Yesterday I shared some tips for taking care of the jewellery you’re wearing during the summer, here’s how I look after my silver chains and components before they leave the workshop! ⛓️ Silver tarnish is caused by a chemical reaction, primarily with sulphur-containing gases in the air, that creates a dark layer on the surface. If I were to leave any silver out on my bench then it would start to get a yellowy tinge within a week or so, and would begin to really tarnish within a fortnight. Sometimes this happens much more quickly. So how do I prevent it? With proper and careful storage; out of the air and out of the light. Now I know we are conditioned to regard plastic as the enemy these days, and I agree it is not the most desirable material to use, but paper bags sadly just don’t cut it when it comes to preventing discolouration on silver. I use the thickest sealable bags I can find (made from recycled plastic so I can redeem some environmentally friendly credentials there) and keep my silver in those, along with an anti-tarnish patch. You need to keep an eye on the bags because if they begin to degrade over time then they won’t prevent the air getting to your metal, but I have stored my silver this way for years and can confirm it works. I don’t just use it for storing chain either - all my other components are kept out of the light in sealable containers, and my finished pieces are stored in the same plastic bags, in drawers. I even include a small bag and anti-tarnish patch with every single order I send out too, so that you can continue to keep your silver jewellery bright and shiny long after you’ve purchased it. For more information on looking after your jewellery and avoiding things like tarnish, there’s a ‘care tips’ highlight below my bio and a page about it on my website 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #makingjewellery #jewellerymakingtips #jewelrymakingtips #jewelrytips

Make sure you take extra care of your jewellery this summer, especially if it’s handmade! ⚒️☀️ The UK is currently in the grip of a heatwave, and the arrival of this hot weather seems a good time to share a few tips to help make sure your jewellery doesn’t wilt or suffer in such conditions. Anything made of metal might seem far more durable than perhaps we as people are, but there are still some things to bear in mind - and that whole ‘waterproof’ nonsense that some companies have been peddling lately will rarely apply to anything that’s been handmade and/or has stones in! The main threat in summer will be tarnishing. Any jewellery that is made with sterling silver in particular will be susceptible to this; it’s a gradual darkening in colour and loss of lustre. The process is known as oxidisation and will occur naturally with prolonged exposure to the air. However, many things can actively accelerate this reaction, including perfumes, hand sanitisers, cosmetics, and cleaning products (especially bleaches). Even the natural body oils and sweat on a person’s skin, their hormones and certain medications can cause silver to discolour and tarnish faster than expected. But when you add in things like sunscreen, saltwater and high UV exposure, the likelihood of it happening increases somewhat! Hopefully these tips will be a helpful reminder, and if you have any more to add please feel free to do so in the comments! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #jewellerycare #jewelrycare #jewelrycaretips

In the pink! 💕 The most recently finished pendant in the workshop is this beautiful oblong-shaped Imperial Jasper in a bespoke silver setting. The pattern on the reverse of the backplate was created using a steel texture plate in my rolling mill, and as soon as I’d done it I remembered why I don’t do it more often - it took ages to get it perfectly flat again in order to solder on the bezel surround. Worth it though! This one is available, along with the other few I’ve finished recently. I’m going to wait until I’ve made a few more and list them on my website all together, but you’re welcome to DM if you’d like to snag any before they get that far! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #oneofakindjewellery #handmadejewellery #statementjewelry #jaspernecklace

Can you believe we’re almost halfway through 2026 already? 😳 Here’s a few clips from my year so far! Highlights have included making jewellery, writing my book, teaching sea glass courses at @jewellersacademybrighton, continuing my efforts to learn how to sail, and enjoying walks along the beach and being in my garden. Over the second half of the year I’m looking forward to spending summer with my family, officially hitting my mid-forties, starting the Diploma In Wax Jewellery in September, and finally finishing all the updates I’ve been making to my website. What are you hoping to achieve over the next six months?🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #behindthescenes

A short sea glass story; before and after! 🌊 How it would have started life, how the sea leaves it after a few decades, and what I do with it after I find it. Hope you’re enjoying a peaceful Sunday, whatever you’re up to! 🙃 Kelly x #seaglass #seaglassjewelry #handmadejewellery #seaglassjewellery #jewellerymaker

This is one of the most-used jewellery making tools in my workshop, and it makes an appearance in almost all of my longer process reels ⚒️ It’s called a ‘Mitre Jig’ or ‘Cutting Vice’ and is used for getting perfectly level and flush ends on metal, as well as achieving certain angles. I still struggle to sand or file edges straight by eye, so this little gadget has been a game-changer. It was the tool that helped me get the 45 degree angles needed for the silver book locket I made for my final Diploma project, but I most commonly use it for ring bands and bezel settings. One extra piece of advice that I was once given on here by an older and wiser jeweller; never use sandpaper on these. Files are fine (I have a couple of flat files that I keep especially for using with the jig) but sandpaper can, and will, spoil the surface and then render the whole tool ineffective. For those who wish to know, I got mine from @cooksongold A super useful workshop aid that is another of my ‘top ten’ tools of all time! 🙌 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #jewelrytools #jewellerytools

Ta daa! 🤩 Here’s that’s gorgeous Horse Canyon Moss Agate stone I shared earlier in the week, now the centrepiece in a handmade sterling and fine silver pendant ⚒️ Please ignore the rather unsexy plaster (bandaid) on my thumb. I somehow sliced it on the edge of the bezel wire whilst sanding the setting. It’s not the first time I’ve suffered for my art this way, so I really must remember to wear alligator tape in future! 🐊 I do absolutely love this stone though. Reminds me of seaweed! 🌊 The pendant is still available, currently on a 20” chain. Will try and get it listed with photos this weekend but do DM if you want to snag it beforehand. Have a fabulous Friday! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #statementpendant #oneofakindjewellery

I’ve been testing these sanding rolls for a while now and have decided they’re a keeper in tool-terms! 🙌⚒️ Previously I’ve always been more of a fan of manual methods and used sanding sticks (still do, in many situations) But I had seen lots of other jewellers using these mandrels and thought it was time I had a go too, and I love how they speed up the process. I got myself a pack in a range of grits all the way from 180 to 2000 and they’re clearly labelled too, which helps massively! Verdict; quick and easy. Like very much 😁 And for those wanting to know about the extractor, that’s something else that makes the process a lot more comfortable as I no longer have to wear a respirator to protect my lungs when sanding and polishing. I have the JewelXtract from @vodexextraction and you can get 5% off orders with them using the code WILLOW at checkout. The sanding rolls I bought from @cooksongold 🙃 Kelly xx ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #jewellerytools #jewelrytools #polishingjewellery

A blue swirly sea glass marble, wrapped in a band of silver to become wearable treasure. I love the patterns in these - they look just like tiny little planets to me! 🙃🌊🪐🧜‍♀️ Kelly x #jewellerymaker #seaglasslove #seaglassmarble #marbleous #seaglassjewellery

My next work in progress… ⚒️🌿 I have decided to step back from trying to develop a repeatable collection for a week or two and focus on creating some more ‘one of a kind’ pieces. I have always loved working with beautiful stones like this one; not least because no two are exactly the same, meaning the resulting jewellery is truly unique too. Having a repeatable collection is much better for SEO and longer-term visibility when you sell online, but nothing scratches that creative itch in quite the same way as making a piece of jewellery that can never be repeated. There’s just something so special about that for me, even if the whole process takes longer! Make sure you’re following along to see what this one turns into… 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #whatimworkingon #oneofakindjewellery

Double-tap if you agree 💕 There’s nothing quite like handmade, especially if you want something that’s one IN a million, not one OF a million 🫶 Hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend! Kelly xx Photo taken by the amazing @iamvickiknights 📷 #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #artisanmade #handmadejewelry

When it comes to heavier-weight chains for jewellery, I prefer to make up my own from loose spools ⛓️ (Belcher chain is my favourite, for those wondering about which styles I use) This is not only less costly than buying chains pre-assembled, but it allows me to have any length I wish, and I can always be sure that the clasps work properly and the jump rings are attached securely. The downside of soldering is that not only do you have to pickle and polish everything each time, but there is a greater risk of the torch melting the chain or damaging the mechanism of the clasp. This is especially the case when you’re restricted to using handheld torches like I am 🔥 The Helix Micro Welder has been a game changer for this task, as it’s quicker, easier, and arguably gives a better result too. I’ve been slowly getting grips with mine over the last few months and absolutely LOVE it 😍 Full disclosure; @pepetools_usa very generously sent me this machine to try out in return for my honest feedback, but I would have no hesitation in saying it’s now in my top ten tools 🙌 Probably in my top five, if we’re judging the list on things I love because they make my life easier! And welding jump rings is really only the most basic job this thing can do. It can also ball up wire for pinning, tack pieces together prior to soldering, fix porosity and help with repairs. It also doesn’t take up much space at all. It usually lives on the very corner of my soldering bench and I only put it on the main bench to film this demo. As I said, I’ve only just begun discovering what it’s capable of - let me know what else you would like to see me try! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #jewelrytools #jewellerytools #microwelding

How to set up and use the Dremel Versatip for soldering jewellery! ⚒️🔥 I’ve been asked about this a lot again recently after I shared a reel on the torches I use, so here’s a guide to the smallest one for those of you who wanted it! [This is NOT an ad or a sponsored post, I just legit love this tool and think all jewellers who use handhelds need to know about it! 🙃] I’ve been using one of these for many years now, and would still put it up there as one of my top five tools because of how much stress and time it has saved me. As I’ve said many times, I’m not able have tank or hose torches in my studio and so I am restricted to handheld butane ones only at the moment. I’m also not interested in which types of torches might be considered ‘better’, just sharing what is available to me and the alternative options I have found that work best! I’ve not found them to be particularly limiting in terms of what I can make, but a regular handheld torch is often a bit ‘too much’ for the smaller soldering tasks like jump rings, clasps and chain links. That’s where the Versatip has proven to be so valuable. It has a finer and more direct flame (still hot, at max temp 1200 deg C) so it’s just perfect for anything that needs precision more than power. It actually has a multitude of different capabilities (which are the reason for all the extra attachments), but I have to confess I’ve never tested out any of those. For me as a jeweller, just being able to solder silver with it is all I want or need! 🙃 And if you want your own, you can get them on Amazon. Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #jewelrytools #jewellerytools

