I wouldn't normally post a commercial link on my blog but I have to confess to having been practically salivating at this wonderful collection of Fabergé - and related - objects for sale. The reticulated gold picture frame is just incredible!

Not much else to report. I've had to make another two of those "Black Christmas" stars for Goldsmiths' Hall in…

I've just been sent this link to an essay by Valerie Steele on "Gothic" Jewellery:

http://www.sofaexpo.com/chicago/essays/gothic_jewelry_sinister_pleasures

Interesting read.

Finished my decoration for the tree in Goldsmiths' Hall in London, "Black Christmas - A Punk Star for Poly Styrene":

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My first inkling of the impending festive season... I've been invited to make a precious decoration for the ACJ show at Goldsmiths' Hall! The Goldsmiths' Hall already have their own line of decorations. Mine will be somewhat different, using some of my beloved sewing-machine needles: 

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Time to allow myself the luxury of a weekend in Edinburgh with nothing to do but see some friends and go to the opening of Stephen Bottomley's first retrospective.

I always sleep very well in Edinburgh: I stay with friends and the room in which I sleep overlooks a graveyard! Much needed as the changing clocks, seasons and the travel to and from the US has made my sleeping patterns somewhat messy.

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(I'm just back from a weekend in Edinburgh, which is why there was a hiatus.)

The last day in Chicago was one of pure tourism. I woke up very early and as the show opened at 11 am and my airport  shuttle was at 11.30 am, I thought that a walk around the area to see some more of the city would be in order.

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Day 2 - Friday 2nd November

An early start for me today as I wanted to have a look around the area around the hotel, Chicago's "Magnificent Mile" of very expensive brand-name shops. The first people I encountered were these unlikely fellows: 

Chicago has a LOT of homelessness and I was particularly…

As I normally say 'no' to Doris Day stereotypes, I apologise for the obvious title to this post!

It is, however, true. I have just arrived home from the thrilling three-day excursion to Chicago for SOFA 2012. It was brilliant, and not at all windy. I am still trying to process it all and the to get round to emailing all the people I need to talk to.…

Time for spooky things, so I finished my second Spoon Skull Pendant with Antlers today:

The chain is made from silver and chunks of the EPNS cutlery which I've butchered to make other spoon skull things. I really like the fake hallmarks on these and two of them feature on the sides of the chain.…

It is only three days until I fly to Chicago to help out at the SNAG Stand at SOFA. Obviously, I am hoping that lots of Crafthaus people who are there will stop by to say "hello" and introduce themselves to me, SNAG member or otherwise.

I've been at a bit of a loose end for the past few weeks. After finishing some items to wear at SOFA, I was waiting on getting the go-ahead for a collaborative project with my friend and colleague, photographer…

Some readers might remember that in February of this year, I spent an evening in Dundee for the launch of Kate Pickering's fantastic project, Vanilla Ink, a shop, a community, a support network, a workshop. Today was the first day of the workshop project going live, the first intake of real graduates into the year-long mentor-supported world of…

Things have been incredibly busy at work, setting up the new students, returning all the Diamond Jubilee work to the makers, making some new pieces, preparing for the "ENOUGH: Violence" show at SCC next August as well as helping a friend of mine - Wing Mun Devenney - write her new book, a technical manual on soldering. 

One of the aspects of my practice which I've not really thought about properly and which I don't document…

SO busy! All my first, second and third years have started for two weeks now and the degree final year students started today... In between, I've been packing up the Diamond Jubilee exhibition and finishing my "Macbeth Brooch".

The hackle is raven feathers. It is traditional in Scotland (I read, but have never…

I've been incredibly busy since my last post, what with all my new students starting their various courses this week in addition to a raft of other things going on.

I spent the weekend in my favourite British city, Birmingham. The reason for going there was to hear the premier of Karlheinz Stockhausen's…

Some months ago I was contacted by Sia Corrina, the editor of a free, online magazine entitled "Serendipity" and asked if I would contribute to her "Apocalyptic Art" edition, Winter 2011. Of course, I agreed, but somewhere along the line then forgot that the article had been written, that the magazine was published and that I had work in it, along with two other Crafthaus artists, Francesca Gabrielli and…

Sad to be leaving Pittsburgh.

As you can see, I had another night with Brigitte and we went to the Pittsburgh institution, Sarris, where we had the most gigantic banana splits I've ever seen. Delicious! I'm not…

I'll get to the robots in a moment. First of all, my class at the SCC... There isn't much to say about the class at the SCC as we weren't really making projects, more exploring techniques through making samples and finding ways of problem-solving for processes which the people in the class used. As such, I have no photographs of work to show. What I do have is a photograph of all the people involved:

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Or, as Will - above - would tell you, Yes You Can Wear That!

Last weekend, I spent a brilliant two days with some young peope at the Society for Contemporary Crafts in Pittsburgh running a workshop looking at creativity, oblique ways of looking at every day objects and the creation of jewellery from those objects. The…

Although it is almost a week since the event - I've been travelling and am now in Pittsburgh - I really should write up an exciting event I attended on Monday last week in London, "Cut In Clerkenwell" which is an exhibition at Craft Central by the Hand Engravers' Association in the UK, a most worthy body who have a highly talented and esteemed membership - including…

End of another academic year, I've cleared my bench of everything to allow the summer-school lecturer to use it. As some of you already know, I am off to PITTSBURGH next week and will be at the SCC for a short while. I'm always keen to meet other metalsmiths: feel free to get in touch if you are able to meet…