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Posts tagged ‘indie design’

New handmade jewellery: a sneak peek

I finally managed to spend time today taking and editing photos of my new handmade jewellery range.

As usual, it was physically exhausting, took much longer than I had planned for and I ended up collapsed on the couch in pain as I edited photos until the early hours of the morning! And I’m still not done – there are more photos to take tomorrow, followed by more edits, of course.

So while I’m in the middle of photographing and before I actually list any of my new jewellery designs in my shops, I thought I’d give you a sneak peek of some of the new designs.

Photographs of new handmade jewellery.

I hope to have some more to share with you tomorrow and of course I’ll let you know more about the pieces when I have them listed in my handmade jewellery shop.

But for now it’s bed time!

Vote for me in the Poppies!

Sterling silver butterfly wing pendant by Simone Walsh.I’d love it if you felt so inclined as to vote for me in the first ever Poppies – a series of indie design awards being run by the lovely Jan at Poppytalk blog.

You can vote for my handmade jewellery right here.

Just scroll down to check my name and then a bit further down to click on ‘vote’ … and that’s it!

I’m thrilled to be in the running and have my fingers crossed for a happy outcome! Winners will be announced on 5 February 2010.

Good luck to everyone else in the running for a Poppy too. View all of the award categories and get voting for your favourite indie designers!

More new handmade jewellery

Yesterday I redid the jewellery photographs that I’d taken the previous day and I’m much happier with the results. So I’ve started listing more new work in my handmade jewellery shop.

Much of this work I had previously started but not resolved – some over a year ago! So I made an effort to go back to the pieces lurking around my bench and finally got them completed and ready to put into production.

Small ironwork pattern pendant by Simone Walsh.

This ironwork pattern pendant is a smaller, redesigned version of the ironwork pendant I have been making for some time. It is based on an antique ironwork pattern and has been intricately cut out of sterling silver.

The pendant is 1.6cm (0.63″) tall and wide and is suspended on a blackened sterling silver chain with handmade findings.

Ixora flowers pendant.   Ixora flower earrings.

These ixora flower pieces were inspired by the gorgeous bunches of ixora flowers in vibrant yellows and oranges that I saw in the lush tropical gardens of Bali.

The flowers are made in a metal called shibuchi. This is a Japanese alloy of 75% copper and 25% silver. Its colour varies from an golden-pink through to a light copper colour, depending much it has oxidised, meaning the colour of the pieces will vary over time as you wear them – and can of course be quickly cleaned of tarnish in silver dip to get back to the original colouring.

The ixora flowers pendant features five flowers suspended from a narrow oval of sterling silver so they hang in a cluster which changes depending on how the flowers fall. The pendant is on my favourite simple sterling silver chain with handmade findings.

The ixora flower earrings feature one flower per earring suspended from handmade sterling silver ear wires. They will swing as you move.

Damask cufflinks, sterling silver - by Simone Walsh.

I’ve also added two new pairs of cufflinks to my jewellery for men range. The above damask cufflinks feature my favourite damask-style pattern. The pattern has been blackened and then the piece has been tumbled to polish the entire cufflinks, but also to give the pattern a gunmetal grey type finish.

The other pair I’ve added have a very 1960s looking circles pattern on them. Visit my jewellery for men section (also in my Australian shop) to see more.

There is more handmade jewellery already listed and more yet still to come. For now you can check out everything that’s new in my handmade jewelry shop (prices in US$, delivery everywhere) or my handmade jewellery shop (prices in AU$, delivery to Australia and NZ).

I’ll post about more new pieces soon.

New: handmade rings

I’ve just added two shiny new rings to my handmade jewellery shop. The rings each feature beautiful deep pink lab-grown rubies. The tube settings that the rubies are set into are connected to the ring shank by loops at the back, meaning that each setting moves freely around the ring.

Handmade ruby rings.

One version is a two settings ring with one stone larger than the other. The other features a single ruby setting. Of course both are also available in my Australian handmade jewellery shop.

Quite some time ago I made one of these rings for myself and I love wearing it. I particularly like the way the stones move as I do – and of course I can’t stop fiddling with it when I have it on!

Handmade ruby ring with two settings.   Handmade ruby ring - single setting.

The choice to use lab-grown gemstones is partly down to the fact that they are identical on a molecular level to a mined gemstone, but are flawless and beautifully coloured, while also being a lot more affordable. But also they are a more ethical choice given that there is none of the massive environmental damage that mining can cause and none of the other issues such as mistreated workers or gems being used to fund wars.

