Plique a Jour

Some time ago I was fortunate enough to take part in a plique a jour workshop. I hadn't done any enamelling before but so love the idea of stained glass jewellery adorning the delicate areas of the body.

When I was visiting Europe as a curious teenager, I loved entering old churches and bathing in the coloured light as the sun streamed through huge stained glass windows. I never took any photos, instead choosing to sit and comtemplate, knowing I could never replicate what I was witness to. Until now.

This workshop proved to be a perfect way to express my love of coloured glass and "pretty windows". The technique requires a LOT of patience as you are required to solder and resolder repetitively until you are ready to do the same with the enamel. Slowly building up layers of pretty molten glass, hoping and praying with fingers crossed that tension will hold everything in place. Even I was amazed with my level of focus that week!

I made my mumma a small bowl reminiscent of her beloved Cooktown with its Ulysses butterflies, sparkling waterfalls and lush ferns. A gift for her first fabulous 50 years.

The earrings... well I needed to make myself something too, didn't I?

While the facilities of my tiny home studio aren't adequate to keep working from home, I look forward to working again with this intense, time expensive and delicate technique.

Bowerbird Collection

A few months ago I was given a HUGE jar of junket beads; an eclectic assortment of playful, colourful and innocent beads. Separately they were nothing special, just a collection of cheap plastic and some semi precious stones, but together they were powerful. I was at a loss as to what do to with such a diverse assembly but had thoughts of layers and layers to play with the eye and attract attention. So the Bowerbird Collection was born.

String after string of diverse sizes, distinct shapes and colours that should never normally be seen together. Like the nest of a Bowerbird, the jewellery collection is a carefully chosen medley of found objects. In this case found in a big jar!

These pieces are difinitely a statement and should not be worn by the faint hearted! Someone once said that there is strength in numbers and these numbers are almost overwhelming. I hope you enjoy their playfulness and explosion of colour.

The collection includes necklaces (of various lengths), rings (with amazing crystal hearts), bracelets, earrings and brooches. Wear them by themselves or heap them together!