Making a silver ‘book’ pendant! ⚒️📖 This was the final project I did for the Diploma In Silver Jewellery last year. I went live earlier with Jess from @jewellersacademy to chat about my time on the course, and what I’m looking forward to most when I start the Wax Jewellery Diploma in September, and thought I’d share my last (and favourite) project again. This little locket will always be one of the pieces I am most proud of, and looking back over the process now I can still say it’s one of the things I most enjoyed too. It took me a whole week to create and I was so pleased it all worked out exactly as I saw it in my head - especially as I didn’t take the time to create any prototypes in copper first, which might have been the more sensible route! 🫣 It has the Roman numerals for 2025 down the spine, and the Latin words ‘Ad Altiora Tendo’ on the reverse which means ‘I strive for higher things’ or seek to improve myself. Both of these details felt appropriate to add on the ultimate piece I made for the course. I think I included most of the stages in this reel, but it’s difficult to cover a week’s worth of work in just a couple of minutes and looking back now I can’t even remember doing some of the steps! I still need to get it assayed and Hallmarked, but haven’t plucked up the courage to send it away again yet. It will never be sold, but that will be a lovely detail to have added for posterity’s sake. Diplomas are closing for enrolment this Friday so you don’t have long to decide if you are thinking about signing up for one too. I’m always happy to answer questions if you wish to ask me anything. Hand on heart, that Diploma really was one of the best things I could have done for myself and my business, both professionally and personally. I can’t wait to start another! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #silverlocket #handmadejewelry #howitsmade

How I make my sea glass bezel-set pendants! 🌊⚒️ I’ve been making them in pretty much same way for a few years now, and most of what I’ve learned about working with this magical material is the result of a lot of practice, trial and error - and a great many mistakes! I sort of figured it all out as I went along, and whilst that took me quite a while, it also taught me a lot about the particular nuances of using sea glass; what works and what doesn’t. But I would also never claim that my way is the best way, and I’m always on the lookout for new and improved methods and never averse to embracing alternative approaches. I’m sure there are plenty out there still, and I believe that’s how we grow and ultimately keep getting better. Just because you’ve been doing something a certain way for years, doesn’t mean there isn’t a better way. And just because you’ve been doing something for the longest time, doesn’t automatically make you the best at it either. I don’t do things quite the same way now as I did five years ago, and in five years time I’ll probably find myself adopting a slightly different approach again. And if I do discover better, easier or more efficient ways of doing anything, I promise to always come back and let you know! 🙃 Kelly xx ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #jewellerymaker #seaglassjewelry #seaglassjewellery #howitsmade #handmadejewellery

Sawing out a copper leaf and using my new saw frame for the first time! ⚒️🍂 You probably won’t be too surprised to hear that she’s an absolute dream to use. The perfect size and weight for my hands, with such a lovely balance. Just like my original saw frame, but somehow better; although that may be purely psychological and likely has a great deal to do with the beautiful pink handle and silver frame… For those who didn’t see my previous reel, the saw is a custom Baller Series by @greenlionsawframe And her name is Lucille 🙃💕 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #sawpiercing #handmadejewellery #howitsmade

Oh my goodness - how often do you start things that you think will be a ‘quick job’ and then it takes most of the day?! 😵‍💫😂 I’ve been slowly updating my website over the last few weeks and today decided that my ‘image gallery’ needed a refresh, since it was probably at least three years out of date. I’ve got better quality images now (both of myself and my work) so it was high time it got a makeover. But boy, did I underestimate that one. Had the bright idea of creating a multi-shaped collage this time instead of the simple squares I had before, which meant everything needed a bit more planning and placement. Started around 1pm with a break for dinner, and I’ve literally just finished… 🫣 Quite pleased with the result though. If you want to check it out I do recommend using a desktop. The mobile browser puts the images back to square with only two side-by-side… which will make for a rather long scroll! Hope you’ve had a lovely weekend too, whatever you’ve been up to! Kelly xx

What do you think? 🤔⚒️ Do these earrings work better as original rectangles or as a more curved design? I’m still working through my current stock and rather enjoying the challenge of up-cycling and giving older pieces a bit of a makeover, but the downside is there will be additional work involved with taking new photos and amending the website descriptions. So though I’d ask what you think first, since I don’t actually wear dangly earrings that often and I’m (clearly) a terrible judge of what other people might like! Let me know if I should keep going with this idea, and bonus points if you can think of a good way to describe them other than ‘bent oblongs…’ 🫣🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #silverearrings #reducereuserecycle #floralearrings

Sometimes the most useful things in a workshop are the simplest! ⚒️ I always have a roll or two of masking tape beside the bench when making jewellery. It’s slightly stronger and has a better hold than painter’s tape, and you can also write on it, so it makes a handy guide for sizing things like bracelets as you can mark down the measurements. Just be careful not to leave it stuck to anything for too long, as it can leave a gummy residue that you have to clean off. Sometimes I find that can happen if I leave it stuck to pliers for a while, but a bit of white spirit will quickly remove anything I can’t get off with a regular cloth. Hope this is helpful. If you have any other (legit and sensible) uses for it, do add them in the comments! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerytools #jewelrytips #jewelrymakingtips #jewellerytips #jewelrytools

Making space! ⚒️ I know we’re fast moving into summer, but I’m currently have a big old Spring Clean of my inventory and sorting through some of my older stock. I’ve been in the process of updating and refreshing my website and branding for some time now, and have started to move on to the actual jewellery pieces themselves. There’s far too much, and a lack of real cohesion, so I’m trying to be ruthless and give everything one big overhaul as I come up with new collections and designs. I really don’t like the idea of melting stuff down or destroying anything that has taken hours to craft, so I’m trying to re-purpose and upcycle what I can and give things a second chance as something different. Turning pendants into earrings is such an easy way to do this, so that’s where I’m starting. I’ll probably keep this particular pair (I’ve tried them on now so that means I have to… 😜) but there will be several more on the way. Do keep a lookout for future posts if you prefer earrings to necklaces as there will be a variety available - and once they’re gone I won’t be re-making anything again! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #silverearrings #reducereuserecycle

Sometimes I invest in certain tools because they are beautiful as well as functional; I now have an heirloom-quality saw frame which I intend to use to create heirloom-quality jewellery! ⚒️ I’ve been wanting a custom GreenLion frame ever since I first saw them, and after several years of hard work I’ve finally got one. Commissioned and handmade for me by the brilliant BJ of GreenLion Studios (@greenlionsawframe) it’s one-of-a-kind and feels truly special. Well worth saving up for! I’ve been a loyal user of these saws since the beginning and find them to be just the perfect size and weight for my hands. I can’t wait to use this one, and one day when I am finally done making jewellery, it won’t even have time to touch the bench before being picked up and adopted by my daughter Lucy. I know this because she has already laid claim to it and told me it’s destined to be hers next. And somehow that just makes me love it even more! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #jewellerytools #handmadejewellery #greenlion #greenlionsawframe

Packaging matters! 🎁 I spend hours and hours crafting my jewellery pieces, and I will always present them with the same level of care and consideration. And beautiful packaging doesn’t have to be expensive. I ordered these Kraft boxes from @tinyboxcompany when I first started my business because they were the cheapest and simplest boxes in their range. I wasn’t 100% sure about my branding at that time and wanted something that was neutral in colour and of good quality, but still adaptable and easily customisable. Seven years on I’m still using them. I have been lasering my boxes recently to brand them with my logo, since I have the machine to do it, but I used to use stickers or pop a business card on top, tied with ribbon. Packaging may seem expensive when you have to buy all the initial components, but when you break it down into cost per item it’s really not so much. The entire packaging cost for each piece of jewellery I send out is less than £2; and that includes everything from boxes and tissue paper to ribbon, business cards and gift tags, a thank-you note, stickers, care leaflet, storage bag with anti-tarnish strip and the outer wrapping. In fact, the cost of the packaging I use works out at less than half the cost of the postage with Royal Mail now. If you want to try these boxes or anything else from @tinyboxcompany you can use the code WILLOWANDTWIGG10 to get 10% off each order you place on their website - and that’s for anything, not just the boxes I choose to use. The biggest cost in my packaging choices is probably the time it takes me to wrap and send each piece; but that’s always a price I consider well worth paying! 🙃 Kelly xx Ad | Brand Ambassador 📦 #jewellerymaker #handmadebusiness #giftboxes #jewelleryboxes #jewellerypackaging

All the things I use when soldering to hold my work in place! ⚒️🔥 I’ve never been a fan of the traditional ‘third hand’ device and have always found they were hard to set in position and would move out of place when the torch came in and the metal started to heat up. A while back I went off on something of a side-quest to find a better alternative, and this post documents my findings. I’ve shared it once before a few months ago, but have been asked about some of these items several times since, so I’m sharing it again. Let me know which of these you love (or loathe) most, and if there is anything you’d like to see in more detail in a post of its own. I’ve also now included this guide as a Blog post on my website, complete with all the links to the tools in question. So if you’d like to know where I got things, head over there and check it out. There’s a link in my bio. Have a fabulous Friday! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #makingjewelry #metalsmith #makingjewellery #soldering

