Christmas is Coming!

As it is now October 1st, I think we can say the season for gift shopping has officially begun. And I am looking forward to providing lovely jewellery gifts for folks who are looking for that special, exclusive piece of artisan jewellery to give to their friend or family member. I've been keeping very busy with lots of new makes. My goal is to upload at least 12 more items before mid-October - more in each category of my shop - to give you plenty of choice when doing your Christmas shopping.

This time of year makes choosing stones so much fun. Most natural stones are very earthy colours so, at this time of year, the stones match the season. My great love for creating leaf-like designs plays into the season as well, as I plan to include many autumnal pieces in the new offerings - bronze and copper complemented by rusts, dark greens, greys, and reds. I shall be adding more pieces that include very organic designs and these will carry over into bracelets and brooches. I've recently purchased some beautiful heavy tube beads in agate and jasper. They are amazing and look fabulous in chunky pieces that suit the heavier clothes of Autumn and Winter. I'm sure you will find many pieces you like when the new pieces are uploaded. And don't forget my lovely chunky brooches - they will look perfect with a shawl, scarf and on the cowl of a heavy winter sweater!

In addition to the new designs and makes in The Selkie's Haunt, I am working very hard on getting new pieces ready for the fine jewellery business, Ailleas Designs. The brand is getting a whole new look starting at the end of November, along with all the new designs that include set gemstones and touches of 18ct gold. In fact, over the next month, I am working on two commissioned pieces - both completely 18ct gold with set gemstones. I love working with gold, but I am always pleased when clients begin the consultation with, "I know it's going to be expensive." Gold of this quality is expensive, but so worth it. I can't wait to finish these pieces and present them to their owners. It is going to be so special. Other designs for Ailleas Designs were created for the British Red Cross annual Fashion Show in London. I was invited to create and donate pieces for a pop-up designer boutique. I am humbled by the names of the other designers with which I will be sharing space. Very exciting and will hopefully get the word out there.

It feels as if my business, my brand, is finally gaining real recognition and appreciation. They say it can take years for a business to become established and, if true, I am probably right on schedule. I've been running my business for close to 7 years now. Time for success, I think.

In addition to all my "professional creativity," I am crocheting a huge blanket for my granddaughter. It is all go here, that's for sure. But soon enough, Christmas will be over and it will be time for a little quiet. Of course, I look forward to spending more time in the studio over the winter months, creating even more beautiful jewellery for 2017.

Burning the midnight oil...

I have been so very, very busy lately. Increased sales means restocking and that means I have more work to do. Along with keeping my stock up for The Selkie's Haunt, I am working hard and furiously to get everything ready for the "big reveal" for Ailleas Designs by Martha Gates Mawson. The process of creating fine jewellery takes a bit longer than the process for the bronze and copper jewellery, as pieces must go to the assay office before stones are added. My target is to get a dozen or so pieces to the assay office by the second week in September so they are back, set, and photographed by October 1. All this is in preparation for a relaunch sometime in November. A busy time to be sure. All of my fine jewellery, regardless of the weight of the precious metal, will now be hallmarked. I am proud of my work and I want my mark on it!

I am so happy with how my work has progressed over the last couple of years. My skills have been more sharply honed and I am feeling confident with each new technique that I employ. The pieces I have made have a polish to them I haven't seen before. And yet, my greatest supporters tell me that my style remains, my "signature" is consistent, but it is even more than it was. That makes me happy.

In addition to changing the way I do things with my fine jewellery, I will be making some administrative changes to The Selkie's Haunt as well. I am going to make some changes in how the jewellery is sold locally - stopping with some stockists while adding some new ones. My participation in the Poolewe Tuesday Market has been the most successful change in the way I do things and I am hopeful that that association can continue far into the future. My "setting up shop" at the GALE Centre will not continue next year, as those I see in the centre are always at the Poolewe Market. My biggest change in the admin of my business is that, with the exception of one stockist, I will attempt to operate on a wholesale basis only.

Being an independent artist/jeweller is a challenge and a privilege. I adore my work and I love watching the creations emerge from my bench. More than anything, I adore the conversations I have with the folks who stop by and admire my work. It means the world to me. 

I have recently delivered more jewellery to the Aultbea Hotel - some beautiful new earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. Once I have finished my push with the fine jewellery, I will return to the bronze and copper jewellery to create some pendants and rings to join the earrings, bracelets, brooches, and necklaces that are currently available. I love every minute of it.

A busy summer...

I am thrilled to announce that I've added two more Poolewe Tuesday Markets to my schedule of events for the summer. I'm so pleased. I really enjoy the markets - both the visitors and the other stallholders make it such a joy. I recently purchased an antique sterling silver pocket watch from one of the other stallholders (he has lovely antiques) to give Chris as an anniversary present. Another stallholder created a stunning piece of pewter art, which I immediately had to have. I feel very strongly about our community supporting each other.

