Camali Design Jewellery Blog

Hello all!

Still here, no baby yet, so here are those new summery long pendant necklaces I promised in my last post!

First up is a long pendant featuring 2 hand forged sterling hoops with a gorgeous azur blue Druzy suspended below. The stone has rough crystal like inclusions giving it sparkle and it is really stunning as a summer colour. A twist cut apatite also joins in at the top of the pendant. This one is hung on a long 30 inch ball chain and hangs quite far down on your tummy, perfect summery length!

Next up is a pendant with one of the gorgeous turquoise pendant stones I have managed to pick up - lucky, I know! This one has the most  gorgeous pattern with black, brown and blues. It is one of those I had almost though I might keep for myself! It’s suspended below a marquis shaped hand forged sterling component and joined by a smokey quartz onion shaped stone that picks up on the brown in the turquoise. Yet again a long chain, 24 inches of thick rolo chain.

Black turquoise I call this pendant necklace because of its black matrix inside vibrant blue turquoise colours. It’s hung on a simple handforged hoop with some silver granules and small turquoise rondelles as decoration. This is the blue turquoise was meant to be! Hung on a 24 inches long thick rolo chain, it is yet another great summery necklace.

Last but not least another unusual turquoise stone, this time in muted khaki greens, looks great on tanned summer skin! Suspended below a hand forged sterling drop shape decorated with a little cluster of peridot and vesuvianite, to pick up on colours in the beautiful turquoise. Hung on a patinated 24 inch ball chain. Would love to lay my hands on some cabochons in these colours, would make fabulous rings!

As usual all of these and more is available in my online shop, under the pendant section.

Next time I will show you some more Limited Edition Pieces made with silver clay that I have completed recently.

Until then, enjoy the sunshine!

Carin

Hi all!

While waitng to go into labour (!) I am keeping busy updating my web site with new products and so I thought I’d add a post or two here as well with some new pieces. This time I want to show you a couple of new sterling “tab” necklaces I made recently.

The first one is an addition to what I call my Graffiti range which features grungy textures and square shapes with contrasts such as vibrant blue topaz. This one is a dog tag style with rough patterns and lines plus various sized holes and silver granules, along with a beautiful set Swiss Blue topaz. The tab is hung on a funky bar chain which closes with a handmade hook clasp. I love the contrast of the rugged metal with its gunmetal grey patina and the pristine and bright topaz. Hope you like it too!

The second one is an addition to my Allium collection featuring cutouts in the shape of Allium flowers. I have previously made a pendant on omega chain, stud earrings and a chunky bracelet and wanted to add in a necklace, so here it is. A sterling tab was cut into giving it the Allium flower motif, then a silver granule was added before setting a 6mm Brazilian amethyst as one of the flower heads. Again, all the silver is patinated to give depth and mellowness. The bar chain closes with a handmade hook clasp.

Both necklaces are available to buy in my online jewellery shop!

Nex time I will post a few summery long pendant necklaces that are new for this summer. Some of them featuring one of a kind turquoise pendant stones, lovely!

So, for those who don’t know - I am actually due to have a baby today! But since nothing seems to be happening I am carrying on as usual with my online shop etc. If I go into labour I will of course not be able to ship orders, so bear this in mind if you want to order anything. I will still take orders and ship when I am back again.

Off to drill some beach pebbles!…

Hi all!

Today I want to share some pictures of a few new silver clay (PMC) pieces I have recently finished. I have invested in a Paragon electric kiln at last and this allows me to design and make larger and more three dimensional pieces. I have had lots of fun recently experimenting with this and am planning to combine the PMC with traditional silversmithing methods in future designs. Some designs will be part of my normal range but the majority will be one of a kind pieces, that little bit extra!

The first one is a long pendant necklace that has a fine silver (PMC) scroll with an Aboriginal pattern and a gorgeous large Peruvian Opal marquis cut stone drop. The pendant is hung on a rolo chain, interspersed with Labradorite and Amazonite, which closes with a handmade hook clasp and measures over 30 inches long.

