Recently I have been working with glass blower Helen Chalmers, we collaborated to make pieces of jewellery containing Ashes. I have had many requests from clients looking to have jewellery made incorporating a loved ones ashes. I wanted to be able to make meaningful pieces of jewellery that were beautiful and unique to each client yet also affordable.
By working with Helen I can create pieces of jewellery with the ashes held within these beautiful glass beads. I wanted Helen to make a 'gem' for me using glass with ashes that I could then make into a piece of jewellery. We have made beads and cabochon gems for clients depending on the style of jewellery they are looking for.
This is such a personal process and each piece of jewellery has meaning to the owner and can be fully designed by themselves or with my help. Above is a diamond and glass gem ring I recently made for a client using colours that were sentimental and meaningful to them.
When the ashes are added to glass they create beautiful whisps and bubbles within the glass, you can see they vary from gem to gem but create a unique pattern within the glass.
Below is a selection of pieces we have made - Ring, Bracelet, Pendant and Earrings.
If this is something you would like to discuss having made then please get in touch with me, Scarlett at info@scarletterskine.com
Keep your loved ones close in a piece of jewellery you can treasure. These pieces can be discreet letting you choose if you want to tell your story or just keep it for yourself.
Below is a selection of the colours you can choose from for your gem.
The next beginners course is going to be starting next month 20th of Feb 2020 6.30pm.
I am so excited to start this course and spend 8 weeks teaching my class how to make jewellery. It has been so rewarding speaking to previous pupils of my class who are now making and selling their jewellery after joining my course.
Within in the beginners course you will learn Jewellery Techniques to start you on the Jewellery path! From how to texture, stamp, saw pierce and solder metal to riveting and granulation. Over 8 weeks you will learn new techniques and progress your jewellery skills each week.
We will start off making copper key rings having a play with tools and materials and move on to making rings, pendants, earrings or bangles
These are some examples of the last classes jewellery collections made on the 8 week course. I love how you can see the individual styles of each maker coming through in their collections.
You will have the freedom to experiment with different materials, if you have a design in mind I will do what I can to teach you how to make it!
The next course will start on February 20th 2020 6.30-8.30pm and continue on Thursday evenings for 8 weeks! The class is flexible and we will work to suit dates for you. The class is £220 this includes the materials and tools needed to learn the skills plus tea coffee and biscuits to keep us going! You can then purchase your own materials for your own designs whether you would like to go big or delicate and dainty.
If you would like to book onto this workshop you can message me at info@scarletterskine.com or follow this link to book
You can also learn what tools you need to make jewellery from home. I will help you with suppliers and hints and tips of best ways to make jewellery from home. I have many beginners now setting up at home to either make jewellery for themselves or gifts or even to start selling.
You can start to make your own collection of jewellery to wear or to start selling.
How amazing is this Dragon fly created in my last beginners course.
In September last year I went through to Edinburgh to the Ethical Gemstone Fair to look for some new and interesting gemstones to use in my work. I am keen to start working with ethically sourced gemstones that are traceable from the mine.
I met Stuart from Nineteen48 Gemstones who introduced me to Moyo Gems an ethically sourced gemstone company who work with an all Female mine in Tanzania. I loved their story and more so this Square cut 1.40ct Tanzanian Garnet.
Moyo Gemstones is an ethical gemstone collaboration born in Tanzania. They are working with female artisanal gem miners of the Umba Valley to assure rubies, sapphires, tourmalines, and garnets from mine to market.
They work to empower women miners to work safely, mine better, improve financial security, and create stable, equitable markets for fair trade.
What's behind a name?
Moyo nzuri means 'beautiful spirit' or 'blessed heart' in Swahili. In Shona, it means 'heart'. Moyo Gemstones represents a new kind of beauty. They are gems from the heart.
This is Mama Peter a Garnet Miner in Tanga Tanzania
Moyo gems make frequent trips out to Tanzania to meet the workers and can then show us images of the workers.
I now had this beautiful garnet back in the studio ready to be made into a piece of jewellery. I decided to take a video and some photos of this beautiful stone and share it on my social media.
Very quickly this Garnet was snapped up by a Customer of mine, we discussed designs and decided to make a gold necklace with this stunning garnet.
We decided to make a wishbone gold pendant with a chunky chain and have the garnet as the main event! We used recycled 9ct yellow gold to make the necklace.
This is the finished piece and I am so happy that this stunning Garnet has finished it Journey and can now be shown off and worn and enjoyed for years to come!
I am looking forward to working with more ethically sourced gemstones and being part of their journey, making pieces of jewellery for clients that are truly special and making a difference to the world.
If you would like to commission a piece of look at sourcing a gemstone please get in touch - info@scarletterskine.com
I have some more stunning gemstones to show you and some pieces being made with ethically sourced gemstones that I can't wait to share with you!
