Alphabetti Spaghetti Design

So what's with the Darwin Fish, then?

2011-11-30T13:52:00.001+01:00

To understand what the significance of a little fish with legs is, you have to understand what the little fish without legs means. The fish symbol adopted by Christians is called Ichthys, which is the Greek name for fish. Written in the original Greek, it becomes an acronym and I think it’s really quite clever: ΙΧΘΥΣ – Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ, (Iēsous Christos, Theou Yios, Sōtēr), which translates into English as “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Saviour”.

Fish also feature quite prominently in the gospels, what with the “feeding of the five thousand”, etc… The ichthys is also seen in 1st-century catacombs in Rome, where according to tradition, ancient Christians, during their persecution by the Roman Empire in the first few centuries after Christ, used the fish symbol to mark meeting places and tombs, or to distinguish friends from foes.

It was later revived in the 20th century when members of the University of Queensland Evangelical Union used the ichthys symbol when they formed a temporary Christian commune to be a witnessing presence at the Aquarius Rock Festival in 1973. From this time people started to display the ichthys symbol, sometimes together with an Aquarius Festival sticker in the rear window of Kombi vans. The car bumper sticker came soon after.
The “Jesus Fish” has become an icon of modern Protestant Christianity. Apart from the now famous bumper stickers, it can now also be seen as pendants or necklaces as a sign that the owner is a Christian.

In 1983, two friends, Al Seckel and John Edwards who were involved in the Southern California atheist and freethought movements, co-created the Darwin fish design, which was first used on a freethought leaflet entitled “Darwin’s Views on Religion” for Atheists United in 1984. It was then sold by Atheists United and other freethought groups, which got free permission from Seckel and Edwards throughout the 1980s, for it to be used on bumper stickers and t-shirts. In 1983, Chris Gilman, a Hollywood propmaker, claimed not to have seen Seckel’s and Edward’s design, joked about the idea as an “advertising” alternative to the “Jesus fish” when the employees’ conversation turned to a court case involving teaching evolution versus creationism. He manufactured the first plastic car ornaments in 1988, and started Evolution Design in 1990. Evolution Design’s fish faced right, while Seckel and Edwards’ design faced left, like the Christian symbol. When Evolution Design was at risk of losing its trademark on the design, they began threatening to sue creators of look-alike Darwin fish emblems and unlicensed products. Recruited by one of the sellers of unlicensed products, Seckel and Edwards in turn sued Evolution Design for copyright infringement. Seckel and Edwards did not seek royalties, but wanted Evolution Design to allow free use of the design by anyone authorised by them. Seckel and Edwards felt that in the spirit of parody and free speech, their design predated Gilman’s claimed origin of 1988. During the discovery phase Gilman was not able to offer any proof that he had created the design during the 1980s (which during that time was widely distributed), while Seckel and Edwards were able to supply postmarked and dated material containing their Darwin fish design from as early as 1983. The suit was settled when it became apparent that Seckel and Edwards had not properly protected their design.

So, that’s where I come in. The Darwin fish, fortunately for me is available for free reproduction, and being a “free thinker” myself, I liked the idea of incorporating this design into various jewellery designs. I started with a simple representation on a silver chain and have since started making “pebbles” where the Darwin fish is engraved onto a melted and flattened blob of silver and blackened to bring out the detail. I’m not a big fan of that ubiquitous Christian symbol, the cross; why wear a symbol of torture? Darwin fish are a fun, friendly poke at creationism and are sure to set off heated debate for anyone who wears it with pride.

Source: Wikipedia, accessed 30/11/2011

The price of exclusivity?

2011-11-23T11:48:00.001+01:00

The British Museum shows off treasure buried for 1000 years.

From time to time, we hear about hauls of treasure being found, dating back a thousand or more years, such as this one described here in this 2007 article from the Guardian. Do you think your jewellery will still be around in 1000 years time? Would you want it to be? There has been a growing trend in the western world for "throw away" fashion, buy something cheaply and then if it gets ruined in the wash or falls apart, no problem, just throw it away go and buy another one. But this wanton waste of resources is not sustainable. Quite apart from the drain on the planet's resources in producing the textiles that are then discarded in landfill, the way the world's economy is heading, it is no longer financially viable to produce such cheap and shoddy garments. Even poor sweatshop workers are feeling the pinch!
Fortunately, this trend seems to be changing, and rather than buying cheaply now, and never mind the consequences, shoppers are being more careful with their money and in turn becoming more discerning with their tastes. They can no longer afford to be replacing worn out clothing after only one season, and are looking towards better-made, more classical styles, and as result, are often looking for products that are made a little closer to home.
I'm hoping that these trends will have a positive effect on my jewellery sales. After all, would you rather buy something that is truly unique, where you have had a relationship, of sorts with the person who made it, who you can turn to if something goes wrong? Do you think the Chinese seller on Ebay would be interested if you lost one of your earrings and needed another made to match the remaining one? Do you think they'd still be around to take care of you if you needed to repair one of their $10 "silver" rings?
The thing is, I have been seduced by buying inexpensive jewellery, too. Who hasn't? I recently bought a fine (.999) silver bangle from a shop in town. It was made in South East Asia and is really lovely. Now, I only paid something like €40 (£34) for it, but today I started thinking about if I had tried to make and sell a similar bangle. It weighs 25g, and with today's silver prices, the metal alone comes in at something like £25 (€30), and that's without all the work that's gone into making it. A bangle like this would take me at least a morning, or 3-4 hours to make. If I bought it for €40, I can only imagine what the shop bought it for and in turn how much the poor silversmith who made it, earned. I feel really guilty about buying it now! However, a similar thing is happening to me every day, thanks to the horrendous rise in metal prices and the state of the economy.
Today, I was comparing how much a shopping basket from my metal supplier cost in 2006 and how much it costs now. This is an example of stock I bought in November 2006:

