May 2023

Logo Fun

Wow! Look what Lawrence Wilkinson created for me! Both of my lovely children are very talented illustrators. My eldest, Ellie Wilkinson very kindly created my Paula Wilkinson Jewellery logo some time ago, and my youngest, Lawrence Wilkinson has very kindly animated it for me. It's great having a creative family.

Where’s your happy place?

Over the last few years, my workbench has become my happy place and I love my creative time working on my handmade jewellery. In recent months I have felt more and more compelled to follow my dreams and work at building my small jewellery business. I have so many ideas and so much work to do to be able to accomplish my goals. So I am very excited to tell you that I have taken a big leap and left my admin job to focus full-time on Paula Wilkinson Jewellery, allowing more time to work on all aspects of my business, but the best part is that I’ll now have more time for being creative with my designs and making more unique silver jewellery for you!

Some Recent Creations

Recent makes: Tourmaline Earrings, Organic Stalactite Pendant, Trailing Jasmine Rings

Tourmaline Earrings - Tourmaline is such a beautiful stone. What do you think of these little round natural pink tourmaline cabochons? They remind me of tiny boiled sweets. Encircled by hammered silver and hung from sterling silver sleeper hoops, making very pretty little earrings.

Organic Stalactite Pendant - I wanted to try out a design with a bit more of an organic nature and here’s the result. This melted silver pendant resembles those mysterious stalactite formations that you see hanging inside caves. This weighty stalactite pendant is made from solid sterling silver, and hangs on an 18” medium weight sterling silver belcher chain, and will look great with a low v-neck top.

Trailing Jasmine Rings - The Trailing Jasmine Ring is one of my all-time favourite designs. I have to alter the pattern slightly for each different ring size so that the design flows all the way around the ring. I absolutely love how they turn out different every time. 

Have you ever wondered how these are made? There are several stages in making these rings. Starting with a rectangle of sterling silver sheet, 1mm thick, 10mm wide and the length between 50mm – 65mm, depending on the size of ring I’m making, I stick masking tape over the silver and draw my design on the tape. I then drill holes at various points along the design; these are the places where I need to pass the blade of my piercing saw through to be able to cut out the pattern. Once the sawing is complete, I clamp the piece in a bench clamp so that I can use both hands to sand inside all the rough edges, using tiny strips of abrasive paper, in a motion similar to flossing teeth.

When all the edges are smooth, I can shape the silver over a mandrel and solder the ends together to form the ring. The ring is then placed in a warm acid solution to pickle it, which removes any fire scale caused by the blowtorch. After this I sand with several grades of abrasive papers to remove scratches before polishing it up to make the ring lovely and shiny. It’s quite a lengthy process but all worthwhile to get the end result. You'll find more images and details for these on the individual listings.

Broadway Craft Fair

Thank you everyone who came along to Broadway craft fair. It was great fun working alongside my daughter, Ellie. We’ll be together again at Winchcombe next Sunday, details below.

Paula Wilkinson Jewellery & Ellie Wilkinson Illustration

Moonstone for June

The main birthstone for June is alexandrite, however moonstone is a popular alternative. I personally love the iridescent appearance of moonstone; it can be transparent or opaque and comes in a variety of colours. Beautiful like the moonlight, moonstone is associated with lunar cycles and symbolises feminine intuition, health and fertility.

Lunar Eclipse Pendants, Rainbow Moonstones

Here are two silver Lunar Eclipse pendants I have been working on, both with a hammered copper crescent and white moonstone. And I have some rainbow moonstones, which I’ll be working into my designs in the coming weeks. Keep your eye on the website as I'll be adding these soon.

Next Craft Fair

Sunday 4 June

Abbey Fields Community Centre Winchcombe

Gloucestershire. GL54 5QG 

11:00am – 3:00pm

Winchcombe is a gorgeous historic Cotswold town mid-way between Broadway and Cheltenham. A great place for a day out, with a host of attractions including the amazing Sudeley Castle, Hailes Abbey, Winchcombe Pottery and our craft fair (obvs). I look forward to seeing you there! 

Thanks for reading and for supporting my small business. If there's anything you'd like to read about in future, do let me know! If you haven't already signed up, you can be the first to read Paula Wilkinson Jewellery news and receive exclusive special offers by email: 

With very best wishes 

 Paula