Find me on Folksy

I recently joined FOLKSY, which is the UK's early version of Etsy for makers like myself to sell their wears. I will be only offering a limited amount of my jewellery.
Of course you can find most my work on my website which is updated regularly, but FOLKSY is just another way of selling, albeit a little more expensive to sell as I pay a commission!

Constructive Lives

A tree drenched with fruit and leaves
Dancing, engaging, vivid lime green
Scars and knicks mark it's bark
From birds that visit and feed

It's strength offers nurture
As seasons perpetually roll
Branches outstretched to perch
Throughout Winter's stark cold

Encouraging new growth
As obscurity fades behind
Flowers eternally emerging
Awaits magnificent spring time

Birds pilfer it's fine twigs for nesting
Providing shelter and warmth
Snatches fruit when ripe and falling
All, just to hear sweet song at dawn


Mx

Merry Christmas from Melinda

Fairy on the Christmas tree by Laura Jade Milky-pops:

"Hello Angel, you're a Cracker!

oh, oh, oh, and I know:
Hello Angel, you're a Star!"

Limited Edition Jewellery

New designs flow so naturally and regularly that it's virtually impossible for me to keep up in terms of marketing and sales and is an area that I really should boast about, and even (God forbid) capitalise on! Like the above necklace, influenced by a Bvlgari perfume advert, I have chosen each gorgeous extra large AA Grade Madagascan Rose Quartz nuggets complimented by brushed Sterling Silver ovals and an ornate toggle clasp with drop Pink Amethyst faceted teardrop, made with matching bracelet, this set is one of many "one-off" designs that will never be reproduced.
To give an example, last week alone I produced over 20 new designs that were all "one-off's" and in a world of mass production, this is almost unheard of on the high street, unless of course it's Graff or Van Cleef & Arpels!
It's a rare treat indeed these days to own an original one-off piece of anything and is something I do all the time, but more often than not, my customers don't even realise they have aquired one. Customers have been badgering me for years now to make this perk more accessible as it's my greatest selling point and has only been available for private viewings.
Like an Artist paints only one original painting, I view my one-off pieces as "original" pieces of precious art and should be sold that way, so customers appreciate what they are purchasing. For this reason, I will shortly introduce a "Limited Edition" page on my website that only shows one-off pieces or very small numbered editions and once they are sold, they can and will never be reproduced.
So do make sure to pop onto my website regularly to view what's on offer in this new and exciting online gallery only available at melindamulcahy.com

New Jewellery Design Now Available Online

I've finally got my arse into gear and added my new "Best Selling" Shangri-La Collection now available on my website under "New Season". Although once again, unable to keep up with myself, I produced this NEW Shangri-La in Sterling Silver (Bracelet shown above), but I was only able to load the gold and silver online for the moment.
You can now also subscribe to my monthly newsletters if you want to keep updated of New Releases, sales etc.
Go to melindamulcahy.com

I got one

It's my birthday, and I'll boast if I want to!
Guess what I got? A Bracher Emden.
My hints really worked this time. Yeay

Shocked & horrified

My..... world..... is..... falling...... apart... I just found out that the dynamic duo of London that is Bracher Emden have split! Yes I know, it's a little late. But was rambling the marvellous new bag hall in Howells of Cardiff and stumbled across one, on sale!

I was introduced to these incredable bags by Jo-Emma Lavin and have been drawling ever since. Slurp, slurp. Next on my list of must have luxury purchases, the detail can only be described as unbelievably intricate and sparkly. At least now they are a reasonable price, you don't have to be Rhianna or Beyonce to afford one..... if you can find one that is.
My advice for this year's best buy, if you've got a spare £300-£400, invest in one of these babies, because if my prediction proves right, these are great investments. But then, I would suggest swinging it rather than hiding it in the deep dark depths of your wardrobe. Trust me, these are real spotlight wonders.

From Wales with Love

Arms that span an ocean

Resilience knows no bounds

A forest filled with love

Her strength endures all odds

Unforgotten raucous chatter

Seamless foreign matter

Compassion ever admired

Radiating like molten lava

A smile that brightens the greyest sky

Unaltered sacred honesty cries

Embracing beauty seeps this blossom

Droplets of friendship chiseled by time

Solid but gentle night star shine

You know who you are. Mxx

Handmade Contemporary Jewellery

I produce quality handmade contemporary jewellery and most importantly, precious! Fusing Sterling Silver with gemstones, pearls, Swarovski and Venetian, although I am extending my work to include Vermeil (24ct gold coated Sterling Silver) in my new Shangri-La collection which is listed in a previous post and is selling like mulled wine on an icy cold day.

