What will your future bring?

Now you can send someone who needs a wonderfully uplifting gift of fortune with a Fine Silver Fortune Cookie! I offer various options, sold just as a cookie charm or on a keyring, bracelet, bangle, necklace options, along with finishing touches like a pearl or gemstone for further positive energy. This new design will bring someone luck, love, wealth, health or whatever you feel that person you love needs for their future with your personalised message..... Each cookie (not recommended for consumption) comes with a message, as shown above, printed on paper and is beautifully packaged in a gift box tied with ribbon.
These will be available on my website from September and is available now on NOTHS.

Doodles in Silver

At least once a month we have Yum Cha (Chinese dim sim) at our favourite restaurant in Canton and always pack some drawing materials for the kids to doodle on the throwaway paper table cloth. The last time we went Laura drew this really lovely bird (top) so I ripped it off and decided to transform it into a Silver bookmark for her Grandfather, whom we call Poppi. I thought it would be nice to personalise it further with a message of love from his two beautiful grand-daughters. We presented it upon his long awaited arrived recently from Sydney, as they are spending the Summer with us to help in Italy, and he was really moved, and also curious (ever the Engineer) as to how I managed to make it. Mum wants all the grand-kids names in the shabby hearts instead.
Judging from my friends responses, they will be a real hit! I was so pleased with the result, I have decided to start selling them on my website when I return from my working holiday in the September so I can take orders in time for Christmas. I know from my own experience, the deluge of drawings the kids product during their precious early years, we can't keep them all, that there is always a special one that really captures your heart and you would love to keep, but then it gets lost or coffee split on it or ripped and scrunched and the treasured drawing is lost. This way, it can be encapsulated to be treasured forever as a lovely AND useful keepsake. You can of course also capture their first attempt to write their name or whatever you so wish, add a date, message, the possibilities are endless. I already have orders from friends who I always run new designs by, and they are now scouring their kids keepsake draws for their favourite art piece.
The bookmark weights approx 5-6 grams of solid .999 Fine Silver, measures approx 60mm x 15mm and will cost £69 and can also be made into a keyring +£12. You need to do, is find that special drawing, make a copy with thick black ink on white paper, scan it and email it to me at sales@melindamulcahy.com with your message and I will do the rest.

Have you ever been labelled?

I have been thinking about introducing so many new designs in Fine Silver, one of which is this label or tag. But as I am the only employee in my wonderfully thriving business, it takes time actually getting anything to market these days.

Over the years I've been labelled in several ways, some good and some not so good, and when I caught up with an old friend from school, I thought about his label. I made this for him in a shabby chic style, which he absolutely loved when I surprised him and it was obvious from his reaction, it would be perfect to introduce to my NOT ON THE HIGH STREET shop when I get back from my working holiday this Easter. I will be making them available as just the charms, on keyrings, on leather necklaces and as lariet necklaces which I think look great, from RRP £49. Of course, customers can personalise it with their very own label imprint, whatever it may be. Personally, I think we're all priceless!

Combining age-old smithing with technology

I've been using the fine silver clay product for years now which has transformed my business from virtually nothing to being asked by the Editors to take a full page of the NOTHS catalogue which is amazing, even if I can't yet afford it or cope with the volume of orders!?!
As you may have noticed that I don't stay idle with new creations and I am always working on techniques and pushing the boundaries of my work like the Stash bowls and aromatherapy candles. The next stage is combining age-old silver-smithing techniques with the technological advancement of PMC, so that I can make studs, cufflinks etc. There is only so much you can do with PMC which in itself is a fab product, but by combining the two, opens a whole new world of virtually no restrictions other than your imagine.
Here is a new creation, meant for my daughter who had her ears pierced earlier this year. They had to be very light weight, so I used fine silver roughly sculpted into hearts, torched instead of kiln to fire off the clay, and then soldering the back posts on. I have decided not to sand or polish them as I love the organic texture, almost like crumpled foil. I love evolving and creating, it's a part of who I am.

Space Invaders

I remember when I was a kid my parents took us to Hawaii in the late 70's and we saw, for the first time, a Space Invaders video game in table top form. We all had a chance to play and the best part was that Dad could place his beer on the top! I can still hear the sound it made.

Sculptured by my very own hands using PMC .999 fine silver, I then soldered the cufflinks on the back at my evening silver-smithing class last night and polished them up this morning. All my class mates thought they were really cool so I thought I ought to make them available to you.

Every time I look at these Space Invader Cufflinks, they make me smile and are now available to purchase on my website and Not On the High Street. They would make a great men's gift for Christmas.