switcheroo...

K, here's the deelio - I'm trying wordpress for my bloggage instead for a bit, so if you want to keep in touch with my inane ravings, then please do so over there.... http://codedecoded.wordpress.com/

Laters x

That elusive 'floating jewellery' shot, and potential international sales!!

Hulloooo - this week I have been mostly...well, exposing. Or overexposing.



For a while I've wanted to do those images that look like the jewellery is sitting on the page...you know what I mean, washed out white background, slight shadow - the sort of shot that Laura at http://www.beadsbylaura.co.uk/ seems bloody good at taking!



Getting the new camera was key to this, meant I could manually adjust the aperture, which I hadn't previously been able to do. Also had some fab pointers from David Ross, a fellow Banks' Miller, re. lighting, aperture etc. etc. You can't really appreciate the shots here, as the background's dark, but here it is anyway - you can always go to http://www.codejewellery.com/ to have a look as I update images...



In addition this week, got my first potential overseas buyer WOOHOO! A lovely lady in North Carolina love the ring you see above....if you fancy one yourself, and you've got a stone in mind, give me a shout :)

Adieu mon brave!

Oooooh new toy!

'Lo peeps - got myself a new toy at the weekend, a Fuji S5800, digital SLR camera - need manual aperture and shutter settings and custom white balance to get the shots I want for my new lines so decided to spend a bit of my last bursary payment on it... then went to West Mids Safari Park on Sunday to try it out heheh :)

Got some WICKED pictures with it, will post when I've uploaded...Amur leopards, white tigers, white lions, just fab.

So, thoroughly recommend it, SO easy to use once you know what the terms mean!!!

Laters x

beadsbeadsbeadsandmorebeads...

Yes I've been a bad blogger, ages since last update - but it IS school hols, I haven't been making much and...well, no more excuses :)

After the Open Studios I've been having a ponder about what's next really, and come to the conclusion that while smithing is all well and good, and I do want to carry on producing silver pieces, it was my beaded stuff that sold best - therefore (NEWSFLASH) I AM RE-EMBRACING MY INNER BEADER.

Yes, I know. Dramatic stuff.


I've got so much bead stock from 'the old days' including wondrous lampwork by Laura Sparling and Izzy Anderson as well as TONS of semi-precious stones and pearls, it's sitting there waiting for inspiration.

Also, and can't believe I've only just found it, but there's a wonderful range of stuff from Hilary Milne, at beadsite.co.uk - fabulous ceramic beads coated in bronze, copper, fine silver and 24k gold - they look amazing and I can't wait to get cracking with them (will post some pics when their server's working again!)...will be able to get some done tomorrow so watch the site for more.

So I can keep the two strands of my jewellery separate, I'm lauching the beaded pieces under a new name/brand/company, so keep an eye out or join the mailing list at code to be updated when things are set up - I promise a huge range of all things spangly and shiny, suited to everyone's pockets and tastes HURRAH!!

BEAUshow...

Hello all, just a quick note to let you know I'll be at BEAUshow at the Long Eaton Art Rooms, bank hols weekend, Sunday 24th and Monday 25th August...will have plenty of Victoriana there as well as some more semi-precious and kimono stuff.

Click here to find out more and how to get there....



Later taters x

That there London...

Went down to see some buddies last Sunday, living in Tootin' - stepped off a marvellously well air-conditioned East Mids train into....well, what I can only describe as SOUP. Flummin' ada it was hot. A bellini at the Champagne Bar at St Pancras helped to cool me down, medicinal reasons you understand.

The main reason for going down was so I could have a gander at the recently re-opened jewellery gallery at the V&A...utterly stunning, but my camera's battery went flat and I had no charger! GAH! Not even sure if they allow pics, but you know...

So yeah, the most beautiful examples of gold, silver, brass, copper, HUGE gemstones, lapis from Egypt, garnets from Persia, cloisonne from China and France...right the way through from about 1000 AD to the last couple of years. Some amazing contemporary jewellers on display - will stick some links in when I've got more time and Blogger's not playing up.