Just in case you missed it before. Blue like the summer sky and glowing like magic in the sunshine 🪄🌊 Sea glass marble in a bespoke silver cage pendant & 20” chain now available. Kelly x #jewellerymaker #seaglassjewelry #seaglassjewellery #seamarble

Some pictures from my garden this morning 🌿🌸 Two of my favourite things together; taking photographs, and flowers! It’s been too lovely a day to sit at the bench, so instead I’ve been enjoying the sunshine in the garden, catching up with the Jewellery Business Academy content and working on a new collection. I don’t usually plan things ahead and very rarely sketch out or strategically design new pieces in such a way, but from what I’ve learned so far (both from the Academy content and my past experiences) this does seem a much more sensible way to approach things. I currently have so many new ideas - and as they’re mostly inspired by nature, it feels right to sit amongst it while pondering and planning! 🙂 Kelly xx ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #inmygardentoday #flowerphotography #botanicalpickmeup

What I made today! A bespoke silver cage for a beautiful blue sea glass marble 🌊 It’s a little too hot to solder in the afternoons at the moment (I’m not complaining, but I am using it as an excuse to re-locate to the garden) so I got up early to spend an hour or two at the bench before the sun moved around to the window of my workshop. Please excuse the dirty polish-covered fingers; I wanted to share this as soon as it was finished. This pendant will be available and hopefully up on the website sometime this evening - once I’ve washed my hands and taken a few photos! 🙃 Hope the weather is sunny and warm where you are too, Kelly x #jewellerymaker #seaglass #seamarble #seaglassjewellery #whatimadetoday

⭐️ New Blog post! ⭐️ ‘Why I Did The Diploma In Silver Jewellery’ ⚒️🙂 The enrolment deadline for the Diplomas offered by @jewellersacademy is fast approaching, and as I shared my own journey on the course so openly last year, I’ve naturally been receiving a lot of questions about why I chose to do it and what I thought. I’m always happy to answer these, and you’re more than welcome to message me privately if there’s anything you’d like to quietly ask or know. But I also thought it might help if I were to record everything in a blog post too. So I have done just that. I may not be wholly without bias anymore, now that I am a tutor and mentor within the Jewellers Academy team, but I wouldn’t be part of that team if I didn’t love being part of their community and fully believe in their methods and their approach. I would also never endorse or recommend anything I haven’t tried, used or tested myself - and I mean it when I say that finally investing in professional training was one of the best decisions I ever made, for myself and my business. You can find the full blog on my website, with a direct link in my bio and in my stories today. And if you have any questions or queries, please feel free to add them in the comments or send me a DM! 🙂 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadejewelry #handmadejewellery #jadiplomadiaries

Unboxing the materials kit for the Diploma In Wax Jewellery that I’m starting in September with @jewellersacademy 🤩📦 There’s not quite as much as there was for the Diploma In Silver Jewellery that I did last year, but there are LOADS of gemstones - in so many different sizes! 💎💎 I would always recommend the material kits for anyone enrolling on a Diploma as it just makes life so much easier. Everything is organised, packaged and labeled by week - and knowing I have everything I need and seeing it all together makes it really exciting! It’s also a relief not to have to source all those stones or the slightly more unusual materials myself (I’m mainly talking about the Mitsuro Hikime ingredients here) There are so many amazing projects and techniques included on this course and I keep changing my mind as to which I’m most looking forward to learning. If you’re curious about exactly what is included then take a look at @jewellersacademy’s page or website for all the details - and make sure you’re following them to see my Diploma Diary posts from September, as I’ll once again be documenting and sharing my journey on their account as I go! 🫶 I’m SO excited! Are you doing this Diploma with me? Let me know in the comments! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadejewelry #handmadejewellery #jadiplomadiaries

Something sparkly for the weekend? 🤩⚒️ These handcrafted sterling silver hoops have become one of your favourites recently, and I can see why. They’re simple yet classy, easy to wear and go with everything. Which makes them the perfect choice for presents too! I just need to add the hooks to this little lot and they’re ready to go. I already have necklaces in this range, but will be expanding the collection further over the coming months to incorporate bracelets and potentially rings too. Watch this space if you’ve got a pair of these and like jewellery that matches! 🙃 Kelly xx ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #artisanjewellery #handmadejewellery #jewellerymaker #handmadeintheuk #silverearrings

Obsessed with this… 💎💎💎 The materials kit for the Diploma In Wax Jewellery arrived today and I am SO excited! Honestly, never thought there would be quite so many gemstones (there are dozens of them) but now I’ve got all the materials in my hands it suddenly feels very real, and I can’t wait to get started in September! Full unboxing reel to come soon for anyone who is curious about the rest of the things I’ll needing 📦 And if you’re curious about the training course I’m going to be doing, head over to @jewellersacademy for all the details! 🙃⚒️ Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadejewelry #handmadejewellery #jadiplomadiaries

I don’t just make statement pieces with large cabochons; I create dainty ones with smaller, sparkly gemstones too! 🌊✨ Did you know that the name ‘Aquamarine’ comes from the Latin ‘aqua marinus’ meaning ‘water of the sea’ and refers to its beautiful ocean-like colour? This colour, consisting of varying shades of blue through to green, is caused by iron oxides within the makeup of the stones. In ancient folklore Aquamarine was believed to be the treasure of mermaids and was used by sailors as a talisman of good luck, fearlessness and protection. It was also considered a stone of eternal youth and happiness. Today it protects all who travel by, over or near water. So if you can identify with any of that, then these are for you! 🫶🧜‍♀️ Kelly x #jewellerymaker #aquamarinenecklace #handmadejewellery #oceaninspired

One of my favourite little tips for soldering 🔥⚒️ I always position chain links and jump rings with the join just over the edge of the block for soldering, which means I can get a smoother and neater result with a lot less tidying up required afterwards. If you lay them directly on the block you usually end up with a flat section under the solder join that has to be sanded away after. For those who’d like the technical details, I used paste solder here. It may be more expensive than other forms of solder, but it more than makes up for that extra cost by being clean, quick and so much easier to use. Plus it stays put when you bring the flame in. Just don’t fire it directly or it may incinerate and crumble before it has a chance to flow. The fumes can be nasty though so a mask is a good idea if you don’t have a dedicated extraction system. I have the JewelXtract1 by @vodexextraction which sorts this issue beautifully. And the torch I’m using here is the Tsunami XL by @pepetools_usa. It has more kick than my regular handheld torch so it’s great for larger links (the ones I’m soldering here are 1.8mm or 13/14 gauge sterling) and anything that needs more heat or a longer firing time 🔥 Hope this is helpful! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #jewellerytips #makingjewelry #jewelrytips #soldering

Do you want to see the evolution of my jewellery workshop? It hasn’t always looked like it does now, and I certainly didn’t start out with so much space or so many tools! ⚒️ I’ve finally started a blog page on my website, and my first post shares the story of my workspace from the corner of a spare room to the set-up I have today. I’ve been meaning to start a blog for the longest time, as I think it’s a great way to expand on anything I post about here for those who are interested in knowing more. Social media has such strict limitations on the amount of text and images you can include in a post, and I wanted somewhere I could expand on things a little more. There’s only one post published so far, but I’m absolutely going to be adding to that. Let me know in the comments if there’s anything in particular you’d like to see there, or anything that you’d find helpful! You can find a direct link to the blog in my bio, or you can also get there via my website 🙂 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #myworkspace #jewellerystudio #jewellerytools

This is one of those unique designs that I originally created just for myself, but I had enough requests for it that I made a few more. I’ve still got a couple left but they will be the last, so they’re destined to be a very limited run! I did toy with the idea of making a pair of earrings with two of them, but they wouldn’t be symmetrical and that bothers me too much. They’re also hallmarked and I don’t want to mess about with the design in any way which might affect that. So if you’re a mermaid at heart and looking for a chatelaine on which to keep the keys to your underwater kingdom; here it is! 🌊🗝️🧜‍♀️ Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend, Kelly x #handmadejewellery #jewellerymaker #oneofakindjewellery #youwontfindthisanywhereelse #artisanmade

Who I am, what I do and why I’m doing it! ⚒️ This post shares a little more about me, and gives an insight into how my story here began. My name is Kelly, and I am an artisan jeweller based in Hampshire, on the south coast of the UK. This account was started at the same time as I launched my small business, Willow & Twigg, back in 2019. I create and sell handcrafted jewellery, and more recently I have started teaching workshops with Jewellers Academy at their studios in Brighton. I am currently in the process of writing a book on making Sea Glass Jewellery too, which is due to be published in the spring of 2027. I also love sharing my creative processes here, along with all the tips, tricks, tools and techniques I have discovered along the way! Running my own business is challenging. The learning curve has been steep and it’s hard work, especially juggling things alongside my domestic responsibilities and young family. But I absolutely believe that you can successfully pivot halfway through your life, and I wouldn’t want to do anything else now! I am so grateful for the amazing community that I have found here, and truly appreciate all the encouragement and support I have received over the years 🫶 Thank you so much for following my journey thus far - I can’t wait to see where it takes me next! 🙃⚒️ Kelly x #jewellerymaker #ladysmith #handmadejeweller #smallbizuk #hampshirebusiness

As promised, here’s the finished chain I’ve been working on! ⛓️ This may become my new favourite ‘go-to’ necklace for daily wear, as I haven’t take it off yet. It’s really comfortable, despite its weight, and it will go with absolutely anything outfit-wise. Which suits me well as I’m rather lazy when it comes to accessorising! 🙃 I didn’t record the entire making process because creating chains is actually very repetitive and not particularly exciting, but I loved doing it and find it to be a really relaxing process. For those who want to know, the round wire for the oval links was 1.8mm thick, and the smaller round links were 1.2mm square wire. Both of these I bought a few years ago and hadn’t found a need for, and it was a fun way to get them out of the drawer at long last. I’m keeping this particular necklace (I have to now, as I’ve stamped my family’s names on five of the main links to make it a bit more personal) but I could make more on request, although with the current cost of silver it would probably be in excess of £400… 🫣 Hope you love it as much as I do! Kelly x #jewellerymaker #silverchain #handmadejewelry #handmadejewellery #chainnecklace

