All things glass and beautiful

Glasswing summer wrapped aqua sea glass earrings

2011-05-23T15:50:00.005+01:00

These aqua wrapped sea glass, for some reason just really make me think of long summery days by the sea - maybe because they're just so simple, kind of practical - (they do what they say on the tin) and they really are all about the sea glass.

Cornish aqua wrapped sea glass earrings

Glasswing sea glass ring

2011-05-21T10:42:00.005+01:00

Aqua Cornish sea glass set in a hand made sterling silver bezel,
with 8mm x 2mm D shape, hand forged band

This is my first sea glass, bezel set ring, for a lovely customer here in Cornwall.The sea glass really glows in the light, (which I've found it hard to capture in these photos).It's a fairly chunky ring, bit of a statement, and the sea glass is a lovely greeny aqua!

Stamped stilt sea glass earrings

2011-05-20T11:40:00.004+01:00

Aqua and white Cornish sea glass stilt earrings, hand stamped in recycled silver.

Precious memories in Cornish sea glass

2011-05-18T19:23:00.014+01:00

Smile. Love. Live on

I was really honoured to be asked recently by a customer if I would incorporate some of her mother's ashes into a personalised ring pendant. I thought it was such a lovley idea, and I knew it was something I wanted to do the moment I got the commission.

I had to think long and hard about how to create a tiny space within the piece in which to place the ashes, somewhere where they would be safe and secure for years to come, and close to my customer whenever she wears the pendant.

My customer and I worked together, and decided on a bezel setting, the first one I have hung within one of my personalised pendants. The ashes needed to be placed within the bezel, with the glass in front, so I created a deep bezel, with a little chamber at the back for the ashes, along with a fairly thin piece of Cornish sea glass that I luckily had already, in the right colour, which was placed at the front.

I made life slightly easier for myself by hand sanding the glass at the edges with a piece of course aluminium abrasive, so it was more rounded than it had been when it was washed up on shore, and so easier to set within the hand shaped bezel. I used small pieces of silver inside the bezel, to create little 'brackets' on which to place a second 'shelf' layer of thin .3mm silver. Between the two layers of silver is where the ashes are carefully stored.

The second 'floor' was put in, and sealed with an almost indestructable, glass like jewellery adhesive. The aqua sea glass was then fitted on top of this, and the silver bezel pushed over it and finished by hand.

I'm so pleased with the pendant, with it's lovely Cornish stamping on it: "Minhwarth. Kar. Bew a-rag" - Smile. Love. Live on.

Simple recycled silver bangles for Spring

2011-04-18T06:53:00.006+01:00

Lovely simple, heavy gauge recycled silver bangles are what I've been producing in my precious snatched 5 minutes here and there. I've invested in an impossibly large piece of kit (for me at least, and the size of my workshop) - a bangle mandrel, and it really does the business! I love the little blue sea glass charm, and want to look at incorporated more sea glass, and stamping some bangles too.

Glasswing featured in Cornwall Life magazine.

2011-03-06T13:24:00.004Z

New for 2011, Glasswing recycled silver bezel set rings.

2011-03-06T13:20:00.001Z

I made this moostone ring as a special order for a customer, using lovely deep section (2.5mm) D section recycled sterling silver, hand forged into a simple lightly hammered band,. A very pretty high grade 5mm diameter moonstone looks lovely in the simple bezel cup setting. The stone catches the light beautifully, and I am really pleased with how it turned out. I am looking forward to setting other gemstones, and have been experiementing with using gold bezel cups, which look lovely with certain stones, like labradorite, and rubies. I am particularly interested now in using ethically sourced, traceable gems, and fair trade stones. Not an easy mission at present it seems, however rumblings within the mainstream jewelley industry are growing, thanks to the work of campaigners within the industry, and growing interest about fairtrade and ethical jewellery from consumers. So watch this space...............

Bezel settings - mastered!

2010-07-13T22:01:00.008+01:00

Cornish Aqua sea glass cufflinks

I wasn't sure how these would turn out, but having kind of taught myself how to do this, I'm pleased - these sea glass cufflinks really catch the light. They are a special commission for a wedding at the end of this month.

These cufflinks have lovely flexible backs, with a really substantial and well made design - I had to be extra careful not to overheat these as they can become immobile if you do.

I'm going to make some rounder sea glass ones next, and I have had a commission for a clip-on charm for a bracelet, which will be a bezel setting with stamping in Cornish on the back, which I'm keen to see finished.

Glasswing - "Negys a'n Mis" the MAGA business of the month!

