Busy, busy, busy...

This past month featured my debut at the popular Poolewe Tuesday Market and I have been so pleased with how well my work has been received. I will be back again for the three middle Tuesdays in May and glad to have a break, as I need to make more jewellery! Earrings are selling very well, and I will be adding brooches and bangles to the mix this month. In addition, I have an exhibition to get ready for, so it's full speed ahead for The Selkie's Haunt.

As I've explained before, over the past 18 months or so, I have been working "behind the scenes", perfecting metalsmithing skills and taking on new methods and ways to present my work. It is amazing and so very much fun. My patience has taken on new levels of longevity, as has been necessary when working with metals and fire. Things don't always go as you wish. I used to be the type to get frustrated, throw it all in the bin, and give up. But no more. I have so much I want to achieve and I am bound and determined to succeed. What I have done thus far is just the tip of the iceberg. I have so much to share.

Over the next month, I am going to make one major change to the way in which I present my work to you online. I am awaiting the delivery of a new bit of kit for my photography. I think it will give my images more depth and more realism. At least, that is the reason for the change. I will not be taking photographs of new pieces until the bit of kit arrives, but hope to be able to unveil the new images by the first full week in May. So, do make sure to check the site once that week arrives. So many new pieces to be seen and in a way that will vastly improve the viewing experience.

The Dornoch Summer Exhibition - May 21 through June 4

As I stated in the first paragraph, I am going to be preparing for an exhibition that takes place starting on the 21st of May. The Dornoch Summer Exhibition is a fortnight-long exhibition that features the work of artists in this corner of Scotland. I took part last year with my sterling silver jewellery. This year, it will be the turn of The Selkie's Haunt to be in the spotlight. I will be delivering ten pieces of jewellery to the gallery mid-month, ready for the big day. I am very confident that my work will sell well.

Speaking of selling well, I had a very good April at Lael Craft Gallery near Ullapool. While it was reported that footfall was not particularly huge, my work generated a good number of sales and I'm so proud of that success. I delivered new stock to them on the 24th and the new work is now out on display. I am hoping for a very good season.

Amongst the new pieces you will be seeing when the photographs are finally taken are more post-style earrings - all with sterling silver posts and backs. There will be bangles and brooches, along with some additional bracelets, necklaces, and pendants. I am thrilled with the direction my work is taking, and I look forward to exploring all the options open to me as I add to my repertoire of skills.

Spring is here!

What a strange month March was. In addition to not having particularly lovely weather, it was a time of changes for me. After seeing my neurologist at the end of February, and, thankfully, receiving the news that I have essential tremor and not Parkinson’s, it was time for an adjustment of my pain meds. After some to-ing and fro-ing that made me feel a bit manic, we have settled down with morphine tablets. They are handling the pain pretty well, but, oh my, between them and the beta blockers for my tremor, I couldn’t be more relaxed. And that’s not always good! I’ve produced far less this month than I had hoped, and my anticipated new collection for Ailleas Designs hasn’t even been started.  But I’ve been very busy with my bronze and copper jewellery. With two events this month, and then increasing numbers of events until December, I need to be sure to have a substantial amount of stock available for those events, and have some available for my stockists as well (I am anticipating one new stockist to be announced fairly soon). And I’m still working on that. I’m finishing up my first brooch, to be followed by more. I’ve opted against making rings in bronze and copper because, unlike silver and gold, the solder does not precisely match the metal in colour and I don’t like the visible seams. While that is more acceptable in general pieces, I don’t feel that rings would benefit from that look. I will continue to try to see if I can get a technique perfected that will not give me visible seams, but I am not going to concentrate on rings for now. Instead, I will be doing more with pendants, some bangles, and more detailed metalsmithing and designing.