Sterling silver 1mm round wire 2m         £6.30
Sterling silver 0.8mm round wire 2m          £4.33
Sterling silver 2mm round wire 2m             £23.26
9k medium solder wire 5cm                        £0.60
9k easy solder wire 5cm                             £0.60
Sterling silver sheet 0.9mm 1cm x 50cm    £16.12
9k sheet 0.2mm 4mm x 30cm                    £16.02
Total                                                            £67.23
VAT 17.5%                                                  £78.99

And the same basket today would cost:

Sterling silver 1mm round wire 2m         £14.11
Sterling silver 0.8mm round wire 2m          £9.45
Sterling silver 2mm round wire 2m             £53.26
9k medium solder wire 5cm                        £1.65
9k easy solder wire 5cm                             £1.65
Sterling silver sheet 0.9mm 1cm x 50cm    £38.51
9k sheet 0.2mm 4mm x 30cm                    £42.56
Total                                                            £161.69
VAT 20%                                                     £194.03

So, a big leap. But have my prices increased to reflect this? Well, no.
My costs go up and up, my prices stay the same. However, my jewellery making, like the throw away culture we have, is no longer sustainable. I, in effect work for nothing. Would you do that? I suppose not. Everyone wants jewellery at South East Asia prices or the prices offered by dodgy "here today, gone tomorrow" Chinese sellers on Ebay.
So, I return to my original question. Would you want your jewellery to still be around in 1000 years time? I can't promise that either I or my jewellery have that much life in us, but speaking for my jewellery at least, I'd like to think it will stand the test of time. The fact is, if you don't start looking closer to home to buy your stuff, and you buy junk, then you're cheating yourself and you're cheating the environment and you're cheating your own economy. Think about it this Christmas.

Party styles

2011-11-12T12:32:00.000+01:00

With the party season fast approaching, you might be on the lookout for that extra special and unique accessory to wow and turn heads. How about a one of a kind necklace from my shop. You know you won't be embarrassed by someone else turning up in the same thing and it might just open the door for some interesting conversations! Here's a selection from the shop:

New bracelets for Christmas

2011-11-12T12:17:00.000+01:00

A rainbow selection of silver and semi-precious bead bracelets that would make stunning Christmas presents! Take your pick from the bracelets section of my shop.

Cherry berry earrings

2011-10-28T11:30:00.000+02:00

Cherries, berries or linden bracts? Cute botanical hook earrings in sterling silver.

For sale in my shop

Leaf and berry dangly earrings

2011-10-28T11:28:00.000+02:00

Cute and sparkly hook earrings made from sterling silver and carnelian beads.

For sale in my shop

Silver fern pendant in silver and bronze

2011-10-25T19:05:00.000+02:00

Silver fern, the symbol of New Zealand. This pendant in sterling silver and bronze, riveted together, lovingly recreates this pretty leaf as an engraving on the bronze. The bronze will acquire a patina over time but can be polished back to its original colour if desired.

For sale in my shop

Oak leaf and acorn mixed metal necklace

2011-10-25T19:04:00.000+02:00

When autumn arrives, my mind turns to leaves... every year it's the same. This year I have made this lanyard-style necklace in sterling silver and bronze with a ring and t-bar closure. The silver leaf has been rolled with a real oak leaf to give the vein pattern that has then been given an oxiding treatment and brushed for an organic look. The bronze leaf has also been rolled, but the pattern is much more faint. Bronze is very hard and it is difficult to emboss in a roller. The acorn is sterling silver and an alloy of bronze and silver. This is quite a heavy necklace, weighing in at 22g

For sale in my shop

Tiglio Choker

2011-10-25T19:02:00.000+02:00

We have a lime tree or linden tree in our garden and I'm always fascinated by the mixture of foliage it produces. Apart from its gorgeous heart-shaped leaves, it also produces pea-like fruits attached to long bracts, that look like leaves. In this choker, I have attempted to represent in sterling silver all the various interesting elements that go to make up our little tree, and strung them all together on a black, silk cord. Tiglio is Italian for lime.
For sale in my shop

Alphabetti Spaghetti Jewellery website launch

2011-10-13T18:48:00.001+02:00

Yes folks, after a ~~five year~~ little wait, it's finally here! You will find the usual favourites, such as anticlastic and coil rings, with some new additions to the insect jewellery, along with some new pieces you won't have seen before.
You can make a purchase without having to register and all payments are handled securely through PayPal. I'd love it if you could schlep along and tell me what you think!
www.alphabettispaghetti.com

Rutile Quartz Amulet Necklace

2011-02-28T12:34:00.000+01:00

Beautifully cut rutile quartz, suspended in sterling silver frame. Comes with sterling silver belcher chain with hand-crafted hook closure. For sale in my Boticca shop.