2010-07-12T13:55:00.016+01:00

I'm really pleased that Glasswing Jewellery has been chosen as "Business of the Month" for July, by MAGA the Cornish Language Partnership, which was set up in 2005 to oversee the implementation of the Cornish Language Development Strategy. This is in recognition for my use and promotion of the Cornish language in my work.

Stamped sea glass pendant with Cornish stamping -

"Kowethes Kerra - Best Friend"

I've been using the MAGA partnership for translations for stampings on my jewellery now for some time, - it's a free service, and the translations are checked and double checked by the lovely Cornish Language experts in the partnership. It's great because I know I have the best translation possible for my work - and for my customers the assurance that their jewellery has just the right words, in terms of gender and tense, for their heartfelt messages to loved ones.

Not only that, Glasswing now has it's first certificate to proudly hang in the workshop and the Glasswing website!

The (ECO) Wedding Season!

2010-06-01T18:42:00.018+01:00

Upcycled aqua sea glass wired necklace from £65 from glasswing jewellery

Wow, it's amazing, people are really getting the recycled silver jewellery bug, and from a romantic, and ecological perspective, the number of people determined to have a green wedding, who are 'sealing' their commitment to one another with eco-conscious recycled silver wedding rings is absolutely brilliant!

Personalised adjustable recycled silver ring from £65 at http://www.glasswingjewellery.com/

So Glasswing's becoming quite a regular customer at the uber-efficient sales department of Hoover & Strong, the US makers of Harmony Metals (TM), 100% recycled metal bullion for use in the ethical jewellery trade, of which Glasswing Jewellery is a new and committed member.

Delicate 3mm recycled silver personalised ring . Prices from £60 at http://www.glasswingjewellery.com/

I love the fact that now, the majority of my orders are for fairtrade, recycled silver jewellery pieces, especially my personalised wedding rings and bridal jewellery. Sea glass is proving really popular, for brides, bridemaids and grooms alike! I have some lovely cufflinks in the pipeline, and have just completed a lovely set of Cornish aqua sea glass necklace and heart earrings.

Upcycled aqua sea glass with recycled silver heart earrings £40 from glasswing jewellery

The Cornish Green Revolution

2010-05-05T22:13:00.006+01:00

Very exciting - Glasswing Jewellery is featured in this month's edition of Cornish World!

Recycled silver personalised ring set

2010-04-15T12:53:00.005+01:00

I made these beauties for some lovely customers who are tying the knot next month. They specifically wanted ethical, eco-conscious wedding rings, and to have them personalised, unique and totally special to them. I hand stamped each ring prior to soldereding them - I love the clean, sharp look of the letters. I have simply given them a light polish by hand, keeping a warm soft shine to the silver. They are hand profiled - the larger one is 7mm thick, I have formed the D-shape myself, for a lovely organic feel. The narrower one is 5mm, and again, I formed the D-profile by hand.

I am still enjoying using the lovely "Harmony Metals" 100% recycled silver stock from Hoover and Strong - their customer service is amazing, and their delivery time is good. It's lovely silver to work, and is available in so many different shapes, everything I could wish for. The only problem remaining, is to find chains for my pendants in recycled silver, other than that Glasswing is well on the way to turning over completely to recyled silver in the near future.

Recycled silver wedding rings

2009-09-10T21:25:00.009+01:00

Recycled silver wedding rings

It finally happened! After much searching I found the US bullion dealer Hoover and Strong, whose Harmony metals range includes 100% recycled silver! Just the small matter of putting up with extraordinarily good customer service, swift DHL delivery and general fantasticness and friendliness that the Americans seem so good at, and my first order of recycled silver lay on my workbench.

The silver arrived!

It was no different to work than non-recycled silver, and the section was particularly nice, having a slightly different profile to my usual bullion. The rings looked lovely once they were made, hand forged using simple tools and elbow grease, and having the trademark Glasswing Jewellery hammered texture and warm soft polish.

My customers were over the moon with their rings, and by the look of the fabulous photos of their big day, with each other and the way the whole thing went.

The bride looked lovely, and she wore a pair of Glasswing stacker sea glass earrings.

Glasswing sterling silver stacker sea glass earrings with pale blue recycled beads

I was honoured to have made their wedding rings for them, and to be able to offer them environmentally responsible jewellery in line with their desire to have an eco wedding extraordinaire! Being keen photographers, they were both particularly pleased to know that as a lot of recycled silver comes from the photographic industry, that the metal in their rings may have once been involved in the production of photographic images - from who knows where?

My first recycled silver order!

