Leaf Motif Earrings Tutorial

A quick (and free!) tutorial teaching you how to make these beautiful earrings with a rolling mill embossed texture. 
A perfect project for learning more about your rolling mill.

Why are there different solders and how do I use them?

Learning  to solder silver (and copper and gold!) opens up a whole new exciting  world of jewellery making, but sometimes all the different terms can be a  bit daunting when you're first getting started!
Read on and I will explain it all!

What to do if your bezel is
too small

You've  cut your bezel strip to size, filed the ends, soldered and carefully  neatened up the solder join - only to find that the bezel is now too small for your stone! Don't worry, we've all done it... and I'm going to show you an easy way to put it right.

Make a simple ring mandrel holder

Ring mandrels are essential pieces of kit for a jeweller, but sometimes it feels as though you need a third hand to hold one! In this tutorial I'll show you how to quickly and cheaply make one.

What soldering equipment do I need?

Learning how to solder is wonderful! It opens up a whole new world of jewellery making and it is something that you can set up easier, and most importantly, safely at home.
In this blog post I'm going to show you my soldering set up in my studio and the equipment I use with my students.

Jewellery Making Equipment Suppliers

Jewellery  making does need some specialist tools and equipment, but thankfully  the internet has made it much easier to source them - and to compare  prices too.
But how can you tell which suppliers have the best quality and the best customer service?
I can help you out there.

5 great tips to get the solder flowing where you want it to go!

I love it when  the solder flows - and even better when it flows exactly  where you  want it to! It is such a great feeling, seeing the liquid  silvery flash  of solder flowing across a join!
Here are some tips to help you get that solder flowing in  the right place.....

Using rouge to protect your solder joins

As your soldering projects get more complex, with multiple joins close to each other, you have to plan out your work carefully. Sometimes simply working your way through the different melting temperatures of  solder isn't enough, especially if you have multiple solder joins close to each other. Thankfully there are other ways of preventing the solder from melting and flowing when and where you don't want it to!

Dancing Pearls Earrings Tutorial

A modern twist on the classic pearl earrings
this  project will teach you how to set half-drilled pearls to create a  beautiful pair of earrings with silver discs dancing above them!
The project is a great way of using up small pieces of silver and is very easy to adapt to suit your own style.

What is Keum Boo?

Keum Boo literally translates as "attached gold". It is a thousands year old Korean technique that bonds 24k gold to fine silver. It is a magical process that can be combined with many other jewellery making techniques to produce amazing designs! Read on to find out how it works and the tools and materials needed...

How to repair your burnisher - and why you need to!

 A burnisher is a must-have for stone setting  - and for many other jobs too! However, burnishers must be looked after carefully  if they are going to give you the best results.  To find out why and how to look after them read on!  

Ten facts about Topaz, November's birthstone

Ten Facts about Turquoise, December's birthstone

Beloved by numerous ancient cultures and just as popular today, Turquoise is one of December's birthstones. Read on to find out more about how it is formed, where it is mined and why is has always been so popular!

Ten Facts about Garnet, January's birthstone

Popular throughout the centuries from Biblical times to now, Garnet is one of January's birthstones. Read on to find out more about why it's formation is unusual, it's beautiful range of colours and ancient garnet beliefs!

Ten Facts about Amethyst, February's birthstone

Ten Facts about Amethyst, March's birthstone

Beautiful Aquamarine shades of blues and sea greens is one of March's birthstones. Read on to find out more about it's history and myths!

Ten Facts about beautiful bright Silver

One of the first metals to be discovered, silver is used for many medical and industrial purposes - and of course for jewellery! Read on to find out more about it's properties and history.

Ten Facts about Sapphire, September's birthstone

Ten Tips to make Keum Boo easy!

Keum Boo is a magical technique  and one of my favourites to teach! A combination of heat and pressure permanently bond gold onto silver, creating gorgeous  mixed metal designs.
 Here are some of the best tips  that I teach my classes.