Nest Brooch

I definitely had fun with this! I have been admiring the 'nest jewellery' I'd seen on Etsy, but something never felt quite right. Nests are supposed to be messy, there needs to be camouflage, something to soften the twigs, and something to keep the eggs warm and cosy. But all the nests I saw were bare and cold. :-(

So here's my take on a 'nest'.


I wanted it to be as natural as possible and to fit right in with it's surroundings, hence the pictures of the brooch on some bay leaves (above) and some rosemary (below).

And here it is again on my garden table:


I've used lots of different materials. The nest itself was made from antiqued copper wire, which I have combined with green Habu steel yarn (100% wool over steel yarn), Habu paper moire in a mossy green/brown colour and teeny tiny guinea fowl feathers.

The eggs are freshwater peals which have been threaded into the nest, so they won't fall out. The nest has been placed on a brass filigree (which you can't see unless you're looking at the back of the brooch). There are more guinea fowl feathers on one side and a black marabou feather on the other side.

The nest and feathers sit securely on a brooch pin, which is just under 4cm (1.5"). The brooch itself is 12.5cm (approx. 5") wide and the little nest is 2.5cm (1") in diameter.

Despite the amount of wire I've used the brooch is still quite light. I wouldn't use it on your best silk shirt, but it's fine on something a little more substantial.

Nest and Spring in Paris will be available in my Etsy shop later this week. I am determined to upload some more items to my Etsy shop this weekend. However, if you can't wait, the brooch is £15 + P&P.

Forever Twilight Bracelet

My latest creation:

Forever Twilight

Ben came up with the name ages ago and wanted me to make something to suit it. It took me some time to think of something deserving of the name but finally here it is.


The bracelet has been made with a crocheted wire frame, which was then 'embroidered' tatting style with a mix of dark blue Habu silk covered steel and (also from Habu) a kind of lurex which in fact is more like thread-thin video tape. The effect is much nicer than lurex as you get a far more subtle shimmer and glimmer.



In the next step I added teeny 4-layer organza flowers in black and lilac and Magatama drops in matte grey, pale blue and glossy lustred grey.


The final step was a gorgeous lilac organza ribbon threaded through the ends of the bracelet.


Above is one of the little silk organza flowers.



The bracelet is fully adjustable and would suit a medium to large wrist. It's too wide for a small wrist.

I think I will be making variations along this theme as I really like the look and feel of the bracelet. It is unusual and organic, soft but firm to wear and has interesting details. Something that will work as well with a little black dress as with a pair of jeans.

Yellow-Mellow Flower Garland

This was a story and a half! It was meant to be a pink rose garland!

The vine necklace part was ready, I'd made some lovely flower centres from pink variegated cotton and was about to assemble the flowers when I realised, no pink silk rods! I thought I'd bought pink ones, and then realised what had looked pink on the screen had been a sort of coral/tangerine orange.

Never mind, pink roses became yellow-mellow sunshine flowers. :-)


Problem was, I had to change the centres. I could have crocheted some more in a deep golden brown, but then decided that I might as well use the natural cocoons. Works well I think. See the pictures below:



This is the shortest of the three garlands I've made so far. It works really well as the flowers are closer together and it has a lovely luscious organic feel to it. The methods used are as before with the green silky cord and detail added with a green wool covered steel yarn. The beads in the centre are little plastic moulded transparent flower cups, golden coloured shimmery glass beads and buttermilk opaque seed beads.



The cocoons are a matching orange.



The clasp is a simple toggle design where the bead slips through a hole in a leaf shape. The bead is porcelain with a butterfly design on it.




This garland will be available together with the blue and yellow one in my Etsy shop (hopefully later today). The gothic one will be available as a custom order. I have many more colours in the silk (just no pink!), the cocoons and the silky cord so you can choose your favourite colours.