2009-06-12T10:08:00.011+01:00

Evening sun over the bay

Wow, has it been that long? With summer weddings, spring sunshine and Mother's Day, work has been hectic, and blogging seems to have taken a back seat . It's a cruel irony that the return of the summer sun has heralded an upturn in jewellery orders for me, so instead of basking in the rays, I'm nose to the anvil, in my thankfully cool, but rather shady subterranean workshop. But I'm not complaining, not one bit of it...what an honour to be doing what I love as my living.....

Green sea glass hoop earrings

So anyway, what's been going on? The latest and most exciting development is a move to start using recycled silver in my designs. One of my lovley customers is planning a summer wedding with the fabulous remit of having the smallest carbon footprint possible - an eco-wedding with all the trimmings....using vintage charity shop bought, re-donateable crockery (with a price tag of a mere hundred pounds or so...compared with hiring boring old wedding crocks at way above that...)... to sourcing local beef from the farm down the road....and trying to source vintage wedding clobber...and of course, ordering bespoke, locally hand-made wedding rings of 100% recycled silver, from Glasswing Jewellery.

Cube sea glass earrings

I have offered recycled silver jewellery for a while now, on the Glasswing website tentatively I have to say. The will has very much been there, as the mining of precious materials for the manufacture of jewellery, certainly leaves a lot to be desired....what industry doesn't in this day and age? I would eventually like to turn over completely to recycled metals, to fit comfortably with my policy of sourcing recycled/fair trade and ethically produced beads and materials wherever possible. Glasswing Jewellery strives to be an ethical and environmentally responsible company as far as possible. The main component of my work, is sea glass, - beautiful, magical, tumbled glass from the ocean - the product of yesteryear's litterbugs essentially! It's hand picked, local, resourceful and fun.

Satin finish 8mm band

Frankly though, I had little idea where to source 100% recycled precious metals, particularly in all the shapes and sizes I'd need .

So anyway, nothing ventured.... I figured once an order came in I would have no choice but to find some, and quick! It did - a set of recycled silver wedding rings by July? The hunt was on and my mission began, to fulfil my customers brief, and to learn a lot more about these issues in the process.

First stop - my usual bullion dealer, but I drew a blank there... although of course all milled silver contains a certain percentage of recycled material from the scrap returned by jewellers and collectors alike, they were unable to say how much (I guess it fluctuates), and certainly didn't know where to suggest I look for a reliable source of 100% recycled silver.

Deep oxidised heavy sterling silver ring set (6mm and 10mm)

Thankfully, there is a growing awareness and concern amongst a small number of metal smiths, jewellers, suppliers and consumers worldwide, striving to establish a more equitable and sustainable supply chain of everything jewellery related - gems, beads, tools, metals and findings for our industry.

I have to say though, there is a serious lack of resources and information, particularly in the UK. There are no companies here (at least none that I have found) supplying 100% recycled silver stock for example. My hunt will continue, and I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Rings for summer weddings

2009-06-11T23:35:00.004+01:00

4mm hammered sterling silver band, left work oxidised and lightly brushed.

I am honoured when customers come to Glasswing for their wedding rings. I love to think that the rings I make, often as a pair, will be so significant, so lasting and precious. I have met some wonderful people too, through making those special rings.

Special order

Satin finish sterling silver wedding ring set.
4mm D-section band, and a 6mm D section band.

Around and Around

2009-03-27T21:06:00.006Z

Forged wrapped vine earrings.

I absolutely love the wrought iron look of these.

I forged the wrapping wire really flat and soldered it to the hoops,
then wound it round fairly randomly, listening to the Rolling stones
in my workshop....Around and Around....

Deep red copper patina czech beads, and recycled turquoise glass beads hang
in the centre of oval hoops on big roomy earwires.

I've left the heat patina on the sterling silver, as it's a delicate
oxidisation, (rather than a chemical oxidisation), and
then tumble polished them for hours for a deep shine.

Signs of (summer?) life

2009-03-20T09:16:00.007Z

Stamped sterling silver ring pendant with freshwater pearl

Coming up from the workshop last week, after much activity (including installing proper spotlights - Hooray!) down there, I was greeted by weather that looks suspiciously spring like. Since then we've even ventured down to the beach WITH WETSUITS a couple of times, and with the kids back in their favourite rockpools we have been able to sit back for a minute or two and reflect on the glory and the promise of Cornwall in the sunshine.

This week though with Mother's Day fast approaching, there have been lots of orders to complete so I've been back in the workshop again. The orders are bound for Mum's all over the world, including two in New York. I love thinking about my jewellery being made by me here in Penzance, and then being worn by lovely customers in far flung places.