Hammered earrings with Peridot

2011-02-28T12:31:00.000+01:00

A sparkly 3mm faceted peridot decorates these sterling silver earrings. Features safety closure for hook. For sale in my Boticca shop.

Sterling silver hair barrette

2011-02-16T16:02:00.000+01:00

A really cute and original hair barrette with sterling silver decoration. Hand stamped and finished off with a central 9k red gold spot. For sale in my Boticca shop.

Mixed greens pendant

2011-02-16T16:00:00.001+01:00

Heavy sterling silver belcher chain in a lanyard-style. Decorated with gorgeous Bumpy Beads hand-crafted green glass bead, a genuine Murano glass bead and a green fluorite bear. Finished off with a chunky, hammered T-bar closure. For sale in my Boticca shop.

Bold ruby ring

2011-02-16T15:57:00.000+01:00

Sterling silver ring made from 2mm square sterling silver wire. Circle on top measures 18mm. Set with 3mm ruby. Find it in my Boticca shop

Oval hammered earrings

2011-02-02T13:20:00.000+01:00

Sterling silver hoop earrings with post and butterfly back. If you like them, they are for sale in my Boticca shop.

ArtJewelry Magazine

2011-02-01T10:44:00.000+01:00

My mud dauber wasp pendant is in the March gallery of ArtJewelry Magazine. How proud am I?

Sun face earrings

2011-01-28T12:15:00.000+01:00

Cute and enigmatic sterling silver earrings featuring the sun with a domed face. Hand engraved, the silver has been treated with an oxidising solution to bring out the features. For sale in my Boticca shop.

Hammered silver ring

2010-12-03T20:41:00.000+01:00

For sale in my Boticca shop.

Unisex wide hammered silver ring

2010-12-03T20:39:00.000+01:00

For sale in my Boticca shop.

Sterling silver bracelet...

2010-12-03T20:37:00.000+01:00

...with aquamarine and rock crystal beads and a little heart. For sale in my Boticca shop.

Gemstone bead earrings for Christmas

2010-11-29T16:00:00.000+01:00

Available with aquamarine, amethyst or yellow topaz on Boticca

Stone set infinity rings

2010-11-24T17:30:00.001+01:00

I have made these rings before without stones and in a combination of gold and silver. These two are set with a 2mm white diamond and a 2mm ruby respectively. They are for sale in my Boticca shop, here and here.

Lotus necklace

2010-11-23T15:39:00.000+01:00

I really love Egyptian jewellery, and this necklace is inspired by that style of jewellery. It features a stylised lotus leaf form in sterling silver with a 9k yellow gold accent and little silver balls. It is set in 9k gold with a 3mm cabochon dark blue sapphire. The square snake chain is 54cm long and the pendant measures 3 x 4cm. You can find it for sale in my Boticca shop.

Darwin Fish Bracelet

2010-11-18T12:24:00.001+01:00

Cute double stranded belcher chain with the iconic Darwin fish. All in sterling silver and ready to go in my Boticca shop.

Opal Ring

2010-11-16T21:10:00.000+01:00

Sterling silver with lovely blue opal. For sale in my Boticca shop.

Gorgeous new wave rings

2010-11-09T19:31:00.000+01:00

This ring was made using 2mm square sterling silver wire that has been shaped into a wave and hammered for texture. Dotted intermittently around the band are six little 9k gold flattened balls.

I love the colour of rhodolites. They are a pink variety of garnet, and work well with both gold and silver. This ring is 2mm sterling silver square wire that has been shaped into a wave and hammered. I then added intermittent 9k flattened gold balls, and a 3mm faceted rhodolite set in 9k gold.

This ring also looks nice when worn with a similar ring that also has a rhodolite as part of the decoration.
For sale here: Rhodolite, silver and gold ring and silver and gold wave ring

Hammered bangle

2010-10-25T18:19:00.000+02:00

This bangle started life as 3mm round wire. I had to taper the ends to make them thin enough to wrap around each side. Due to the hammering, the main body of the bangle has a square profile. It is marginally adjustable and can be opened a little bit to ease putting it on. When it's on, it can be squeezed a little bit smaller. This is a small bangle (6cm - 6.25cm diameter), but I have just about enough wire to make a bigger one if you would like! It is for sale in my Boticca shop.

Amethyst daisy chain necklace

2010-10-15T16:09:00.000+02:00

Sterling silver short necklace with faceted amethyst beads, made like a daisy chain. If you like it, you can find it my Boticca shop.

