing one's inspiration or 'mojo' as some call it, is not uncommon.

Yesterday I finally made something (the first thing in over 2 weeks) - a bracelet as a 40th birthday present for a friend. This Blue Agate bracelet follows a very basic design (as suggested in some of the comments) and it was good to have a purpose for my work.

I have decided not to worry about this 'break from the norm' and have turned to other outlets for a while until I feel ready. Now my hands ache not from hammering and burnishing... but from a day weeding in the garden and putting in new plants I have grown from seed. This was a passion of mine from before I took up jewellery design and it has taken a back seat for a couple of years.

Where is my inspiration?

Last week I went on a lovely holiday with my family to the beautiful coast of Dorset. It was perfect and we were so lucky with the weather. I made a decision before I went not to take any of my jewellery making things, not even my sketch book. I decided that I would take a complete break from the norm... and I have to say it was exactly that. Half way through the week I realised I had not really thought about my jewellery at all and I felt totally relaxed. Before I went I had delisted all my items on eBay and Folksy and put my Etsy shop on 'vacation' mode. This meant I didn't need to worry about anything and I could concentrate on enjoying myself with my family.

That was last week. Now, nearly half way through this week, I have been sitting looking at my lovely beads and gemstones but I just can't find the inspiration to create anything. I also have a couple of future tutorials milling around in my head but I can't find the effort to sit down and write them. This is so unlike me.

Hopefully 'normal service will be resumed as soon as possible'..... until then I shall just have to enjoy the beautiful sunshine.