This influx of orders, and the onset of spring has left my blog (and website ) decidedly neglected, so here's just a quick update on new work and special orders.

New year, new directions.

2009-01-12T21:58:00.003Z

January has been marked by a definite creative flurry in my seaside basement workshop. The arrival of my long coveted and awaited new stainless steel shot (tiny stainless spaceships, sausages and ballbearings) heralded a new era of professional finishing to Glasswing work too, as now I can polish pieces to perfection in little more than 6 hours of tumbling.

The wonderful feedback that's been coming in from my Christmas customers has really given the staff team around here (me) a big boost, so it's been a bit of an exciting time.

I'm obsessed with these stackable, personalis-able rings at the moment, which can be worn in any combination imaginable, stamped with sentiments, dates, names or left plain in glorious forged sterling silver. I love the soft right angled edges created by the forging of round wire, and the way the rings look stacked together. You can hide your messages, or display them.... and these messages can be added to as time and events move on...a wedding, the birth of a child, a 21st birthday... the possibilities are endless, and the result is a gorgeous and unique collection of very personal jewellery.

Montol Winter Warmer

2008-12-26T12:48:00.002Z

This for me is the ultimate of my pictures of Penzance's Montol festival RIVERS OF FIRE LANTERN PROCESSIONS on the evening of Saturday 20th December this year. Once the beacon at the Lescudjack Hill fort was lit, it was immediately transformed into a light show of sparks and strong flames urged on by a frisky breeze. Only the bravest stood firm (not me!) whilst the sparks flew into the crowds, with the heat on their faces waiting for the carols to begin. The many different handmade lanterns were amazing, with a few of them just too beautiful to last, and erupting into flames because of their elaborate (but not very safe!) design.

Love Cornwall x

2008-11-27T13:00:00.006Z

'Gwedren an Mor' literally means glass from the sea in Cornish, a language which has had a recent revival in Cornwall. This is a lovely chunky forged sterling silver circle hung with a purest white rounded nugget of sea glass. Available with 18 or 16 inch sterling silver smooth snake chain.

If you love Cornwall, sea glass and all things eco, this is the perfect pendant.

Winter sea gems - new designs

2008-11-19T14:46:00.006Z

Sterling silver forged and stamped ring pendant. "Marazion" - beautiful beach, beautiful name where I found this sweet nugget of green sea glass.

Like the Mermaid earrings, only shorter. Photographed in some bonus winter sunshine.

Sea glass drops (teeth?). Drilled and wrapped in thin sterling siver wire.

Autumn Greens

2008-10-02T23:45:00.006+01:00

I sold these to a lovely (returning) customer the other day, and as I was getting them ready to pack up and post earlier, I thought I'd take a few pictures, because I just really love these. The different shades of greens are great, and they catch the last of the garden's autumn sun so well.

Glowing sea greens

Green sea glass and forged sterling silver hoop earrings.

Autumn Blues

2008-10-01T21:32:00.005+01:00

Sail Boat in the Bay

Sea Glass Pendant on Sterling silver bead chain

Aqua sea glass necklace

Our seaside steamie

2008-09-05T18:21:00.005+01:00

Never happier than when doing the washing, eh girls?

I didn't know the British slang for a laundrette is a 'steamie' until today. Actually I'm sure there's another word for it, but I just can't put my neurological finger on it right now.

So we took our huge pile of whites, nearly whites and used-to-be whites along the road in an uber-useful Ikea bag, and loaded up one of the spanking new washing machines with all our precious holiday undies.

We didn't hang around, but as promised I took some pictures of the highlights. These gorgeous signs do look authentic; a great bit of kitsch just yards from our door.

We would never have discovered it if the old Bosch handed broken down!

Oh yes, here are those purgatorial wooden benches! This seaside steamie's benches even have lovely melamine coverings.

The bean and the peanut seemed to thoroughly enjoy it too.

Was that it?

2008-09-04T21:15:00.004+01:00

Weird weather

Was THAT summer? It whooshed past in a tyre spray here in Cornwall - blink and you probably missed it. The house has a distinct dampness about it - a combination of Cornish granite being very unforgiving on the condensation front ( or maybe, as my mother keeps telling me, "you never open these windows dear..." ), and that heap of holiday washing in the basement that's just turning nasty on me, unfortunately bound for the launderette down the road because the washing machine groaned its last yesterday... ( aah back to the old student days watching your smalls going round and round as your bum goes numb on a wooden bench ). Our local launderette actually looks great, all old 50's (?) shop signs, perfectly preserved ... will have to snap a few pictures when the service lady (or gentleman) goes for a fag. Watch this space!

