Hand stamping

On my birthstone stacking rings, (and actually on all sorts of other goodies come to think of it), I now offer hand stamping on the inside of the band.

This could be a name, date of birth, or any other special text or number you care to think of.

But, there are a few things to bear in mind. First of all, the nature of hand stamping is very different to engraving.

Hand stamping involves, as it's name implies, using a steel stamp and hammer to imprint each letter individually into the shank. This is done before the ring is soldered and shaped, whilst the wire is still laid flat.

As each letter is stamped individually, it's unusual (for me anyway) for them to be completely straight, level and equally spaced.

I like this "higgledy" effect. It's the reason I love handmade jewellery - rather than the factory made, super perfect, never been touched by a human hand sort.

However, I do understand that there are occasions when it's lovely to have your text beautifully and neatly engraved (I am hoping to add this string to my bow at some stage in the future!) And if this is the case you could get any items I make for you engraved at a local jewellers after they're made.

A couple of other things you need to know...

Bear in mind the number of digits or letters that will fit inside the band. This will vary very slightly from size to size but is generally approximately 20 characters.

I have 3 different size sets of stamps now. The 1.5mm stamps to fit into my standard 2.3mm width band, 2mm and 3mm stamps. All the stamps I have at the moment are capital letters.

The five reasons I buy handmade.

Regular readers of this blog (or my facebook page) will know that I am a bit of a handmade junkie.

And I get particularly excited about the handmade world at this time of year. I love a bit of gift hunting. Obviously, I could make everyone I know some jewellery, but I think they might just get a little tired of that after a while. So instead I go browsing. Usually online,  from the comfort of my old sofa, with a nice glass of wine in hand.

Labradorite earrings - Becky Pearce Designs

There are so many reasons to buy handmade, especially at Christmas... and here are my top 5!

1 The items are generally much higher quality - each item has been given 100% individual attention, and has been finished and quality checked by a real person. Even the materials are sourced individually. The maker wants their items to last, and takes pride in their quality and longevity - there's not that " how quickly/ cheaply can we make it" mentality. No maker is going to let a substandard piece go out of the studio with their name on it.

2. Each item is individual. There won't be anyone else who has an item exactly like that. And usually there'll be lots of "wow, where did you find that it's perfect" comments flying around.

Messenger bag by Sail

3. Speaking of "perfect" another top reason is that you can often have your item customised or even commission a custom item  That means getting just the right size, colour, material, shape. Most makers are people you can contact directly to discuss getting your item made to your specification.

4. Buying handmade is more ethical and environmentally friendly. Your items won't be made in a wasteful factory and flown half way around the word, with the huge carbon footprint that brings. And you won't find child labour involved. Though my littlest is a very keen helper, given half the chance - hmm.

Handmade items are made with limited waste, and are much more eco friendly. Buying handmade means you support local artists, designers, craft people, makers. You support them, and that helps their local economy, and community. And we all know that supporting and buying local is a good thing. Who needs things shipped over from China, when we have such a fabulous supply of handmade wonderfulness on our doorstep?

Set of 4 stoneware bowls by Stoneware Studio UK

5. As well as that there is that connection you have with the maker, and the item being made. I often post work in progress pictures on my facebook page, which I really love to do, and I also love it when other makers do it. I don't know about you, but I think there is something really amazing about seeing your own items being made.

6. You get more value! You don’t have to pay the person at the till, the supervisor, manager, and the supplier and the designer and the manufacturer, because just one person is all those things! Your items may not be cheaper, but they have have that intrinsic value because of all the above reasons.

Okay, okay, there are six reasons not five. But there are just so many reasons to support handmade that I really couldn't stop at five!

I would encourage everyone to go out and buy handmade this Christmas. Go to a local craft fair, or gallery. Go online at wonderful market places like Folksy and Etsy and have a browse around. There are hundreds of fantastic makers and hundreds of thousands of perfect items - just waiting to be matched up to the lucky recipient.

The birthstone for August - Peridot

There's something so special about wearing jewellery with a special meaning, and birthstones are a great example of this.

The birthstone for August is Peridot. I'm still never sure how to pronounce it.... do you know? I always assumed it was a french word and pronounce it with a silent 't' (a la merlot) but I have heard by people who should know these things that it's actually not french and should rhyme with "hot". Who knew!? A google search didn't help me much in deciding either way, so my internal jury is still out but I'd love to know what you think.

Peridot is unusual in that it is one of  the few gemstones that occur in only one colour - olive green. However, the intensity of that green varies depends on how much iron is contained within the stone. The colour of the individual peridot gems can therefore vary from a yellow green through olive to a deep brownish green.

I favour the lighter zingy yellow green; shown in these rose cut beauties...

