Tiaras, Tiaras, Tiaras

The pics shown are recent work I have completed either as commissions or work I've done for the revamped Tiara website - I've been working hard, hard and hard on finishing the relaunch of Tiaraonline - why is it that as soon as you get into the home straight of something when you've worked really hard that suddenly you seem to run out of steam? Anyway, I have that in the pipeline and also I have various new jewellery pieces for SLC Designs site to go on shortly - just got to get the technical wizard to finish that for me - I did try at one point to do all that stuff myself - but I think my brain is just not wired that way and ended up that I still did the creative stuff and the photography, and Mark ended up doing the technical end; anyway, I have finished lots of new stuff for the Tiara site - including working on several fresh 'heirloom' pieces which include vintage or antique costume jewellery, making them both interesting and impossible to recreate, which I just love because I like to work on just one of something then move on!

Flora Heirloom Tiara

This is Flora Heirloom Tiara - I'm really pleased with this one!!

Made with a 1930's cold painted enamelled brooch and a pair of 1950's cold enamel and diamanted earrings; I embellished with handmade glass leaves, Swarovski crystal, Czech glass, Venetian glass, freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystal pearls, rocailles and goldplated wire - the band is handmade and finished with rose gold lined frosted seed beads/rocailles.

New Earrings

Freshwater Pearls, Amethyst, Turquoise, Sterling

Competition Winner

Today I drew the competition winner for August 09 - the winner is Patricia Flanaghan, and her jewellery will be on the way to her shortly. Thanks to everyone who participated - this is something I will be doing again, so keep an eye on the site!

Currenty Reading....

This is what I am currently reading....

Dark Fire by C. J. Sansom - this is the second book in Sansom's 'Shardlake' series and if you have not yet read these, then you are in for such a treat.  Basically a medieval lawyer (Shardlake) becomes embroiled in and solves complex cases and mysteries, each one of these books is beautifully written with fabulous period detail and its a great thick wedge of a book too so you don't have to let go of the characters too soon - my only wish is that there were more in the series, but I am sure the author is working on this!   The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman - this is wonderful, I loved it.  Starts off with a weird geeky character who develops an unconventional time machine - its so well written and the story is absorbing and quirky. 
 
Monarchy: England and Her Rulers from the Tudors to the Windsors by David Starkey - interesting, vivid and well written; a great starting point for learning about the monarch of your choice from which you could go on to do further reading; another good one by Starkey (even though I find his writing a bit dry sometimes).

After Elizabeth: The Death of Elizabeth and the Coming of King James by Leanda de Lisle; anything and everything about this monarch is on my reading list and this author has gone for the end of her reign and the transferrence of power to James I; everyone seems to think of Elizabeth I in the height of her powers as 'Gloriana' and this deals with her decline, her death, and the political ramifications of her constantly refusing to name a successor.  Great detail, an interesting read about a subject that very few authors have touched on so far.

My Friend Lisa's Wedding

My friend Lisa married Paul today.