Little silver snake ring

2010-10-14T18:06:00.000+02:00

Cut and simple, this little fella. If you like him, you can find him for sale in my Boticca shop, or if you'd like me to make one for you, just drop me a line!

Cute leaf and ladybird necklace

2010-10-13T14:44:00.000+02:00

Sterling silver leaf with partially oxidised ladybird on the top. Finished off with 4mm peridot and fine sterling silver trace chain. If you like this, you can find it for sale in my Boticca shop.

Silver chain bracelet with flat links

2010-10-12T17:52:00.000+02:00

Simple but solid sterling silver chain bracelet with alternate hammered, flat links. Finished off with hand-forged hook closure. If you like it, you can find it for sale in my Boticca shop.

Mystery

2010-10-08T18:30:00.002+02:00

Last year I made two really cute sterling silver charm bracelets with genuine Murano glass beads (bought in Venice, by me), topaz, jade, rock crystal and Chinese characters. I thought they'd be really popular and sell like hot cakes. Not so, BUT, and this is the mystery, they are the most searched for item when I look at my Feedjit data! How very strange... If you too want to have a look at them, they're here: http://alphabettispaghetti.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-charm-bracelets-with-beads-and.html
and for sale here, in my Dawanda shop: Xi for happiness and Shou for longevity

I think they'd make nice presents, but I would...

Anticlastic on Boticca

2010-10-08T18:18:00.000+02:00

This ring is one of my first designs. I made the very first prototype as a Saturday morning experimental project before going into town. This was about seven years ago! They've always been best-sellers, and I really love them. This one's for sale in my Boticca shop, but please contact me if you'd like one made in your size.

I dreamt about a brooch...

2010-10-07T13:44:00.000+02:00

And this is it! Organic and unusual, sterling silver, rough and cut diamonds set in 18k gold, 9k red gold ball highlight and 3mm tanzanite set in silver. That's it!

New Bee Piece

2010-09-24T12:27:00.000+02:00

Another bee offering. This one is sterling silver, bronze and 9k gold.

New piece for Autumn

2010-09-24T12:23:00.000+02:00

It's grape harvesting time in Italy and I love to see the tractors with grape-laden trailers, trundling off to make wine. Most of the grapes grown in this part of Emilia Romagna are destined to make Lambrusco. This delicious sparkling red wine should not be confused with the Lambrusco you can buy in the supermarket. It's totally different!
This necklace is sterling silver and garnet and is currently for sale in my Boticca shop.

Blogger Blogged!

2010-09-05T22:45:00.000+02:00

Frosty Mint have very kindly featured my Darwin Fish in their fabulous blog. If you want the lowdown on the latest fashion and design trends, head over there and have a look!

"Something About September" Sale

2010-09-05T22:39:00.000+02:00

I have a sale on at the moment, running until 16th September. I am offering 20%-50% off jewellery in my Boticca shop, and 50% off jewellery in my Dawanda shop.

Another Snail Box

2010-08-31T18:21:00.000+02:00

I nearly forgot to show you this one! Cute little sterling silver box with liftable lid with 9k gold spiral motif and 9k gold and silver snail on the lid. Features faceted aquamarine beads. Sterling silver belcher chain with hand-crafted hook closure. If you like it, you can find it for sale in my Boticca shop.

Aquamarine Heart Ring

2010-07-25T13:21:00.001+02:00

Sterling silver and 4mm aquamarine. For sale in my Boticca shop.

Boticca Video

2010-07-19T15:58:00.000+02:00

Well, my week of being Boticca's Designer Crush of the Week is over and has been a great success. Here is the promotional video for anyone who missed it on the site:

Jewelry Designer Feature: Wendy Humphreys from Alphabetti Spaghetti - Boticca.com from Boticca.com on Vimeo.

"Design Crush of the Week" at Boticca

2010-07-11T16:22:00.000+02:00

I am fortunate to have been chosen as this week's "Design Crush of the Week" on Boticca! Take a look at the video and find out a bit more about me and my work and take advantage of 30% off all items from Tuesday to Friday morning. Be quick as all my Boticca items are one of a kind!

Sale at Dawanda

2010-07-11T16:18:00.000+02:00

I'm offering 50% off all my jewellery this week, from Monday to Friday. Have a look and if you fancy anything, let me know and I'll apply the discount. You can find the shop here.

Darwin Fish Necklace

2010-07-07T16:51:00.001+02:00

I love Darwin fish. This one's sterling silver and on a short, fine sterling silver chain. For sale in my Boticca shop.

Sapphire and aquamarine ring

2010-07-07T16:48:00.000+02:00

I love this ring, it's a bit bling-bling! It's sterling silver with two 4mm aquamarines and two 3mm greeny-blue sapphires. If you like it, you can find it for sale in my shop on Boticca.

Tension set ring

2010-07-07T16:45:00.000+02:00

I used to make loads of these but never had the courage to sell them. I took the plunge with this one. The shank is sterling silver and 3mm x 2mm, so quite sturdy to hold the 2mm square sapphire in place. The ends of the shank are finished off with 18k yellow gold. If you like this, you can find it for sale in my shop on Boticca.