Handmade in my South Wales studio with over 7 years experience
Contemporary and up to the minute, fashionable jewellery designs that will last forever
On Precious materials which should be treasured

Each piece of contemporary jewellery I produce is limited in quantity, ensuring you will not see your twin at any event! Like an artist only produces an "original" painting, I call my jewellery limited editions and once you've had an original, you will realise there is no substitute.
For instance, I only handmade 2 of these Milan "Celebration" necklaces £145 & Earrings £69 RRP in black although I have been requested to produce another colour which will be available very soon!

I forage and gather the world over in search of the best materials I can lay my hands on to produce quality handmade contemporary jewellery, creating each piece with passion by my very own hand using the best finishing techniques.

Remember, all of my handmade contemporary jewellery is beautifully presented in my complimentary branded gift packaging and delivery is FREE for orders over £50.

And if you have friends who love handmade contemporary jewellery and want to see more, please contact me to book your private viewing.

So, if you are looking for unique and reasonably priced handmade contemporary jewellery please contact me now to avoid disappointment during the busy Christmas period.

My Best Friend's Wedding

Wondering where I've been? I was Bridesmaid last weekend for my best friend's wedding on a beautiful sunny day at my home town beach in Cronulla, Sydney, Australia.

I was overjoyed to make all the jewellery for the bridal party, although I probably didn't give my friend, Leah, a choice!

The Scene: An outdoor park wedding with a stunning water view as the backdrop and luckily the gods shone brightly on Leah & Steve that day.

The Task: To compliment a rather technical colour scheme mixing light gold, cafe latte and tea-rose.

The Specification: Sparkling, subtle in colour, statement but not too extravegant! Not too modern, but not too traditional.

My Suggestion: Gemstones of course! Designed in clusters for muted opulance.

The Bride and I headed into Sydney's city centre to forage through the garden of colours, leaving with a handful of delicate faceted teardrops in a mix of three different golden coloured Quartz Crystal i.e Citrine, Cognac & Routilated (gold thread). I handwired each gem on fine Sterling Silver to form "Goddess" style long earrings (below) perfectly complimenting the Brides' soft golden glow. I truly hope Leah will take pleasure in many more wonderful memories with these heavenly gems in the future...

The three Bridesmaids sported subtle pink earrings (top picture) made with tendrils of gorgeous natural Tourmaline faceted teardrops wired to form a cluster drop from a large brushed sterling silver marquise link. Each pair has approx 33cts of "A" grade gemstones.

The Flower Girl, Cheyenne, wore earrings of pretty pink heart shaped Venetian Glass designed to be interchangable on sweet 10mm hoops and Mother-of-the-Bride, Chris received a surprise "speckled" necklace of tourmalines on a medium length/weight Sterling Silver chain to blend with the Bridal Party.

My very talented Mother made the gorgeous flowers.

Congrats to Leah, who pulled off a very technical colour scheme with great success and received many compliments as the most stylish Bridal Party ever. Phew!

New Stockist

I am delighted to announce a new stockist in London, Chiswick W4 1RP called GEZ London, address is 51 Turnham Green Terrace.

They will be stocking my new Shangri-La collection along with some newly introduced hoop earrings and my best sellers including Stars, Hearts & V07's

With so much grey engrained in this Winter's fashion, I decided to spice it up with this Red, White & Blue V07 BRITANNIA Bracelet £65

The biggest fashion trend that all the celebraties sport.....

Hoop Earrings with clusters (above) £48

Amethyst Hoops £45

NEW Christmas 2009 Collection

Introducing the Shangri-La Collection Winter 09.

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present".

Inspired by the five Chinese elements combined with the serene feeling of choosing to live for the moment, almost like finding Shangri-La; A magical paradise in Chinese mythology. This design would make the ultimate gift for someone special this Christmas as it transforms from casual to evening attire with ease and can be worn individually or as a set.
Delicately wired with fine Vermeil oriental style beads, wired into clusters on fine Sterling Silver Chain (Vermeil beads are 24ct Gold Plated on solid Sterling Silver).
Currently available as long or short earrings, lariat, short or long necklace.