Meanwhile I've been working on my recycled packaging for selling my jewellery, and I have to say I'm pretty chuffed with it. After a lovely fellow ETSY seller on the forums suggested I use old book pages (from books that have utterly had it I hasten to add!) to link in with some of the photos of pieces in my shop.

So here's how it's looking at the moment and the feedback from customers has been great. More fun than buying boring old boxes or bags, which is what I've used until now, and best of all, it's about 70% recycled, with just a bit of added glam!

That's more like it.....

2008-07-27T21:17:00.008+01:00

Great beach, big sky ~ bliss

This was the view in my right eye as I lay down on the sand today. This evening the wetsuits are drying in the garden. There is sand in the hallway again. Beach life is back. All is well.

I'm going to resist to urge to describe at length the sheer joy and rare relaxation I felt watching the children playing on their bodyboards, in a large pool left by the retreating tide. Or the unexpected pleasure of watching two smiling teenage boys spontaneously doing Duelling Banjos (well, one had a guitar) on the rocks behind us, and everyone's grateful appreciation of their music, young or old. Suffice to say today was just a stonkingly lovely day.

So with things back to normal on the beach front, there has not been much time for blogging. Last week in the workshop was productive though, using the sea glass we found in the new cove we discovered. Here are some of the new sea glass earrings, these and the rest can be found in my Etsy shop.

Another pair of stacker earrings, which I love. They hang at just around 3" long. My pair are getting loads of compliments. This pair is made with 2 pieces of sea glass, rather than recycled glass. Finished with subtle frosted recycled beads.
These are cold forged sterling silver, with pale aqua and white tone sea glass, found on our secret Cornish cove, and hand drilled in my workshop. The 'spines' of the earrings are hammered flat to prevent the beads coming off - really simple, and absolutely stunning.

Ridged sea glass spiral hoop earrings. The sea glass and the silver spirals are removable, so you've kind of got three pairs in one - the plain cold forged (by me) hoops (approx 1" diameter), plain sea glass hoops, silver spiral hoops, or the sea glass and spirals on the hoops (as pictured). That's four pairs in one actually!
I was amazed to find these two pieces of this lovely ridged glass that matched so well.
Drilling them was quite nerve racking. But it was worth it.

Wave sea glass earrings

These are so clean looking on,
love the length, and that they are all one piece.

Same only not looking at you.

Beach life resumed?

2008-07-13T22:45:00.021+01:00

Back to beach life, kind of...

Dare I say it? After approximately two weeks the rain seems to have stopped. Sunday greeted us looking like the kind of day you could trust your washing with. There's not been many of those lately. The gallons of water that have fallen out of the sky have left us with knee high grass and rampant triffids that were once nasturtiums, strangling our garden. I ventured out there this morning, followed by my peg bearer (the bean), and we surveyed our little jungle with awe.

A rare moment of quiet on the roof

There is one thing around here at this time of year which is the same come rain or shine, the manic (Herring) seagull activity. You don’t just hear a few gulls exchanging pleasantries, not like civilised bird folk. On the contrary, having returned to breed yet again (it's the same pairs every year) these brutes are noisy – in fact entering the garden you feel like some hapless screw interrupting yard-time at the seagull slammer. There are gull gangs on every roof, as far as the eye can’t see (but rest assured they can see you), squawking raucously. Presumably they are warning the posse about something they think you might do to them or their offspring should you decide to fly up to their turf. They just haven't got it yet - no wings. This continues for the duration, whilst you're pegging out the washing, or any other suspicious activity you are engaged in. If they think you look really shifty, or you are a dog, they’ll even dive bomb you for extra sport.

Making friends

So this morning, after running the seagull gauntlet, with the washing out and flapping happily in a sunny breeze, we logged on and checked the tide times. Then we headed off for a spot of beachcombing, after we'd had a tip off about a great spot for some serious sea glass pickings along the waterline. It felt so good to be leaving the house with buckets, spades and toast, rather than wet weather gear, and to see the kids go free range on the sand again at last.

Sea glass Bonanza!

Our sea glass haul was fantastic. My wrecking crew and I found some lovely pieces that really glow. I have learned that this 'glowing' effect is caused by the prolonged immersion of the glass in sea water (chemical changes), often over years, and of course, there is nothing like the beautiful smoothed and frosted effects caused by the constant tumbling in the surf, against rocks and sand. I can’t wait to get down into the workshop.