The second new piece involved dry slab construction which means that I created all the pieces flat first and then assembled the whole thing before firing. This necklace is a short necklace with a box style pendant (it doesn’t open!)  featuring a Japanese tree motif in a flower pattern frame with a carved edge. The back and sides have the same flower pattern and the back has a Camali Design plaque attached. The pendant is hung from 2 bails that were fired in place, onto a very opulent and luxurious strand of juicy Ruby and cool Tanzanite along with an array of fine silver beads, most of which are Thai made. This necklace measures about 17 inches and extends another inch and a half and closes with a figure 8 lobster clasp. I have taken a few more photos of this one to show the different sides of it:

Both of these pieces will shortly be available to buy in my online shop under the Limited Edition section and they will mostly be made as one of a kinds but some can be replicated.

Many more new PMC and sterling designs will come over the coming months, so watch this space! Until next time…

Finally, here they are! I have promised pictures of these vibrant blue summery brangle bracelets for a while and here they are:

Handmade using sterling silver, Greek silver beads and awsome glass by Isabelle Anderson, these are set to be a hit now the summer is finally showing some promise of arriving soon. I always get a lot of attention for this style of bangle and with these gorgeous colours who can resist them?! They are both available in my online jewellery shop on the bracelet page and there is only one of each, so get in quick if you want one of these. I will be making more and they will be very similar but never exactly the same, the beauty of handmade and artisan produced materials.

Hi again!

I decided it was time to clear a little bit of space for new designs and so I am having a BIG SALE on my web site! There are necklaces, pendants, bracelets and earrings and they are all around 40-50% off. There is only one left of each item so get in there quick if you are set on something in particular.

This is a great opportunity to grab yourself some bargains or maybe get a brilliant present for someone! They are all shipped in gift boxes ready to give away.

PLEASE NOTE: Discount codes are not applicable to sale items, as they are already reduced substantially. If you would like to buy items from both the SALE section and other items from my shop please make separate purchases and I will refund double shipping charges after you have made your purchases.

BIG SALE on my web site

Hi all!

Just to let you all know that I was featured in the Western Morning News on the 19th of April. It is a local newspaper covering Cornwall and Devon and comes out once a week.

I was called by them a couple of months back, and was asked if I would like to have a feature on my jewellery to appear in the paper and of course, I said yes! I got interviewed and sent through photos etc. Then I waited to hear back about when it would be out, and to my great surprise a lady called me yesterday to ask if they could come by to view my jewellery. So that’s how I found out that I had been featured which, although a bit unexpected, is very nice indeed! Any publicity is obviously greatly appreciated and if I am lucky it will lead to a few more sales as a consequence.

Unfortunately there were a couple of little misunderstandings in the article which I hope won’t cause too much trouble. It makes out that I use antique silver in my jewellery, when what I actually do is use new silver that is then antiqued for a gunmetal grey patina which gives the silver a slight vintage or industrial look. They also mention that I use etching, which is not actually true. I only use stamps and hammers for texture and although etching is bound to be included in my techniques at some point I don’t actually use it currently.

Anyway, here is the article online (no photos as there were in the actual newspaper though) , for you to read

Jewellery is designed to be an eye-catching combination of both the old and the new

Oh, and those brangle bracelets are coming soon, promise!

I have been making so called brangle bracelet for a while, previously using beach pebbles and handcast silver beads. These proved to be very popular and so I have now made a new design of these using pebbles and Greek silver beads instead. I also have recently aquired some absolutely stunning handmade glass tumblestone beads from extremely talented Welsh glass artist Isabelle Anderson, so I thought I’d show you 2 of these new ones.

Firstly though, here is the Cornish pebbles brangle bracelet which is made using very thick silver wire for the base and the swan clasp. I have drilled pebbles and combined these with handmade silver coil and Greek silver spacer beads. These Greek beads are also a new addition to me. They are actually high fired terracotta dipped in pure copper and then fine silver which means they are coated in a very thick layer of fine silver. They take patina really well as well so that’s a bonus as I use that in all my jewellery.

Now for the new exciting ones! These two are made using handmade glass tumble beads in aqua blue shades. They were combined with Greek silver spacers and silver coil and made on the same thick silver frames and swan clasps. The beads are absolutely stunning, gorgeous detail and vibrant colour. They are perfect for summer

The first one is called Aqua Pebble Brangle Bracelet:

Next up is the Azur Pebble Brangle Bracelet:

They are both available to buy in my online shop, but they are one of a kinds, so you need to get in there quick if you fancy one.

