Introducing the "Bark" Collection!

You may have spotted over the last few weeks that a new collection has arrived in the shop!

Inspired by a fallen tree I found whilst walking in the forest (again!), this collection certainly makes a statement! The bark had started peeling from the tree and it was really quite stunning ~ it was made up of lots of small layers and, as it had been raining, the bark was wet and all these layers appeared to be different colours.

I took this and created my interpretation, instead of colours I used texture......every layer is hand-cut, textured by hand and soldered together.  Each piece will be completely unique (another thing you know I love!), what more could you want!

A statement neckline piece from the "Bark" Collection

Fabulous texture on this "Bark" Cuff!

This ring is sure to be a conversation-starter!

Perfect for everyday wear

Etsy Shop Now Open!!

Well, the title says it all really!!

You can now buy SWD jewellery through Etsy as well as this website :-) just follow this link:

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ScarlettWillowDesign

Happy Shopping My Lovelies!

Home Sweet Home!

I finally got home from the British Craft Trade Fair in Harrogate last night at nearly midnight after a very long four days!

The trade show has been going for 43 years now and differs from other trade events as it only showcases work from the UK and Irish makers.  They have a strict no mass-manufactured products or products made overseas are allowed.

It gives designer/makers a chance to meet buyers from all over the country and introduce them to our existing and new product ranges and collections which is always very exciting.

Keep a look out in the next few months in your local galleries and independent shops for some fabulous new items from very talented artists and, if you're VERY lucky, SWD jewellery may be heading there too!

Busy Busy Busy!

Phew! It's been a busy couple of months and I've been very bad at keeping the blog up-to-date so I'm very sorry for that.

The British Craft Trade Fair is only a month away now so I'm frantically getting everything ready.  Last year was my first foray into the world of trade fairs so I have a much better idea as to where I can improve...the problem is that I have to many improvements that I want to implement!

I have a new collection debuting at BCTF this year and I'm very excited about it!  It is once again inspired by the beautiful forest I walk in every day with my dogs and I never fail to get new ideas.  It's forever changing yet always the same, do you know what I mean?

This new collection will be on the website after the trade fair is over although I still need to think of a name for it!  

(If you are reading this and you are a gallery or shop owner and would like an invite to the British Craft Trade Fair, please get in touch and I will be delighted to send you one!)

On The Bench!

This week I'm working on turning some of my pieces into more complete collections.  Pieces like my "Wishing Pebble" pendant....I'm going to to be adding earrings and a ring and possibly a set of cufflinks for the gents!

Wishing pebbles are those lovely one's you find on the beach that have a complete ring of quartz running around it.  Me and my girls love hunting for these when on holiday and end up coming back with pocketfuls of them, much to my husband's despair!  You can never have too many in my opinion!

So, I have lots of silver and pretty rose gold on my bench ready to be turned into my version of these wonderful finds.  I'm looking forward to see how these turn out.

On The Bench!!

On the bench this week is something a little different for me.  

It's a gift for a family member who has a very special birthday this month and thought I would create a keepsake that is crafted from sterling silver but isn't a piece of jewellery.  

I've decided to make a small silver marquise-shaped trinket box!  Quite different to anything I've ever made before and involves a few new skills for me.  It is definitely a challenge but I'm really enjoying it...just hope the lid fits!

Pictures to follow once the box has been gifted :-)

It's 2017!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

I can't believe it's 2017 already, where did 2016 go??!!

I'm so excited for this year, I have so many plans and new designs, I can't wait to get started! Do you have any exciting plans this year?

Whatever you do, I hope it's filled with love and laughter, hopes and dreams.

Christmas is Coming!

Wow! These last few weeks have flown by!  With Worcester's Victorian Christmas Fayre beginning a week today, and the Christmas Craft Markets at the MAC in Birmingham the following two weekends, to say it's been a little manic in the workshop would be an understatement!

It hasn't helped that it's turned chilly and my little log burner needed some work so it's been like sitting in a fridge!  I could actually see my breath on many 4.30am starts!  It seems madness to be in the workshop at that time in the morning but my theory is I can sleep once the next couple of weeks are over :-)

The Victorian Christmas Fayre is one I haven't done before, although I have visited many times.  It really is a fantastic day out....mince pies, mulled wine and shopping, is there a better combination?  Trying to work out how many pieces to take to this four day event has proved to be a little trickier than I thought but I can only hope I've got it right.  If you are visiting this fabulous event, do pop by and take a look at some of my new designs and let me know what you think.

And I promise Santa won't mind if you want to treat yourself ;-)

Happy Halloween!

Until midnight on the 31st October, use the code "spooky15" to get 15% off any purchase!

Quote of the Week!

“Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog”

— Roald Dahl

Quote of the Week!

“It’s impossible to make your eyes twinkle if you aren’t feeling twinkly yourself”

— Roald Dahl

Hello Stranger!

Gosh it's been a long time since I've written anything on here!  If you follow me on Instagram (@scarlettwillowd) or Twitter (@scarlettwillowd), you'll know that I've been away on my summer hols to the beautiful Cornish coast, a place that never fails to inspire.  So, now that the children are back at school, it's time to harness that inspiration into some new pieces.