If you follow my Facebook page, you will have seen the photograph of this pendant that I created using copper and a beautiful 4.5mm rhodalite garnet. I love the look, but didn’t feel the finish was as perfect as I wanted it to be. It became, instead, a gift for a friend. She loves it and, as another friend said, my not quite perfect is probably perfect by anyone else’s estimation; but still, I have my standards for making things to sell. I will be using this technique on other pieces, including its use with the precious metals and faceted stones. I am looking forward to exploring the designs that appear in my mind. This particular design reminds me of far eastern/medieval textiles. What other amazing looks can I create? I am limited only by my imagination and how far I can manipulate the metal. But I do love the process.

In addition to the markets in which I will be taking part, I will spend part of April preparing pieces for the Dornoch Summer Exhibition. The exhibition runs for two weeks from May 21 until June 4. I am so happy to be taking part again this year. I will be providing some innovative work for the exhibition and hope to sell well.

I am looking forward to working with larger and differently shaped cabochons as I expand my offerings for The Selkie’s Haunt. Keep your eyes on my Facebook page and my website to see new pieces as they are added. It’s going to be an exciting time.

A busy February...

Copper bracelet with Brazilian amethyst and labradorite

These past six weeks have been all about making. In addition to creating the perfect look for my packaging/branding, I also wanted to take my designs to the next level. And I have been doing just that. I am pleased that say that, by mid-February, I was able to post 10 new pairs of earrings and a new necklace. Some sales of jewellery from the Aultbea Hotel meant a restock, including a stunning copper bracelet that was created completely by hand. When, in the past, I wanted copper chain, I simply bought it. That is no longer the case. I am now making all the chains, links, pins, etc., for each piece. So this bracelet, pictured here, was a real triumph for me. The copper bracelet is comprised of 27 hand-forged links, hand-forged clasp, and 81 hand-forged pins. The African amethysts I've used number 54 - two to each link, and the stunning labradorite, with its amazing flashes of colour, number 27, one to each link. This bracelet is now on offer at the Aultbea Hotel for the cost of £70. A pretty amazing piece of jewellery.

Copper post earrings with
bezel set peridot

I had a wonderful time creating my new pieces. One pair, which I've called "Celtic Swirls", features two separate pieces of copper, soldered together, and a bezel setting and decorative wirework soldered onto the face of the earrings. These earrings feature sterling silver posts and earrings backs. In my pledge to make everything myself, the earrings backs are the only things that I am buying in. As they are not an intrinsic part of the design, I am not as concerned about them being bought complete. But I will continue to make, by hand, all the parts of each of my designs.

Bronze earrings with handforged
chains, green fluorite, and
A-grade carnelian

These bronze earrings, which feature beautiful green fluorite and A-grade carnelian, are another pair of post earrings. The delicate chain of bronze wire that connects the hammered bronze round to the stones beneath, is, once again, completely hand made. The sense of achievement that comes with this sort of work is exhilarating. To see all the new designs, pop over to the website at www.selkieshaunt.com. You can also follow The Selkie's Haunt on Twitter and Facebook.

Finally, I just want to thank all of my friends and Selkie's Haunt followers for their good wishes. I have been dealing with a hand tremor for the past couple of years, but it had become much more prevalent and was causing problems with me doing my work. My GP put me on beta blockers and referred me to a neurological consultant. I had my appointment and I'm relieved to say that I do not have early Parkinson's Disease. I do, however, have a condition called Essential Tremor. It will be with me for the rest of my life and will have moments of making things difficult, but the beta blockers are doing a good job of easing the tremors and I will continue to find ways to work that will allow me to create my work without fear of setting myself on fire! So, thank you for your good thoughts.

Getting "the" look...

One of the things that plagues many artists is getting the look of the "brand" just right. Over the years, from the beginning of this business back in 2009, I have tried so many different colours and textures for my packaging. And while I wasn't unhappy with the look, I wasn't happy, either. Just as my jewellery has evolved, so has my vision of what the branding should be.