While I have been busy creating more pieces for The Selkie's Haunt, my attention is now on creating new pieces for my fine jewellery line, Ailleas Designs by Martha Mawson. I am aiming for a

relaunch of the website - and the introduction of beautiful new designs incorporating 18ct gold and faceted gemstones - around 1 October. Of course, like all my plans, I realise I have to be flexible. Living with severe arthritis due to Ehlers Danlos Syndrome means I have to realise that I am sometimes limited by chronic pain. I was planning on more time in the studio today, but instead I have to change my plans. Thankfully, I can spend the day with my legs up, sitting on the sofa and working on my blogs and my newsletters. There is always something I can do, despite my pain levels. (The HMRC requires that self-employed individuals spend at least 16 hours a week working - I've reported to them that my normal week is 34 hours - which is probably several hours short of what I actually do.)

So far, I've created five new pairs of earrings for one of the collections. I am aiming for six pieces of each collection and each category within the collection. Some collections will include pieces I already have. This means well over 100 new pieces of jewellery, and it is going to take some time; it will be well worth it in the end. In addition, I have to keep up stock levels for my stockists and for myself. I have two more weekends at the GALE Centre this year and a three-day event here in Aultbea next week. But I am happiest when I am busy and when I am out meeting folks and sharing my passion for my handcrafted jewellery. If only my pain would cooperate.

I don't have any new makes for The Selkie's Haunt to share with you at this time, but there are still so many beautiful pieces on offer through the website. I invite you to pop over and look over the pieces that are all one-offs - no repeats of design. That is what I love most about my work - that I can offer customers a piece of jewellery that speaks to them and they will be the only person to ever own that design. How special is that?

Brooches prove popular - designs and antiquing

I was fairly confident that brooches would prove popular, and I was right. I sold a fair few during the last market and have now provided Lael Craft Gallery with some brooches and will be providing the Aultbea Hotel with some, as well. And I've been getting very creative with them. 

Introducing designs on designs:

In both these cases, I have attached lovely accents to the ends of the penannular brooches and, in the case of the copper on copper, I have attached an accent to the pin as well. The second brooch, which is destined for the hotel, has sterling silver accents. I am very pleased with these designs and will be using this design method more in future.  

In addition to adding accents, I have been taking advantage of my ever-so-smelly patination solution to add age to my pieces. You can see it in both the brooches above. In addition, I have used patination with a pair of earrings:

I have been on a bit of a creative binge with the bronze and copper jewellery, but time has come to get some beautiful new pieces of fine jewellery made. I have just completed my first hand-knotted pearl necklace and will be doing a second one very shortly. In addition, I will be making some beautiful earrings using faceted set stones, and the penannular brooches will be created in sterling silver with cabochon accents. I am so looking forward to sitting down with my silver and gold again. 

Don't forget to check out the website for new additions and sign up for The Selkie's Haunt's monthly newsletter for news and subscriber discounts. The link to the website can be found in the sidebar here on this page and you can sign up to the newsletter by clicking here.

Introducing "Moira"

From the first moment I decided on the name "The Selkie's Haunt", I have been searching for the perfect illustration. A dear friend, who is also a talented artist, created a selkie for me, but it just didn't seem to fit as I wished. I knew what I wanted, but couldn't explain it. And then I saw exactly what I wanted - a search on "selkie" brought up an image for a page on DeviantArt. The artist, Kate O'Keefe, creates amazing artwork and illustrations. I loved her selkie - exactly the kind of art I had hoped for for so many years.  I found Kate's contact information, wrote her a note, and waited for her answer.

Kate responded with a resounding "yes" to my proposal of a commissioned selkie. I provided Kate with the details of the landscape and even sent along a photograph of bog cotton - so prevalent around here. Kate did her research, too, looking at my website and seeing the sort of jewellery I make. She used the designs to create the jewellery the selkie has discovered in the painting. 

After backing and forthing with sketches and suggestions, Kate presented me with my completed painting. It took and continues to take my breath away. I love the feel of it - like a classic illustration to a children's book of fairy tales. When I debuted my selkie on Facebook, one of my most loyal customers said the illustration matches my brand perfectly. That, that statement, was exactly what I hoped for. 

Since Kate sent me my beautiful selkie, I have put the selkie on everything that has to do with my business. She will grace my display, my business cards, my receipts, my informational flyers, my letterhead, my certificates. She is here on the blog, on my newsletter, on the website, and on my social media pages, from Facebook to Twitter. She will be not just my "mascot", but I have no doubt she will be my good luck charm as well, and my muse. I look forward to receiving the hard copy of this painting. She will be framed in something befitting her beauty and will hang on the wall to inspire me every single day.

Kate is a talented illustrator/artist and you can see more of her work on her website, http://kate-okeefe.weebly.com. To me, her art is reminiscent of the best of the bygone illustrators for classic children's books. Her illustrations remind me very much of Arthur Rackham, who I've long considered THE best illustrator for children's books. This image of my selkie fills me with such joy and I have no doubt she will charm my clients as well.