Photographing jewellery

I took the photographs of the rings today – the first time I’ve photographed my work in my new home, so it was a bit of an experiment. I’m not thrilled with how the shots I took today (including of a number of other new pieces) came out so I think I’ll have another go at them soon.

Part of the issue was down to wanting to make better use of natural light in my much brighter home, but only finding the time to take the photos on a very windy day with clouds coming and going, meaning the light level changed constantly – not ideal! But also I think the spot I chose just wasn’t quite right. I’ll see how I go in another location as soon as I get a chance.

On sale!

Photograph of Japanese etch pendant on red silk - chrysanthemums.Just a note to let you know that I’ve just added a number of pieces to the sale section of my handmade jewellery shop to help clear the way for new work.

Some of these pieces have never been sold online before and for many there is just one remaining in stock.

So stop by the sale section and take a peek! I hope to be adding more in the next little while.

PS. Australian and NZ customers can visit the handmade jewellery sale in my Australian dollar shop.

Q&A in The Jewelry Report

A while back I answered some questions for an article by the lovely Angela of The Jewelry Report, a blog for jewellery makers. I really enjoyed answering the questions as many were specific to the process of making jewellery and written by someone who knows a thing or two about it.

The resulting article has an introduction to make me blush:

Australian jeweler, Simone Walsh, is an inspiration to all one-man-band jewelery designs. Not only does her jewelry reflect a sense of originality and dedicated to quality, but her success is a testament to her hard work and dedication to being a successful business woman. Yet every…single…piece is completely handmade. Here she gives us some insight into that productivity, and I really feel that this gal is someone that many aspiring jewelers, and established jewelers alike can (and should) look up to.

So if you’re interested in reading the rest of the article with the Q&A I completed you can find it right here on The Jewelry Report.

Tumbling away

I spent some time at my bench this weekend making some jewellery for one of my consignment outlets along with for my own stocks. And the results of my labour all needed to be tumbled in steel shot to become bright and shiny.

Handmade jewellery fresh from my new tumbler.
A batch of handmade jewellery fresh from my new tumbler.

Recently I purchased a sparkly new Lorotone tumbler to replace the wonderful but now old and slightly decrepit tumbler my Dad made for me years ago using bits from his shed).

It’s taking me a while to get used to the ways of my new tumbler. Because I’d used my old (and rather eccentric!) one for such a long time I knew exactly how much shot, water and tumbling compound it needed and exactly how long my work needed to be tumbled to get the result I wanted.

Of course my new tumbler is different and it will take me some experimenting to get those things right.

It’s been making me think about how very familiar we all become with the tools and equipment we use extensively. Changing those things can be a bit disorientating at times. But of course change can be a good thing!

New Victorian-inspired handmade jewelry in my shop

Yes, my new range of Victorian-inspired jewelry is finally photographed, edited, written about and listed in my handmade jewelry shop.

Below are images of some of the pieces. You can also view the whole Victorian jewelry range in my shop and see some photographs on my Flickr.

Handmade cameo pendant on rose petals by Simone Walsh.

This cameo pendant is probably my personal favourite from the new range. I think it captures the right combination of traditional and contemporary design that I was looking for in this series of jewellery pieces.

The pendant is made entirely from sterling silver. Both the entirely blackened background and the cameo profile have been etched with a beautiful damask-style pattern. The pendant is suspended from a sterling silver chain.

Handmade cameo earrings by Simone Walsh.

Here are the cameo earrings to match the pendant above. The earring panels swing freely from handmade ear wires.

Victorian cut out earrings by Simone Walsh.

This detailed metalwork pattern has been intricately sawn out of sterling silver to form these Victorian cut out earrings, which also feature handmade sterling silver ear wires. The earring panels are domed inwards which gives off some eye-catching reflections as they move.

Handmade Victorian cut out pendant by Simone Walsh.

Another personal favourite is this Victorian cut out pendant to match the above earrings. The pendant is suspended from black natural silk thread and has handmade sterling silver clasp findings.

Handmade etched leaves and flowers pendant by Simone Walsh.

This Victorian leaves and flowers pendant is part of a series within this range of etched pendants with 18ct gold highlights in the form of stylised leaves and decorative elements. I’ll feature some more of these pieces in my blog a bit later, but here’s one to take a peek at for now!

