New Initial Pendants

Ive wanted to try and do Initial pendants for ages, but it was more of a case of choosing a design that suited my style. Ages ago I did a cut out pendant for Laura, but the issue with that type was when it came to doing letters with holes like e,o and p. So I wanted a way of being able to do a full letter without stamping or etching it into the metal.

As I was falling asleep one night last week the idea of overlaying popped into my head and I was lucky that it was still there the next day. Cue getting out to the studio to give it a test drive.

I'm extremely pleased with how they turned out, and will be offering them on the website sometime next week.

Huzzah, texture at last !

It had been a while since I used my rolling mill and Ive had it about a year now. You see I have tried to use it, lots, but for some reason it and I just don't seem to get along. Unless its used for flattening out wire or straightening out some sheet its just not been playing ball. Over the past few months I have tried, unsuccessfully to roll different textures on to silver, and me being the impatient so and so that I am have just walked away mumbling to myself that it was no good.

Well last week I figured it was time to try again. I must of got the settings just right as when I passed some scrap sheet through it with a bit of fabric it took really well. So I jumped at the chance and ran a bigger piece of silver though and then proceeded to make these lovely earrings.

Named Linen after the fact that its a fabric texture, they have been curved slightly to sit perfectly on the ear. They catch the light beautifully and if you look closely you can see the cross hatch pattern. I made two pairs, a dinkly little pair and a pair slightly larger, both can my found on the website and I reckon they would make a great gift for a special mum !.



Yesterday was really productive. I enjoyed a full day in the Studio, something that I haven't had in a long time. Even if its a bitter sweet situation where I should actually of been at work it was nice to really get my teeth into some new ideas that I had over the weekend. Ill get some photos of them done tonight and show you tomorrow.

Time for a Giveaway - Now Closed

I thought that it was about time that I had a giveaway for all my lovely blog readers. It ties in nicely with the launch of the new website and is a great way of being able to say thank you.

The lovely pendant above is from the new Hoopla range. A series of hollow disks with various textures (this one is Ashen) and then slightly domed.

So all you have to do to win is take a look at the new website and let me know what your favourite item is by posting in the comments section (remember to leave your name). I will then draw a name on Friday evening and let you know who won.

New Website

If you've checked out Sparkly Treasures in the last few hours or so you may of noticed some slight changes !

This is what has been keeping me busy for the last few months (yes months, its taken me a while lol) and at last its finished and ready to be shown to the world. The old website was completely built by myself and as a result didn't have a lot of functionality, the new one is now all singing and dancing and hopefully a lot more user friendly. So go check it out and let me know what you think.

Also, Id like to add my thanks Hannah & Jo for all their help with setting the site up - without you it might of been another couple of months before it came to life.

Its here..... its arrived

I received all my silver work back from the Assay Office this morning - the Silver and Men's sections on the website are now live !

Yippeeee !!!!!!!!

Ssshhh.... Listen

.... can you hear that ?? ...... silence......the school holidays are over !

Is it bad of me to be happy ? I love my children and of course I love spending time with them, but boy 6 solid weeks of "muuummmmmm" "I'm hungry" "i want to watch xyz" etc etc has to drive even the most patient mother insane.

So, yes I'm happy that the children have gone back to school (big one is at school and the little ones at the childminders). Ive had all morning busying myself with paperwork, website tinkering and now blog posting without having to stop to get someone a drink or break up a fight. Bliss.

I would say its now back to normal, but with a brand new routine (the one I arranged before the holidays) coming into play, the selling/buying season just around the corner and several shows coming up I need to get a move on.

So for all you mothers out there who have just been released by the SHM's (School Holiday Monsters!) take a minute to listen to the silence and enjoy.

Hallmarking Headache

Ive received a few emails this week from people asking why I haven't put any of my silver jewellery up for sale on the website yet, so I thought it best to come here and explain why.

One word.........Hallmarking !

After my silversmiths course I decided that if I wanted to be taken seriously (and not to court) about my silver pieces that I would need to register myself a hallmark. By law jewellery that contains over 7.78grams of sterling silver needs to be hallmarked otherwise you can not sell it as sterling silver. I will point out here though that items under 7.78grams can still be hallmarked but its not required.

Now the world of hallmarking does seem to be a minefield. It was easy enough to register and as I had done a part-time course I was eligible for the discounted registration fee, but the pricing structure is like something out of the dark ages and the best cause of a headache.

Basically there is a price per piece but there is also a minimum price that you will pay regardless of size so it is more cost effective to send as many pieces as you can at the same time. Then adding on the registered post there and back, handling charges, excess bagging charges (whats that all about?) and vat it would be extremely expensive to be sending them off a few at a time. I can now understand why jewellers launch "collections" rather than a few bits at a time !.

So I've been stock piling up my work, which I hate to do as I want to get it out into the world, but 20 or so pieces whizzed off to the Assay Office on Wednesday we just have to wait and see how long they take to come back, but they have all been priced up and had there pictures taken, so as soon as they are back with there new marks they will be up on the website.

Taking the long way round !

Some of you may of noticed that I gave my website a bit of a nip and tuck the other day. As I created it myself I'm always looking at ways of improving it. I have taught myself to do it and as a result I'm sure I take the long way round, but it does mean that with the limited knowledge I do have I retain complete control. Now whether that's a good thing or bad I'm not sure lol.

There are a few features that I would love to have, but as my current host server package doesn't include supercool stuff such as php and MySQL they will have to wait, pouty lip moment there.

Anyway back to what I was trying to tell you. The recent nip and tuck took just under a weekend to perform (a lot quicker than a nip and tuck on me would take) but then I decide to go and change my photos, yeah, I couldn't of thought about doing that BEFORE could I. So guess what ill be doing again over next weekend ?

So if my website looks a bit mismatched for the time being, you know why, I do wonder how my brain works sometimes !