Something new

I've just started working on a new line for a local Inverness shop - Araveli in Victorian Market for those who know the area. The colour themes are inspired by the Nature elements: the blue of Water, the reds of Fire, the whites, crystals and pale yellow of Air and greens, bronzes of Earth. Most of the designs will be made in a technique I've been using since I was a little girl - crocheting. Here is the first jewel I'm creating, Hot Air colours:
Yellow Agate, Lemon Jasper, Serpentine, Citrine and Sterling Silver.

Colorino in Art Deco

It may be gloomy around and all that I can see out of my window may be Autumn with its rain, mists and short days but when I started working on this commission all my thoughts flew to Tuscany... This new project - a commissioned bangle - brought back all the happy memories that I have of the sunshine, warmth, the countryside and the wine too and lead my hands to shape that bangle. I gave it a very special name: Colorino in Art Deco. Colorino is a red Italian wine grape planted primarily in Tuscany. The grape is known for its deep dark coloring very like the hue of Garnet.

I am not sure if that vine on this picture I took in Tuscany is Colorino itself but its colour is very like I imagine Colorino would have.

The frame I shaped is inspired by the Art Deco elegant, glamorous yet functional style. Oxidised and hand polished to shine. It's simple enough to be worn every day but it's also elegant and can be shown off on a special occassion and it will look amazing with a black dress.
Medium size.
Blue Almonds original design.

The Equilibrist

Inspiration for this pendant was a song written and performed by a Polish artist Grzegorz Turnau "Linoskoczek" - "Equilibrist" or "Rope-Dancer" (you can listen to it here).

Natural Baltic Amber Nugget was wrapped in to a delicate Sterling Silver frame to look like it was dancing and balancing in the air on an invisible line. Blue shades of Lapis Lazuli and royal blue of the satin cord bring the image of clear sky one can see above the performing acrobat. One grey Labradorite smooth drop flashes with yellow and blue like the sun-rays that dazzle ones eyes.

The pendant was heavily oxidised and then hand polished to shine. The chain is embelished with two Lapis Lazuli beads and one natural Baltic Amber little bead.

Wild neighbours

Since we've moved in to our place on The Hill last June every day I am amazed with the wildlife around us. There are only 4 houses in our settlement and around us are fields, woods and lots of space - perfect place for all the creatures including mice and spiders which seem to like our warm and cosy house... but forget them for the purpose of this post. There are other more interesting neighbours too, for example a rabbit family living at the bottom end of our garden or Mr Pheasant who uses the paved path to get to the garden from the fields and peeks in to our windows:

But from all the animals we see here I love the birds of prey most: the Red Kites and Buzzards. One Buzzard family lives on a tree that I can see from my studio and one day I was lucky to have my camera on hand and took a photo of this beautiful bird when he was chasing a Red Kite away (they don't like each other!):
In the nights the owls pay us visits and hoot around the trees. One especially likes the apple tree next to my studio window and although I can't see him I can clearly hear his soft voice. It's almost never quiet here!

Lost and found treasure

It doesn't happen very often that I forget my jewellery pieces but I did. Somehow I forgot about 6 pieces and for long time they were were not listed in any of my shops!!! This entire week however I had been making full bead and jewellery inventory and going through all little and bigger boxes I've found my lost treasure. They say "life is a lerning curve" so I've learned my lesson and you can now find in my online shops (Etsy and Blue Almonds) these six beauties :)

Quiet Moment Set

Dahlia earrings

Orange Peel Swirl earrings

Pine Tree earrings

Red Geranium earrings

Weaving The Rainbow earrings

mist, fog and rain...

... and you wake up in the morning at the sunrise. It's all cold and wet and days are getting shorter but despite all these signs I can feel the romanticism of Autumn. Nothing would make me to wake up in the sunset in Spring or Summer and now I have the opportunity to see it as well as with the world's first moves, to hear the birds fresh morning songs and to witness the clouds dance below our hill just on the Firth water surface... isn't this romantic?

view from the edge of our garden to South-East, in the background oil rigs in the Cromarty Firth (photo taken by my Husband)

Handmade Christmas

I just added ArtFire Handmade Christmas badge to my blog. Are you thinking the same - isn't it too early? It's only the beginning of October, there is still almost two months to go till Christmas!

On the other hand... if you think about that "handmade" aspect then you need also to think about time to make the gifts or time to have them made! I already managed to finish two gifts and started thinking of the next one that needs more - yes, you guessed it - time.

If you like my jewellery I'm more than happy to create unique comission pieces, jewels designed especially for you but I also need the time. So - if you want something very special, that only jewel in the world for for your dearest one (or for yourself!) then order it with me now and it will be finished and ready on time with no distress and hassle. And I will have the time to make my favourite little ginger breads ;)

Moving in :)

Dear Friends and New Readers,

I've been writing a blog about my life and my jewellery adventure since June 2008 and you are most welcome to read it HERE

It was however getting more and more difficult to manage that site especially when I started taking tonnes of photos (it would load very slowly) and when I began to be more active on so called social networs such as Facebook or Twitter. I therefore decided to move my creativity here and from now on you will see my jewellery here, you will see my photos here and you will read short and longer stories from my life.

Welcome to Blue Almonds Jewellery Journey :)

PS You can find Polish version of this blog here: http://srebrzyscie.blogspot.com/ (please give me some time to move out from the old site!)