Category: Behind the Scenes

For the love of La Fleur

La Fleur has arrived! This design has been something that has been waiting to get out and has finally come to fruition.

La Fleur literally translates to ‘the flower’. The focus of the design was to use the Daisy motif as the basis for the design and through repetition and form create the design.

With inspiration in mandalas and the concentric patterns of the east combined with this very 70’s style Daisy, the design is new and interesting.

In the Mandala structure and the natural imagery, the design is like looking at a bouquet of flowers from above and the stone being the centre. That way you see it at full bloom every time.

As it’s Spring here, the transformation of the garden is always amazing to me. To see everything so bare and sparse to being rich with colour, reminds me to move forward and be ok with transformation within myself and bloom to my true potential.

Once the daisy mandala design was finalised, the next step was to choose the stones!

I went through many iterations as this design lends itself to many interpretations, but finally chose ones that complemented and enhanced the details to make a harmonious piece.

The final stones for the full collection being Amazonite, Ruby Zoisite and Unakite and an additional Amethyst and Rose Quartz for the Rings.

As most of you know here at ASC we are we love to make sure we have lots of sizes of rings for all of you individually sized people. The logistics of this can be challenging so making an adjustable ring was my mission.

With a substantial ring band to hold not only are large shape and stone but to also keep the tension so that you can have a strong, yet adjustable ring.

Another point of difference in the collection is the Necklace. By choosing to orientate the design, it gives a fresh look that makes it fun and easy to wear.

I hope you have enjoyed exploring the design process of this new collection. It is always an exciting time in the studio when a new collection is coming into being and I look forward to seeing you all wearing the La Fleur Collection!

xx Corinne

Glass Workshops Explained

The Glass Workshops are now in full swing, so I wanted to use this blog to dive into the process of the workshop so you know what to expect or for those who live too far away to attend to live vicariously!

STEP ONE: CHOICES

The hardest part in any workshop I teach is helping people make decisions! Haha! From the decisive to the decision paralysed, it’s a hard line to stick to in order to guide but not influence students.

The workshops have been designed with set patterns to ensure they are all achievable not only in the time frame but also in the ability of a beginner starting. Choosing the colours and patterns of your glass can really change the overall look of these simple designs and change the overall effect.

STEP TWO: BREAK SOME GLASS!

A lot of the time you hear about cutting glass, but we are actually scoring the glass with the lines of the pattern pieces then breaking. Glass is going to break how it wants to, not always how you want it to, it’s important to have a little practice to get the hang of it.

STEP THREE: GRINDING!

Once all the pieces are ready, it’s Grinding time! This is a bit like filing metal but with more noise, water and sharp edges! This step ensures your pattern fits together well and that all edges are smoothed ready for the next step. Once done, wash to remove all glass dust.

STEP FOUR: COPPER FOILING

We bring down the intensity for the next step as we are copper foiling. This step wraps a thin piece of copper around the glass and sticks to the sides, top and bottom of the glass. This will form to basis of our joins that will hold the piece together.

STEP FIVE: SOLDERING

The longest and most intense step is the soldering. Using a soldering iron, we melt the lead solder over all the copper foil to join all our pieces together. This can be tricky to get consistent lines but is so satisfying to see the metal melt!

STEP SIX: TO CAME OR NOT TO CAME

Once all our lines are done, we can choose to came wrap the piece or leave the edge. The came can hide some inconsistencies but at the same time can be a bit tricky to attach.

STEP SEVEN: FITTINGS

The last little soldering task can be a tricky one is to attach jump rings so that you can hang the piece.

STEP EIGHT: A GOOD SCRUB AND PATINA

Into a hot soapy bath to clean off the piece then it’s time to patina. Choosing to keep it silver like the solder or blacken it. Both have their benefits and can really enhance your design.

STEP NINE: WAX AND FINISH!

Once that is done and dry, a little wax polish to seal peice and enhance the patina. Then the last decision of the day is to choose a coloured ribbon to hang the piece and complete it!