The pendant has been etched with a Victorian era engraving of a dense illustration with leaves and flowers. The recessed areas of the etching have been given a blackened but polished finish. The pendant is domed inwards and features an 18ct (or 18kt if you’re an American!) gold leaf design. It is suspended on a delicate sterling silver chain with handmade clasp findings.

Handmade picture frame pendant by Simone Walsh.

This picture frame pendant has been inspired by a very ornamental frame. The design has been intricately sawn out of sterling silver and the centre of the frame has been left empty so that the wearer’s clothing or skin will show through.

The pendant is suspended from a sterling silver chain which has been given a blackened but shiny finish and has handmade sterling silver clasp findings.

Handmade oval picture frame pendant by Simone Walsh.

Another picture frame pendant inspired by an ornamental frame, but this time in an oval shape and suspended from a black natural silk thread necklace, also with handmade clasp findings.

I’ll blog about more new Victorian-inspired designs soon, but for now have a look in my jewelry shop for the rest of the range.

New handmade jewelry – a sneak peek!

A selection of handmade jewellery by Simone Walsh.Finally I have a new range of handmade jewellery almost ready to put into production! And I thought I would share a sneak peak of this work with you.

This work is primarily inspired by my fascination with Victorian-era aesthetics – the mish-mash of cultural and historical influences, a hint of modernity and a strong connection between words (or ideas) and visual design and art.

There is also the mixture of culture with nature which seems to be so much a part of aesthetics from this period – something I also find endlessly fascinating.

Handmade pendants by Simone Walsh.

These pendants have all been created in sterling silver, with some featuring an 18ct gold (or 18kt if you’re American!) highlight, some suspended on sterling silver chain and some on black natural silk.

Many of the pieces are etched with a variety of designs; printed text, handwritten text, a damask-type pattern, an engraved image of plants and more. Some of the etching has had the recessed areas blackened, while some have had these areas left a silver oxide white.

Handmade earrings by Simone Walsh.

The earrings are all made entirely from sterling silver, again with some of the etched areas blackened and some whitened.

In addition to the Victorian-inspired pieces, I’ve also created a pair of butterfly wing earrings to match my butterfly wing pendants – one of my most popular designs.

Unique handmade jewelry by Simone Walsh.

As yet, none of this work is listed for sale in my handmade jewellery shop. There’s still a fair bit of work to do to get to that point: creating a few more pieces, photographing each piece of jewellery properly, selecting and editing the photographs, pricing each item and – finally – listing it in various outlets.

I’ll let you know right here once they’re ready for sale. But for now you can see more images of this new work on my Flickr.

Roses & poppies: now for sale

My new mini range of poppies and roses jewellery is now properly photographed and listed in various of my handmade jewelry shops.

Handmade rose pendant (detail) by Simone Walsh.

This rose pendant is made with four layers of disc-shaped pieces of sterling silver to create the petals. The discs have been beaten, shaped with a variety of hammers and domed. It is attached to a delicate silver chain with handmade findings.

Rose earrings by Simone Walsh.

There is a matching pair of stud/post rose earrings which have three layers of petals.

Handmade rose ring by Simone Walsh.

And there is also a matching rose ring, which features a rose the same size as the pendant.

Poppies necklace by Simone Walsh.

This poppies necklace features five blackened poppies which move freely around the delicate chain. I’m really pleased with the shiny black and silver finish on these pieces.

Poppies ring by Simone Walsh.

There is also a pair of matching poppy earrings in this style, along with the above poppies ring, which features two poppies which move freely around the band of the ring. I really like the tinkling sound the poppies make when they hit against each other.

Silver and gold poppy ring by Simone Walsh.

This silver and gold poppy ring features a centre of 18ct gold (or 18kt gold if you’re American!) as a highlight.

Silver and gold poppy pendant by Simone Walsh.

There is also a matching sterling silver and 18ct gold poppy necklace.

You can find all of this work in my handmade jewelry shop, along with my other online outlets.

Handmade rose pendant by Simone Walsh.

Ceramics by Shoshona Snow

Today I collected from the post office a little present I’d purchased for myself – a lovely tripod bowl made by the very talented Shoshona Snow.

Three ceramic bowls by Shoshona Snow.

This is my third piece by Shoshona and I’m very happy with my little collection, as seen above – and I’m sure it will continue to grow! My new bowl is the one with the yellow interior.

I seem to be increasingly into collecting ceramics – which is odd because in the past I really wasn’t into this form of object making at all. But now I have a long list of very diverse favourite ceramicists and and many pieces which I covet. I now hope I’ll end up with a home full of them!