La Vidalerie Comes to Bristol!

After 11 years of running jewellery making holidays here in France we are at last coming to the UK.

We’re running 4 half day project based workshop, each one very different and great fun.

The workshops are taking place at Creative Space, Bristol, a wonderful workshop space run by Emma – We hope to be running many more workshop here later.

All materials are included and there will be more for sale if you want to make more, use more gold etc.

Keum Boo Earrings

This was the first workshop to sell out and I’m not surprised, who can resist the glimmer of gold ?

This is a wonderful ancient technique of fusing 23ct gold onto silver using heat and pressure.

The earrings in the photo are beautifully simple, long and easy to wear, a gently textured swath of gold under random shiny lines created in the silver. The long handmade ear wires complete the look.

I’ve been working on some more Keum Boo examples and I’ll post them tomorrow.

Waitlist
If we get enough names on the Keum Boo waitlist I will try and arrange another Keum Boo workshop – put your name down and come and make 2-3 pairs of beautiful, unique, earrings designed by you.SOLD OUT

Stacker Ring Workshop

Come and make 3-4 wonderful silver rings. Each one will be different, textured, maybe stamped and you’ll have the option to add a semiprecious stone (either an 8mm cabochon or 4mm faceted stone.

You’ll learn how to measure your finger, cut the silver, form, solder and make the ring fit. You’ll even have the option to stamp one of the rings with maybe a name or special word.

Your stack of rings might be ornate or simple, they will be unique and you will walk out wearing them and feeling awfully proud of yourself.

Silver stacker ring workshop
Make a silver ring workshop
Set a stone ring class
make a personalised stamped ring workshop
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Fold Formed Earrings

Fold Formed Earring Workshop

I love this workshop ! Lots of hammering, shaping, tweaking – and the end result – you won’t believe you made the stunning earrings you’re holding ! Wonderful, sensuous curves !

You’ll have the choice of 2 fold formed designs and the length you’d like your earrings to be – the finish can be oxidized (dark) or shiny. If there’s time you can also make a matching pendant.

Chaos Earrings

Chaos Earrings - OOAK Earring Workshop in Bristol
Fused Argentium Workshop
Fused Argentium Earrings
Argentium Fusing Workshop
Silver Fusing Workshop UK Bristol

Argentium is a wonderful new type of sterling silver and one of it’s most amazing properties is that it can fuse to itself ! (it’s also tarnish resistant which is pretty fabulous too).

You’ll design your own earrings and earn to fuse silver wire to make a gorgeous pair of earrings. Everyone works at different speeds but you should also have time to make a beautiful matching necklace.

What’s Next

I have 2 more workshops planned, Briar Pendant and Simple Stone Set Pendant.

The Briar Pendant is a lovely project, fusing Argentium sterling silver wire into your design then adding a tube setting for a faceted semi-precious stone.

The Simple Stone Set Pendant is a great technique to learn to set larger, odd shaped stones or found objects. It’s great for sea glass, pebbles or semi-precious stones. You can bring something with you or use one of the beautiful stones I’ll bring with me.

Fused Argentium Briar Pendant Workshop
Simple Prong Set Stone Pendant Class

I have lots more workshop ideas in my head – re-cycled tin earrings, Captured & Riveted (riveted, 3d semi-precious stone pendant, bangles with meanings, ear wire masterclass – Make sure you are on our newsletter mailing list so you don’t miss out !

Wishing you all a short winter, inspiring spring and the time to make something beautiful !

Karen

How to Make Earrings out of Bangles – OR – Serendipity Rules !

I’ve been meaning to make a beaded wire bangle for ages – you know that lovely silver wire that looks like lots of silver beads – I finally had chance and I though it looked great.

Making-earrings-out-of-bangles

BUT…It felt a little flimsy.

In my rush to get creative I had ordered 2mm beaded wire – 2mm round is fine for bangles – but of course 2mm beaded wire is thinner between the beads.

I tumbled the bangle for 2 days, hammered like mad with a nylon mallet and still it wasn’t hard enough, i even tried hammering with a metal hammer, the bangle looked even better but still too soft.

I am just a little obsessive and can’t let go but finally I had an idea that I thought would work…..

Serendipity – Lucky Mistake !
So here they are, 2 pairs of Serendipity Earrings, one pair all shiny and even, the other matt and more hammered/bigger balls in the middle – They are for sale (just cick on the images) but be quick, I might get the next bangle right 🙂

How – I cut the bangle into 4, evened up the lengths so I had 2 pairs, sanded the ends smooth and hammered one pair in the middle so the bubbles are larger then get smaller. All I had to do then was solder the stud pin on the back and check that the silver was still hard and hadn’t annealed. Voila (as they say constantly here) fabulous, long studs – they do look great on.

Coming to my website soon – Serendipity Bangle – A thicker version that will work !

New Website – New Blog

My new  Squarespace website is now up and running – please do visit it and let me know what you think – https://www.lavidalerie.com

You’ll find my new blog here – https://www.lavidalerie.com/blog but for a while at lease I’ll copy new posts here too.