Holidays

I have been really fortunate this summer to have had the opportunity to travel for 4 weeks in our caravan with my two little cherubs, eager to escape the monsoonal Welsh summer we were swimming in.

Having booked three different caravan parks in the East of England & Cotswolds, I enjoyed a real sense of freedom, feeling like a gypsy, having no idea what each destination would offer and visiting places I would never normally have chosen. We learnt some history about East Sussex, like our visit to Battle and this beautiful town alone has renewed my interest to see more of England. We visited so many places, climbed many castle turrets, took a stream train, walked for miles, popped into some lovely art galleries, sampling many cream teas along our way (we love scones) and even managed a dip in the ocean at Rye, which was a real treat as I am a fair weather kinda gal.

Whilst I prefer to keep my family off this blog, I couldn't resist sharing this one which sums up the weather and tickled the passers-by as we danced on Brighton Pier.

Seeds of creation

I thought I should unveil my past influences that have shaped me into the creative lass I am today...

Throughout the years I have turned my hand (or at least tried) at anything that challenges and interests me such as brickwork, landscape gardening, silk and acrylic painting, cake decorating, sewing, furniture making etc, and in more recent years, writing poetry. Yet, here’s the real irony; if you asked me to draw a picture, expect to see an unrecognisable stick figure depicting something child-like and unsophisticated. Perhaps it's my lack of concentration. However, through some mysterious work of nature, imagination and my hands, I have connected!

I actually don't feel like it's art I produce, but just love producing things with my hands and being creative which is a far cry from selling advertising. In fact, this gift comes from a long line of creatives in my family which I have only recently tapped into. So I am dedicating this post to my family in Australia who inspired me to follow a wondrous path of self-discovery.
First and foremost, without a doubt my Mum showed me how to use my hands and imagination, whether it be through cooking, painting, sewing, sculpting, floristry and so much more but also instilled a keen eye for detail and quality of craftsmanship which is one of my driving forces. Whatever she turned her hand to, Mum did with dedication and love, but certainly not for monetary gain (very much like myself). She has and continues to produce some beautiful work.

Whilst my father may have been into avionics as a fulltime job, he could also turn his hand to most things around the house (fortunately like my husband) and built some great features like a swimming pool for starters. Not many people know, however, that his vast knowledge of the English language stretched to writing poetry and I am looking forward to the day when he may share his writings.

Many of my Aunties produce amazing treats of all kinds like my Aunty Kay, a fine artist and teacher who has exhibited in some illustrious museums in Australia and is someone I have always admired. Most of my Aunties are clever little knitters and/or sewers, one is an amazing Opera Singer, another is an incredible seamstress. In fact, all of my family are amazing in some way or another and all have one thing in common. They are fabulous cooks and well, actually, they also know how to have fun (for those who know me, this should all sound familiar).

It's any wonder why I produce so much and continue to evolve. With such incredible talents influencing my development, it would be a crime not too!

Thank you to my family for being so very clever. Mxx

Birthstones

Customers sometimes choose their jewellery based on Birthstones, and often there is conflicting information about which stone is associated with which month. I then wondered where it all started and so decided to research the subject and came up with the following information which has been collated from various associations including The Coloured Gemstone Association:

Most gem scholars agree that the tradition of birthstones arose from the Breastplate of Aaron: a ceremonial religious garment set with twelve gemstones that represented the twelve tribes of Israel and also corresponded with the twelve signs of the zodiac and the twelve months of the year.

Because ancient people did not always classify gemstones by mineral species like we do, there is some debate about which gemstones were set in the breastplate and why. Because of this, different cultures around the world have developed different birth stone lists. The modern day list that you know is only the most recent list: some older lists still exist. Some also argue that the proper way to assign gemstones is according to astrological sign and not month.

Either way, I believe all gemstones have mystical powers that capture the energy of it's owner/wearer, and it's much more fun to choose gemstones that speak to you from all possibilities, or just because you can!