I have decided to call my selkie Moira. Moira is Scottish Gaelic for "star of the sea." Moira is that, indeed, and more. She is the personification of what I want my artwork to be - elegant, charming, magical, one-of-a-kind, and something that makes you smile. We will make a good team, Moira and I. 

Happy...

Brooches and other beauties...

Recently, I have been sitting down to my workbench with the express purpose of creating something that will challenge my skills and imagination. Of course, sometimes, one or the other is challenged. That is certainly the case with my newest creations - brooches. While I could have taken one of several options as to my inspiration, I chose to look at the styles of brooches most closely associated with Scotland and the use of base metals. This brought me to the designs and allure of the fibula brooch and the penannular brooch, both relatively simple in concept, but challenging in design. I want my designs, as always, to be just a bit different. And while the fibula brooch can be almost anything, the penannular brooch is proving more generic, so I am trying to find ways to make my creations just that little bit different. Both these brooches go back millennia in terms of their history and both started with the express purpose of simply fastening garments. Both present me with limitless ideas.

The fibula brooch is most associated with the early Roman empire, the name taken from the Latin for "brooch" was most simply a fastening device made from one continuous piece of wire. The brooch itself is made of four parts - the body, spring, pin, and hinge. The most recognisable is the safety pin style of fibula, but the use of an alternative spring mechanism (rather than a single loop of wire) transfers the fibula to something more design-led. For my fibula-inspired pins, I have used long lengths of both copper and bronze wire and created loops and spirals, accented by gemstone beads. So far, I have created three of them, but I have so many ideas, I have no doubt I will soon have a dozen or so from which clients may choose. One of the designs is shown here, with a single amethyst accenting the undulating length of bronze wire. This is the longest of the current offerings and is about 4 inches long. The gauge of the wire means that it can be worn with fabrics such as linen or cotton, rather than simply large weave woolens. I haven't named this piece yet, but I anticipate that most of my fibula-inspired pieces will bear the names of Roman goddesses and queens.

In addition to using plain wire, these pieces lend themselves to the look of an antique piece by introducing patination. I have done just this with this second brooch - a copper brooch accented by a single malachite bead. By introducing a patination agent, I've been able to darken the metal, polishing it after to create highlights and even more depth to the design. I love this piece. It is much smaller than the bronze fibula brooch, measuring about 2 inches in length.

In addition to the movement of the wire and the use of patination, I've used many of my various tools to create different textures and dimensions to the pieces. These pieces take a great deal of work to create, due to the need to create a tapered pin, a spring, and a design that can hold one's interest. I certainly felt the work the next day in my shoulders and arms. Who knows, after a lifetime of trying to find exercises to alleviate the appearance of "bingo wings," I may find that forging brooches will provide me with just the right exercise!

The second brooch I referred to and that I have enjoyed creating is the penannular brooch. This is a two-part brooch consisting of a large circle (usually with an opening) and an attached pin. The pin is placed through the fabric of the garment that is being fastened and then the brooch is rotated so that the pin rests against the circle, having been accessed through the opening. In addition to the semi-circular penannular brooch, it is possible to create a brooch with a complete circle and a separate pin. I will be creating some of these in the days to come. I will also be creating these in sterling silver and some will be mounted with gemstones and cabochons.

These brooches are often associated with Celtic cultures, such as ancient days here in Scotland or in Ireland. The size of these brooches means that they are often used for fastening heavier weave clothing, but I am working on some small and much lighter brooches that could be used on finer materials.

This first penannular brooch may be my favourite. Here I've combined three lengths of bronze wire and twisted them for a braided look (not the easiest thing to do in the world, by the way). I've then applied fire to the ends of the wire to create a bead from all three pieces. I've added an oxidising agent to give the piece an antique look, using sandpaper to remove the patination from some of the metal. The final look is very ancient and I love it. It is a rather small brooch and would look amazing on a scarf or cowl.  I am really quite taken with this brooch. I am sure it will sell well when it is first offered at the Gale Centre on June 11-12.

The second penannular brooch I am sharing here is more common for this particular style of brooch. Here I've used hammered copper, polished to a bright finish. This brooch is quite large, so would be best used when fastening a heavy wool scarf or something with an open weave. I can see this brooch being used on a tartan wrap. (I am looking forward to coming up with wonderful ways to display these brooches on my table.) 

I have two other penannular brooches - one small copper brooch and a very large brooch with fabulous wirework at the terminals. Because of where I live and sell my designs, I am quite sure keeping a fair number of these in stock will make good business sense. They are lovely brooches that convey a feeling Celtic antiquity, and I really love that. Not only that, but the process of creating them is metalsmithing at its most basic and probably using the oldest methods there are. I feel so accomplished when I complete one.

Other news - I am currently working with a Canadian designer on a new logo and look for the business' website, packaging, and materials. I have long searched for a graphic that would give me just what I wanted to convey in terms of magic and joy. Hopefully, the new look will be up and running by mid-month.

As always, thank you for your interest in The Selkie's Haunt. Your interest in my business means so much.

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.