Guest design spot for the Crafting Muskateers....something very different

I am delighted to have been invited to guest design today for the lovely ladies over at the Crafting Musketeers. The theme for their July challenge is anything goes so do pop on over and join in the fun. What I love about the Crafting Musketeers challenge is that it is not restricted to paper crafts. Anyone can enter anything crafty at all.

With that in mind I decided to share my recent jewellery make for this post. If you are a first time visitor to Jane's Journal you may not realise that I also make jewellery and I attend a weekly silversmithing class. My class finished for the summer break recently and this is the most recent piece I made. I wanted to make a summer necklace for myself using sea glass and shells collected from our Greek islands holidays. My Hb and I go at least once a year and I always take a walk along the shore line looking for treasure.

I took some time planning my design for a pendant to which I would attach the sea glass. I drew it out first on paper. Part of our design brief was to also include some beading so I decided to use pearls. I cut the pendant from a piece of silver, textured it in the rolling mill and drilled holes to take the handmade claws.

I came up with a design using 2 pieces of sea glass

I made the shells using a 2 part moulding compound into which I pressed my real shells

I then used the moulds made them using silver metal clay.

. I decided to make my bail out of 2 shells. I drilled holes in them so that I attach the thread.

and then had fun (not!) making the claws.

They are made from silver wire and left uncut until finishing.  I had to drill holes in the base and solder them in place. I then tried several placements of the silver shells and once I was happy I soldered them in place.

I then cut down and filed the claws to points

Next I carefully placed the beach glass pieces and pushed over the claws.

Once the pendant was finished it was time to design the beads. I used freshwater pearls, Sworovski and green glass beads. I used a heart toggle clasp from my stash to finish everything off.

So here is my finished piece and I must admit I am delighted how it turned out.

 It was a real labour of love but worth every drop of blood sweat and tears I put into it. I would like to thank the ladies over at Crafting Musketeers for inviting me to Guest Design today. Do pop over to their great challenge blog and join in with the fun and remember that you can enter any craft. The theme is anything goes. Good luck to everyone.

I would like to enter my necklace into the following challenges;

Country View  on your travels
Allsorts Blue as the ocean
That Craft Place layers

Thanks for visiting  me here today and for the kind comments you take the time to leave. I would also like to warmly welcome my newest followers  July is the month of my bloggerversary and I have decided to make something special to celebrate for my annual giveaway.  I have used one of my spare silver shells to create a little summer pendant and I have also made a pearl,coral and shell necklace. I will be giving all the details on my blog on 26th July but as a sneak peek here is a photo.........

Keep cool, it was 36c in my garden in the shade yesterday....phew I have not felt it that hot for years in England. Wimbledon on Tuesday was just amazing...back soon with some photos. I have got to travel up to London today for a course....I feel a sticky journey may well be ahead ;0)

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x