Finally, I have the look I want for The Selkie's Haunt. All Selkie's Haunt jewellery will now be sent out in beautiful brown kraft paper pillow boxes, accented by deep green raffia ribbon and the Celtic knotwork graphic I've chosen as my logo. The jewellery will be wrapped in gorgeous green mulberry tissue paper before being placed in the box. And once the package is tagged and bedecked with ribbon, bubble wrap will be placed around the box before it goes into a padded envelope. Even the mailing labels have been changed so as to give a consistent brand look.

The website has been given a makeover to reflect the new branding, as well. As I move forward with my new designs, they will continue to be presented on a white background with a green frame. So, it only took me seven years, but, at last, I have the look I have wanted for the brand. (And, yes, even this blog has been changed to reflect the new brand colours.)

I've been spending time in the studio working on new designs. I have the beginnings for three pairs of copper earrings complete now after a day of cutting, sawing, soldering, pickling, and tumbling. I will be working on some bronze earrings as well and hope to have at least six new pairs of earrings ready by mid-February. Some of the new earrings will have posts rather than hooks and these will be done in sterling silver. I am making the posts myself, as part of my quest to provide as much as I can that is handmade. The only thing I can't make by hand are the earring backs, so those will be bought in. I simply don't have the equipment or expertise for making those myself.

I recently purchased some beautiful 3.5mm cabochon pairs in six different gemstones. These will be adorning new earrings and I'm so excited about the prospects of more jewellery featuring set stones. I will be creating some rings and brooches along with the necklaces, bracelets, and earrings that I have offered for the past seven years. I hope you will love them as much as I will love creating them.

Finally, I am thrilled to announce that The Selkie's Haunt will be taking part in some of the very popular Poolewe Tuesday Markets, starting in April. I look forward to being part of this very successful market. In addition, The Selkie's Haunt will be featured in the Dornoch Summer Exhibition from May 21 to June 4. I'm looking forward to creating some very beautiful pieces for this exhibition.

The promise and potential of a new year!

There is something incredibly inspiring about turning the page on a whole new year; a blank page that is limited only by the imagination, ready to fill with dreams and aspirations. I love the idea of a new year, new ideas, and new goals.

I have been working very hard over the last year, trying to perfect new techniques and skills. Some of those you can already see amongst my offerings – metalwork that allows me to create organic shapes and soldering metals for even more three-dimensional designs, amongst other new designs and techniques. And I intend to keep going with these to create even more sculptural pieces of jewellery. In addition to more and more sophisticated metalwork, I will be working with set gemstones and cabochons. I look forward to bringing more innovative designs to you in the coming year. I will be working with even larger pieces of metal and will be creating my own chains and clasps. My goal is to create pieces that entirely handmade - without anything bought in already complete. In the past, I have used already-made chain, clasps, jump rings, etc. But that will no longer be the case. It may take me a little longer to make pieces, but I will be so proud, knowing that I created every single part of the design (excluding, of course, the stones used). I am having a great time creating interesting clasps, so look for more in the future that take on the appearance of leaves, flowers, and geometric shapes.

Speaking of stones used, you may have noticed the inclusion of small faceted gemstones in some of my designs. I have been including small A-grade stones as accents for several months now and intend to continue doing so. These stones come to me from the same gemmologist who supplies the highly graded gemstone beads I use in my fine jewellery range, Ailleas Designs by Martha Mawson. I felt and still feel that just because the metal is base, the stones needn't be basic. So more beautiful gemstones will be showing up in the jewellery from The Selkie's Haunt. In addition, the cabochons and cut stones that will appear over the next year are being sourced from a respected London-based gems specialist and a fellow member of the National Association of Jewellers. While I adore the colours and earthy feel of the less highly graded stones, and they will continue to make up the majority of those stones used in the bronze and copper jewellery, I see no reason not to include some really dazzling stones as well.

Health issues continue to slow me down, but certainly not in the area of creating my jewellery. Christmas was an exceptionally busy time for me and I need to create more to give my clients even more choice in choosing their piece of bronze or copper artisan jewellery. The website will be continually updated to share new pieces with you. In addition to continuing to sell from the website and from events,  I would like to make my jewellery more available to stockists on a wholesale basis. I will be seeking out new stockists, reaching farther out in Scotland and beyond. I would certainly welcome any recommendations my customers might make regarding local shops or galleries that may be interested in carrying my work. So, please do get in touch if you have any ideas or suggestions.