Rose cut peridot stud earrings by Becky Pearce Designs

I must admit I don't really believe in the "talisman" effect of birthstones. You know, when the wearer supposedly gets special protection, or energies from wearing their birthstone. BUT I do love the extra thought that goes into a birthstone piece.

Peridot pendant by Becky Pearce Designs

Peridot, symbolizes strength. It is formed deep in the magma from the upper mantle and is brought to the surface by volcanic activity. And because it is therefore found in volcanic ashes, it was believed that peridot crystals were the tears of the volcano goddess, Pele.

It's oh so quiet...

Wow, it's quiet around here today.

The dog seems a little depressed too.

But at about 3.25pm it'll all go crazy again. I can't wait to hear all about their days, and how incredibly different Year 4 and Year 2 are to last year. No really. It's so much harder.

In the meantime I've been keeping busy, I've finished these bold brass beauties off.. how shimmery are they!?

And I'm making another of those lovely garnet rings... (nearly finished!)

Also, big thanks so much to everyone who entered, and spread the word about the blog end of summer giveaway. What a phenomenal response.

The winner is Sarah Louise Gray.

Sarah, drop me a line at hello@beckypearcedesigns.co.uk and I'll let you have your prize.

Hope all the other kids (and of course, teachers) out there have had a good return to school.

Birthstones and other inspiration

Well, so much for me getting lots of lovely handmade birthstone jewellery in my shops each month. I've done pretty well, but I have let May down. The May birthstone - Emerald started off pretty well. I got some gorgeous little stones, all beautiful and deep green. And then messed up completely in trying to set them. Whoops. They aren't the strongest stone, and I was probably a little....ahem over enthusiastic.

Never mind, onwards and upwards.... June is pearl, and I've got a box full of pearl goodies and a brain full of ideas - well half a brain anyway, the other half is trying to deal with all the everyday stuff and failing miserably.

In the meantime, I've been loving the warm weather and was out in the garden yesterday taking pictures.

 I love how this chive flower is bursting out of it's bud. Yippee... sun.

 These Lily of the Valley are such a gorgeous delicate shape. I would love to make some earrings in silver based on these flowers. Might take me a while to figure out how to put it all together though.

 Stunning stunning peonies. Love this splash of colour in our garden. Big flouncy and beautiful!

Ah we have so many forget me nots all over the place. I know people think they're a weed, but I think they're so pretty. I can't bring my self to get rid of them, so now they're everywhere. I love how there are so many teeny flowers clustered together. Definitely gives me some jewellery design ideas.

Druzy-tastic

Loving all things druzy at the moment.

Going to make these beauties into rings shortly!

Chaos....utter chaos.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh, our building work started at the beginning of January, and we're nearly there, nearly done. The walls are up, the glass is in, the floor has been levelled and the radiators are plumbed. We even have plaster on the walls! (I know!) One thing we no longer have however, is a kitchen...

...no sink, no cooker, no...anything.

Tiling of the floor begins tomorrow, and the new kitchen is going in later in the week. I don't know how long it will take, but for now, like for the past couple of months we are living with utility room cupboards, a couple of sinks, a fridge, a dishwasher and an oven in boxes in our living room. The contents of the kitchen cupboards are strewn liberally around the house. It's great fun playing "find the cereal bowls" every morning. Aaaaaaaaaaaah how we laugh.

We have a microwave and a supply of reheatable meals. And lots of lovely friends inviting us round for dinner. It's all fine and cope-able, but feels so completey chaotic, and messy and cluttered and euuuurggggh.It feels like I can't think straight, which is silly.

I am itching to get my new space sorted. And itching to get back to work making jewellery. The jewellery has definitely taken a backseat over the last few weeks as I spend my time trying to get out of the house, shuffling kitchen contents, or purchasing paint. But I know it will all be worth it, and by April I will have no excuses left for why my handmade jewellery isn't made, listed and flying out of the door!

Blossom

Yes, I know I know, I've probably mentioned it before, but I do love blossom. And this year (according to my friends who know about this stuff) has been a particularly good year for it.

The trees are covered in it, so much so that I've been cutting it to bring a little indoors.

With all the good weather we've been having the plants in the garden have shot up and are just about ready to show off their summer colours. I can't wait to see what appears.

Here are some spring goodies handmade by me...

Handmade necklace, with fine silver handcrafted leaf, rose quartz and pearl. Perfect with your girlie pastels for a feminine spring look.

Delicate rose quartz handcrafted earrings with sterling silver and crystals.

Copper treats

Thanks to the HUGE price rise in silver recently, I'm slowly but surely increasing the amount of copper I have in the shop. I love copper. I wonder if it's because I'm a red head?

Some of the recent listings include:

Little dome studs, I kept the first pair I made just for me because I love these!

and this hammered copper bangle - which shimmers with different colours.

And this geometric necklace in hammered copper.

I've also got a pair of leaf stud earrings, with a rich patina to be uploaded soon!