Here are some I made earlier, these can be found in my shop

Green Cornish Sea glass and recycled beads
sterling silver stacker earrings

The Rain it Raineth...and raineth

2008-07-07T22:49:00.013+01:00

The Rain it Raineth Everyday, Norman Garstin, 1889

One of the paintings most strongly associated with Penzance is the striking "The Rain it Raineth Everyday" of Penzance Prom, by Norman Garstin painted in 1889. The original is in the wonderful Penlee House Gallery and Museum. The gallery stands in the gorgeous Penlee Park, in the centre of Penzance. I've always loved this painting, inspired as it is by the Impressionists, and the Japanese aesthetic. We always make a point of going to see it whenever we visit the gallery for events or exhibitions. I was delighted when I picked up a framed hardback print of it, of fairly decent size and quality, from the amenity tip (one of my favourite places to look for tools and useful stuff for the workshop) for 50p last year.

Yes, it's still raining. At this point, a subtle kind of cabin fever is slowly but surely gathering like a dark cloud in our place. We are getting out and about despite the downpours, but the freedoms of summer (beach life, park life) seem a distant dream, and we are redeveloping that weary winter posture, and reluctantly replacing flipflops with boots. The kids are restless, the washing is piling up, and the grass in the garden is topping a foot in some places.

View from the allotment

We survived the weekend, just. The highlight (apart from the Wimbledon finals) was spending Sunday morning on a friend's allotment, during a brief break in the clouds. It was hard but someone had to do it. We have been given the responsibility of picking (and eating) all the soft fruit for them while they are away. "Oh go on then, we'll do it..." Nothing like a spot of neighbourliness to make you feel noble - and bloated. When the grind got too much, we retired to their garden bench with a flask . Sunday morning coffee never tasted so good!

One thing about bad weather, there's no longer an excuse to put off work! I managed to get down to drilling the seaglass we've been collecting on more clement days. My workshop is slowly returning to full production mode, and I am loving rediscovering the brilliance of silversmithing. I listed these in my shop today.

Seaglass and recycled glass sterling silver stack earrings
( seaglass found on St Ives Harbour beach)

Seaglass and silver spiral hoops
(seaglass found on Pentewan beach)

Mermaid's seaglass earrings
(Seaglass found on St Ives Harbour beach)

Sad day

2008-07-05T12:11:00.013+01:00

St Michael's Mount, Penzance Bay

On the face of it, today is just another rainy, windy Cornish Saturday in July, an all too familiar scene during a summer that seems to have given up and gone away. Despite the obvious lack of opportunities to re-establish summer beach life (see June post), the downturn in the weather at least isn’t all bad. It’s given us a chance to catch up instead on ‘home life’ – well housework anyway – cleaning, and ‘sorting stuff’ - like tackling (culling?) that pile of things the kids need mending (“Oh dear, just put it there love, mummy 'll fix it later”). There’s a kind of cosy battening down the hatches feeling around here, an excuse to watch telly during the day, and eat chocolate before breakfast . We quite like it really.

But actually, something monumental is in progress as I write this. With a sad sigh of resignation this morning I realised that the roof of the new flats being built at the bottom of our road totally obscures our sea view from the back bedroom window. I guess it could have best been described as a sea “glimpse” really – a tantalising line of blue (well, grey on a day like today), and the tops of a few masts in the quay car park, seen between the surrounding roofs. From my calculations of where everyone’s windows are, I reckon ours was about the only house in this historic terrace with its own “sea glimpse” at the back.

Admittedly, it wasn’t the kind of view you would sit at the window admiring with the morning papers and coffee, far from it, but I now feel I didn’t appreciate it enough - such is the pace of family life. It was however a lovely thing to behold on the daily weather check, almost the first thing we do – a triangular sparkle of hope – if it was clear and bright. It also occurred to me that the occupants of this lovely little granite cottage have enjoyed that tiny glimpse of Penzance Bay since this house was built around 1850.

We have been watching with interest as the dilapidated garage at the bottom of our street has been fairly rapidly transformed into new housing. As they pulled the Victorian red brick unit down, we were disappointed to discover that it was to be replaced by flats, rather than much needed family houses, but then relieved to learn at least, the building wouldn’t be over two storeys high. We were even more relieved when the façade started to be clad in gorgeous Cornish stone and the new build was shaping up to be a considerable improvement on what was there before. It never occurred to me that the building’s roof, now in situ in skeletal form, would hide our little glimpse of blue. Barely noticed by us, it is now gone forever.