I hope you have enjoying this detailed dive into the process of Glass Making Workshop. I hope to see you in the workshop soon to make one! If you have any questions regarding the workshops please feel free to reach out via email asilvercircledesign@gmail.com

FURTHER VIEWING: To see the available designs for the workshop, head to the Glass Pattern Page linked HERE.

Meet Cedar!

Meet the newest addition to the A Silver Circle team: Cedar! Let’s get to know a bit more about her!

Cedar is our beautiful Border Collie Puppy who was born in October (she’s a Libra!) and has been the cutest addition to the ASC studio since December. She is now almost 9 months old and ready to step up and take on some real responsibilities in the studio.

Cedar’s favourite things are off leash walks with mum, car rides with her head out the window and meeting every person we come across!

Cedar’s responsibilities here at ASC will now include:

Greeting People

Security

Team Moral

Distraction

Cuteness Overload

We hope you enjoy seeing Cedar in action with all her new responsibilities so be sure to follow along on our socials! @asilvercircle and @cheekycedar on Instagram!

8 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR CREATIVITY WHILST STAYING HOME

Creativity begins at home, and with the current situation we’re facing, this is where we are spending more of our time. This is the perfect opportunity for reflecting on and investing in our inner growth with fewer worldly distractions. To make the most of this, we at A Silver Circle are here to help you discover and recover your creative self.

Whether you are a professional creative or simply seeking a creative outlet, we believe that tuning into your inner artist is a wonderful form of therapy. Whether you like to design, write, craft or produce, any act of creativity should be enjoyed for the sake of self-expression! So it doesn’t matter what your stage in life or walk of life, we have put together a list of 8 simple activities you can do to help exercise your creative muscles!

Our first two exercises are drawn from Julia Cameron’s well-renowned book The Artists Way (1991) which our very own Corinne is reading and already finding amazing results!

Morning Pages:
This exercise is what the Artists Way is most known for. Three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, ideally done first thing in the morning. This might seem like a bit of a feat for your every day. However, there is no wrong way to do Morning Pages. They can take any structure you like, and be about anything and everything that crosses your mind – and they are for your eyes only, so you don’t even have to worry about neat handwriting! This exercise unclogs your mental and emotional channels, getting rid of anything that might be in the way of your happiness, productivity and creativity. No need to overthink it.

Artist’s Date:
This is all about drawing inspiration from things around you. So what does an Artist’s Date look like under life in lockdown? Going for a (state-approved) walk by yourself to get some fresh air, with no particular destination in mind, observing your surrounds and allowing yourself to wander peacefully can go a long way. An indoor Artists Date can look like watching a documentary or looking into some art books to expand the horizon of your mind and eye. Our go to art books are on Patterns, Surrealism and Art Nouveau!

Declutter:
Take a look at the physical space around you. Are there things that you no longer use or need? Is there a way to make more room for the things you do need? Decluttering your bedroom or your closet is a great way to not only clear the space you live in but also your head space – which is also a place we live. When we are free of what is distracting or blocking us, we make more room to create. For detailed tips on how to declutter, we recommend looking into famous organising consultant, Marie Kondo, who has written four books and has her own show on Netflix, as well as the book Outer Order, Inner Calm (2019) by Gretchen Rubin.

Decorate:
Love the space you’re in! Decorating to your style is the next step in forming a space which you not only can think clearly and happily in but also be creative in. Really make your living space your own by putting up whatever you find beautiful and inspiring. What style do you gravitate towards? Bohemian, eclectic, minimal and fresh, modern? The more personal you make it, the more you’ll enjoy just being in that space. If possible, carve out your own designated creative space where you have all your tools and mood-boards to encourage productivity. In the ASC studio which is full of natural light, indoor plants, gemstones and vibrant images, we are able to draw inspiration from our surroundings as we work.

Media Detox:
With more time at home these days, our screen time may have also gone up significantly. Make sure to take long breaks from binge watching that Netflix show or scrolling through Instagram and perhaps even from the news, in order to reduce the noise that can often take hold of our minds and even make us anxious. Give yourself time to enjoy silence and the natural world around you, listening to your incoming thoughts and ideas. A media detox one hour before bed will promote better quality sleep, and in turn, a well-rested and clear mind. Taking care of your body is also like taking care of your capacity to create.