The Selkie’s Haunt had a good 2015. I hope 2016 will be even better!

A (very) short and concise history of gemstones

The Selkie's Haunt website is fully transactional again. Please visit to see the latest creations in bronze and copper.

I wrote this piece for www.handmadeinwesterross.co.uk and hope you will enjoy reading it. Thank you to Handmade in Wester Ross for including the wonderful photographs with this piece.

Over 100,000 years ago, a young woman or man living in the area of Mount Carmel is what is now Israel, pierced small holes int seashells and created the first known necklace or bracelet. Jewellery - the adornment of one's body with jewels or shells - was born. It had no value beyond that of beauty. What captured the eyes of that person when they saw the shells? Did they like the pattern? The colour? The size and shape? Jewellery is completely subjective. We love what we love and sometimes we are at a loss of words to explain why we love a particular piece of jewellery. Over the millennia, our love affair with the process of adorning our bodies with stones and shells has not abated. It anything, we have fallen in love more and more with the beautiful gifts of the Earth. And while early man and woman often believed their jewellery have significance relating to their gods or powers, and while specific pieces were worn on specific festival days, modern jewellery is more about the desire to own something beautiful and, often, expensive. Yet, we still follow traditions, like wearing birthstones, pearls for a bride, an engagement ring set with a stone that has some significance. And at the heart of the jewellery is the gemstone.

Ancient archeological shell beads of Nassarius kraussianus from Blombos Cave, along with a hypothetical reconstruction of the shell necklace that they were strung on. 

Photo credit: Blombos Cave

Some gemstones, like lapis lazuli, have been around forever. Other gemstones, like tanzanite or larimar, are relative newcomers. Some of our favourite stones of the past are no longer favourited due to over-mining or a decrease in popularity. Diamonds used to captivate us with their crystal clear sparkling facets, for their reputation as the hardest, naturally occurring substance on Earth, and valued for their relative rarity. But today, diamonds are no longer our gemstones darlings. The socio-economic implications involved in procuring diamonds have tarnished their reputation. But, in their descent from on high, diamonds have made room for other stones that are now as adored a diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires - those stones classified as precious stones.

 Lapis lazuli gemstones dangle beneath a spiral and accented by more lapis lazuli and vesuvianite.  
Lapis was the favoured gemstone of Cleopatra.

Earrings:  Ailleas Designs   Photo credit: Mark Appleton Photography

Gemstones come from geological "families" or species. There are over 130 distinct species of gemstones. Some stones stand alone, such as andalusite, peridot, and tourmaline, while others belong to a family that contains many known gemstones. For example, rubies and sapphires are both of the corundum family. Emerals, aquamarine, and morganite are members of the beryl family. For some common semi-precious stones, you have feldspar (amazonite, labradorite, moonstone, and sunstone - some of which have a chatoyant, or "tiger's eye" effect) and quartz (amethyst, citrine, smoky quartz, chalcedony), amongst many others. Some "gemstones" aren't even listed as gemstones, as they are considered minerals or organic substances such as amber, jet, lapis lazuli, or pearl.

  Inspired by the artwork of French Illustrator George Barbier,

olive quartz topped with a trio of London blue topaz - Deco Divine pendant.  

Pendant: Ailleas Designs  Photo credit:  Mark Appleton Photography

In fact, it was the mineral lapis lazuli that was one of the first favourites. It was mined for use in adornments as early as the Neolithic period. Not only was this mineral carved and faceted, like a gemstone, for use in jewellery, it was crushed into a powder that was used in cosmetics and in creating the pigment ultramarine - the most desired and expensive of the blue pigments. There is even a reference to lapis in the book of Exodus. And we know that ground lapis was a favourite eye shadow of the famous Egyptian queen, Cleopatra. Lapis remains a very desirable and treasured "gemstone." An organic "gemstone", amber, is petrified sap and often contains bits of insect and plants, and is another non-gemstone that has great value and is highly desirable for everything from teething necklaces to gold jewellery (but sadly not for extracting dinosaur DNA). Jet isn't even considered a mineral, but a mineraloid and a precursor to coal, but that doesn't detract from its beauty when used in jewellery.