Took in the National Portrait Gallery too - The Tudor Gallery is amazing, I have an uber-fascination with the Tudors, so seeing all those iconic portraits you seen in every book, on every TV prog FOR REAL is quite summat. They've got a new find of Lady Jane Grey too, fab stuff.

Anyway, should have a new post up soonish with some info on a brand new line I'm launching...a spin off, if you will...watch this space.

TTFN x

Hols, Open Studios & new pics...

Hello peeps, lots going on....

Firstly just had a week away camping in Cornwall....just as it had a week's worth of rain dumped on it in one night.  Yay.  Needless to say we discovered our magic new three-bedroom tent was mainly designed for guaranteed good weather.  Incidentally, DO NOT under any circumstance use tentastic.co.uk for any of your camping related needs.  We only got the tent by the skin of our teeth in time for the getaway, and some other bits we ordered guaranteed delivery for the Friday was sent out on Tuesday - WHEN WE WERE ALREADY THERE.  Doofuses.  Anyway, rant over.  Managed to get over to the Eden Project and National Seal Sanctuary on the nice days....will edit some pics in when I'm back on the home pooter.

Open Studios the week before hols was great - exhausting but great.  Got loads of great feedback on my new stuff, including a lengthy chat with a Japanese woman about my kimono silks :)  She was going through the swatches I had out saying, "My dad had one like this....this pattern's really old fashioned....this one's from this region..." and stuff.  Really interesting and gave it all that lil bit more meaning.  As my main collection was in the lobby and my studio's up on the top floor, I just put some of my 'old' semi-precious necklaces and works-in-progress out - as it turned out, they were the things that sold, and I hadn't even put prices out, 

not expecting any enquiries about them!  All in all I took a pretty penny selling them, and it's gone straight into the business account, slap on the back for me!!!

Got some new pics sorted out of the things I got together for Open Studios, they'll be going on the website over the next few days...my faves are my lace plaque rings - all made with the Cluny Valencienne lace I got from Ilkeston - each one made with it's own lil strip of lace, so totally individual....

So if you like the look of them and want to order your very own piece of British heritage, drop me an email :)

Later taters xxx

oops....

...been SOOOOO long, sorry :( Anyway, finally got last presentation for the Connect course out of the way on Monday, so in a couple of weeks will have double yes DOUBLE the time in the studio per week HURRAH! Good job really as got Open Studios coming up and need to get some makings made :)

Been a hard slog over the last nine months but worth it, seems I got more out of the course than some, it's a hard thing to get right in the arts world I guess as everything's so internalised and subjective, and it depends on just how sunny one's disposition is heheheh!

So, yep, can now stop just thinking about the future and actually DO IT... really optimistic.

On a different note, got to show my studio off to my bezzie mate yesterday, we were proper ladies who lunch (Thai Dusit restaurant in Derby, perfect grub every time, tip top lunch deal, two courses £6.95!!!!) as Our Stace is now on maternity leave....all my remaining childless sociable buddies are getting sprogged up, soon I'll have no-one left to go out with now I'm getting my own life back after having the girls :( Woe is me sally-no-mates.

So, watch this space for developments on the Open Studios stuff, more silk, textiles, pearls and lovely things coming up, all for sale at Banks' Mill and to order through the website.

Oh and I need some more Twitterbuddies too so get your butts on there.

Later taters x

Back to making...

...had a breather from assignments yesterday and started thinking what I want to do next - I've got the Banks' Mill Open Studios coming up at the end of June and I want to get some ideas that have been brewing out into the open. So out came the kimono silks I got off ebay a couple of months ago. Gorgeous things, all chunks of reclaimed vintage kimonos from anywhere between the 1920s to 1960s... so you get a sneak preview of a couple of necklets I put together - muy Geisha, no? Digging these big time, they're so light, and the colours are so striking - lovely. :)

Fashionistas....