This is the difference that just eight months can make; the first and final rings that I made on the Diploma In Silver Jewellery last year 💍⚒️ Yes, I know I had a few years of experience making jewellery before I started, but I was nowhere near capable of producing anything like the second ring, and I still wouldn’t be, had I not enrolled on that course. I don’t like to have regrets about anything in life, so I would never go as far as to say I regret not doing it sooner - BUT I do often wonder what standard or level I would be at today if I had learned those skills a year or two earlier. I’ll always be proud of being self-taught for so long, and I’m still teaching myself new things all the time. That won’t change. But I also know for a fact that I will learn a lot more, to a higher standard, and in far less time when I’m guided through structured training. And when I’m held accountable with schedules and deadlines! 😬 Enrolment on all the @jewellersacademy online Diplomas ends next month, and although I am not wholly unbiased anymore, having since become a tutor and mentor on their amazing team, I would absolutely and completely give this course my full recommendation - 100%. If you’re seriously thinking about it, go for it. Or join me on the Wax Diploma in September instead - where I plan to take my gemstone setting skills in particular to a whole new level! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #makingjewellery #handmadejewellery #jewellerymaking #jadiplomadiaries

Gift cards don’t have to be a ‘last minute’ option or a last resort! 💍📦 I’ve recently been working hard to make mine feel more intentional and considered, and you can now choose from two physical presentation options that can be physically handed over. I hope you’ll agree that they’re both a lot nicer than just an email with a code! And of course, the recipient will also later get the jewellery itself presented in equally beautiful packaging, once they have chosen it. Both of these options can either be sent to you to gift in person, or I can forward them directly to the recipient with a handwritten personal message if you prefer. If someone choses to invest in my work then the presentation and thought put into it really matters to me - and that goes as much for the promise of my jewellery, in the form of a gift card, as it does for the jewellery itself! The gorgeous green boxes I use are from @tinyboxcompany (and if you use the code WILLOWANDTWIGG10 you can get 10% off all orders with them). The seeded gift cards are from @littlegreenpapershop and the printed card wallets I bought from @betterprinting. I’m slowly working on updating some of my other packaging option too, and I’ll share those in due course. And don’t forget to save this for later, when you’re looking at gift options for unique, handmade jewellery! 🙂 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadebusiness #giftboxes #jewelleryboxes

This is my favourite way to start the day! 🌊 A walk along the seafront after taking my two youngest daughters to school. I will confess to giving it a hard pass if it’s windy and raining (‘cause that’s just miserable) but at this time of year it’s a lovely way to get going each morning. The view across the Solent towards the Isle of Wight is different every time; the water changes colour with the weather conditions and there’s always something to see or watch. I’m also very mindful of the fact that as a military family we won’t live here forever and could have to move at any point. So for now I remind myself to make the most of the opportunity to be beside the sea whenever I am able because I know how much I’ll miss it. What’s your preferred way to start the day? 🙃 Kelly x #besidethesea #vitaminsea #morningstroll #beachwalks

I have a desire to sit at my bench this week and create some jewellery, but am falling short of inspiration and motivation. I’ve wanted a chunky silver chain necklace for myself for ages; something I can wear every day, with every outfit, and which will last a lifetime. And since I have a bit of wire that isn’t earmarked for anything else, I reckon this is the perfect time! I find that chain-making is always a great way to rediscover that creative groove when I want to make, but struggle to get started ⛓️ I’ve no idea how this will look, or whether it will be round links or oval, hammered or plain. It will evolve as I go. But that’s part of the fun! 🙃 Kelly xx ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #workinprogress #silverchainnecklace

✨NEW✨ I’ve just added a selection of sea glass rings to my website, in shades of grey and aqua, and a range of sizes from L to Q. I don’t make rings very often, so there may not be any more for a while. I am hoping to create some with open or adjustable bands over the summer if I can though, which should hopefully make things a bit more inclusive in terms of sizing. Sadly none of these fit me, so I can’t keep them. If you’d like to adopt one then I’ll add a link to my stories today. Custom orders are not yet open either, but if you’re interested in having a bespoke ring made for you and would like to pick your own glass then be sure to sign up to my mailing list. Those who have subscribed will be first to know when I start offering this again! 🙃 Have a fabulous Friday, Kelly x #jewellerymaker #seaglass #seaglassjewellery #seaglassring

A sneak peek at some of the images from my recent photoshoot with the wonderful Vicki Knights! (@iamvickiknights ) 📷 I enlisted Vicki’s help to get all the additional images for my book that I’m not able to capture myself, and I’m so thrilled with everything she has produced! Not only is Vicki a really lovely person to work with, but she immediately put me at ease and was brilliant in making sure we got everything I needed. She didn’t even mind when I dragged her around the village and down to the seafront for a walk to get a few images outside of the workshop… 🌊 I’m really excited to have these beautiful photos for the book, and will also be able to use them to update and refresh my website too, which is on my list of immediate projects. Not this week though, as I am currently in the process of going through the copy-edited text of said book as it moves through the next few stages towards publication. When I have more info on that I will of course let you all know, but there’s going to be a LOT in it. And I don’t just mean the pictures! 🙃 Kelly xx ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #jewelleryworkshop #brandingphotoshoot

It’s been all about the love hearts lately! 💙⚒️ This pendant was a special commission for a lovely lady who celebrates her birthday today. The story behind it isn’t mine to tell, but being able to create jewellery pieces with meaning like this is something I will always find joy in and I’m always deeply honoured when asked. I have the best job! Kelly x #jewellerymaker #oneofakindjewellery #lovehearts #heartnecklace

Why I went for Vodex when it came to investing in an extractor for my jewellery workshop ⚒️ There is quite a lot of choice out there when it comes to filtration and extraction systems, but it’s worth doing some research and making sure you pick the one that best suits your needs. They don’t all work quite the same way and some are not as effective as you’d perhaps think. I wanted something compact and portable that could be re-positioned easily from one workstation to another, and which would protect me (and my family) against fumes and vapours as well as dust and debris. The fact that it has a remote control means I can turn it on and off as required too. This makes it really easy to use and allowed me to incorporate it into my working routine without effort. Safety is something I refuse to compromise on, and along with proper extraction I also have fire safety equipment on standby and wear protective glasses for pretty much everything too. The latter I’ve always had, the extraction unit I genuinely wish I’d bought sooner, but it’s here now. I’d also like to clarify that I wasn’t sent the unit for free and was not approached by @vodexextraction beforehand; I bought it myself through choice, after doing my own research on the topic. However, I have since been asked to become a brand ambassador for them and was quite happy to do so as it is something I feel strongly about. It also means I can share the code ‘WILLOW’ which will get you 5% off at checkout. I have the JewelXtract1 unit with a single hose, but Vodex also have other units and types of machine available if you have different requirements. If you have any questions then please feel free to ask in the comments or message the team at Vodex as they’re super helpful! 🙂 Kelly xx ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #jewellerytools #jewelrytools #VodexBA

Another of my favourite bezel tips! ⚒️ This is a quick and easy method for trimming the excess metal from the backplate of settings. These are heavy-duty kitchen scissors by Joyce Chen but florist shears are also inexpensive and work equally well ✂️ Both are designed for cutting through tough materials like branches or bone, and they do a fine job on sheet metal as well. I’ve not tried them on anything above 0.8mm thick as I haven’t needed to and don’t want to ruin them by experimenting, but they are perfect for 0.5mm sheet (as shown in this reel) and are far more comfortable to use than traditional metal snips. I wouldn’t recommend using them on sheet BEFORE you’ve soldered the bezel surround on though, as they can warp the metal and you’ll lose the time you’ve saved from sawing by having to make it flat again for soldering. Definitely a time-saver; just be VERY careful of your fingers and don’t use them on anything else like paper as it can dull them! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #makingjewelry #bezelsettings #jewellerytools #jewelrytools

I do love a love heart, and I’m rather fond of Imperial Jasper too. If you’re looking for unique handcrafted jewellery made with beautiful ‘one of a kind’ gemstones then I can help! This is the latest pendant to be added to my website but there are others in progress, and I’m also thinking about re-opening my commissions book too for anyone who wants one of my statement pieces but would prefer to pick their own rock from my (rather extensive) collection. Would you be interest in that? Let me know! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #oneofakindjewellery #gemstonenecklace

A little tour of my workspace whilst it’s still tidy! ⚒️ It’s not easy to include everything in less than three minutes but I’ve done my best to label the main things. If you have any questions about any of the tools or the setup I have for using them, then please just ask. Yes, I have a LOT of stuff; but it’s taken me over seven years of hard work to collect everything you see here, and I’ve re-invested pretty much all of my profits back into my business in order to do so. My daughters will soon all be in secondary school and I will hopefully have more time to up my production levels and start putting all these tools to more frequent use. At least that’s the plan. In the meantime I am enjoying making what I can when I can - and usually creating a terrible and chaotic mess in the process! If you’d like to know exactly where I got any of my tools or storage solutions from, do take a look at the ‘Tool Links’ highlights beneath my bio, as I already have shortcuts to most things I get asked about included there. Have a wonderful weekend! Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #behindthescenes #whereiwork #mystudio #jewelryworkshop

A little green love-heart to celebrate the first of May! 🌿💚 This is the Imperial Jasper stone I have shared glimpses of recently - now all finished in its bespoke silver setting. I kept this one super simple with a plain setting and a soft matte finish. I don’t think it needs anything more, wouldn’t you agree? A perfect pendant for Spring! 🙃 It’s just been added to my website this evening if you’d like a closer look. Hope you’ve had a wonderful week, Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #oneofakind #loveheartnecklace

