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  • Jewellery Making Workshops

    Jewellery Making Workshops

    From the start of this year, I have opened the doors of the inSilver Studio and invited people to draw up a chair to the workbench to try their hand at silversmithing.

    My first session at being teacher was from a request a couple of years ago from my friends, Fiona and Ange. They wanted to make bangles to mark their 40th Birthdays. We gave it a go and their silversmithing session was a great experience for all of us, they really enjoyed making their bangles and I really enjoyed sharing my skills with them. Being a teaching assistant at a primary school for a few years in my previous life, I found it very easy to demonstrate and explain each process as we progressed. There was also a bit of a role reversal as Fiona was the primary school teacher that I was the teaching assistant for all of those years ago!

    Since then I have totally refitted the studio to allow more working space. I then tested the water with another couple of friends that wanted to have a go at silversmithing and were willing to let me do a trial run – they are still in awe of their bangles that they made! Once I was happy with running the workshops, I created a set of designs for rings and bangles for complete beginners to book in for and make. The added beauty of it is that if you struggle to find rings or bangles that fit, you can just custom make one!

    I now have some fabulous Jewellery Workshop Gift Vouchers in stock, the illusive gift for that person that already has everything! They can be given as Birthday, anniversary or Christmas gifts, per person or per couple and are valid for 12 months. The jewellery making sessions are great to attend with a friend, partner, husband, wife or as a popular Mother and Daughter experience. On a couple of occasions, I have welcomed some thoughtful men, one making a bangle for his bride to be and another making a bangle as a wedding anniversary gift for his wife! The possibilities are endless and in the process, I have met some wonderful people that have been over the moon with the jewellery that they have made!

    There are three custom made work benches to allow three people per session together, more can be accommodated if requested.

    For more information and dates available, please see the Workshops page or simply email me!

    I look forward to welcoming you to the studio!

    Aimi
    inSilver

     

       

       

     

  • Nostalgia!

    Nostalgia!

    The Office Studio
    The Conservatory Studio

     

    This week I have been feeling quite nostalgic! My eldest daughter has just completed her GCSE’s and is looking forward to an exciting future, I on the other hand, have been looking back on my silversmithing journey!

    When I first started out, I was in the ‘Office’ with a load of clutter, a computer table and my workbench. I was then evicted (which was a blessing) into the conservatory. A step up really! The light was fantastic, I had more space, but in the winter it was freezing and in the summer it got so hot that it almost melted my block of polish!

    Last year, I sidestepped into our small converted barn and since then, it has been renovated and I have made it into my studio. It is perfect, I have just about got it how I want it, room for everything – or just about, light, heat, water and electricity, it is all self-contained. Since March I have been offering jewellery workshops and it was a bit of a squeeze to fit two clients and myself into the ‘business’ part of the studio, so it was clear that I needed to expand into the showroom. I set my husband to work to construct three jewellers workbenches so that I could accomodate up to three people in a workshop session, it’s really handy being married to a carpenter!

     

    Andy constructing the workbenches

    Since then I have invested in tools for each bench, it has been slow and steady but now if feels like things are really falling into place after a lot of hard work and stubborn determination! It feels good to look back and appreciate how far I have come, with the backing and support of family, friends and some really good advisors!

  • Fingerprint Jewellery Wishes 4 Kids interview on BBC Radio Leicester

    Fingerprint Jewellery Wishes 4 Kids interview on BBC Radio Leicester

  • The Wedding – a personal touch!

    The Wedding – a personal touch!

    Everyone loves a good wedding and the all exciting build up! In July I got married and obviously made the jewellery for my bridesmaids, a wedding ring for Andy and I and a few bits for myself.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    As my bridesmaids are all specials stars and their dresses were pink, I opted for small star pendants with sparkly pink Swarovski beads. One for my daughters, Tallulah and Connie and one for Erin my niece. https://insilver.co.uk/product/personalised-mini-star-pendant/

    I wanted to make something personalised for myself and decided on a double fingerprint heart with my fingerprint and Andy’s joining. I followed the traditional something old, something new and used a Swarovski Aquamarine bead for the something blue. Andy and I were both born in March, so the blue Aquamarine worked perfectly! I had the back engraved with ‘Aimi & Andy. 14.7.17’. Our names are behind the relevant fingerprint.

    As my wedding dress had lots of beaded detail at the front and a semi-open back, I chose to make use of the shape of the back of the dress and add the double fingerprint heart.

    I was very keen to make the wedding rings and Andy and I both like silver rather than the traditional gold colour. As we both have practical jobs, we needed a strong metal so opted for 9ct white gold. We shared design ideas and eventually went with a double band, mine was a slinky version and Andy’s was a wider version. I hadn’t made anything in gold for a while and was reminded how much easier gold is to work with compared to silver.

    Andy and I were really pleased with the end result and everyone comments on how lovely it is that I made our rings!

    Please contact me to discuss your own silver or gold bespoke wedding jewellery ideas.

    Wedding photography courtesy of Nigel, Red Apple Photography. www.redapple.org.uk.

     

     

    Everyone loves a good wedding and the all exciting build up! In July I got married and obviously made the jewellery for my bridesmaids, a wedding ring for Andy and I and a few bits for myself.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    As my bridesmaids are all specials stars and their dresses were pink, I opted for small star pendants with sparkly pink Swarovski beads. One for my daughters, Tallulah and Connie and one for Erin my niece. https://insilver.co.uk/product/personalised-mini-star-pendant/

    I wanted to make something personalised for myself and decided on a double fingerprint heart with my fingerprint and Andy’s joining. I followed the traditional something old, something new and used a Swarovski Aquamarine bead for the something blue. Andy and I were both born in March, so the blue Aquamarine worked perfectly! I had the back engraved with ‘Aimi & Andy. 14.7.17’. Our names are behind the relevant fingerprint.

    As my wedding dress had lots of beaded detail at the front and a semi-open back, I chose to make use of the shape of the back of the dress and add the double fingerprint heart.

    I was very keen to make the wedding rings and Andy and I both like silver rather than the traditional gold colour. As we both have practical jobs, we needed a strong metal so opted for 9ct white gold. We shared design ideas and eventually went with a double band, mine was a slinky version and Andy’s was a wider version. I hadn’t made anything in gold for a while and was reminded how much easier gold is to work with compared to silver.

    Andy and I were really pleased with the end result and everyone comments on how lovely it is that I made our rings!

    Please contact me to discuss your own silver or gold bespoke wedding jewellery ideas.

    Wedding photography courtesy of Nigel, Red Apple Photography. www.redapple.org.uk.

     

     

  • A new workshop for 2017!

    A new workshop for 2017!

    If you have seen me recently you would have noticed that I have been splattered in white paint!

    During the Christmas holidays a new workshop area has been constructed, so I have recently traded working with silver for working with a brush and roller! I wanted as much natural light as possible so an upcycled glazed door has been fitted and the original Victorian window has been pruned from plant growth, painted and cleaned to within an inch of it’s life.

    There is still a fair bit to organise before I move the workbench in, but I’m looking forward to having my own dedicated space and hope to get the workshop days up and running by the end of Spring!

    Aimi 🙂

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