As part of the course I'm doing, I'm working with a couple of the Uni of Derby Fashion Studies 3rd years on jewellery to go with their degree show collections - been a fantastic project so far, absolutely loving working with both of them, Hannah Hoyle (Clothes Show Live Young Designer of the Year) and Jess Williamson. Anyhoo, now the exhibition's out of the way I've got cracking on finishing this project off - some pics of the pieces I've done for Hannah's collection, A disenchanted hollow, a mix of all things Greek goddess, Midsummer Night's Dream, primitive tribal stuff...wonderful...

And some pics of the pieces for Jess Williamson's collection - A Victoriana Vow - Victorian bridal, loads of dramatic shapes, beautiful dupion silk - gorgeous.

The actual fashion show is on 4th June at the Assembly Rooms in Derby - click here for info - collection previews, ticket bookings, info on the course etc. It's all gravy baby :)

Laaaahvely Lincoln...

...I swear, I should get a handout from Lincoln Council, I've been raving about the place so much. After the preview night on Friday, we (that is me, hubby and kids) stopped over in Lincoln and had a day's breather wihle the sun was out. The place is beautiful :) Took some fab pics of the cathedral and castle...

I can see some architectural elements creeping into my jewellery before long heheheh :)

CONNECT preview night...

...was a bit daunting, and FLEW by!! My first big exhibition, new work, loads of people who actually know about art and are very discerning... scary marys!

Anyway, I loved it - had some great feedback about the new pieces, the display etc. The mortifying bit came when they plonked all 12 of us at the bottom of the stairs with all the visitors in front of us and spieled on about what a fabulous bunch we all are and how much work we'd put into it all.... true, but being out on show like that was a frightening experience - I'd better get used to it I guess.

The Collection is such a fantastic space to exhibit in, and the staff have been great, partic. Maggie Warren, has had the patience of a saint with us all over the last few weeks :) So a big THANKS to her!

Let's see how it all pans out....

delivering work

K - been a week or two, bloody manic hectic crazy times...but I'm all done and delivered for the Connect 08 exhibition :) Was a really close thing, the text pendant was the bane of my life, fine silver's such a bugger to work with as it won't harden much. Anyway, came out looking fabulous and the lace from Cluny sets it off perfectly :) :)

Anyway - more pics to come on the website, you can already check out some of the collaboration stuff I've done there....

old old old books.....

....hi all. Facing a dilemma this week...some of my designs for the Connect 08 exhibition involve text, that is pages of old books I've found in the fabbo Oxfam bookshop in Lincoln. Only thing is I feel really bad dismantling books, just something I see as wrong wrong wrong! Have found some amazing ones, an Uncle Tom's Cabin from 1902, some mad Greek lexicon thing from the turn of the century, and a couple of 1880s bibles awarded for good conduct and attendance at Sunday Schools!

Think ripping pages out of the bibles might be the easiest thing to do, just keep thinking of the suffering they've caused across the centuries!!!!

STU-STU-STU-STUDIO!!!!!

You have to say that a la the old L'Oreal ads of course....

Moved into my new studio yesterday! Hurrah hurrah!!! It's in a wonderful old building, all sandblasted redbrick and whitewash...it's a dinky wee space but hey, I'm a dinky wee person so that's fine. So yup, no more homeworking for me, Ruby (my youngest, 4 and a half) grabbing all things shiny and walking off with it... I actually look organised :)

Everything's getting a bit crazy now, less than three weeks until the CONNECT exhibition stuff needs delivering - will post the full publicity stuff when we get it...

Also got the BA Fashion Degree Show stuff to do for the same week, AND some ring commissions...lots to do, lots to do.

Watch this space :) and get on the mailing list at my website to make sure you're kept up to date on the latest developments!

Later taters x

Welcome....

...one and all :)

Herein shall be my bloggage, and it shall be good and read by many. This shall be the means by which the good people of Earth shall witness the rambling of the one called Rachel, and see the diverse and many shining wonders formed from the mighty brain therein.

Or something. Well, there'll be posts about jewellery, the universe and everything anyway.

:D