What I’m working on! 💚⚒️ An Imperial Jasper heart-shaped pendant. Happy to say I managed to get round in one without breaking a blade, but I do sometimes wish it was this quick in real life! For those wanting technical info, the silver sheet is 0.8mm thick and I used a 4/0 blade. Probably a little finer than I needed for this fuse of metal but that’s my favourite blade size and it was already in the saw frame… 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #sawpiercing #handmadejewellery #whatimworkingon

Full history lesson in the caption! ⬇️ And I promise no bottles were broken in the making of this reel… Where do sea glass marbles come from?! 🌊 Some of them were once children’s playthings, but others had a more practical purpose. These gorgeously large, plain seafoam-coloured marbles are usually from a Codd-neck bottle (more commonly known as a Codd bottle or a marble bottle) which was a type once used for carbonated drinks. The bottle was manufactured with thick glass to withstand internal pressure, and a chamber to enclose a marble and a rubber washer in the neck. The bottles were filled upside down, and pressure of the gas in the bottle forced the marble against the washer, sealing in the carbonation and forming a neat closure to prevent the drink going flat. The bottle is pinched into a special shape to provide a chamber into which the marble is pushed to open the bottle. This prevents the marble from blocking the neck as the drink is poured. The bottles were originally invented in the mid 1800s meaning sea glass marbles like these could potentially be over 150 years old. I don’t know the exact origins of this particular bottle (it was an antique shop find) but I think the profile of Queen Victoria on the front probably gives us a good idea of its age! Who doesn’t love a bit of history with their jewellery?! ⚒️🌊 Hope you’ve had a #Marbleous Monday! 🙃 Kelly x #seaglass #seaglassmarbles #seaglassjewellery #marbleous

As promised! 🫶 Here’s a brief guide to all the pendant motor attachments I use for polishing and finishing my jewellery ⚒️ There are SO many things available for jewellers to use in rotary tools now, and I know a lot of you have told me you find it overwhelming. I get asked all the time exactly what things I like to use, and I’ve done my best to include them all in this carousel. I’ve not been able to go into great detail about the specific grits or what each colour of compound is for, but all that info is listed on the manufacture or supplier websites. Sometimes I use just one type or range of attachments, but more often than not I will mix and match things up. The combinations I might use are endless and vary every single time depending on what a piece might need and what finish I’m going for, but the one thing that I always do is work my way up through the grits or levels and never skip stages. That’s super important! If you have any questions please drop them in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them. And if I don’t know then I’m sure someone else will! Like I said, there’s a LOT of choice out there, so the best thing to do is keep trying different things until you find what works best for you. Hopefully this will give you some idea of where to start! 🙃 Have a wonderful weekend, Kelly x #jewellerymaker #makingjewelry #polishingjewellery #jewellerytools #jewelrytools

Would you ever give someone a gift card for jewellery? I think they’re a great idea, as they allow you to buy from a particular designer or brand whilst still allowing the recipient to choose the exact item or size 💍 But I’m also aware that they can sometimes be seen as a ‘last-minute’ option or something you chose because you didn’t know what else to get… I’ve been on a mission to make them feel more intentional, and am now offering two optional add-ons to enhance the presentation of my gift cards with something that can be physically handed over. The cards themselves have been printed on recycled paper seeded with wildflowers, meaning that once you no longer need the card you can plant it and get flowers too. You can either have this presented in a gift box or in a printed wallet. The latter costs a little less, mainly due to postage charges. And of course, the recipient will also later get the jewellery itself presented in equally beautiful packaging, once they have chosen it. Both of these options can either be sent to you to gift in person, or I can forward them directly to the recipient with a handwritten personal message if you prefer. Whilst I know a lot of people may feel it’s unnecessary (in which case you can still just pay for the gift card and have a code emailed to you for no extra cost) my thoughts are that jewellery isn’t actually ‘necessary’ either. So if someone choses to invest in my work then the presentation and thought put into it really matters to me - and that goes as much for the promise of my jewellery (in the form of a gift card) as it does for the jewellery itself! The boxes I use are from @tinyboxcompany (and if you use the code WILLOWANDTWIGG10 you can get 10% off all orders with them). The seeded gift cards are from @littlegreenpapershop and the printed card wallets I bought from @betterprinting. All are UK-based businesses, and all are absolutely brilliant! 🙂 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadebusiness #giftboxes #jewelleryboxes #jewellerypackaging

Another useful gadget for the workshop! ⚒️ If you regularly make rings then these tweezers can be super-handy and save a lot of time trying to position the band and setting together for soldering. They’re called ‘head and shank locking tweezers’ and using them is pretty straightforward - but be warned, you should only close them far enough to hold your pieces together very gently, without any need for force. If they’re closed too tightly or with too much pressure then the silver will buckle once it softens with the heat of the torch, and your ring will likely move out of place somehow or end up mishapen. I found this out the hard way! 🫣 They’re great for bezels or anything where the setting part sits flush on top of the band, but as they are held in place by pressure they won’t work so well for anything like a collet or claw setting if you need the shank to go on either side. The pair I’ve got are no longer available so I don’t have a valid link to share, but a quick internet search for ‘head and shank locking tweezers’ should find you a pair wherever in the world you might be! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #makingjewelry #soldering #jewellerytools #jewelrytools

A transformation challenge from two summers ago ⚒️ This was a little recycling side-quest I embarked on back in July ‘24, when silver wasn’t nearly so crazy expensive and I could still afford to play around with it! This pendant started with a patterned piece of silver sheet, a length of heavy D-shaped wire leftover from a bangle, and a heart-shaped blank that had a broken bail. All left lying on the bench. Not sure where the idea itself came from, but this song is one of my all-time favourites and repeats often on my workshop playlist, so perhaps that was the inspiration behind it. I also included a couple of tiny moulded silver accents and a trio of twisted wire rings to provide something to ‘fiddle’ with, and because three is a meaningful number to me. It’s since been hallmarked and is now in my personal jewellery box of special pieces, but I’m not sure I’ll ever make another piece like this. It is quite heavy and looking at it today that’s a LOT of silver, which at current prices makes this sort of playful and experimental project a thing of the past. Perhaps one day the cost will come back down and I can once again use up my spare silver in more creative ways… here’s hoping! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #howitsmade #silverarrow #processreels #handmadejewellery

It’s patiently waiting for you, whenever you’re ready… 🫶⚒️ This stone is a Crazy Lace Agate, in a handmade sterling silver setting and on an adjustable chain that can be worn up to 20”. Moss Agate might be my absolute favourite, but I love all the other varieties too! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #statementpendant #handmadejewellery

A quick update for those who have been asking about the book! 📖🌊 I was just going to share this to my stories but it’s a faff to cut things into one minute segments so I made it into a reel instead. We’re moving on to the design and editing stage now which is really exciting and I can’t wait to see it all come together. I will be adding a dedicated page about the book to my website this weekend, and will also start sharing any news via email once I get that up and running so do sign up to my mailing list if you’re interested in being the first to know about any progress updates! There’s a link to that in my bio and I’ll add it to my stories today too. Have a fab Friday! 🙃 Kelly x

The soothing sound of gentle waves… 🌊 Last time I shared a clip of the sea like this a few of you asked me if I could post the next one without any music. Happy to oblige! ☺️ Hope you’ve had a wonderful week so far, Kelly x #bytheseaside #oceansounds #gentlewaves #soundofthesea #thalassophile

A beautiful Plume Agate and silver brooch, made for a very special birthday gift ☺️⚒️ I am not normally drawn to bolder and brighter colours when it comes to gemstones, but this one is like fluffy clouds in a summer sky ☁️ And now it’s safely gone off to its forever home I can share it with you! I’d never actually made a clasp fitting quite like this before but was really pleased with how it came out. Huge thanks go to Paul from @theschoolofjewellery.ie for helping me out with that part - I couldn’t have done it without his expert technical advice! 🙏🏻 Paul is a full-time tutor and regularly shares jewellery tips and tricks on his own page, so if you also love learning and discovering new things (like I do) then definitely go give him a follow! 🫶 And let me know if you’d like to see more pins and brooches in future too, as I enjoyed the challenge of this one and might well make a few more! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #silverbrooch #plumeagate

What I’m working on this week! 💚 I felt in need of a break from all the sea glass, so I picked out a beautiful gemstone cabochon from my collection today instead. Can’t wait to see this one finished and set! ☺️ Hope you’ve had a lovely start to your week, Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadejewelleryuk #statementpendant #whatimworkingon #jasperjewelry

There’s something so satisfying about a good Spring Clean of the bench, even if it wasn’t planned! ⚒️ I only meant to get rid of some of the old and broken burrs, and put out some newer ones, then went off on a complete Side Quest and ended up re-arranging everything. I can testify that my bench often looks FAR worse than this, but whilst I am quite content with creative chaos when in the midst of making, I do prefer to have structured organisation of my tools and supplies to help me keep on top of things. I always know WHERE everything is, but without proper systems in place I often loose track of how MUCH of something I have, and the bench is one of the last areas of my workshop to be treated to a dedicated tidy up. Things just sort of got added over time and ended up staying wherever they were first put, and I’ve decided it’s time I fixed that. Whilst I’m busy finishing this off I’ll have a think about all the different polishing bits and attachments I use and how to best share a post about them, as I often get asked about what I choose to use and why. Let me know if that would be helpful! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #makingjewelry #whatsonyourbench #jewellerytools #jewelrytools