Tanzanite Tube Ring

2010-06-24T16:10:00.000+02:00

Sterling silver ring with two 3mm tanzanites set at the two ends of a tube. Flanked by 18k yellow gold strip. If you like this, you can find it for sale in my Boticca shop.

Rough Diamond Ring

2010-06-24T16:07:00.000+02:00

I haven't made one of these for a little while. This one is sterling silver, 14k yellow gold and features a 3.5mm rough cube diamond. If you like it, you can find it for sale in my Boticca shop.

Feather or Leaf? Sterling silver engraved ring.

2010-06-19T19:16:00.000+02:00

When I started making this, it was a leaf, but I got a bit carried away with the engraving and it became a feather. I've blackened the plume bit for contrast. If you think it could still pass as a leaf, that's fine! If you like it, you can find it for sale in my shop on Boticca.

More "Beautiful Insects"

2010-06-19T19:12:00.000+02:00

This is the latest in the "Beautiful Insects" collection and is a sterling silver and bronze honeybee pendant on a hexagonal cell with a 3mm yellow sapphire.
If you like it, you can find it for sale in my shop on Boticca.

Lush chrome tourmaline ring

2010-05-28T16:17:00.001+02:00

I've had this chrome tourmaline for years waiting for the right opportunity to use it. Here it is in all its 1.4ct (8.9 x 7.2mm) splendour. The band is brushed sterling silver with two 2mm rubies flush set on the shoulders. If you like it, you can find it for sale on Boticca

Blue tourmaline ring

2010-05-28T16:10:00.001+02:00

I've always loved tourmaline. This ring is sterling silver with the 6 x 4mm tourmaline set in 18k yellow gold. If you like it, it's for sale on Boticca

Little box with ladybird and turquoise

2010-05-28T16:08:00.001+02:00

Sterling silver box decorated with 9k and 14k gold flower with ladybird on the lid. Foxtail chain has hand crafted hook closure. If you like it, it's for sale on Boticca

Engagement Ring Commission

2010-05-24T19:57:00.000+02:00

18k white gold, 18k yellow gold, blue tourmaline. Wouldn't mind this one for myself!!

A couple of tasty commissions

2010-05-24T19:49:00.000+02:00

Sterling silver and 9k yellow gold anticlastic spinner ring and flat ring with 2mm white diamond.

Two new pieces

2010-05-08T19:11:00.005+02:00

Cute little sterling silver box with liftable lid with 14k gold heart motif and 9k red gold and silver snail on the lid. Each side has an engraved flower and the bottom features rock crystal beads. This pendant is for sale in my Boticca shop.

Honey bees perform a waggle dance in a figure-of-eight dance of the honey bee. Successful foragers share information with their hive mates about the direction and distance to patches of flowers yielding nectar and pollen, to water sources, or to new housing locations.
This pendant is created in sterling silver with an alloy of bronze and silver for the abdomen and depicts such a dance and is for sale in my Boticca shop.

Jewellery Party woes - the real story

2010-05-01T18:55:00.006+02:00

I recently had a jewellery party that was hosted at an erstwhile friend of mine's house (who I do not blame for this debacle but who has chosen to single me out for a punch in the face). Loads of people had promised to attend and some people had apparently been chomping at the bit to go. When the day came, none of those so-called keen people were there and those that were were really only there to socialise with the other housewives and mothers who regularly attend coffee mornings at this person's house.
I had spent 4 days preparing the displays and labels for my jewellery and as some people had already seen what sort of thing I make from my online shops, I was expecting a few sales. I wasn't there to showcase my work, have it poked and tried on and rejected, I was there to sell it. I already showcase it in my shops. I don't appreciate being told it's not chunky enough or too chunky or that I should stick to selling pieces that cost less than €40. Do you people have any idea how much precious metal costs? That's without the work that goes into designing it, making it, and pardon me, dare I say, a little profit for me? My prices were halfway between wholesale and retail, so hardly extortionate. The cheapest items were €10 up to €200 for an 18k white gold ring. Some of the artisan, one of a kind stuff was well underpriced. Yet hardly anyone was even interested in looking, never mind buying anything. Thank you to those who did buy something that day, but it was a really poor day for me, hanging around like a spare part. I don't want to hear about the 2 carat diamond you're expecting your husband to buy for you while you turn your nose up at my jewellery. I don't want to have to keep small children's mitts off my jewellery and then hear, "I can't look at your jewellery because I have to look after my child". People! Why did you go to a jewellery party if you had absolutely no intention of buying anything?
This is my life. This is how I earn my living. It isn't a silly hobby. If I don't sell anything, I don't pay my bills. I don't need to "get real" or "get off my high horse". I've been making and selling jewellery for 10 years and in that time metal prices have gone through the roof but I'm still expected to have prices equal to that of mass-produced jewellery from SE Asia. If you want that type of jewellery, fine, but don't come to my jewellery party. If you want base metal and fake stones, fine, but don't expect that from me. Lucky you, you can sit at home, shop, lunch, do bugger-all, but some of us are trying to work and make a living. That's what I call "getting real".
Last of all, threatening to punch me in the face for expressing my annoyance at the reception I received is just downright childish. Some people need to get off their high horse, stop looking down their noses and get a life!