Lapis lazuli with pyrite. Afghanistan. Photo credit: Dr H Grobe

Perhaps the most well-known and most highly desirable organic "gemstone" is the pearl. Pearls are the result of an oyster (or other living mollusk) coating an irritant with nacre; the more coats of nacre, the higher the lustre of the pearl. Pearls come from living organisms, giving them a singular place on the hierarchy of "gemstones." Even the word "pearl" has come to mean something extremely rare, beautiful, and desired. This is because a natural pearl that occurs spontaneously in nature is so rare. The value of a highly graded pearl can go head to head with the value of the most precious gemstone. A black Tahitian pearl of the highest quality can command a price equal to that of a rare diamond.

Tahitian pearls in bulk.  Photo credit: Rémi Jouan

Mother Nature has provided us with a huge jewellery box of sparkling stones with which to adorn ourselves. Not to be outdone by the Earth, mankind has taken some of those stones and copied them in laboratories and factories. Some synthetic stones are very lovely – cubic zirconia and some of the lab-created diamonds are fabulous – but the buyer has to decide whether they want natural or manmade. It is a veritable minefield when buying loose gemstones or gemstone jewellery. It’s important for buyers to do their homework. There is nothing worse than discovering that that gorgeous emerald ring Great-Aunt Agnes left you is actually green-coloured glass or dyed quartz!

Our millennia-long love affair with sparkling stones is unlikely ever to end. But, unfortunately, the Earth's supply is limited. Buying a piece of gemstone jewellery or a loose gemstone should be seen as an investment. But an investment made with the heart.

Photo credit: Mark Appleton Photography

www. selkieshaunt.com

October and the colours of Autumn...

I was always aware of opal being the birthstone for October, but when I started designing and making jewellery, I discovered that tourmaline is also an October birthstone. What a terrific stone and what a terrific combination of birthstones. Boths stones provide so many different colours. And tourmaline, especially, presents itself, particularly in the lower graded stones, in autumnal shades. Indeed, the yellows, greens, and rose hues are stunning together or separately. I find I used a lot of tourmaline in my copper and bronze designs. And during the month of October, they are particularly relevant and popular.

This design, called Ovals and Scrolls, is a bronze necklace featuring ovals of A-grade tourmaline.

"Ovals & Scrolls"

These stones are nicer than the lower graded stones, but as A grade, they offer a wider range of colours and a more opaque appearance. I've combined the stones in all the beautiful colours of the falling leaves of the season. If this necklace tickles your fancy, just drop me an email at sales@selkieshaunt.com and use the subject line "Ovals and Scrolls". If you wish, I can create earrings to match. The necklace is priced at £66 and matching earrings would retail for £24. If you wish to buy both, the earrings will sell at half price, making your total £78.

I recently spent the good part of week - 20 hours in all - creating a new and really detailed necklace and earrings set. Called "Make a Wish," this set comprises a necklace 56 inches in length, so that it can be doubled or worn very long. With beautifully marked hand-wrapped beads of Red Creek jasper and tourmaline, hand-forged copper jump rings, and "coins" of copper cut from copper sheet, then drilled and polished, it most definitely a labour of love. I adore the way it looks and I've included photographs of the set here in a more formal photograph and also on the display bust. When you consider the time it took to make this necklace, it's cheap at £100. The earrings are £24, but the set retails for £110.  Again, if you are interested in this set, email me at the address given above and use "Make a Wish" as your subject line. 

"Make a Wish" copper necklace with Red Creek jasper and tourmaline.

"Make a Wish" earrings.

"Make a Wish" set on display.