Can’t get rid of a perfectly good jar! 🫙🫙🫙 Although I’m going to have to start putting them in the recycling soon I think. I’ve just counted 46 currently scattered around my jewellery workshop and some of them aren’t even being used for anything. Is it an age thing? Or am I just a weird glass jar hoarder? 😳 Please tell me I’m not the only one who does this… 🫣😂 Kelly x

Taking a little break from all the sea glass and sharing one of my favourite gemstones! 🌿 Moss Agate will always be right at the top of my list when it comes to cabochons. Each one is just so beautiful and unique, and I love the soft blend of lilacs, greens and greys in this one! I added a little extra detailing on the back too, courtesy of a patterned silver butterfly, and gave it a soft matte finish for a contemporary look. It’s attached to a 20” Navette chain that fastens with a hook and can be easily shortened by a couple of inches too if you need to adjust it to fit a neckline. It’s fully Hallmarked, and still available. You can find it in the @britishcrafthouse if you’d like to take a closer look. There’s also a couple of other statement pieces on my own website too. Looking forward to getting back to making more chunky gemstone jewellery again soon! Kelly xx ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #jewellerymaker #statementnecklace #ooakjewelry #handmadejewellery #mossagatejewellery

Not everyone can have a ‘professional’ jeweller’s torch, myself included! ⚒️🔥🧯 But that doesn’t mean you can’t be a jeweller or still make a wide variety of designs. I keep getting comments asking about the torches I use, and questioning why I don’t have a ‘real’ torch, so I’m re-sharing this again in response. [Short answer = I can’t have one, and don’t currently need one] Whilst propane or oxygen tank-fed hose torches may have more power, more variable flame sizes and the ability to heat larger pieces, they’re not always an option for everyone. I genuinely don’t have the space for gas tanks. We are also renting, and the lease terms and insurance don’t cover this. In addition, my workshop is in my home and I have children and pets so wouldn’t be comfortable with anything more than a hand-held torch. And in all honestly I have never needed anything more. Everything I’ve ever made has been soldered using this trio. Here are the details for anyone who wants them; 🔥 The Clarke Weld Micro Torch came from @kernowcraft. It has a small, easily controlled flame up to 1300°C and I use this for most of my work. 🔥 For larger pieces and annealing, I have a bigger one by @durstontools that is a similar temp but has a larger flame. 🔥 If you’re in the USA then the Tsunami XL blow torch by @pepetools_usa is an awesome all-rounder and sits somewhere between these two in size. 🔥 And the ‘Dremel Versatip’ gives a finer flame for more precise tasks where a larger torch would be hard to control and likely melt stuff. That was from Amazon. I’ll pop some links to each of them in my stories today, and if you’re watching this at a later date, they’ll be under the ‘tool links’ highlight below my bio 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #makingjewelry #soldering #jewellerytools #jewelrytools

Hope you’re having a Marbleous Monday! 🌊 It’s beautifully sunny down here on the south coast at the moment, although still rather windy. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Took some sea glass for a walk to get some pictures, and was quite impressed I managed to make a stack yesterday given there was 25mph of breeze coming right at it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I also had to pay quite a high ice cream tax in exchange for the company of my daughters, but it was worth it to get them out the house and enjoy some fresh air. We were even treated to a fly-past by a Spitfire, although my camera lens wasn’t quite strong enough to capture it in any detail. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The sunshine really is a tonic for the soul and I can’t wait for the spring weather to really make that upturn we’ve all been waiting for! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Kelly x ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #marblemonday #seaglass #beachcombers #bytheseaside

Do you ever use solder in paste form? ⚒️🔥 I’ve been using it for years for the smaller and fiddly tasks like jump rings and earring posts and it’s a staple in my workshop. Solder paste already has flux incorporated so it’s quick, convenient and easy to apply precisely and accurately. Plus it stays where you want it and doesn’t fly off when the torch is brought in like traditional pallions can. I personally wouldn’t choose it for larger tasks or jewellery pieces where there is a lot of metal to heat, as I find in these circumstances that the flux and binder in the paste can burn off before the whole thing reaches soldering temperature and then it won’t flow. But for the more intricate and delicate jobs I find paste solder can really help speed up the process and take the stress out of things. There are a few different types available, but I like the Nano Paste version from the @pepetools_usa Bench Basics range. And yes, the fact you can get two different sized tips AND a dedicated organiser stand might be one of the reasons I converted! Seriously though, the whole of the Pepe Tools Bench Basics range is fantastic and there are a lot of really useful products at great value. And if you’re also in the UK and only want a couple of things then @armitage_tools and @thecuriousgem are stockists. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #makingjewelry #makingjewellery #jewellerymakingtips #jewelrymakingtips

My favourite make of the year so far! 🌊 I’m going to be keeping these sea glass earrings because they’re calling to me sooo loudly, but many of you have commented on them and I think making more needs to be a priority once I return to the bench properly later this month. Small and simple, and with the lever-back wires too I reckon. What say you? 🤔 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #seaglassjewelry #seaglassjewellery #seaglassearrings

Which of these sea glass jewellery pieces catches your attention most, and which should I make more of? 🌊⚒️ I took a total of 1,277 photos yesterday and my eyes have only just recovered to the point where I can focus properly again… 😵‍💫 I now have to cut that total number of images right down and edit the best ones. It’s a long old process but I’m pleased to say the sunshine has returned, so the door to the garden is wide open and I’m currently listening to some enthusiastic birdsong. Not quite such a bad way to spend the afternoon! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #seaglass #seaglassjewelry #seaglassjewellery

It’s a photography kind of a day! 📷 Much as I’ve been longing for some spring sunshine I have to confess I’ve also been waiting for a day like today to get this task done. Cloudy skies and no wind are my preferred conditions for taking photos of jewellery in natural daylight, and I need to get some ‘finished’ images of all the pieces I’ve made for my book. The recording of the making processes was a bit of a challenge, but this stage is something I’m far more familiar with so hopefully I’ll get it all done this afternoon. I promise I’ll then start manifesting some brighter days for the rest of the month! 🙃 Kelly x And for anyone wanting technical info, I use a Canon EOSR8 digital camera and the backdrops are from the brilliant Margarita at @blueberrybackdrops. The other props are bits and pieces I’ve collected over the years! #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #photographyprocess #canonEOsR8

My favourite kind of tools are the ones that have properly considered design; where the makers have really thought about what it’s used for and how! ⚒️ This is an example. I bought this extractor for my workshop back in February and am really pleased with it so far. Not only does it do the job well in eliminating both the dust and the vapours from all the dirty jewellery tasks but it now comes with two different attachments on the hose. There’s a narrower nozzle which has stronger suction for bigger particles and dust, meaning the dodgy residue from the silicone and rubber burrs is not an issue any more. And there’s a wider funnel for whenever you need to cover a wider area. Perfect for me as I use a turntable and like to move my pieces around whilst soldering. As I’ve mentioned before, I bought the unit myself as a safety investment for myself and anyone else who comes in my workshop, but I’m also happy to be a brand ambassador for @vodexextraction who manufacture these. Now I have a deeper understanding of the risks posed by the processes I’ve been using (having gone down a research rabbit-hole) I genuinely believe it’s an important message worth spreading. Protect your lungs, as well as your eyes and fingers. I have been given a code to share with you for 5% off if you want to purchase a unit for your own workshop. Just enter ‘WILLOW’ on checkout. I have the JewelXtract1 with a single hose. And if you have any questions then feel free to ask in the comments or message the team at Vodex as they’re super helpful. As an aside, the 5th April is not far away and if you’re looking to invest in any tool or equipment purchases before that date then I’d say this would be one well worth considering… 🙃 Kelly xx ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #jewellerytools #jewelrytools #VodexBA

Just a few of my favourite polishing attachments! ⚒️ I often get asked what I use to get a shiny or satin finish on my jewellery, and thought this was a good opportunity to share a few of the things I like most. I use my pendant motor for pretty much all my polishing now, and only ever use the tumbler or barrel polisher for chains or very simple pieces. I totally understand it’s difficult to know what attachments to opt for though when there is SO much available! In truth I’ve really just been conducting a long-term experiment over the years and tend to pick a few different things to try whenever I’m placing a new order with my suppliers. I’m still doing that now; the emery flap wheels shown here are new and I’ve not tried them before. Will let you know how that goes! My advice is to try everything until you settle on what works best for you, and I tend to mix and match what I use each time depending on the piece I’m making and the finish I want. Always remember to work your way up through the different grits and don’t skip stages, but be careful of starting on too low a grit and adding in more scratches than were there to begin with. And there may be a plethora of tools and attachments available now to help speed up the process and make it much easier, but you will always need to apply a little patience and attention to detail. My favourite compounds are the Luxi range, and Orange Luxor for a fine shine. I don’t use Tripoli or Rouge because they make such a terrible mess. There are a multitude of different ways and alternative methods for finishing and polishing handmade jewellery. This is just what I choose to use for mine. If you have any questions please just ask! 🙃 Kelly xx ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #jewellerytools #jewelrytools #polishingjewellery

Sweet like candies! 🤩🌊🍬 I’ve been drilling sea glass again today whilst enjoying the spring sunshine in the workshop. If you’d like to know how I do this and what tools I use, I’ve pinned the carousel guide I shared recently to the top of my main feed and all the details are there. Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #seaglassjewelry #seaglassjewellery #seaglass #iloveseaglass

