New Work...

Turquoise and Gold-Fill...

Green Amethyst and Gold-Fill, Gold Plated Birdies and Sterling Silver Posts

Peridot, Mother of Pearl and Fire Opal

Zircon and Gold-Fill...

Beautiful Rock Crystal and Gold-Fill

Freshwater Pearls, Zircon, Rock Crystal and Sterling Silver...

Turquoise, Sterling Silver and Garnet...

Chalcedony, Vermeil and Gold-Fill...

Topaz and Gold Fill...

Fighting With...

I cannot belive such a long time has gone by since my last post, especially as I began the year practically blogging every day!!  Sometimes there's loads to report on, and other times not so much, though this quiet period in my blog has mostly been caused by health issues - my Rheumatoid Arthritis has raised its ugly head once more and I just haven't had the energy to blog recently, and hey, who wants to hear about this bone hurting more than that one?  I sure don't and I'm pretty sure you don't either.  I've just been doing quite a lot of burrowing into my pillows and bed, reading and not a lot else, though I did manage to sneak off to my favourite health spa, Ragdale Hall last week for some much needed TLC.   It was lovely as always and I felt a lot better mentally if not physically for having had a bit of pampering.

I had thought I'd get away with sneaking off without anyone noticing, only to be updated by Mark that I had an avalanche of orders stacking up...this made me feel really guilty for being away, but he managed it and I want to thank everyone who was willing to wait a few days whilst I was away.  Usually I put a big message at the front of the site, and to be honest I forgot.  Apologies.  In any case, the avalanche is dealt with now, and I'm clear of outstanding orders so my conscience is salved.

I've been doing loads of cooking in the past several weeks, I suddenly got the bug for it and its nice to do other creative stuff, and I do think of cooking as creative.   I made the most AMAZING chocolate cake for Father's Day and had Mum and Dad over for dinner - alas I forgot to take any photos, so you'll have to take my word for it, but I love to cook....eventually we plan to knock a wall out to the side of the kitchen and make a much larger one but that's all in the pipeline under 'Manyana' because I have a horror of home construction projects as its a strong childhood memory that my parents must have been the original property developers; we moved a lot, and every house we lived in, my Dad was always knocking down walls, building extensions and putting new roofs on....its not at all that it was awful, its just anytime I think of all that dust and mess I start gibbering.

Well, we've adopted ANOTHER new pussycat; we had a bit of a tragedy as you know when lovely Blue died a while back and we adopted Harley who is lovely and cute but he immediately bonded to me rather than to Mark; so Mark was on the look-out for another cat and we've adopted Bailey, previously 'Ghost' who needed rehoming as the little boy to whom he belonged was allergic to him in a major way - Bailey is a Tiffanie cat (no, we'd never heard of the breed either) and as you can see from the pics, he is beyond beautiful.  Apparently Mark is a cat snob, because all the other three are mogs - the three have all bonded to me of course, and Mark is working on Bailey to get him to bond to him.  Bailey isn't actually living with us as yet because it turned out he had some sort of cat virus which we didn't fancy giving to our other cats so at present he is at Mark's Mum's on quarantine until we get the all-clear which shouldn't be too long away now.

The one thing I do know about my cats and Merlin my horse is they all instinctively sense when I am not well and do their own thing to try and look after me.   Harley likes to lie right against me and purr very very hard into me; it does make me feel better, because that sort of unconditional love is very very special.

So, its four cats now, and that is absolutely the limit - its a nice number and certainly the three we have in the house now make it feel full, like a home, as there's always something going on, and they bring warmth and happiness to the house.

I have been doing some new work and although I can't make promises as to when it will go on the site, where it does there will be lots of new pieces to look at - I've also got lots of fresh vintage stuff as well, but of course the progress of all that is health dependent.


I hope you'll forgive the total silence, and hopefully I can make up for it soon.


Love, Stephanie x

New Work

A selection of my latest creations waiting to go on the website...