Another source of inspiration has always been my local ancient oak forest.  Every season brings something new but Autumn is definitely my favourite, the lush green of the Summer giving way to the burnt oranges and yellows as the leaves get ready to fall; the blackberries changing from green through to red then finally to black; clouds of fluffy grasses; the pinky/purple heathers creating another contrast; don't get me started on acorns!  I adore everything about acorns, especially how something so tiny can grow into something so magnificent ~ a metaphor for life!  And some mornings there's that crisp chill, hinting at what's to come....I absolutely love it!  Bring on the log fires and the woolly socks!

What's your favourite time of year?

Birthstone Poem - July

“The gleaming ruby should adorn,
All those who in July are born
For thus they’ll be exempt and free,
From lover’s doubts and anxiety”

Quote of the Week!

“Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog”

— Roald Dahl (from Matilda)

Gemstone of the Week!

I haven't done one of these for some time which is very remiss of me!  I've chosen such a beautiful gem for this week and it was only discovered in 1989 in Brazil.  It is unusual in that it is blue/green and appears to have neon properties, discovered to be the copper and manganese content.

Paraiba tourmaline created such a stir when it debuted at theTuscon gem show and top specimens sold for over $3000 a carat!  The demand for this stunning gemstone meant that supply could't keep up.  In 2001, a similar blue/green tourmaline was discovered in Nigeria although the colour saturation was not as good as those found in Brazil.  In Mozambique in 2005, another blue-green tourmaline was found with a similar colour saturation to the Brazilian ones.....and this is where a debate began within the gemmological world ~ should all the blue/green tourmaline found in Africa as well as Brazil be termed as "Paraiba"?  Paraiba is a state in Brazil so some thought that it should only apply to the Brazilian gemstones, even though the African gems were identical in chemical make-up.  In 2006, the LMHC (Laboratory Manual Harmonization Commitee) decided that all of these gemstones can be called "paraiba" and so can come from Brazil, Mozambique and Nigeria, as well as from other places that in the future may find copper-containing tourmaline.

Paraiba tourmaline is an incredibly rare gemstone.  For every 10,000 diamonds, only 1 paraiba tourmaline is mined and finding a good quality Brazilian paraiba over over 3 carats is virtually unheard of.  Do you remember me telling you that these gemstones were fetching $3000 a carat when they first hit the scene?  Now they can command over $10,000 a carat!  This truly is an exceptional gemstone.

Long time no blog....

I haven't blogged for what seems forever! 

I now have three stockists of my jewellery so if one of the following galleries is near you or you find one on your holidays then do have a look;

Dancing Light Gallery ~ Whitmuir, West Linton, Edinburgh, EH46 7BB

Fisherton Mill Gallery ~ 108 Fisherton Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 7QY

Focus Gallery ~ 108 Derby Road, Nottingham, NG1 5FB

I'm working on some new collections including something that featured a lot in my childhood and also in my daughters.... I'll let you see if you can guess what it is :-)

Quote of the Week!

“How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone”

— Coco Chanel

World Oceans Day!

Today is World Oceans Day!

Most people when they think of the sea think of white sand, blue skies and a jug of Sangria (!) but they are clearly very much more than that.  This is what it says on the website for World Oceans Day:

www.worldoceansday.org

"A healthy world ocean is critical to our survival. Every year, World Oceans Day provides a unique opportunity to honor, help protect, and conserve the world’s oceans. Oceans are very important:

• They generate most of the oxygen we breathe
• They help feed us
• They regulate our climate
• They clean the water we drink
• They offer a pharmacopoeia of medicines
• They provide limitless inspiration!"

Three of my collections feature the sea in some way ~ "Morvoren Dagrow" features sea-worn sea glass, "Ngaru" features beautiful Paua shell and "A Drop In The Ocean" pendants are created by water casting. 

From now until Sunday evening, I will donate 10% from the sale of any pieces from these collections to World Oceans Day!

Most people when they think of the sea think of white sand, blue skies and a jug of Sangria (!) but they are clearly very much more than that.

Scarlett Willow Designs is now on Instagram!!

Well, it's been on my to do list for AGES but I've finally done it!  Not only can you connect with me via this website, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest but you can now find me on Instagram too! How will I ever keep up?! Sleep, who needs it? (Me actually but I may have to do with a little less of it ;-))

New Home, New Workshop!

Well, we're in!  There are still boxes EVERYWHERE but the workshop is pretty much sorted (priorities!) and it is sooo nice to have a view from the bench into the garden (photos to follow soon!)  I may not have had a bed to sleep on for six days but at least my bench was up! ;-)

Moving house has got to be the most stressful thing I've ever done but making sure no tooling or pieces of jewellery went missing bought me out in a cold sweat!  I'm just getting passed the "I feel like I'm living in a holiday cottage" to "Oh My God! This is MY house!"

I am just finishing off two orders that will be winging their way to two new galleries, details of which I will be posting very soon.  I think I'll be putting a "Stockists" page up and you can check back to see if SWD jewellery has arrived at a gallery near you! :-)