How do you oxidise your silver jewellery to get an aged patina effect? I used to use Liver Of Sulphur for this process, but the smell of rotten eggs became too much, and I got fed up of having to go out in the garden each time because the family complained about it… 🫣 So I switched to a liquid called Platinol. It doesn’t need to be heated to work, and doesn’t smell anywhere near as bad. I also find it gives a quicker and more even result. For large pieces or chains where I want to get a total covering I add a few drops to water in a jar like I’ve done here, which gives the gunmetal-grey shade I like on my jewellery. This makes the solution go a bit further but it will usually only last a couple of days in the container before turning clear. If you want a darker result you can use it in a more concentrated form and/or warm the metal itself a little first. I also keep watercolour brush pens filled with neat Platinol solution to paint finer details in specific areas or add to stamped lettering. Once the metal has been oxidised you can intensify or reduce the effect by polishing to remove the ‘high spots’ and apply whichever finish you prefer. I will opt for either a shiny or a matte finish depending on the piece in question, but I do have different polishing barrels and keep a separate set of steel shot for anything with a patina. This way any jewellery I make that I want to have a bright and shiny finish doesn’t get accidentally darkened! Have a fab Friday, 🙃 Kelly xx *As with all things like this, please read and heed the safety warnings and advice before use. I avoid directly touching the liquid itself and always wear eye protection!* #jewellerymaker #jewelrytips #jewellerytools #jewellerytips #makingjewelry

It’s always real! 🌊 When it comes to finding sea glass different beaches will often yield different very grades, qualities and quantities of glass. The stuff I find locally on the beach where I live, like the piece in this ring, is usually flatter and more irregular in shape. Pretty colours like blues are very rare here and not washed up so often. If you go further north in the UK to beaches located close to the old glass factories or near Victorian rubbish dumps then you are more likely to find rounder, larger and thicker pieces of sea glass in a wider array of colours. It’s all beautiful and it all makes lovely jewellery. I only ever use authentic glass in my work, but the reason I tend to use the rounder and smoother pieces more often is partly because they’re easier to set, but also because they’re more popular and sell better. Oh, and if you’re wondering why this ring has a twisted band it’s because it’s been deliberately made to be ‘adjustable’ in size. Which do you prefer? The rounder pieces of sea glass or the wonky ones? If there’s enough demand for the latter I can look to include more designs with the irregular pieces too. I’ve got jars of the stuff! 🙃 Kelly x #seaglass #seaglassring #handmadejewellery #seaglassjewellery #jewellerymaker

Taking a little look back over all the things I made during my Diploma last year! 🤩 There’s not just a collection of handmade jewellery pieces here but also a whole load of skills - many of which were brand new to me. I’ve been asked many times which were my favourites and which I enjoyed most, and it’s hard to narrow that down, but I would say that if I HAD to title the projects, it would be as follows… ⚒️ Most challenging: Probably working with gold. I found it really difficult physically (since it was 9ct) but also mentally tough, knowing how much it was worth. It was so satisfying when it worked though and I’ve worn the first gold ring I made almost every day since. ⚒️ Most worthwhile: The stone setting. So many new techniques I’d been wanting to learn that will really help me up my game professionally. ⚒️ Most enjoyable: The cold connections; hinges and rivets. Was not expecting to love this as much as I did but I’ve used the skills I learned here several times since. ⚒️ Most rewarding: The trinket box. That took days and was not without its frustrations (I’m talking about you, firestain…) but I was so chuffed with this when it was done. ⚒️ Most useful: The soldering. I already knew HOW to solder, but over the months and across all the different projects my soldering skills improved massively, as did my confidence. I had to step out of my existing comfort zone and try new things and will be forever grateful for the difference this has had on everything I’ve made since! If you’ve done the Diploma too, then do share which of these projects you loved most. And if you’re thinking about doing it this September and have any questions, then I’m always happy to help. Feel free to ask anything, either openly in the comments or privately via DM. I’ll be doing the Diploma in Wax Jewellery this time around and can’t wait! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #jewellerycourse #JADiplomaDiaries

I spend hours making a piece of sea glass jewellery in anticipation of that ‘click’ 🙃 Kelly x #seaglass #seaglassring #handmadejewellery #seaglassjewellery #jewellerymaker

Hot off the bench today; jewel green sea glass and silver clasp bangle. I’ve been trying to incorporate some more colours along with all the seafoams and aquas I’ve been making recently. Green may not be one of the rarest shades but this one glows so beautifully in the sunshine! Hope you’ve had a fab start to the week, Kelly x #seaglass #seaglassbracelet #handmadejewellery #seaglassjewellery #jewellerymaker

When it comes to sea glass do you prefer the surface frosted or smooth? 🌊❄️ The whitish, crystallised-looking film that coats natural sea glass is usually the normal state of it when it’s dry, but many people think it looks nicer and the colours appear more vibrant when it’s wet. If you want to get that wet and polished look permanently, then you just need to oil it. This will often happen to sea glass slowly over time as it’s handled, but you can speed up the process by adding a little oil. I prefer baby or mineral oil because it smells better; food-based options like olive or coconut oil can sometimes go a bit rancid over time. To oil the glass I just apply a few drops with my fingertips or some cotton wool, and then rub the glass in kitchen paper to remove any excess and get an even coverage. If you want to reverse the look and get the frostiness back then just wash it thoroughly in warm soapy water and leave it to dry. An old toothbrush is useful to help get into the grooves and indentations of the glass. I also often clean it with surgical spirit (rubbing alcohol) as I find water alone isn’t always enough to remove all the oily residue. An ultrasonic cleaner also works well if you have one of those, but be aware it can potentially cause breakages if there are any cracks or weak spots in the glass. *Note: this is for glass which has not yet been set in jewellery. Hope this is useful, and let me know which look you prefer! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #jewelrytips #seaglassjewellery #jewellerytips #makingjewelry

Enjoying the spring sunshine today! ☀️ No making at the bench for me though, as I’m still in the midst of my photography quest. Super busy, but on the home straight now with the book. Just wanted to wish you all a wonderful weekend! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #jewellerytools #jewelersbench

What do you think of these?! 📦 I received a lovely surprise gift with some packaging samples yesterday by @tinyboxcompany and I’d love to known what you think too! You already know I’ve been using their range of recycled Kraft card jewellery boxes for years now, but I have to say I’m incredibly tempted by some of the other things here, now I’ve seen (and felt) them… 🤔 I think most people agree that when it comes to packaging you don’t want to have a LOT of stuff wrapping your products, especially if it isn’t necessary or doesn’t serve a purpose. But I do believe that the quality of the packaging you choose matters. It is a direct representative of your brand and first impressions count. Luxury versions like these may not be the right choice for every item of jewellery I make, but for the higher-cost or limited edition pieces they may be a really lovely way to present it. Let me know if you’re interested in any of these items too and I’ll find the product codes for you. And don’t forget you can use the code WILLOWANDTWIGG10 to get 10% off each order you place on the Tiny Box Company website as well. Have a wonderful weekend! Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #handmadebusiness #giftboxes #jewelleryboxes #jewellerypackaging

There’s just something about sea glass and silver. A magical combination, not least because every piece is unique! 🌊💙 An unusually short caption from me today, as I’m currently buried deep in writing about HOW I made this bracelet and my brain is lacking the capacity to say much more about it. Other than it’s super pretty and I wanted to share it with you! 🙃 Kelly x #seaglass #seaglassbracelet #handmadejewellery #seaglassjewellery #jewellerymaker

Adhesive magnetic tape is brilliant! 🙌 If you look closely you can spot it around my workshop holding my burrs, files, tweezers and drill bits. And now it is stopping me from losing the remote for the extractor too. Which I inevitably would otherwise… 🫣 I’ve only had this unit for around three weeks now but I’m so happy with it. And discovering it has a remote was a real bonus, as it takes seconds to switch on and off. I’ve had lots of questions about it, and am always happy to answer more. Please just ask! It’s the JewelExtract1 from @vodexextraction Vodex have given me a code to share with you to get 5% off; just enter WILLOW on checkout (you’ll need to set up an account with them to enable the discount). And if you want to know where the magnetic tape came from, that was from Amazon and there should be a link in the ‘Tool Links’ highlight below my bio. One final tip; if you are holding heavier things with the tape and find the sticky part starts to peel off your bench with the weight, just add a small screw in each end. I had to do that with the one that holds my larger files. It’s going nowhere now! 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #jewellerytools #VodexBA #jewellerytips #jewelrytips

Any ideas as to what this pretty piece of sea glass might once have been? 🤔🌊✨ I do often wish I could know more about the history of the glass I use, but I also appreciate that the mystery is part of the magical appeal of this material. This piece has been set aside on my bench for a long time, and I finally found the perfect use for it, to demo the cutting out of the setting backplate. It works for this piece because it’s flat, and it helps the etched pattern to really show itself off. No clue what it might have been though, and I can’t even remember when or where I found it. If you have any suggestions for a true (or even romantically imagined) origin story, I’d love to know! 🙃 Kelly x #seaglass #jewellerymaker #seaglassjewellery #artisanmade #slowmade

Melting little silver scraps into tiny, shiny balls never gets boring! 🙃 Tip: when melting silver spheres to use for granulation, lift the flame up and away vertically to help them keep a more rounded shape. Hope you’ve had a wonderful start to your week! Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #makingjewelry #makingjewellery #jewellerymakingtips #jewelrymakingtips

So much goes into making jewellery by hand, and it’s not always easy to get that message across if you can’t visibly ‘see it’ ⚒️ This pendant took me a good few hours to make from start to finish, and whilst I was polishing it I was suddenly struck by how little silver was left to show for all that time. I don’t usually cut out backplates for sea glass because of the increased risk of tarnish appearing under the glass, and it actually takes a lot longer to make a setting like this than it does to leave the backplate intact. It’s part of the design, which is deliberately as simple and minimalistic as possible, but it did make me wonder. I know you guys get it, and I guess I just have to hope that others do too. Handmade is slow-made, but it’s made with so much love! 🫶 Kelly x #seaglass #jewellerymaker #seaglassjewellery #artisanmade #slowmade