New Sapphire Path Ring

Sapphire Path Ring
One of a Kind Ring – Hand Forged in Sterling Silver with Blue Sapphire

I love this ring ! Natural opaque blue sapphire set in the center of a maze like path, oxidized to show the dark paths between the walls of polished silver.

 

You can find this ring on my website Click Here but if it is sold or you need another size I can make one especially for you but each ring will be as different as the stone it is built aroundThe sapphire is faceted, opaque and completely natural.

Size approx Q, US 8.25
Approx 23 x 25mm

I’m thinking of making a similar pendant too .

Making Lemonade – Or Not Wasting Beautiful Stones

A while ago I ordered some specially drilled semi-precious cabochons for a particular project, unfortunately they all arrived with damage around the large drilled holes.  The supplier kindly sent replacements but it kept bothering me that the original very beautiful, but damaged, stones were sitting sadly in their box. Here’s one of the labradorites.

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I thought I could rivet on a large bail to hide the damage whilst still showing off the beautiful flash (the thickness of the stone made it a bit awkward too).

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I cut 2 silver discs, rolled them to make ovals and added a spiral texture and oxidized them.

I riveted the discs together so the stone is able to swing and a silk or chain can be threaded through the top.

Not perfect but not bad for a stone that was too good for the bin and too damaged to use.

Let me know your ideas for a stone like this ?

GIVEAWAY No5 ! Handmade Silver Ear Wires Week -Up Down Round & Round

 

Up Down Round and Round Ear Wires – Another style you can wear just as they are or add pretty little dangles, and they are interchangeable !

Up-Down

To win a pair just…

1 – Add a comment – Labradorite or Lapis Lazuli  ?

2 – Share !!!

3 – Like this post

Do all of that and you’ll be in the draw to win a pair – ends midnight Friday 29.7.16

http://www.lavidalerie.com/EarWires/Up-Down.html – Just £2.75 a pair !

I hope you enjoyed our giveaway week and maybe share my love for handmade – Lets stop buying the boring mass produced ear wires and start making the ear wires your jewellery really deserves !

PS- We also run a Handmade Findings Masterclass Workshop 🙂

GiveAway No 4 – Ear Wires Week

Small Drop Heart Studs – Wear them as they are or add pretty little dangles !
Handmade sterling silver ear wires / earrings.  My passion for handmade.

Small-Heart-Studs

To win a pair just…

1 – Add a comment – CZ’s – Yes – Love the sparkle or No – I want diamonds  ?

2 – Share !!!

3 – Like this post

Do all of that and you’ll be in the draw to win a pair – ends midnight Thursday 28.7.16

http://www.lavidalerie.com/CharmsandFindings/Small-Drop-Heart-Studs.html- Just £5 a pair !

Remember to check back Friday for our last giveaway

GIVEAWAY No3 ! Ear Wires Week – Slim Leaves

Slim Leaves – Simply beautiful just as they are, or add some dangles – I really love these ear wires – so elegant !

Slim-leaf1

To win a pair just…

1 – Add a comment – Which is your favourite semi precious stone – Amethyst, Citrine, Peridot, Iolite, Garnet  ?

2 – Share !!!

3 – Like this post

Do all of that and you’ll be in the draw to win a pair – ends midnight Wednesday 27.7.16

http://www.lavidalerie.com/EarWires/Slim-leaf.html – Just £5.5 a pair !

Remember to check back Thursday for our 4th giveaway

GiveAway No 2 – Wild Garden Straights

GIVEAWAY No2 ! Ear Wires Week –
Beautiful Wild Garden Straights Interchangeable Ear Wires
Wild-Garden-Straight
These ear wires are pretty enough to wear on their own but you can add and change the dangles when you want.
To win a pair just…
1 – Add a comment – Pearls or Turquoise ?
2 – Share !!!
3 – Like this post
Do all of that and you’ll be in the draw to win a pair – ends midnight tonight 26.7.16
Remember to check back Wednesday for 3rd giveaway

GIVEAWAY – Week of Ear Wires & a Passion for Handmade

Anyone who knows me knows I have a passion for handmade and that includes ear wires.  I believe that every pair of earrings that you design deserves a special pair of ear wires that suit the design – That’s how we ended up with over 50 ear wire designs on our website 🙂

This week I’ll be giving away a pair off handmade ear wires each day – you can enter via this blog or my FB page (here) or both.

I started late so today there will be 2 giveaways so make sure you visit later today so you don’t miss is.

The 1st giveaway is for a pair of my Long & Elegants – Gorgeous handmade silver ear wires almost beautiful enough to wear on their own but here they are with a pair of fabulous beads by Lush Lampwork (not included I’m afraid)

Lush-Jewel-Earrings-Large

To win a pair just…
1 – Leave a commend with what stone etc you would hang from these
2 – Share this post
Do all of that and you’ll be in the draw to win a pair – ends midnight tonight 26.7.16
http://www.lavidalerie.com/C…/Long%20Handmade%20Earwires.htm – Just £3 a pair !
Remember to check back later today for the 2nd giveaway