Potter wasp on heather necklace

2010-04-16T19:46:00.005+02:00

Sterling silver necklace with silver and bronze potter wasp and pot nest on heather branch. I love these little wasps! For sale on Boticca

Gemstone Destash

2010-04-06T16:05:00.002+02:00

I'm selling off some of my surplus gemstones on Etsy:

Amethyst - 3 and 4mm round
Aquamarine 3 and 4mm round
Citrine - 3mm round
Rough Diamond Cube 4mm
Iolite - 3 and 4mm round
Montana agate - 16 x 12mm oval
Rutile Quartz - 8mm round
Peridot - 3mm round
Pink Tourmaline 3-4mm round cabochon
White Topaz 3-3.5mm round

Mud dauber wasp

2010-04-04T20:14:00.002+02:00

Sterling silver necklace featuring mud dauber wasp Sceliphron caementarium.

Leaf cutter ant necklace

2010-03-24T19:24:00.002+01:00

Another one of my insect favourites is leaf cutter ants. These industrious little critters grow fungus that the keep nourished with pieces of fresh leaves which they then feed to their larvae. This one's in sterling silver and bronze.

Luxury Ring

2010-03-19T21:06:00.002+01:00

Sterling silver, 18k yellow gold and 2mm diamond. Yum!

New insect pieces

2010-03-13T15:04:00.005+01:00

Weaver ant with grub. Weaver ants construct their nests by gluing together leaves with the aid of their larvae that they gently squeeze to allow the release of a sticky silky glue. They're not stupid, these ants! Sterling silver, bronze, 18k yellow gold.
Bee on hive cell with honey. Sterling silver, bronze, yellow sapphire.
Honey bee on flower. Sterling silver, bronze.

Blogger blogged!

2010-02-24T12:29:00.003+01:00

My lovely friend Catherine Marche has written a feature on me in her fabulous blog. What a lucky girl I am. Thanks Cat!

http://honeyandsweets.blogspot.com/2010/02/alphabettispaghetti-soup-no-jewels.html

New Etsy Shop

2010-01-27T16:41:00.003+01:00

I've just opened a new shop on Etsy selling organic catnip toys. It's called "Cats Can Jump". Some of the toys have a removable and replaceable catnip pouch, also available from the shop, and some feature a removable stick and elastic so you can play "Cats can jump" with your cat by making him jump up for the toy.

"This is it" Etsy sale

2010-01-01T16:55:00.002+01:00

I don't really know where it all went wrong, but everyone's deserted me on Etsy. Such as it is, I am forced to wind down and eventually close my shop. I am therefore having a mega-sale, so go, have a look, and feel free to dig in...

Symbols Bracelet

2009-12-23T16:00:00.006+01:00

Sterling silver, bronze and honey jade charms on plaited leather bracelet, featuring my favourite symbols

New Charm Bracelets with Beads and Chinese Characters

2009-11-27T18:59:00.004+01:00

Blackened sterling silver with Murano glass beads, topaz bead, honey jade bead, rock crystal bead, dapped and engraved flower charm and Chinese character depicting "happiness" charm. 6.5" long.

Blackened sterling silver charm bracelet featuring Murano glass beads that I bought on a trip to Venice, topaz bead, honey jade bead, rock crystal bead, dapped and engraved flower charm and Chinese character depicting "longevity" charm. 6.5" long.

Garnet Bead Ring

2009-11-25T16:28:00.003+01:00

Garnet Bead Ring, originally uploaded by AlphabettiSpaghetti.

New range for Christmas

Labradorite bead ring

2009-11-25T16:28:00.001+01:00

Labradorite bead ring, originally uploaded by AlphabettiSpaghetti.

Some new bits and pieces I hope will sell for Christmas

Joshua Tree Pendants

2009-11-18T18:45:00.001+01:00

Joshua Tree Pendants, originally uploaded by AlphabettiSpaghetti.

Custom order. Sterling silver and bronze pendant featuring pierced out Joshua tree.

Why cats should eat meat and not grain...

2009-11-11T17:48:00.001+01:00

Fabulous new Feline Nutrition Site

2009-11-09T17:39:00.003+01:00

I stumbled across this really informative and beautifully laid-out website by the Feline Nutrition Education Society, dedicated to the proper feeding of cats. I, and thousands of other cat owners and vets believe that a grain-based diet is not suitable for an obligate carnivore like the cat and therefore feed a raw meat based diet. This diet consists of as many parts of an animal as possible, so as well as muscle meat, cats are fed raw bone which helps to balance out the phosphorus in the muscle meat. Too much phosphorus is bad for renal health. Hearts are rich in taurine, something that cats cannot produce themselves but die without, so are fed as part of the muscle meat part of the diet. The rest of the diet is made up of various "innards" such as kidneys, livers, etc. Thousands of cat owners can testify to much healthier pets with renewed vitality. Raw meat is also a brilliant teeth cleaner. Oral health is something that is very important in the prevention of kidney disease and obviously healthy teeth mean a happy cat with that beautiful and impressive set of teeth that characterises this little predator!
I have an article that the owners of this site very kindly published, outlining my experiences of raw-feeding and how I get on with it in Italy.

