Autumnal Jewellery - Making Seasonal Silver Leaf Jewellery

So it’s that time of the year where there is a light thief at work and a brazen nip in the air. As sad as it is to nearly say goodbye to the lighter, warmer months, Autumn brings about such beautiful changes it is spirit-lifter of its own. As philosopher Albert Camus said, ‘Autumn is a Second Spring when every leaf is a flower.’ 

Autumn Jewellery Inspiration

The very word ‘autumnal’ conjures up so many beautiful images and one of the things I love most about this season are the turning leaves. So it was a good time this week to design a new leaf ring and pendant inspired by Autumn, especially as my sterling silver ‘Falling Leaf earrings’ have been a hit with customers.  

The Sterling Silver Jewellery Making Process

I designed a new silver leaf ring and pendant - drawing out the design, cut the pieces by hand from sterling silver sheet, then hand filed and shaped them. Then there was some fairly tricky soldering to do to bring the pieces together, but with strong coffee (and a bit of swearing) they came together just fine. Once the soldered silver pieces were cleaned up, the fun began.

With a handheld metal etching tool, I added a sparkling textural effect on the silver leaves and a geometric textural design to the silver band of the ring. (I love this versatility of this tool even though it makes an ear-shattering sound.)

The Finished Sterling Silver Leaf Jewellery

The new silver pendant and ring are aptly named ‘Turning Leaf.’ I’ve added the option of a heavy sparkling sterling silver cluster chain to the leaf pendant, but there is also the option of a sleeker silver box chain for a more understated look.

Video of Etching Sterling Silver and Final Polish

Watch the video on my YouTube channel to see the etching and final polishing of the ring… take note, you

may need to turn down the volume.  

https://youtu.be/OVTOGU2gEmA

Jewellery Inspiration - My  Fascination with Hearts 

 I have a fascination with hearts and they appear a lot in my jewellery sometimes as whole hearts, beating hearts, falling hearts, as well as love bite hearts – when it bites it can bloody hurt.

 

My sister and I used to give each other heart-inspired gifts, it might be it a heart-shaped stone, heart print or heart on a card, I have heart-inspired items dotted around the house.

Hearts are fascinating by the very fact we can hear our own heart beat, thump and race. Hearts are inspiring and provoking. Hearts can be broken and attacked but also repaired and healed. Hearts can be heartless; you can break a heart and your heart can ache and burn. 

 

But cold hearts can be warmed. Heavy hearts can be lightened. Hard hearts have the ability to soften. Closed hearts can open. As easily as it is to be half-hearted, our hearts can fill to bursting. Weak hearts can grow strong. Big hearts can sooth incomplete hearts. Hearts should be felt and always followed.

For me hearts symbolise so many things, but most importantly they can hold endless love and compassion. I love the fact all of us can ‘have a heart.’  

 

Caravan - A Novel from Cumbria

At the start of 2014, New Writing Cumbria put a call out for writers across the County to be involved in a novel with a difference. It is a collaboration where each writer had 72 hours to write their chapter. It's finished, it's entertaining and each chapter is set in a part of Cumbria that you may be quite familiar with. The novel Caravan can be downloaded for free. I wrote a chapter and enjoyed the challenge of not knowing what I was to be presented with by the previous writers and twisting the story... so here it is, enjoy

http://www.newwritingcumbria.org.uk/caravan/

Nisha P Postlethwaite is author of 'The First Sense' fiction eBook based in the Lake District and Cumbria, available from several online retailers. To find out more visit www.nppostlethwaite.com

On twitter I'm  @nppostlethwaite

Please don't forget to like The First Sense on Facebook 

The Chat - a short story by Nisha P Postlethwaite

‘Time scares me,’ said the woman to her cat. ‘I’m losing the people I love, and I’m only twenty-eight.’

The cat raised his head from his deep sleep on the bed and slowly blinked at the woman with his sea-green eyes. 

The woman blinked back at him. ‘Life frightens me,’ she said. ‘What would you do if you were in my situation? I know you’re a cat, but you seem to have it sorted.’

The cat glanced at the bedroom window; the breeze had dislodged several leaves from the tree tops and they gently danced in the sky.

The woman followed the cat’s gaze to the window. ‘You’d go out, wouldn’t you?’ Her voice sounded panicked. ‘Out there into that world?’ 

The cat turned his head and licked his coat with his spiky pink tongue.

‘Yes,’ she surmised, ‘You’d go out and face the day - face life again, and take it all in your stride and you wouldn't look back.’ The cat stretched his paws right out in front of him and one grazed the woman’s knee.

‘It's not that easy - I wish I was as calm as you,’ she said. ‘Instead I’m a stupid scaredy-cat. I am terrified of my own shadow, I'm terrified of living – I'm terrified of what could happen, and of losing it all again.’

The cat rolled onto his back and showed off his strip-striped belly; he placed his paws in the air and exposing his multi-coloured toes. They looked like pink and black coffee beans. The woman stroked his furry belly and said to the cat, ‘You’re telling me to relax and to stop over-thinking things.’ She sighed to herself.

The cat rolled onto his side and stared right at her.

‘I know you’re right,’ said the woman. ‘You’re always right. I need to enjoy the present moment and stop worrying about the future.’

The cat shut his eyes and went back to sleep. He hadn't said anything at all.

 Nisha P Postlethwaite is author of 'The First Sense' fiction eBook based in the Lake District and Cumbria, available from several online retailers. To find out more visit www.nppostlethwaite.com

On twitter I'm  @nppostlethwaite

Please don't forget to like The First Sense on Facebook