Oh dear, please excuse my lack of posting! Here is a quick update of some of the things I have been creating recently... Continuing a love for sliced agate and developing a new fondness for braided leather. For now it takes the form of a bracelet but I hope to make something a little more adventurous soon. A silk/wool mix yarn has been knitted into tubes and plaited. The mesh band has swivel clips attached to each end enabling the removal and addition of sections. I finally managed to find a decent quality crepe cord which you can see plaited above in black. I'm very tempted to transform it into a bracelet/bangle instead. | Self-made necklace paired with a vintage silk blouse from Anja I can't help but scrunch my face up at the sight of this necklace. Looking at it now, the proportions appear so awkward. Hopefully removing one of the sections and lengthening the mesh band will change my mind.

I've been trying to find large vintage brass beads for so long! A hunt which began when I started planning a collection based on molecular structure and geometry. I've now accumulated enough to keep me happy .... at least for the time being. I did have plans to do more exciting things other than stringing them onto snake chain, but that said, I'm quite fond of this piece. The simplest designs often agree with me the most. Seeing as I prefer the necklace in it's simplest form, I thought I'd follow on from the idea in the previous post and see whether I could implement a removable aspect. This is just a rough example, but even attaching the pom pom brooches seems to create a nice effect. OR.... perhaps they should be left to adorn a skinny belt? The beads move freely on the snake chain, only stopped by the caps which finish each end. When other forms of decoration are attached, e.g. a large or small pom pom brooch, they separate and rest beside the decoration. I have another idea to incorporate fabric ruffles into beaded necklaces. An idea which may finally enable me to create a piece involving PVC! I have a love/hate relationship with PVC, but that just makes me all the more eager to work with it. And before I forget, thank you to both Blonde and Lucky Magazine for featuring my sailor knot bracelet in their recent issues! Blonde magazine were very kind to send a copy to me and thank you to the lovely Michelle for sending Lucky! image source: personal photographs

I wanted to create something simple and versatile. The necklace consists of a plain mesh band as the base with the option to slide on other forms of decoration. I'm not quite satisfied with it as it stands, but read on for the developments so far.

I found that round back pins work best. The larger surface area makes the bond stronger and better balanced.

It also means that they can be used as brooches, shoe decoration or slid onto skinny belts to form pom pom clusters. You must be growing tired of my persistent pom pom making but I'm sure I'll find something else to obsess over soon. Well, other than mesh of course...

I'm very eager to make more of the mesh knots so I can slide them on in one big row. They may look simple and easy enough to make but not so for an amateur such as myself.

The image on the left is my first attempt.. messy, messy, messy. After much frustration I managed to find a way to tuck the mesh within itself to create a much neater appearance. Having the upper band free from glue also means that it has the possibility to be lengthened and translated into a bangle or ring. Still requires further work but I'll get there!

Inspired by the beautiful artwork of Irana Douer (pictured in the background above) and Abbey Lee Kershaw's hair as photographed by Max Doyle, I've also been looking into dip-dying techniques. So far I don't have much to share but I'm working in bright shades of colour(!) and the usual pastel shades which seem to appear even when they are not required.

I started with the a creamy base colour with a light yellow tint, which I quite like as it is, and attempted to add a teal gradient.

No signs of teal OR a gradient but I've left the string in tact for another attempt. I'm hoping dipping the ends in a really strong solution will do the trick. I've struggled to find any extra fine silk jersey in white, so Nylon will have to do.  If you have any tips for dying such fabric successfully then feel free to share!

source: personal photographs links: Irana Douer's flickr / Abbey Lee Kershaw by Max Doyle

Personal treasures: antique postcards, gifts from the handsome panda, a good looking chunk of amethyst, pyrite specimens and other items of the usual self-made variety.

Mary Pickford postcard from a local antiques fair / sparkly pyrite specimen / self-made geode necklaces, pom pom hair clips, gold faceted bead necklace

The brass bird skull and talons were gifts from the handsome panda, along with the rabbit skull, whose name is Frank! Love him. Anything that reminds me of Donnie Darko is surely a good thing. The surface of the amethyst specimen is so visually appealing it makes me want to replicate it somehow in a necklace but without using the amethyst itself. I think some experiments with resin are definitely in order!

source: personal photographs

Hello there, Hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day weekend! My boyfriend took me to White Scar Cave near Ingleton, North Yorkshire (England). For anyone who enjoys going underground with a hard hat and has an interest in cave formations/caverns I'd recommend! I'd also suggest suitable footwear. Unaware of my underground activities, I was not equipped with such a necessity and spent the tour tip-toeing in heeled boots to avoid the peril of metal walkway grating. Hmmm. Here are some of the things I have been creating of late...

pompoms / rope / fabric knots / brass beads / twisted chain

leather / brass beads / fabric knots / chain Working with leather cord and fabric knots allow me to create more sculptured shapes. I will definitely be developing this technique further.

leather / gold plated metal I'm fondly reminded of friendship bracelets...

I've been testing out a sample for the past week and I'm a little in love.

A remade version of the twisted metal necklace, this time with narrower mesh. I'll be replacing the grosgrain ribbon with thick black silk and then it's ready to list in the shop.

I finally got a chance to perfect the mesh bracelet last week and my hands are still healing from the perils of working with metal. I've already had a number of requests for the mesh bracelet since I posted the updated version to my tumblr. I'll be making a batch of them this week! oh, I almost forgot!! I'm giving away one of my sailor's knot bracelets over at Post Grad Haircut. All you have to do is leave a comment with your email address. Easy. The giveaway ends tonight at midnight so be quick!!

I recently did an exchange with anja from clevernettle. I'd been saving my gifts for a special post but I just can't resist posting them now! I also received some prints from caitlin shearer in the mail this morning, my first purchase from her store but definitely not the last! Plus my favourite super comfy black suede heels thrown in for good measure..

vintage salmon pink silk blouse / vintage ruffle neck blouse / shoe clips?! / postcards - all gifts from the lovely anja

prints I purchased from caitlin shearer's etsy / vintage lightly studded bow heels

I think the cornflower blue blouse has quickly become one of my favourites. Great tucked into a belt cinched skirt or the more I admire Miss Shearer's delightful print, I'm eager to to pair it with a pair of shapely jeans. I wish I could make big hips look as lovely as this little lady does! On another note, I've just bought a great deal of brass mesh. I'm dying to show you what else I've done with it but i'll leave that until next week. There may be pompoms involved.... maybe, definitely.. hope you all have a lovely weekend!