Two new sparkly pieces

2009-11-07T17:35:00.003+01:00

Sterling silver necklace with two 3mm aquamarines, two 3mm iolites and one 3mm dark blue sapphire
11mm claw-set champagne topaz on 1cm textured sterling silver band. Bling bling!!

Autumn Bangles

2009-10-20T11:19:00.005+02:00

Two new bangles for the autumn collection. The top one features oak leaves and a 9k red gold acorn. The bottom one is a willow leaf. I have left this one unsoldered so it is in fact adjustable. The willow leaf bangle is made using 3mm round sterling wire and the oak bangle using 2mm.

New Work

2009-10-05T21:37:00.003+02:00

I thought I'd have a bit of a change from my usual work and have made these cute spoons and a little fork. You can use them to scoop up your breakfast marmalade or honey!

Help me raise $1000 for cheetahs

2009-08-15T17:54:00.003+02:00

Every donation made this month is being matched by CCF until the end of August. I've sold 2 cheetah cuffs, so that's $300. Please help me make it $1000 by the end of the month. The race is on!

SOLD!!

2009-08-14T10:53:00.003+02:00

The cheetah cuff has now been sold but I will be making more to order and continuing to donate 50% to CCF.

Cheetah cuff for CCF

2009-08-03T15:34:00.006+02:00

The Cheetah Conservation Fund do fabulous work in Namibia and Kenya, working to conserve and protect these beautiful, endangered cats. They have implemented a livestock guarding dog programme so that farmers can use specially trained dogs to protect their flocks from predation by cheetahs, and therefore protect the cheetahs from being trapped or shot. This project is particularly interesting to me because my Master's thesis is about a similar livestock guarding dog programme in Slovakia, this time protecting flocks from wolves, bears and lynx.

I will be donating 50% of the proceeds from the sale of this cuff to this organisation. I have personally met the founder, Dr Laurie Marker on a couple of occasions, so feel very close to this organisation. They do fantastic work. Please support them!

Delilah... Stolen...

2009-07-15T17:56:00.001+02:00

For more on this, please go to my new blog at www.mukkatours.blogspot.com

Meet Delilah...

2009-05-18T08:56:00.003+02:00

So, if someone had told me that I would be a biker chick one day, I wouldn't have believed them! I've always been a bit of a "petrol head" with an interest in cars, but never, never bikes. Too noisy, too dangerous, ridden by greasy people...

Just about everyone in Italy has a scooter of one dimension or another, and we were lucky in having a fairly big one that we used to nip about on. We did the odd longer trip, and it was fun, but we were a bit restricted on how far we could go because of the comfort factor. The engine wasn't huge and used to struggle with two a little bit.

The "madness" really started last year on holiday in Corsica when we saw how many people were there on scooters and motorbikes. The first pangs of envy started to creep in and we started tentatively talking about getting a Yamaha TMax, which is a sort of hybrid between a scooter and a motorbike. We visited a few showrooms but never went as far as a test-drive. Now, I don't really know how it all got started, but at some point, my other half, C expressed an up to now latent passion for motorbikes, the BMW R1200GS in particular. I wasn't really interested in all this boy talk and didn't pay much attention, until we went to the showroom for a look... Well, first of all there's the smell. I've always liked the smell of new cars, but new motorbikes smell even better. Then I came face to face with "The Beast". This GS machine was a work of art. A beautiful, big, shiny, powerful, metal beast that unleashed something deep inside...

So, away we went, talking about maybe getting one next year, and we'd see... These conversations became a daily occurrence, as did drive-bys of the showroom, until C decided to take a test drive. Could he be thinking of buying one sooner than next year? I think the test drive clinched the decision. Unfortunately the bloke in the showroom didn't seem that enthusiastic about selling us a bike, so we decided to try another dealer that had been recommended to us. After an hour talking to the salesman and his lovely elderly mother who also worked there ("that's a beautiful bike you're thinking of buying there, kids"), we'd come away with an offer to give us more for our trusty scooter than we ever could have imagined, and a financial deal that was obviously aimed at giving you no choice whatsoever on whether or not to buy the bike. It was a really good deal put together by BMW. Off we went to "think about it". A week later we were in the showroom signing the papers. A week after that and the bike was ready for collection.