Life's a beach

2008-06-20T21:15:00.021+01:00

Praa Sands Kieran's photo

Sunshine on a rainy day

Summer beach life has been suspended for two days now, and given way to warm weather rain. The garden loves it, I love it, and the kids love it – as witnessed by all the people hanging out at Penzance bus station this morning, when the bean (two year old son) lay down in as many puddles as he could, as I poured his sleepy older sister and her toast on to the school bus.

There’s two distinct types of beach life here in Cornwall, at least for our family, put simply ~ winter beach life, and summer beach life. Winter beach life: mostly characterised by periodic blustery beach walks – brief, but strangely rewarding. These involve a sort of determined shoulder-hunched, hands in pockets, billow-trousered stride down to the water’s edge. Once there you pause for a moment, pained grin under a tightly tied hood, and take an exaggerated intake of ‘mmm fresh air’. Enjoying a rare moment alone as the kids play tug of war with a huge length of slimy seaweed, you look out to the wild white seas, and start to feel the wind penetrate your trousers. Pretty soon it's in to every other layer, no matter how ‘outdoorsy’, the goose bumps are rising up your whole body - the back of your head, then your cheeks, until fairly soon you are officially freezing. Defeated and shivering, having been on the beach for all of twelve minutes, you beckon the troops (who are so hot there’s a cloud of steam around them). You then fight the wintery gusts to get back up the beach to the car. Stuffing children, wet coats, arms, legs, and bits of seaweed in to the slightly swaying vehicle, you finally launch yourself in just as the wind whips the door shut.

Then you set off in search of a rare café that actually opens in the winter. If you’re lucky the rest of afternoon is spent enjoying mugs of hot chocolate and cakes, ears stinging, and feeling rather intrepid. (This beach life is particularly successful if experienced on occasions such as Christmas Day, when the cosy après beach rewards are extra delicious, and warming).

finding seaglass

Now, summer beach life is a different thing entirely. It’s a kind of ongoing state of being – both on and off the beach. When I lived in cities, if the sun came out, I always had the feeling that summer was going on elsewhere, without me, and the city sunshine was just a rather cruel reminder of what I was missing. Well, it was, and it's here! If we’re not off to Woodcraft Folk or Cornish Dancing or any of the other after school activities we seem to shuttlecock between each afternoon, then it’s off down the beach for tea .

There’s nothing quite like reading Biff and Chip in your school uniform, sitting on a body board, eating an egg sandwich. Or at least I don’t reckon there is, I don’t know, I’m not 6. But I know that would have been pretty cool when I was a kid.

Praa sands

Summer time in our place is measured by the progress in the washing cycle of swimming costumes and towels, and how dry the wetsuits are. The passing weeks are counted by the depth of the tan (dirt?) on the back of the children’s necks, the build up of sand in my bag, and how hard the skin on the soles of our feet has become. Buckets and spades start to breed, becoming lodged in almost every corner of the car, garden, bathroom….

I know it’s summer when my pockets are full of seaglass, which I do want (see below), and loads of other flotsam that I don’t, put there without me even noticing by smaller but equally avid beachcombers.

At weekends, in stark contrast to the winter, there’s no limit on where to go and what to do, the only problem is deciding which of our fabulous beaches to go to.

rockpool treasures

Actually, rain rain go away…I think the garden’s had enough now, we want to get down on that beach.

Oxidised silver and seaglass earrings.

Available in my Esty shop

Our favourite YART item.....

2008-06-15T06:19:00.013+01:00

Good Morning! We're up early this morning on account of my having a showcase slot to show off my best bits on Etsy, and the chirpings of two brown fluffy bundles of joy our resident seagulls have produced (so that's what all the noise was about!). I thought I would feature our best find in the Etsy Yart Sale .

This is what happens when you blog with a two year old on your lap! Apparently this is a "mine babbit" from the lovely UK seller's shop FeltLikeStitchin on Etsy.

Actually it's 'Jake with a Carrot' and it's only $15 - about £7.50 in the sale - fantastic for a piece of handmade lovliness. He's described as being "from the Bunni branch of the DiDi Doll family tree" Hilarious. There's all manner of lovely little felt figures in the FeltLikeStitchin shop. Not sure Jake'll be there for much longer though, if we've got anything to do with it.

Flowers, flowers,flowers
Delicious yarty bargains in my Glasswing shop. BUY 2 Pairs for $22!

Glasswing Jewellery Yart Sale special! These gorgeous little beaded flower studs measure around 16mm diameter, and come in all colours and designs. You can even design your own, perhaps for a special occasion. Just contact me with your choice of colours, and I'll get making. I love doing special orders.

