Scarlett Willow Designs

On The Bench!

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Only 29 days left until Christmas.....Are you ready?!

I'm still busy preparing for the MAC Christmas Craft Market on the 12th of December (if you're near Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham, pop in...say Hi. It's always nice to put a face to a name!).  New ides keep popping into my head, I experiment, I love the result and want to make more so expect some new pieces at this event!

I know we're only in November now buy I'm already looking ahead to April next year.  I will be exhibiting for the first time at the British Craft Trade Fair in Harrogate.  This is a trade-only event where gallery and shop owners can meet people like myself who handcraft their pieces, not just jewellery but ceramicists, leather workers etc.  Even though I'm terrified (!), I can't wait to get in front of these buyers!  I can't decide which collections to take with me, I may have new designs by then but I know one thing, it'll be here before I know it.

I will be off to visit the jolly man in his red suit in Lapland on the 5th December so although you will still be able to buy through the online shop, I won't be able to ship it until the 9th.

On The Bench!

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This week has been a little bit experimental!

I've tried out a new technique which produces a completely unique piece every single time ~ water casting!  I think I'm in love!

These are the some of the results, please excuse their appearance, they haven't been polished yet!   These are created by pouring molten silver straight into water where it cools instantly.  Many of the pieces created remind me of coral and are completely random.  One piece even came out looking like a piece of popcorn!

Back to the bench for a little more experimentation me thinks!

 

On The Bench!

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After getting twenty pieces ready for Brampton Museum's B(u)y Me! for Christmas exhibition, the momentum hasn't let up!  With commissions coming in for Christmas, new collections and MAC Christmas market on the 12th of December, it's busy busy busy!

I've been working on some new pieces which I'm desperately trying to complete and get onto the website, including a statement neckline piece and cuff, and beautiful rings.

Commissions this week include recycling some family gold into stunning pieces for Christmas, fingerprint jewellery and three pairs of earrings over which I have free reign!

If you would like to see some my pieces "in the flesh" then join me at the MAC in Birmingham (opposite Edgbaston Cricket Ground) on the 12th of December, 11am til 5pm.  The MAC is a really interesting place to visit, there is a lovely cafe so why not grab some friends, pick up some beautiful Christmas presents, have some lunch and make a day of it!  

Right, better get back to the bench!

Gemstone of the Month!

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November already?! This month has two birthstones, citrine and topaz.  Both gemstones were found on the Mediterranean island known in Ancient times as Topazios.  Since both gemstones are similar in colour, they were often mixed up - the most common colours for Topaz are brown, yellow, yellow-gold and orange...all similar to the shades of Citrine.

Topaz is found in many other colours, ranging from colourless to oranges to blues.  The oranges, reds and pinks are the most rare, one in particular is called Imperial Topaz and has been mistaken for Padparascha Sapphire

Imperial Topaz 

Imperial Topaz 

London Blue Topaz

London Blue Topaz

Blue topaz is rarely found naturally and so now nearly all blue topaz, whether it's Sky, Swiss or Blue topaz, tends to be heat treated.

Blue topaz is the fourth anniversary gemstone while Imperial topaz is the gemstone for the 23rd anniversary.  Citrine is the gemstone gift for the 13th and 17th anniversaries.

The name Citrine is derived fro the French word for lemon - citron- but its most sought after colour is the more warm orange-red colour.  These gemstones seem to have captured the last warm glow of Autumn, bringing sunshine to dull November days.

Cirtine

Cirtine

So, there is a colour for everyone in these two lovely gemstones....which would you choose???

Beautiful Jewellery Featuring Opals!

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As we near to the end of October (how did that happen?!), I thought I'd share with you a few pictures of beautiful jewellery featuring October's birthstone, Opal.

This stunning brooch by Harry Winston features a black opal from the Lightning Ridge in Australia.  The opal is 32 carats and is accented by rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds and set in 18K yellow gold.  It was donated to the Smithsonian in 1977.

Another piece that was donate to the Smithsonian is this piece by Louis Comfort Tiffany.  A gorgeous example of Art Nouveau jewellery, this again features a black opal from the Lightning Ridge an also demantoid garnets from Russia.  Louis Comfort Tiffany was considered to be one the most important decorative artists working during the early 20th century.

The Sun God Opal is a carved white opal whose origins are a mystery!  Believed to have been mined in Mexico by the Aztecs in the 16th century, this 35 carat precious white opal is very unusual in that the top of the cabochon is carved into the shape of a human face surrounded by flames.  This is perhaps why it got it's name.

On The Bench!

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I'm lucky enough to have been chosen to have my work shown in the B(u)y Me for Christmas Exhibition at Brampton Museum!  I'm very excited!!

So the next couple of weeks are going to be taken up making/choosing 20-25 pieces.  My problem is that I have so many new designs spilling onto my sketchbook!  Do I stick with what I have already created as well as a few new pieces?  Or do I go mad a create lots of new things?

I know what I SHOULD do....but this gives me an excuse to spend more hours at the bench  ;-)

You can visit the B(u)y Me for Christmas Exhibition from the 14th November to 10th January.

October's Birthstone - Opal!

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October is here which means that opal will be in the spotlight this month.  Known as Australia's National Stone, 95% of the worlds opal are mined in there.  The rest can be found in Ethiopia, (home of the stunning Welo opal), Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, Mexico (the beautiful fire opal) and the United States.

Opal is famed for its ability to diffract light. The exact cause of opal's unique properties was only discovered by Australian scientists in the 1960s after analysis with electron microscopes. As light enters the opal, it bends around the tiny particles of hydrated silica, as well as 'chips' of silicon and oxygen suspended within the stone. Light is comprised of all visible colors and can produce an entire spectrum of colors when it is diffracted.  The flashes of colour that opals are famous for tend to be yellow, blue and green, but if you find red, orange or violet, then this is rare.  Some opals don't display this play of colour, Peruvuan pink opal and fire opal are two. 

According to Aboriginal legend, the Creator came down from the heavens on a rainbow and delivered a message of peace to all mankind.  Stones that were near where His feet touched the ground suddenly began to sparkle and this is believed to be the birth of opal


On The Bench!

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It's my favourite day of the week....Workbench Wednesday!!  Although I do spend time during the rest of the week, I always set aside Wednesday so I can spend ALL DAY at the bench. 

At the moment I'm working on a couple of new collections to take to the British Craft Trade Show in April next year.  I am so excited as it'll be the first trade event I've ever done and I guess like most "creatives", the designing and making is the easy part, speaking to gallery and boutique owners and marketing is the hard/scary part!  I do love talking to people, especially about my work, so if you're an owner of said galleries/boutiques, please come and say Hi, I'd love to speak to you!  I'll be in the Newcomers Gallery, stand 65.

I'm also preparing for the C word.....Christmas!!!  If you would like a piece commissioned in time for Christmas, please get in touch as soon as you can.  As each piece is made by hand, they can take anywhere from 7-14 days to complete, sometimes longer as Birmingham Assay Office, where my hallmarking is done, gets very busy in the run-up to the festive season.