Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? Is is important to give your loved one some attention, warm gestures, flowers and present just on this day? Are you looking for something unusual? I have some heart pendants in my shop. Maybe you will find something your loved one be happy with. Just take a look. Happy Valentine’s Day
In the UK, to sell precious metals as silver, gold, etc it is
a legal requirement to have all silver weighing more than 7.78g hallmarked (for
gold it’s over 1g). To do this it must be sent to one of the 4 assay offices;
London, Birmingham, Sheffield, or Edinburgh. The assayers then test the purity
of the metal and, providing it meets the standards, hallmark with the sponsor’s
mark (the maker’s mark – usually initials), fineness mark (the precious metal
content expressed in parts per thousand), and the Assay office mark. Additionally, there are further hallmarks that
are optional including traditional fineness marks and date letters.
There are significant costs to the maker of adhering to
these hallmarking laws and it can somewhat impede the creative flow of said
makers, the upside being the assurance to the consumer that they can be certain
of the quality of the metal they are purchasing. Worldwide hallmarking laws are
not always as stringent and sometimes non-existent.
I’m Fallon, a thirty-something year old, living in Hertfordshire with my husband and daughter. I’m an avid crafter, have been all my life, trying my hand at many different activities for fun and making numerous things for my daughter and as gifts. I also love home baking and drinking copious cups of tea! I have a degree in photography and shoot freelance baby and children photography (when global pandemics don’t get in the way!)
I’ve been using polymer clay since I was a child, initially making teeny tiny food for my dolls house. My husband bought me a food themed polymer clay book many years ago, and after experimenting with cakes and sweets, decided to start selling the increasing number of makes I produced, mainly to clear some space!! The rest is history, HRJ was born in May 2011!
I chose to continue the foodie theme as I love all things quirky and retro – I’m an eighties child, so the retro food you find at old school birthday parties is an absolute favourite at mine – plates of iced ring biscuits, fondant fancies, etc – whenever we have a birthday at home, we always have that kind of tea party to celebrate! I think the theme brings a sense of nostalgia to childhood/good memories from the past (my allsorts sweetie bracelet was one of my very first makes, and is still so popular today, with the young and old!). I’ve now also started to branch out into homeware and decorations…but more on that in my next blog post!
Inspiration strikes me at any time – I generally get distracted by anything cute and quirky, especially colourful eye catching things. I love kawaii styles, and have incorporated it into some of my pieces. Current trends inspire me, as well as actual foods; being a keen baker, I follow lots of baking accounts on social media, and sometimes try to recreate something edible into clay form! I also have had many commissions and special requests over the years, and some I have felt would be really popular, so have then made these into pieces for my shop too.
I joined TBCH in early 2020 and love the unique community of makers here, they are all so helpful and friendly, with each and every one making beautiful high quality handcrafted items.
Oh and if you’re wondering…my favourite biscuit to dunk in my cup of tea is….a chocolate bourbon or Lotus Biscoff!
Spring is definitely in the air, birds are singing madly the flowers are coming into bloom, and the Sun is getting warmer, I can’t wait for life to start returning to normal, so I thought I would share with you some of my Spring Necklaces, ready to wear with those Spring outfits or giving them as a gift. Come and have a browse in my shop, their are many more to choose from to welcome the Spring/Summer months in. I’m always bursting with ideas to capture colour combinations.
Birthstones in Jewellery
Birthstone history can be traced back through the centuries however it was in 1912 that the American National Association of Jewellers created an official list. This list is still in use today with a few changes and additions.
Each month has one or 2 (or 3 in the case of June and December!) gemstones assigned as birthstones and these can make a great gift idea for a special birthday, to celebrate a birth or even as a multi gem piece of jewellery to symbolise your family unit.
The birthstones are
January – Garnet
Garnets are most commonly known to be red but do come in an array of colours including green and purple.
The name garnet comes from the latin word granatus which means pomegranate; which links to the classic
red colour of this beautiful gemstone.
