Hi, I thought I should probably introduce myself and tell you a little bit more about my business and how I started it.  For the past fourteen years, I’ve actually had a different business that I started from scratch, as a mobile dog groomer.  I bought my converted van and started up in August 2011.  At the time, I was desperate to get out of my teaching job at the local college.  My business took off far more than I ever thought it would.  However, by 2020 my van was starting to spend more time off the road and in the garage, so I decided that I really needed a second income, so that whilst the van was in the garage generating huge bills I could still be earning money.  That’s the downside to being self-employed, if you’re not working, you’re not earning.  On a weekend away in the New Forest (my favourite place on earth) with my lovely sister, she bought a lovely necklace for herself and bangle for me.  Both were silver, my bangle is set with a large amethyst (my birthstone), and her necklace was made of large, geometric, brightly coloured shapes.  It was those two pieces of jewellery that set me on this journey.  I found myself wondering if I could make something like them.

I did my research and found a course in silver clay with the lovely Emma Gordon and the Silver Clay School.  I did the free pendant challenge – and was absolutely hooked! So I signed up to her course and haven’t looked back.  I absolutely love working with the silver clay.  It can be worked, molded, cut and sculpted just like ordinary clay.  Then when I fire it – I still hand fire with a blow torch which adds a whole new level of excitement to the process as I quietly pray that I don’t burn down the kitchen lol – all the organic clay burns off leaving 99.9% pure, fine silver.

I also love the fact that the silver is recycled from the film and photography industry and there is absolutely no waste.  If it goes wrong during the first stage, I can just roll it up and start again.  If it goes wrong during the dry stage, I can just grind it into powder, add water and turn it into clay or clay paste.  If it goes wrong after I fire it (I have melted one or two pieces), I can send it off to one of my suppliers and they recycle it into sterling silver chains, earring posts, hooks and scrolls.

There is nothing like the feeling of someone liking something that I have designed and created enough to not only part with their hard earned money, but to actually wear it on their person.  It’s amazing and the joy of handmade is that every piece, even if the same design, is different and unique.

I have also now branched out into resin homeware and gifts, which is enormous, messy fun, but more about that in another blog.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope you like my designs.