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.

Fold Formed Earrings

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

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.

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

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 .

A Setting A Day – Day 4 – Fabulous Tube Setting !

I really like tube setting, it’s a great way of adding a little twinkly to your jewellery using faceted gems and isn’t too difficult to master or too expensive to do.  Tube setting is now part of our 3 day Stone Setting workshop.

Poppy Ring

This is my Poppy Ring, the design is rolled into the silver and the method I use means each ring will be different – I then added the tube setting and set a small 3mm faceted garnet to add a little sparkle.

This ring is £32 but may not have reached my website by the time you read this 😉

Wisp Earrings
A glimmer of amethyst showing through branches – each pair will be different.

These earrings and the necklace below will be part of my new Wisp range and I wanted to show you them although the range is not on my website yet.

They are based on the stories of the Will of the Wisp – the glimmer seen through the trees leading travellers away from the safe paths, a flickering light always just out of reach.

Wisp Pendant – A Glimmer though the Woods

A fold formed pendant, darkened with liver of sulphur giving the idea of woodlands – tree trunks, with a dangle of silver tube set with a citrine for the wisp – ever moving.

Join me tomorrow for day 5 of this week of settings.

If you would like to learn silver smithing, bezel setting or tube setting please visit our website to learn more about our jewellery making breaks – suitable for all levels.

We are just a short flight away, just get on the plane and we’ll do the rest.

A Setting A Day – Day 2 – Bezel Set Ring

Rose Cut Labradorite Ring

Bezel setting is a great technique to learn and is suitable for flat bottomed stones and perfect for fused glass but but this doesn’t exclude working with sparkly faceted stones.  Rose cut stones have a faceted domed top and flat bottom This is a 6mm rose cut labradorite, it was a little bit fiddly due to it’s small size and it is easier to start with round stones 8mm – 14mm.  (The bezel is the narrow collar of silver you can see around the stone).

I love labradorite, it’s not the most sparkly stone but it has a subtle glow with lots of interest and colours.

I, cut a disc, drilled a hole in the center to let in the light and hammered it for texture and domed it.  I measured the bezel wire (this had to be cut down as the rose cut slopes in so the bezel can be very narrow) and soldered it to the disc.  I formed some square wire into a ring shape leaving out a section underneath the hole in the disc (it’s unlikely to let in much light but every little helps) – the disc was then soldered to the ring.

The ring was pickled and polished and the disc given a slightly mat finish then the labradorite was set using a pusher.  This is just over a R and a Half and is for sale – £24.

This is another example of bezel setting – Dichroic fused glass set into a silver pendant with copper dots. – You can see this pendant on my website – just click on the photo.

You can learn how to make bezel setting on our  Stone Setting Workshop and glass fusing on our Glass Fusing – Making Fused Glass Jewellery Workshop.

Pop back tomorow for a different stone setting technique or better still follow my blog for automatic updates (see Follow Blog via Email in the right margin).

A Setting A Day – Day 1 – Cute Prong Set Turquoise Ring

Last week I set myself the challenge of making a piece of jewellery every day that incorporated a stone – there are lots of ways you can include semi-precious stones  and pearls in your jewellery and I’m going to show you just a few of them.

Prong Set Turquoise Ring

I bought a string of really nice genuine turquoise nuggets a while ago and thought that I could set one onto a ring (this setting doesn’t use the holes in the bead).  I started by making a silver wire ring.

For the setting I balled the ends of 2 pieces of silver wire and placed them to form a cross then soldered them together.  (I used some copper wire to estimate the length of wire needed to set the stone.

Then soldered the cross onto the ring.  The ring was then pickled and polished.

I used a burnisher to push the prongs over the turquoise but you can use the back of your chain nose pliers if you don’t have a burnisher.

This is just one of the new projects you can choose on our 3 Day Introduction to Silversmithing  and Stone Setting Workshops.

Pop back tomorow for a different stone setting technique or better still follow my blog for automatic updates (see Follow Blog via Email in the right margin).

Return of the Salamanders, Fast and Fabulous Workshop and Christmas Ideas

Finally catching up after our pre-Christmas rush of orders (I wish I was so organised 😉

Salamanders
Most years around this time we are visited by a Fire Salamander or two, this year I was lucky enough to see 4, here is one of them.

They are on their way to meet other salamanders so they can hibernate together.  They are stunning and always make me feel a little blessed to have seen them.

Latest Workshop
We are just getting over our latest workshop – Sara arrived in the evening and left 2 days later at 5am (Tim isn’t a morning person but managed to take Sara to the station in time, mind you he looked like a zombie for a couple of days).  In the two short days she was with us she wanted to expand her existing skills with new techniques – here are some of the beautiful things she made –

Click on the image for more photos and information.

I hope Sara enjoyed her visit as much as we did.  As you can see from the photo she made a beautiful etched silver pendant from one of her sketches and managed to fit in stone setting, riveting and fold  Sara is a very talented jewellery maker and you can see more of her work on her etsy site https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SWebsterCollection

Mistletoe
I mentioned seeing the mistletoe in my last post, well I managed to remember my camera on one of my more recent walks with Choo Choo – it looks wonderful and I wish I could have done it justice.

Christmas Gift Ideas
I have been a little slow this year but have a look at some of my Christmas jewellery, gift and findings ideas by clicking here.