And so arrived the lovely Delilah, over 200kg of heavenly beast! I let C go to work on her and build up confidence before insisting I hopped on the back. With our sparkly new biker gear, I finally got the opportunity to go "two-up" this weekend. I always enjoyed riding on the back of the scooter, but a motorbike gives you a certain kudos, and what with the other bikers lifting an acknowledging hand in greeting as they passed, there is nothing, nothing like it. I asked C what it was that made travelling by motorbike as opposed to car that more attractive. He voiced my own feelings on it. You're outside in the fresh air, you can see everything around you, the colours are brighter, it's open and you don't feel claustrophobic... so many things. It lifts my spirits being on the back of the bike. I love it. I never thought I would.

So, we're off to Corsica on her at the end of June, a dream fulfilled. We now have to decide what we can take in two panniers and a topcase! No support vehicle for us! Trips we have planned in the future are North Cape and Morocco, and we're currently debating whether to drive her up to the UK in August... We're thinking of starting a dedicated blog, so I'll keep you posted!

Puzzle rings

2009-04-21T13:12:00.002+02:00

A new line in puzzle rings.

Bruno Bianco

2009-04-21T12:42:00.001+02:00

The lovely, cleaned-up version!

Introducing... Bruno!

2009-02-27T09:29:00.002+01:00

This little fella was waiting for us when we got back home on Monday night. He jumped into my arms like a long lost pal. Tuesday morning he was outside in the garden miaowing. He's now the newest member of our family. Little Bruno's about 3 months old, with a classic Van pattern to his coat, so he's all white except for a grey and black stripy tail and a grey patch on his head. He has a very pale grey mark near the base of his tail. What a cutey!!!

My Big Fat January Sale

2009-01-09T12:45:00.002+01:00

Huge reductions and free shipping on non-sale items. Shop early for Christmas... Sale ends 31 January (or when I can re-edit the shop...)

Misi's Tooth Fairy Box

2008-12-01T23:27:00.003+01:00

Little keepsake box based on prayer boxes used in South-East Asia. This one houses 2 of my cat Misi's deciduous canine teeth she lost as a kitten. She was born in 1993.

Along with Misi's box is a bee-like insect. It was going to be a bee, but it never really ended up looking like one, so I kept it and added some yellow jade to look like honey anyway. The loop in loop bracelet was also made by me.

All Earrings Reduced in Etsy Shop

2008-11-21T19:55:00.003+01:00

SALE

More Nature Jewellery

2008-10-28T15:08:00.004+01:00

Mega Sale

2008-09-10T16:47:00.001+02:00

With autumn on its way, I'm having a clearout. Some real mega-savings to be had, so schlep down to my Etsy shop and have a look!

Saving Seals

2008-04-22T22:31:00.002+02:00

This seal brooch is being sold in my Etsy shop to raise money for IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare)'s campaign to put an end to the horrendous annual slaughter of baby harp seals. Who needs to wear seal fur? Only indigenous Canadian populations, in my opinion. The fact is, with global warming, arctic and subarctic wildlife is already under pressure. If the hunt continues, harp seals will be added to the ever-growing list of endangered species. You can read more on the subject at www.ifaw.org

Tarka

2008-04-22T22:21:00.002+02:00

This news is a little late in coming, but my beautiful friend and feline companion died on 5th March. It has been so heartbreaking for me, as he'd been with me through thick and thin for 19 years. He certainly lived life to the full, having clocked up plenty of air miles through his residences in the UK, Portugal and Italy! He had been suffering from some kind of upper-respiratory tumour, but put up a brave battle right up to the end. He is sadly missed by his dad and his feline companion Misi. One of a kind, Tarka... gentle, intelligent, handsome. Simply the best.

Nature Collection

2008-04-21T16:30:00.005+02:00

Silver leaf brooch with bronze leafcutter ants

Silver flower brooch with gold-bodied bee

Silver Flower Brooch

Beautiful Bees

2008-02-12T12:38:00.000+01:00

These bees are completely hand fabricated and feature honey-coloured tourmaline.

Maya

2007-11-30T15:23:00.000+01:00

The Etsy Metal Street Team have had a Secret Santa present swap this year. I was paired up with Kathryn Riechert to make her present. Kathryn has a beautiful young sphynx cat called Maya who has won over the hearts of the whole of the Etsy Metal Team amongst many others. I thought it would be nice to represent this lovely little cat in a piece of jewellery, and this is what I came up with. Kathryn and Maya seem pleased with their present!

2007-11-09T16:28:00.000+01:00

While you're visiting, why not drop me a line?

2007-11-04T12:03:00.000+01:00

This wonderful treasury made it onto the front page while I wasn't looking!

Etsy Metal Charm Swap

2007-10-26T23:53:00.000+02:00

The fabulous Etsy Metal Street Team are doing a charm swap. These are mine!

Bee ring

2007-09-28T16:26:00.000+02:00

This ring was a commission. The brief was, rough diamond ring but with "cute" bees either side of the setting. Must be "cute" and not just look like insects, and "facing up to each other" if possible... Not sure what that meant! All silver, please. Fortunately it hit the mark and the customer was delighted!

Seal Pendant for IFAW

2007-09-19T09:44:00.000+02:00

...And this is the pendant Sheryl talked about in the Etsy Storque Feature (right)...