Christmas was saved...

Gifts are not always fun to make. They can be a challenge, trying to match your skills and tastes to that of someone you know well, and, as with any gift, it's always a balance between something you know you like, and something you hope they'll love...

I think I hit the mark with these earrings that I made for a loved one this past Christmas. They were an elaboration of this design, adding a little more of a Celtic twist I thought. It took a few soldering disasters before I eventually created two that resembled each other enough (always an issue with earrings...) or hadn't melted under the torch.

I plan to make some more of these, with the caveat that if they don't match then I'll turn them into pendants or bracelet charms, and if they start to melt too much then I may just stop...

Anything you've made lately where you've only just grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat - and with a looming deadline too?!

Ahoy, Nautilus Earrings!

Okay, please forgive the truly awful title for this post... I have been to the sea today and I have finished some sea-inspired earrings and it all got too much for me... well, that's my excuse anyway...

While I don't have any photos of the sea (which is unfortunate as the waves were truly magnificent in the stormy winds, despite the gentle sunlight), I do have some images of nautilus shell earrings I've made and listed on Folksy today.


I really enjoyed making these, despite the difficulties of getting the curves just right (without using a jig), and making sure I created two that matched as well as possible.



I'm going to make a matching necklace and perhaps a bracelet too, and I have some very sweet little pearl beads that I think would look wonderful with this design.

Hope your weekend, whether filled with sea spray or not, is a good one.