Reading:
Stimulate your mind and your imagination by diving into a book that you find interesting or inspiring. There are so many genres and topics to choose from: fiction, non-fiction, philosophy, psychology, science, etc. Learning about the world and seeing through new perspectives can often strike you with ideas and fill you with lasting inspiration. At ASC we particularly love reading up on ancient cultures, architecture and spiritually, which we then are able to translate into our designs.

Sketching:
Take up a pencil or a pen, or whatever medium you prefer, and make a quick sketch of your ideas. If you don’t have any ideas, sketch what you see around you in your home or the view from your window. Try to see these familiar things in a new light. Your sketches don’t all have to be good. Focus on the process; it is more about the practice! Your free hand sketches don’t have to make sense to anyone else, as long as you’re able to get some sort of idea out. You can then refine and hone in on them later. Don’t hold back on your self-expression! To uncover more possibilities, we suggest trying experimental drawing, for example, not looking at your paper as you draw or continuous line drawing.

Meditation:
Set aside some minutes in your day for mindfulness. Focus your mind to access your reality, your feelings; what you are grateful for, what is important to you, what you would like to work towards even just for the day. Meditation is very personal, and can be done in many different ways. Try to find what works best for you so that you can refresh your mind and increase your self-awareness. Working towards inner peace allows for your inner artist to flourish.

Remember that art is not a thing, but a way! We can try all sorts of activities to be more creative but at the end of the day what is most important is the mindset with which we do them. Allow yourself to be more open, more patient and kinder to yourself in order to discover what you are capable of. With these eight simple yet holistic exercises you can do from the comfort of your home, we hope this helps you to do precisely that!

We would love to hear how you go! Perhaps you have your own tips and tricks to boost your creative energy; don’t be shy to share them with us. Leave a comment here on the blog or get in touch through our Facebook or Instagram.

Happy creating!

Inside the Studio

Curious about where all the magic happens? We want to take you inside the ASC studio for you to get a better look at the creative space in which the ideas for A Silver Circle jewellery are birthed and brought to life! Step into our humble abode filled not just with handy tools but also with character and life.

Walking into the studio, you’re greeted with beautiful natural light spilling through the large windows, feeding the number of vibrant greenery scattered around the room. Working alongside nature is essential to maintaining the connection to nature and living things that underpins all the designs of A Silver Circle.

The studio also houses a wide collection of books! So so many books which are used for research and inspiration as well as lunch time escapes. Corinne enjoys a good read with a cup of tea while sitting on the studio’s comfy couch. This homey touch encourages necessary and well-deserved rest throughout the working day, as moments of relaxation and mindfulness are key for the creative juices to flow!

There’s also plenty of desk space for the business side of things to take place, making sure everything we need to do is planned and executed in order to communicate with and get our beautifully crafted pieces to you, our lovely customers!

And, of course, we can’t forget to show you the side of the studio where A Silver Circle jewellery are sustainably handcrafted. The many tools are organised against a colourful backdrop, hand-painted by Corinne herself! From soldering to shaping and stamping, each step of the process is done right here. At any given time in the studio there are always pieces of jewellery in different stages of completion so it is an ever-changing space where you can see every step come together to form the A Silver Circle brand.

Moodboards are essential part of the space and they help visualise the particular vision of not only the brand, but the new collections. This is a part of the studio that is always changing and evolving as the inspiration and focus changes. Currently featured on our mood board is some textures, blues, purple and pink tones as well as some spiritual symbols from astrology and tarot.

The stones and crystals found here and there as well as daily affirmation cards infuse a spiritual connection within the studio which is important to Corinne and her creative process. These special touches not only create a positive atmosphere but flow into the meaning behind our jewellery giving it more depth and connection to then pass on to its new owners.

We hope you have enjoyed a little glimpse into the space. Of course you can come see it for yourself when you book one of A Silver Circles Workshops. They are a great way to get your own creative juices flowing in a homely and welcoming space. Check out our Workshops page for more details.