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!

New website: New name

Well big news from Red Bird Towers! For a while now (read over a year!) I've been meaning to try to set up my own website; my own little corner of the interweb. And a few weeks ago I decided to just go for it!

And here it is....

(Click on the pic to go take a peek!)

I had to decide whether to stick with the Red Bird Jewellery branding, or make a change. And I thought now was the right time to make a break.... so the new address is www.beckypearcedesigns.co.uk. Becky Pearce Designs is the new Red Bird Jewellery.

I hope it was the right move, I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to hear what you think of the new website - good or bad, hit me with it. I'll be grateful for any constructive criticism. Currently there are only a few items on the site, but I am planning to add more each day, if I'm completely honest, I just wanted to get my new baby out there, and share the news with you all.

Amethyst - February Birthstone

The February-born shall find
Sincerity and peace of mind,
Freedom from passion and from care,
If they an amethyst will wear.

From light pinkish violet to a deep dark purple, the Greeks believed these beautiful stones could prevent intoxication hence the name; the word amethyst comes from the Greek word “amethystos” meaning “not drunk”! Medieval soldiers wore amethyst amulets as protection in battle because they believed amethysts could heal people and keep them cool-headed. 

Because of their beautiful colour and relative hardness, amethysts have been used in jewellery for many hundreds of years, in fact beads of amethyst have been found in Anglo-Saxon graves. But although it is quite a hard stone it's still only 1/15 the strength of a diamond. 

The most expensive amethysts are the darker purple, which look gorgeously regal,  but I have to say love the lighter violet and pinky colours too.

Did you know some types amethyst can be meters long. In 1900 in Mexico a stone was found which measured 33 feet, by 16 feet, by 10 feet and weighed over 8 tonnes.Not your jewellery grade amethyst you understand!!

January birthstone info

More information on the other birthstones

New Studio - Update

Our builders have been really cracking on with the build. It'll be 3 weeks tomorrow. (Is that all??)
And my new studio has changed from this....

To this...

and yesterday the front wall started going up...!

I must point out that I'm only having a teeny corner of what was the garage, not the whole thing (now wouldn't that be nice?) but I do know I'm a very lucky girl to be getting a little room I can leave all my stuff out in. Not ideal to have oxygen and propane tanks in reach of the kids!

Dala Horse giveaway!

I had to tell you about this fantastic giveaway on the  Dala Horse blog

.

And here's what you can win.... how beautiful is that!?!

Sue is a fantastic jewellery designer and maker, and this piece really shows just how skilled she is.

More info on the giveaway from her blog

"The giveaway runs Jan 23rd thru Jan 30th. The winner will be announced Jan 31st. The obsidian in this pendant gives off a black or soft blue hue depending on how it catches the light. I included a playful little rabbit on this named "Moonshine" who doubles as a rabbit totem. The Beadwork on the chain picks up the tones in the obsidan.....this is very unique....the first of its kind for me design wise."

Go and take a peek.... http://dalahorsestar.blogspot.com/2012/01/giveaway-has-arrived.html

January Birthstone - Garnet

By her who in this month (January) is born
No gem save garnets should be worn;
They will ensure her constancy,
True friendship, and fidelity.

Garnets are apparently found in a variety of colours - including orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black, pink and colorless. The rarest of these is the blue garnet, discovered in the late 1990s. But the colour we usually expect to see is red, from a light bright crimson, to deep claret colour.

If you're into the theory of healing gemstones - the garnet is thought to assist the regulation of the heart and circulation as well as provide strength and protection.

The most popular colour amongst women is red, and I definitely have to go with the majority in this case. I'm a huge fan of red, and of these stones too. January needs a little brightness, don't you think, and these sparkly red gems are just the thing. Shining bright through the chilly gloom.

Click on the pictures to go through to the folksy shop and see more of the pieces!

Birthstones

This year I thought I'd get to grips with birthstones! These are the stones which traditionally symbolise the month of the wearers birth. Such a lovely idea, and I love jewellery with a some special meaning for the wearer.

I started with good intentions last year, with plenty of garnet (January), and amethyst (February) but a house move and the ensuing chaos meant that everything got put to one side, and I played catch up for the rest of the year. This year is going to be different .....oh ho ho, yes.

The above is a common chart, from the American Society of Jewelers (this seems to be the modern list). There are so many different charts and lists of birthstones. I always thought when I was younger that my birthstone was jasper, or bloodstone, but it turns out this is the traditional one, and I could also use aquamarine. 

Just in terms of planning I must admit I might not be able to stretch to much when it comes to April!! Traditionally it seems that the colour is the key, so a nice little cubic zirconia might just cut it.

In addition to the symbol of the month, some think that birthstones can bring luck or health to the wearer. This power is also supposed to be stronger if the stone is worn in the birthday month. I'm not sure I believe in the healing power of gemstones, but to each their own. And it can't do any harm and I can't think of a better excuse for those with an April birthday.

Do you have any jewellery in your birthstone? Have you swapped your birthstone for another symbolic stone that you liked better? Apparently lots of people do!

Look out for some gorgeous birthstone goodies listed in the shop!

More detailed information on the gorgeous January Birthstone (Garnet).
More information on the February Birthstone (Amethyst)