Especially for the GRAND SUMMER YART SALE I'm doing these for the fantastic price of $14 (about £7), two pairs for $22 (about £11 ). All my jewellery comes beautifully packaged . How about that for a fabulous summer season bargain?

If you don't have an Etsy account, panic not! Just visit the Glasswing Jewellery Website and use the contact page there, quoting Yart Sale to get your discount.

Happy Yarting everyone...and here's to a successful showcase day.

Summer YART Sale on Etsy.com

2008-06-14T22:11:00.006+01:00

Fancy a handmade bargain?
THE FIRST ETSY ANNUAL SUMMER YART SALE IS NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS ~

The sale is running from Wednesday, June 11th to Friday, June 20th ~ An Artistic Slant on a traditional Yard Sale. Type "Yart" in the Etsy Search area and choose the appropriate category from the NEW Etsy Drop Down Menu - Choose handmade, supplies, vintage or all items to find what you are looking for. You will have so many choices from all the wonderful shops that have taking part in this sale, with a fantastic pick of handmade goodies with added discount loveliness. What could be better?

I'm Yarting!

View my whole YART SALE SECTION.

Wow I think this could be summer...

2008-05-23T21:02:00.007+01:00

With all the spring loveliness that has burst out all around us, I have been feeling really inspired recently. Not only that, but my workspace has finally started to shape up very nicely - no longer does it resemble a lonely graveyard for unloved toys, bikes and garden impliments (now back in demand in the garden) - it actually has a work bench, drill stand, soldering block and lighting. No small thing.

So when I'm not waging a one-woman war againgst the slugs and snails who are ravaging our struggling veg seedlings, or managing my Etsy shop (more time consuming than you might imagine), the basement is where my family can find me, playing about with silver, beads and glass!

....And what better to herald the arrival of summer 'proper' than new jewellery? I'm really pleased with these lovelies - I'm very excited to be getting back (slowly) into silver smithing. I think combining beadwork with forged metals will be a very interesting creative process.

The silver on the daisy hoops is oxidised and smoothed in my huge rock tumbler (more of which coming soon) then brushed lightly with fine grade steel wool for subtle highlights on the textured areas.

The daisy chain danglies below look fabulous on, especially in the sunshine! They combine tiny teal, grass green and turquoise seed beads, most of which have a lovely irredescent finish.

I hope you are enjoying the sunshine, here's hoping for lots more. Have a great bank holiday.

Cornish spring blooms and other jewels

2008-05-09T14:34:00.004+01:00

Over the past few weeks, I have been checking in, reading and admiring the fabulous blogs by fellow jewellery makers, beaders, and artists Etsy crafters all over the world.

I just had to start blogging! So finally, after my usual period of skillful procrastination, here is my first posting!

I've seen some wonderful pictures of spring flowers on other blogs, and bloggers' local landscapes waking up and beginning to blossom after the prolonged gloom of winter. For me, there's nothing quite like the natural world to inspire creativity. So I am launching my shiny new Glasswing Jewellery blog with some pictures of spring flowers from this tiny Cornish Peninsula, our home down at the foot of the UK.

The mild climate here in West Penwith is unique in the British Isles, and allows some really gorgeous subtropical plants to thrive. Palm trees line the streets, bananas grow around stately homes, and our gardens are blessed with exotic plants that would simply perish in the frosts further north. There's even a Cornish Palm!

Just a short drive from our doorstep is the wonderful Trengwainton Gardens, bisected by a crystal clear stream rushing under pooh stick bridges and over miniature waterfalls. To the right is a series of sheltered walled gardens and to the left are unusual subtropical woodlands currently carpeted with bluebells.

Once you reach the far corner of the gardens, there are the most beautiful views across the Bay.

The gardens are officially home to some of the finest examples of magnolias, rhododendrons, and camellias in the country.

I have never seen such gigantic magnolia trees anywhere else, some are so big, other trees grow halfway up their trunks. My neighbour told me the magnolia with the widest girth grows there, quite an achievement ~ and the fragrance WOW!

It was another gloriously sunny day yesterday, so we decided to visit the gardens. This time I grabbed my camera, a little point and shoot 6 megapixel Ricoh Caplio R4, my 2 year old son (who thankfully needs no persuading to walk around the gardens inspecting the flowers ), and most importantly enough money for a cuppa and cakes at the tearooms.

We had a lovely afternoon, and here are the pictures.

I hope you find these buds and blooms as inspiring as I do!

Some of them really look like fabulous pieces of jewellery!