How does my new logo look on my jewellery boxes?! 🎁 I actually finalised my new logo design before testing it out and checking it looked okay when lasered on to my packaging boxes, so I was very relieved that the detail still came out okay - after a little tweaking with the settings! The boxes I use are from @tinyboxcompany and I prefer their Kraft card range. They are available in a wide selection of colours but I went for natural so I could change my branding at any point and they will always work with it. As proven here! One of the things I love most about this range is they’re really adaptable and budget friendly. I have been lasering mine recently, since I have the machine to do it, but I used to use stickers or pop a business card on top, tied with ribbon. You can also use stamps or even write on them and the ink doesn’t run, and there is also now an option to have them foiled with your branding for a little extra too. This reel shows the two sizes I use most and the codes are below; Earring Box - KCKR06 Medium Jewellery Box - KCKR07 They are also; 🌱 Biodegeadable ♻️ Recyclable & made of recycled materials 🫶 Sustainably sourced Use the code WILLOWANDTWIGG10 to get 10% off each order you place on the Tiny Box Company website - and that’s for all items, not just the boxes I choose to use. Have a wonderful weekend! Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #handmadebusiness #giftboxes #jewelleryboxes #jewellerypackaging

Best. Photography. Backdrops. Ever. 🙌📸 I have tried sooo many different kinds of backdrops for my product photography over the years, but the ones by Margarita from @blueberrybackdrops are by far the best of them! This isn’t an ad or a sponsored post but a genuine recommendation because I always champion fellow small businesses who create products that I love 🫶 And also because I know how hard it is to take good photos and I always like to share anything I find useful or helpful! Not only are the image details of these amazing and super realistic, but they are made of a high quality, soft and flexible material, and are non-reflective too. The come in a wide range of sizes and the prints are unique; Margarita personally travels the globe with her camera to capture them, so there are no stock images or AI. The mini ones in particular are around A3 size (or two sheets of US letter paper side by side, for my friends across the Pond) which makes them ideal and really convenient for jewellery and small item photography. Finding these was a game-changer and I won’t get mine from anywhere else now! If you’re looking for backdrops for your business pics too, go check them out 🙃 Happy Friday! Kelly x #jewellerymaker #jewellerymaking #productphotography #processphotography

A little more sea glass love for you this week, with an aqua heart-shaped pendant 💙🌊 This piece of glass was naturally formed by the ocean, but they’re not a shape I come across often. Should I try carving some too? 🤔 I’ve been thinking about it for a while and it could be a more creative way to use up the bits that have otherwise scrappy edges! Let me know what you think! Kelly x #seaglass #jewellerymaker #seaglassjewellery #iloveseaglass #loveheart

How I make jump rings! ⚒️ I had a lot of interest in my tip for wrapping a jump ring coil in masking tape before sawing through it, so here’s the rest of the process again! The coil former I use is called ‘The Beadsmith EZ Coiler Pro’ (bought on Amazon) and for less than £30 I still think it’s a great buy. It’s easy to use, comes with a range of mandrels in different sizes, and the coils it produces are much tighter and neater than I have ever managed to get by manually wrapping wire around a dapping post or dowel. This means the rings I get are a far more even and rounder shape, as well as more equal in size. I know lots of people use a drill to get a similar result and feel a tool like this is unnecessary, but I tend not to mix our household tools with my jewellery ones or I get told off… 😬 This thing is sturdy and compact enough to fit in my bench vice which makes it feel secure, and it’s easy to control the speed. Whatever method you use for making the coil, I will always recommend wrapping it in tape to keep it together, and then thread it onto the blade and saw from the inside out. This is much easier - and less risky for the fingers. It also stops the rings from disappearing off around the room once they’ve been cut through. Been there, and it’s annoying. Hope this helps! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #jewelrytips #jewellerytools #jewellerytips #makingjewelry

Another project finished this week; backless bezel-set sea glass earrings 🌊 I don’t often make sea glass jewellery in this style as it’s super fiddly and can be frustrating to do, but the results are always worth it and I love this pair. It’s a particularly good option for earrings when the added weight of a backplate can make them uncomfortable to wear. Might have to keep these… but let me know if I should make more! 🙃 And do excuse the lovely white kitchen paper; I’d just taken them out the ultrasonic after polishing, but it made the colour pop! Kelly x #seaglass #jewellerymaker #seaglassjewellery #iloveseaglass

Granulation is a fiddly business! 🫣 Do you ever use it in your designs? ⚒️ This is the process of adding metal spheres to jewellery pieces for decoration. I made a sea glass pendant this weekend and added a LOT of granulation… I usually go for a ‘less is more’ approach but decided to properly maximalise this one. Pretty chuffed (and quite surprised) that out of all these tiny balls only ONE fell off. It’s not always apparent that they’ve not fully soldered until you get further into the process, which in this case was during the polishing stage. Thankfully I was able to solder it back on easily without any more coming off as I did it. Granulation is something that I’ve gotten much better at over time, and as with most things it really is a matter of practice. If you’d like some of the top tips I’ve learned, tap on the linked reel image to see a previous post on the topic (this reel will need to be opened to full screen first to work). Have a wonderful start to the week! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #makingjewelry #makingjewellery #jewellerymakingtips #jewelrymakingtips

How I drill sea glass! ⚒️🌊 I have been asked about this a lot this week, after sharing a couple of tip reels on the subject, so I’ve updated the carousel I made last year and added all the details so you can save it for easy reference. For those who wish to know, I buy the 1mm drill bits cheap in bulk on Amazon, but get larger sizes and higher quality ones from @eternal.tools They have a lot of glass drilling tools and info on their website if this is something you want to explore further, and their customer service is just fab if you ever need help. And for the drilling I use the cordless Dremel 8240 rotary tool by @dremel. If you have any questions about my process please just ask, and remember that as with anything like this there is more than one way to drill sea glass. This is just the way that works best for me! 🙃 Kelly xx #jewellerymaker #jewelrytips #seaglassjewellery #jewellerytips #seaglass

Have you ever made a claw setting for sea glass? 🌊 This week I discovered a way to help secure the glass more effectively. Making a little indentation where each of the claws will sit using a diamond-coated burr will help keep the wire in place and stop any annoying rattles. Once the glass is set the grooves should not be visible either. I know some of you might come at me aghast for messing with the glass, but it’s no different to drilling a hole in it, and after the surprisingly positive response I got to my reel about cutting glass with a saw, I’m no longer so afraid to share ‘modification’ tips like this… 😂 The diamond point burr is from @eternal.tools and they come in sizes from 0.6mm to 3mm - the one I’m using here is 1.5mm. They’re also useful for engraving (though I’ve not tried that) on glass, stone, shells porcelain, ceramic and hardwoods. And they can be used as a bead reamer for enlarging holes in beads and pearls too. A super useful little tool! Tips: • mark the position of the claws with a pencil first • keep the glass wet and drill speed below 12,000rpm • wash the glass and add a little baby oil or mineral oil to the engraved areas afterwards to blend them in and remove any dust residue And for those concerned about my safety; YES I am fully aware of Silicosis, I wear safety goggles at all times, I have a respirator AND a powered extraction unit, and no children or pets were in the immediate vicinity whilst I did this. It’s all about the sea glass tips for me at the moment as that’s what I’m currently immersed in. Hope this one is helpful too! 🙃 Have a wonderful weekend, Kelly x #jewellerymaker #jewelrytips #seaglassjewellery #jewellerytips #makingjewelry

One of the best investments I’ve made, hands down. For those who have been asking - this is exactly what the extractor unit I recently bought cost me. I shared a post about this new addition to the workshop last week and lots of questions and comments came in about the cost and how ‘expensive’ it is. No, it’s not ‘cheap’. But I wouldn’t trust it if it were cheap. I do believe in the saying ‘you get what you pay for’, and this is a high quality bit of kit that performs extremely well. In truth, I hadn’t actually been planning to buy one (until I did the research and understood the risks of NOT having it) and couldn’t afford to pay for it in full, so chose to spread the cost in monthly instalments. I agree that spending £1k in one go can make your palms sweat, but £92 a month feels less scary. I’m also well aware that I’ve spent considerably more on tools and materials in the past, so to baulk at paying out for something that protects my health and that of my family would be a hard prioritisation to justify. And when you break the full cost right down over the course of a year it works out at just £3 a day. As I said in my last post, this isn’t an ad, but something I’ve chosen to buy into. It is a subject I genuinely feel strongly about though, so I also agreed to be a brand ambassador for @vodexextraction and help spread awareness about air safety precautions in the workplace. And I know from comments I’ve had in the past how many of you feel strongly about it too! Vodex have given me a code to share with you to get 5% off; just enter WILLOW on checkout (you’ll need to set up an account with them to enable the discount). And as always, if you have any questions, please just ask! Have a fab Friday 🙃 Kelly x #jewellerymaker #jewellerytools #VodexBA

Making jewellery is a challenge, and taking photographs of finished jewellery is also a challenge. But taking photographs of the process whilst making said jewellery? That’s a whole other level! I’m getting into my stride though and starting to speed up, and with just a few weeks to go until my initial submission deadline it’s fair to say this is where my focus is at. I’m including everything I can possibly think of in this book, and can’t wait to share it with you! ☺️ Kelly x #jewellerymaker #jewellerymaking #photographyprocess #canonEOsR8

Blue, blue, electric blue… that’s the colour of this sea glass marble! 💙🌊 As beautiful as it is rare, and safely held in a bespoke sterling silver cage. I haven’t made one of these for a while and they never hang around for long so you’ll need to be quick if you’ve been waiting for one to pop up in this gorgeous colour. It went up on the website today, although I’ll try and take a few more pics tomorrow as the light wasn’t working so well and really doesn’t do that lovely glow justice! 🙃 Kelly xx *Now Sold - thank you!* #jewellerymaker #handmadejewellery #oneofakindjewellery #seamarble seaglass