I am also going to make more of these in cobalt and indigo blue and greys/purples, so keep looking back! Until next time…

Just a quick post today, as I am preparing for a show this weekend at Trereife Park, where I will have a stand selling my jewellery.

Today I am sharing a small bit of my new work. I have recently been working on stone setting of various types and also started doing some lost wax casting. The rings below are made using the technique and I call the range “Molten”. I am really chuffed with these, they have real organic quality and I love the chunkiness of them. I will also be starting to set stones into these kinds of rings and overlay with more metal as well, so keep looking back for more! There will also be pieces with set stones soon.

Anyway, back to prep for the weekend, hope the weather is on our side and we have a great one! Hope you do too!

Cheers,

Carin

It’s been a while again! I have been really busy leading up to the Christmas events that I am doing down here in Cornwall. I have done Christmas markets at Falmouth, Fowey, Trelissick Gardens, Truro Late Night shopping and now remains only this weekend coming. On Saturday I will be at the Christmas Street Market in Truro and on Sunday at the Last Chance Event at Lemon Quay, also in Truro. After that I will have a lovely break over Christmas, which I am spending with the family in Sweden and then I will be in Austria for a week over New Year, also with family.

I wanted to show you some of my latest pieces that are made using only sterling silver, which is a bit unusual for me, being an avid fan of all the gorgeous gemstones available. It is always, however, nice to do something different every now and then and here is the result of this from the past month or so. I have had great feedback on these pieces and most of them are now sold, but I will be doing many more of these all silver designs in the New Year.

The Silver Petal earrings and pendant are simple and modern. They were made from silver sheet which was cut into petal shapes, then lightly domed using a dapping block and finally hung from hand made silver rings onto a modern ball chain. The silver has been oxidised and hand brushed and polished to obtain the gunmetal grey earthy patina that I love so much. I will be doing loads of new designs similar to these as soon as I get back in the New Year.

I have also been making some simple loops using thick silver wire that has been shaped, planished and hung simply on hand made earwires. These Loop Earrings are great everyday staples and again, more of the same will come soon!

Finally a pair of earrings that I absolutely love myself (would have kept these for myself had I not sold them before Christmas…). The Graffiti Earrings were made using tabs of silver sheet that I made holes in, textured with an interesting pattern and assembled together with hand made silver jump rings. They are hung on simple hand made earwires and have lovely movement when worn due to the “hinged” effect that the rings give. As usual the silver has been oxidised to bring out the  texture and add character.

Well, since I doubt I will have time to blog any more this year, I will take this opportunity of wishing you a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in 2009!

Just thought I’d share a couple of pairs of earrings I made recently. They are very representative of the kind of work I do now, I am really into using silver sheet in my designs. I also love texturing, so stamping and dapping feature strongly in many new pieces. I still use my passion for gemstones by combining the two in almost all designs.

The first one is a pair of earrings that I made to match my Garnet Tab pendant necklace, and so I called these Garnet Tab as well. These earrings feature a thick hand cut silver tab that has been slightly domed and oxidised, together with rondelles of flashy labradorites and beautiful high quality deep red garnet nugget. The garnet is from a new supplier I found recently and are of a truly stunning quality (AAA).

The second pair of earrings are called Moon Flash after the pendant that they match. Again a hand cut rectangle of silver sheet has been stamped with my “grunge” stamp (my favourite!) and oxidised for character. A next to perfect Champagne Citrine was wire wrapped to the bottom and the earrings are hung on ball and post style earrings. I love the contrast of the perfectly clear and richly coloured citrine briolette and the industrial looking silver.

Unfortunately both of these earrings are now sold, but can be requested again as can most of my designs. I usually do something that isn’t exactly the same so that every piece is different.

The last piece I wanted to show you today is a new bracelet I made the other week. It’s an all silver piece, which is a little unusual for me, as I don’t do many of those. I like gemstones too much! Anyway, I have used large ovals of sterling sheet that I hand stamped with my “grunge” stamp and then domed slightly to make them lie snugly around the wrist. The ovals were then assembled together using oval silver jump rings. The clasp is also a first for me, it’s magnetic! I have never used these, wasn’t sure it they were going to be strong enough, but I am now confident that these are. They are oval and quite chunky and matches the silver ovals perfectly. This bracelet is very comfortable to wear with it’s slightly domed ovals and looks brilliant on. This bracelet is still available to buy in my online shop.