January - Garnet (Dark Red)
February - Amethyst (Purple)
March - Aquamarine (light Aqua)
April - Diamond (Clear)
May -Emerald (Green)
June - Moonstone (Milky White with iridescent flecks)
July - Ruby (Red)
August - Peridot (Lime Green)
September - Sapphire (Royal Blue)
October - Opal or Tourmaline (Multicoloured)
November - Citrine or Topaz (Golden)
December - Turquoise, Blue Topaz or Tanzanite (blue)

It's also worth noting that most the Gemstones on the list don't just come in one colour. For instance Sapphire also comes in Yellow, Pink, Green, White as well as many shades of Blue which is why I added the colour next to the gemstone. Perhaps the forthcoming posts will be about gemstones themselves, which is a rather huge subject indeed.....

One of my favourite Artists:

"Lines of Communication; they get broken & mended, but they still work if love is true"
Angela Smyth...I love, love, love her work

Nature walk

Beyond billowing meadows
Etching memories clean
Beneath the rickety bridge
Flows a trickling stream
Unlocking inner peace
Whistles faint song of dreams

Subtle scents intoxicate
Sienna hues of dusk illuminate
Bless these trees of salvation
This perfect emerald of mine
Reeling in glorious nature
Each weightless breathe at a time

Mx

New Organic Soap

Now I know what you're all thinking, "how does she get the time?" I'm certainly anything but organised, but I am efficient. You should see my studio, it's like a bomb has hit it, there's shards of silver and paperwork everywhere. Which reminds me, I must clean it up.

Anyway... So it's the end of the school year and I was racking my brain about what to give the teachers as a little "Thank You" token gesture from my kids. Bearing in mind there are 7 teachers between the two classes + the invaluable receptionist, the gifts needed to be reasonably inexpensive. Also as it's predominately from the girls, it needed to be something they could help with, without causing me too much stress. So I investigated soap making and Voilà!
Made with love (plus some kiddy giggles and cuddles) using essential oils (of course) with a completely organic soap recipe, which gives a nice foamy lather, topped with some dried flower elements (great for exfoliating or just leaving bits in the bath). Before I could get them on this blog, my first batch (some 50 bars) had already sold out and at £1.85 for deliciously fragrant organic soap, it's any wonder!

Available in 3 different scents:
Rose Geranium
Lavender
Lemongrass & Lime

Email me to place your orders on sales@melindamulcahy.com

Gold Rush

I have been procrastinating and researching the introduction of a gold line for some time, especially as certain customers prefer and request it, but price, quality and availability, has always been a concern, until now..... Finally, I am taking a huge leap into finishing my jewellery in Yellow Gold, but not as you would know it.
There is a wonderfully exciting product on the market called Vermeil which is actually solid Sterling Silver coated with 24ct Yellow Gold and I have been trying to source a quality supplier for about a year now as this product is hard to come by and has not been sold at the usual jewellery industry trade fairs.

I recently found a great supplier that beautifully handcrafts each Sterling Silver component, then, using a special technique (which meets FTC Standards of 100 millionths of an inch) of layering fine 24ct Yellow Gold over the Silver making this product the finest and most durable I have seen on the market to date. The price difference is only a 10% (approx) increase of the basic precious metal cost + whatever gemstones, pearls etc I use, so it's a reasonably affordable increase to swallow.

As my jewellery is precious I decided to go down this route not only to set my jewellery apart from the many designers out there now who make similar jewellery, but because it's become very in vogue again (after over 15 years of silver taking the lime light). The use of plated gold base metals mixed with gemstones and other quality materials, would be sacrilege in my opinion! On the other hand, of course, solid gold, even 9ct would be too expensive for me to sell and it is really difficult to obtain the variety of beads and findings I require to make my jewellery. Vermeil flawlessly bridges the gap between the latest fashion trend of Yellow Gold without compromising on quality (which is something I never compromise) and without the massive price hike. Bonus!

Over the next season I will be introducing some designs in Vermeil, so keep a watchful eye here, if you prefer a gold finish.

Moroccan Rose

T'is the wedding season! British Summertime in total bloom and at it's best this year....
Several brides this season have requested I conjure a new candle scent to absolutely drench their wedding celebrations and fill their memories of new beginings shared.

What better way to celebrate a magical day when 2 souls become 1 with the world's most romantic scent of a Rose. And not just any rose would do. The sublime Moroccan rose was my ultimate choice and is one of the most traditionally used scents in the "old school" perfumuries of France, when simulation "frangrance oils" were yet to be invented.

This exquisite bouquet is captured with my secret blend and is so special and expensive, I am savouring it for customers who really appreciate it's pure indulgent magic. Which is why it can only be ordered via email:
sales@melindamulcahy.com