This gemstone is thought to bring the wearer good health, wealth and happiness.
As well as being the January gemstone garnet is also the
gemstone for a second wedding anniversary.
February – Amethyst
Amethysts come in an array of shades from lilacs through to rich dark purples and can be cut in many different ways.
The name amethyst comes from the ancient Greek word ‘amethystos’ which means ‘not drunk’. The gemstone was believed to prevent intoxication! That is definitely my favourite gemstone fact!
As well as being the birthstone for February amethyst is also the gem for 6th and 17th wedding anniversaries.
March – Aquamarine
Aquamarine is typically a pretty light blue colour. This gem is the green/blue variety of the mineral beryl; emerald is the green variety of the same material.
It gets its name from 2 latin words; aqua meaning water and marina meaning ‘of the sea’.
As well as being the March birthstone aquamarine is also the gift of a 19th wedding anniversary.
April – Diamond
Diamonds are formed under extremely high temperatures and pressures in conditions that exist approximately 100 miles below the surface of the earth. Diamonds are the hardest material on earth and are made from around 99.95% carbon.
Diamonds have been popular for centuries; in the 1st century AD the Roman naturalist Pliny stated “Diamond is the most valuable, not only of precious stones but of all things in this world.”
Diamonds are graded by categories known as the 4 c’s- cut, colour, clarity and carat.
As well as being the birthstone for April diamond is also the gemstone for 60th and 75th wedding anniversaries.
May- Emerald
Emeralds are the green variety of the mineral beryl and have been used in jewellery for thousands of years.
They have been used in jewellery for thousands of years and it was first mined in Egypt in 330BC. Cleopatra is known to have worn this beautiful gemstone in her jewellery.
The oldest emeralds found (to date) were created 2.97 billion years ago in South Africa!
As well as being Mays birthstone emeralds are also the gems associated with 2oth and 35th wedding anniversaries.
June – Pearl, moonstone and Alexandrite
The month of June has 3 birthstones associated with it; pearl, moonstone and alexandrite. For this blog I am going to focus on pearls.
Pearls have been used in jewellery for centuries and were first written about by a Chinese historian in 2206 BC.
Pearls come in a rainbow of colours. White, soft pink, grey and peacock blues can occur naturally but brighter colours can also be created by adding dye to the shell before the pearl begins to grow.
The shine on a pearl is known as lustre and can easily be damaged. It is advised to spray products such as hairspray and perfume (and allow them to dry) before putting on pearl jewellery. To keep their sheen gently wipe them with a damp cloth after wearing.
Did you know that real pearls feel warm to the touch and have a gritty texture if you lightly rub them on your teeth? You can spot a fake if it feels cold to hold and/or feels smooth on your teeth!
As well as being the birthstone of June pearls are also the gift of a thirtieth wedding anniversary.
July- Ruby
Rubies are in the family of minerals called corundum which also includes sapphire. In its purest form corundum is colourless; the variations in colour come from the trace elements in the gems. Chromium is the element which gives ruby its colour.
Rubies have been treasured for years and early civilisation believed the gems held the power to life. The gem remained popular throughout the middle ages and was sought after by Royalty.
The word ruby comes from the Latin word ‘ruber’ which means red.
As well as being the birthstone for July Rubies are also the gem for a 40th wedding anniversary.
August – Peridot
Peridot is the name given to gemstone quality pieces of the mineral olivine. It gets the vibrant yellow-green colour from the presence of iron within its composition.
Peridot gems are found in solidified lava and some has even been found in meteorites that have fallen to earth.
The Egyptians believed that peridot is the gemstone of the sun.
As well as being the birthstone for August peridot is also the gemstone for a 15th wedding anniversary.
September – Sapphire
Sapphires are in the same family of gemstones as rubies, known as corundum. Sapphires get their colour from the trace elements that make up the gem; in the case of blue sapphires this is iron and titanium.
