Pink Chandeliers

This past week I discovered rose quartz beads that I had bought on a previous visit to Swakopmund. I remember having planned to use them in my final year of studies as part of my body of work. I used a lot of beads in my 4th year as I was working with the theme 'Zulu love letters'. I got so carried away throughout the year buying beads everywhere I came across something special. I never got round to even half the beads I bought that year.

Now I have a treasure box to scratch through whenever I'm looking for a little inspiration. My bead box is a bit of a disorganized colourful mess, but beads just look so much more interesting when they are in knots and tangles : )

Some pretty pink chandeliers and pink drop pendants.

For a friend in Perth

I am sure many of you have come across the little love knot ring on pinterest.

I have a friend in Perth who recently sent a little 'request'. So I have played around with the knots in gold and silver.

I like to imagine having a roll of gold thread, and being able to tie a little knot everytime I want to wear a gold knot ring.

Warrelwind-Vroumens-Kind, hier is n ringetjie vir jou!

Doily-inspired

This past week I worked on a few pieces in gold, playing around with elements of the paper doily.

Doily. Beautifully unnecessary. Church bake sales; trays lined with paper doilies. Tea with my Ouma; scones always displayed beautifully on old china lined with doilies. Lace on a plate : )

The last time I used a paper doily myself was probably in prep school, to make an angel decoration for Christamas in craft class.

A few years later, and I quite like making them in gold : ) My translation of the paper doily into dainty pendants.

Gold bits from last week

Before I forget, three little gold pieces from last week.

A ring for a little sister, a pendant for a friend and earrings with teeny hearts, just for me : )

Beads and Bunnies

This past week has been a colourful week of beads, dying satin string (messy business!) and shopping for pretty stones.

The stones are still to come. Working on some gold rings with coloured cabachons... Slightly slow work in progress. No promise of when I'll post them ; )

In my final year at Stellenbosch I worked a lot with beads and stringing. Im a big fan of beautiful stones and strands! And stringing them is sometimes just more fun than working alone in my studio because I can sit and chat to a friend (...or watch the food channel).

So I have experimented with some long strands, some with brass pieces, others with silver.

And just because I am very fond of hot cross buns and chocolate marshmallow eggs, I have made some bunnies just for fun : )

Have a lovely week x

Kid in a candy store

I recently discovered these raw uncut garnets and went home with a handful! A handful of sheer plum bliss!

I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with them, but I knew I had to take a handful home.

What I love most about them is that 'kid feeling' I get when I hold a handful. Those memories of collecting shells on the beach and treasuring each as your most precious treasure. I remember on one of my first trips to Namibia whilst visiting relatives on a farm, I collected rose quartz in the riverbed. As a ten year old girly girl, what could be more precious and valuable than pink stones!

These garnet rings are just fun!

Peak at the past weeks pearls...

My biggest challenge this past week has been to organize my ideas that I have into a collection of series. I have been so overwhelmed by an overload of ideas that I have, and my two little hands are just too slow to get round to everything I'd like to try. So I dedicated the past week to my humble little pearl collection.

Much like my overload of ideas was overwhelming, I find an entire string of pearls just as overwhelming! So I decided to add just small accents of pearls to fine silver chains and some silver shapes. Perhaps when I'm 85 I'll be able to confidently wear a full string of pearls like my grandmother : )

Hope you all enjoy the pearls.

Next week - something new : )