Chalcedony and Vermeil Necklace

Venetian Glass, Swarovski Crystal, Vermeil and Silk Necklace

Arizona Turquoise, Green Amethyst, Coin Freshwater Pearl, Gold-Filled Wire and Chain Necklace

Multi-Gems and Gold-Fill Bracelet 

 New York Love Earrings - Swarovski Crystal and Gold-Fill Wire, Chain and Earring Fittings 

 

Turquoise and Gold-Fill Earrings 

Chalcedony, Vermeil and Gold-Fill Earrings 

Light Amethyst, Dark Amethyst, Green Amethyst, Vermeil Earrings 

Green Amethyst, Gold-Fill, Larimar Earrings 

Vermeil, Chalcedony, Gold-Fill Earrings 

Topaz, Gold-Fill Earrings 

Venetian Glass, Swarovski Crystal, Vermeil, Gold-Fill Earrings 

Murano Glass, Swarovski Crystal, Vermeil and Gold-Fill Earrings

Site Updated...

I've just updated the site, take a look at www.slcdesigns.co.uk for my new work...and here's a sneak preview...

New Work

Finally, I seem to be getting on top of some of the work I've been doing in the past couple of months, ready to go on the site - having come home with a hoard of stuff from Tucson, and most of that for BeadAddict, I've had to put creativity to one side apart from the few chances I've had for sneaking up the wooden stairs to the studio and putting this lot together - I am hoping the new stuff will be on the site before I head off for New York over the weekend with my Mum, but we shall see if time permits - in the meantime, here is a quick preview of a few new pieces of work (clearly, I've been in a 'blue' mood...).  Have a lovely day x

Recent Work...

Some of my latest creations.....

Swarovski crystal pearls, fabulous crystal encrusted clasp, Swarovski crystal beads, gold plated findings.  Available in lots of colours...

Swarovski crystal, sterling silver, lots of patience!

Ditto....

Hematine, Coral, Freshwater Pearls, Goldfilled chain and wire.

 I originally did this bracelet as a free with purchase kit for my other website, BeadAddict but liked it enough to offer it as a completed item on SLC Designs - it features Czech glass, Agate pebbles, Swarovski crystal, Magatama beads, seed beads and gold plated findings.

'Wheat Ear' freshwater pearls and sterling silver.  One of those pieces you can wear anywhere.  I am waiting for this same pearl to arrive from the manufacturers in various other colours.

Sapphire (which occurs in various colours) with sterling silver.   I bought these stones in my first trip to Tucson five years ago.

Fine London Blue Topaz with gold-filled wire; I just love this colour of blue - I bought these beautiful faceted briolettes in London (fittingly) several years ago - I also have some gorgeous Swiss Blue Topaz, which is a lighter blue, but every bit as fab.Carved coral flowers.

Dainty faceted multi-coloured Tourmaline 'hearts' wrapped with gold-filled wire on gold-filled leverback (pierced) earring fittings; the colours go with everything! 

Faceted freshwater pearls, sterling silver, Swarovski crystal.

Aquamarine (in various colours), handmade fairtrade Karen tribe silver (purer than sterling silver), Rose Quartz, faceted Peridot, sterling silver.

Keishi pearls and sterling silver; this was originally a commission by a regular customer for his daughter, again a lovely pearl necklace with a contemporary twist - I used to offer this necklace in gold before the price of precious metals made it impossible to do so.

A woven freshwater pearl beaded bead, Swarovski crystal and sterling silver - I made this necklace originally for some of my friends at the stable-yard and then was asked to make it for the website.

Rubies, London Blue Topaz, a sterling silver heart wrapped with gold-filled wire on a gold-filled chain and clasp.

Mother of pearl, freshwater pearls, coral, gold filled wire and fittings.

Multi coloured Tourmaline, a matte gold plated bird charm and gold filled wire, chain and findings.  I love this because its so dainty and delicate.

Deep red Garnet with silvery freshwater pearls and sterling silver; the original piece was made for a friend with a January birthday. Swarovski crystal and sterling silver.

Ametrine - a combination of Amethyst and Citrine with Amethyst ellipse shapes and sterling silver with a a sterling hook-style clasp.

Coral, freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystal, Rose Quartz, sterling silver.