Wednesday 17 August 2011

Re-design Commission

Hi...Here is the re-design commission I mentioned. I changed the white diamond for a champagne diamond and re-sized the ring to an M.
 Before pictures are the previous post. The customer was really happy with her new ring and put it on immediately (a good sign I think) She liked it so much that she asked me to make her a slightly smaller ring to complement  this one using the original white diamond. So, If she's happy, I'm happy :)
This is just a quick post. Ive been at work today...Tomorrow and Friday will be spent in the workshop working on another new range..The complete opposite to what I have been doing! I will post this weekend. Bye for now :) x

Monday 8 August 2011

New Commissions & Teacher Training

Hey There
I thought I would write a new post seen as I haven't for a while. I've been so busy since New Designers that I haven't seemed to have had the time, although I probably have..More like I keep forgetting :)
I was excited to see people have followed my blog...Just wanted to say hello and thank you, It's nice to know my blog/posts aren't just falling into obscurity.
As I type I am waiting to hear back from my local college about a tutor/teacher training course I want to go on. Now I have finished my degree, I'm free to do this. It was always the plan when I started 5 years ago. I was going to leave it for a few years because by the time we wrapped up at New Designers I was completely mentally drained..I really didn't think I could spend another year in education but I was thinking that while I am still in 'academic mode' I really should get it done. It's going to be 6 years of my life, and a few people have said 'well you could have been a doctor by now' My reply? Errr well yes, but don't you need doctor brains for that too! ......Just spoken to college, they're emailing me an application so I can enrol asap..Apparently almost all places are gone...Better get my skates on!
Another thing I wanted to mention is that I'm working on a few commissions, re-designing to be exact. I've done quite a bit of this kind of work and I really love it...I just love taking someones tired, old piece of jewellery (quite often hated piece of jewellery ie old engagement/wedding ring) and transforming it..I've had tears of joy before! Now that really is a good feeling(not the tears really but the fact you've made someone THAT happy) The thing is though, when I first started my jewellery/silversmithing education at college and the early times at uni, I would quite often just forget to take before and after pictures..In them manic days of the tightest deadlines and huge workloads, I just wanted to get the job done and get the money! So my portfolio is a bit lacking in the re-design department, so I've taken 5 re-designs on for free...Here's one of them


Scuffed, dented and looking very sorry for itself. The 3.5mm diamond had so much bezel pushed over, it looked 2mm (a big difference especially for a diamond I think...It deserves to be displayed in its full magnificence) The customer wanted it modern, fresh and wearable. The ring is in pieces now, the designs done..I'm on to it. I will post the picture as soon as its finished.
Right, better go now and get that application filled out.
Louise x :)