While sapphires tend to be thought of as blue they can be any colour except red including pink, green, purple, yellow or even colourless. A red corundum would class as a ruby.
Sapphires have been used in adornments for centuries and were worn by kings and queens in ancient Greece and Rome as they were believed to protect their owners from harm and envy.
As well as being the birthstone of September sapphires are also the gemstone for 45th and 65th wedding anniversaries.
October – Tourmaline and Opal
October is another lucky month with 2 birthstones; both tourmaline and opal are associated with this month. I am going to focus on the beautiful gem tourmaline.
This gemstone can be found in many different colours as wide ranging as pink and green and you can even get a range of colours in one piece!
Tourmaline has been found in many places around the world including Brazil, America and China. The different colours of the gem are produced with different elements within the stones. For example copper is found in vivid blues and greens discovered in Brazil and this colour is called paraiba.
Tourmaline is also the gemstone for an 8th wedding anniversary.
November – Topaz and citrine
November babies have the choice of 2 gemstones; topaz or citrine.
Topaz gemstones come in a wide range of colours the most common is brown but it is also found in shades of pink and purple through to blue and green. Topaz is a pleochroic gemstone which means it can show different colours through the crystal structure as its moved.
Citrine is a rarer gemstone and in the past it was confused with topaz as it is found in similar brown- yellow shades. Citrine is often used in fancy gemstone cuts and carvings. This gemstone is also the gemstone for a thirteenth anniversary.
December – Tanzanite, turquoise and zircon
December birthdays have three options for their birthstone and you are spoilt for choice with tanzanite, turquoise and zircon!
Tanzanite is a relatively new gemstone having been found in Tanzania in the late 1960’s. At first the locals believed they had discovered sapphires as the blue- purple colour can be very similar.
By contrast turquoise has been found and used in jewellery for thousands of years! It is thought to provide good health, fortune and protect the wearer from evil and was used by the ancient Eypytians.
Zircon comes in a range of colours and is a natural gemstone unlike cubic zirconia which it is often confused with. Zircon is the oldest mineral on earth; there are deposits in Australis which are over 4 billion years old. This gem is known for its ‘fire’ as it has beautiful sparkle and flashes of multicolour light.
Birthstone Summary
Having said this I don’t think people should feel tied to a gemstone if they are not keen on theirs’; I have had people message me saying they like a particular gemstone but its not their birthstone so they are not sure they should wear it. In my opinion you should wear a gemstone if you love it no matter if it is your birthstone or not
Head over to my shop to see my range of gemstone jewellery and do get in touch if you are looking for anything in particular whether it’s a birthstone piece or just something with your favourite gemstone in.
Do you have any jewellery with your birthstone in; do you prefer another gemstone?! I’d love to know.
Laura xx
Hello my name is Camilla, a bit of background on how I started making Jewellery.
I took up knitting and crocheting when I was a child, and I have always loved making things. As time went by I put my artistic leanings to one side and chose a career in computers, and later went on to raise a family. My children have now grown up and no longer need my time, so I decided six years ago to return to my creative side, and began making jewellery – using my knitting and crocheting skills to make a different type of jewellery.
I love to create new ways of using different threads, wire and beads and to juxtapose different colours in my jewellery. Choosing colour combinations is exciting as well as therapeutic. Inspiration comes from all around me, whether I’m walking through the woods and fields, by the sea, with my dogs, down the high street, through the shops, or looking at the new season’s clothes.
I took up Japanese Braiding (Kumihimo) five years ago to add to my jewellery skills. This offers another way of using different textured threads and beads, adding a vast array of techniques and colour combinations to create interesting pieces of jewellery. The colours and effects are endless.
In 2016 I got excepted by the Surrey Guild of Craftsmen, to become a Member and to sell my Jewellery through their Gallery, which I was thrilled about.
Everything I make is a one-off and is never repeated, each piece is unique to the person who buys it.