Bellamoon Jewels

While unrelated to jewellery, I’ve finally started my foodie blog, called The Infatuated Foodie.  I registered the blog name ages ago and have, in the last few months, started photographing food I cook.

Spices for a delectable lamb and lentil curry I made recently

The other day, in a burst of creative enthusiasm, I wrote my first post, titled A Loaf of Bread, with a recipe for light rye bread.  Within half an hour of posting, I had my first comment!  Sheesh, a better hit rate than Bella Moon jewellery …

Feel free to click on the links and check the site out.

Back to jewellery

Things are quiet on the jewellery front, mainly due to my own focus being directed elsewhere (on finding a day job …).  I’m still selling through Saddlers Court Gallery in the little Tasmanian village of Richmond, but things are a bit quiet there.

My aim is to get some more training in metals.  I need to make wow factor jewellery – not necessarily using huge and expensive stones, just excellent, interesting designs that are well made.  It’s both a blessing and a curse, but I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I while I have almost filled a book with design sketches, I am lacking in the more advanced metal skills department.

It’s something I plan to rectify once I’m doing the day job thing – that is, to do a night course if I can find one in Hobart/southern Tasmania.

That’s all for now.  I really must find the enthusiasm to make some more jewellery soon.

I’ve had a nice little bit of promotion hit the Internet today, with a feature appearing on a lovely Australian jewellery maker’s blog.  Samara is the person behind Maddabling, and she’s written her Friday post all about Bella Moon – or more specifically – me, Marti Cuatt.

I’ve been working with Samara for a couple of weeks now, answering questions and writing about myself for this feature.  She’s been so supportive and has enjoyed my story (and work) enough to go ahead and publish the bio, with photographs of my work.  I’m honoured.  I’m worthy.

So without further adieu, dear readers, why not pop across to Samara’s blog and have a read.

A while ago I wrote about the inspiration I gain from walking on my local beaches.  On my walks I gather pebbles and shells and other interesting bits and pieces that perhaps one day I’ll use for, or incorporate into, jewellery.

Today I worked with metal clay and made three pendants – one using a mould I made from one of these shells gathered from a local beach.

This is the shell – you can see there’s still some silicone stuck to it:

The inspiration

I used the end of the shell to press into silicone and ended up with this mould:

The end of the shell in silicone

The silver clay was pressed into the mould, then popped out and dried on a sort of dome shape, before being sanded to smooth out the edges, fired and blackened.  I actually made two shells, but one has fine cracks through it.  I’m thinking of selling it as a second as it’s still really interesting and quite sturdy.

The two shell pendants

So this shell has been on an adventure and will soon be worn around someone’s neck.

Three stages of a pendant

Here’s another silver clay pendant I made today, also available on my Etsy store.

It’s kind of an off-centre pseudo retro pendant, once again oxidised and finished with a satin buff.  It’s entirely unique – just like the person who’ll one day wear it.

Until next time, peace and love xx

I returned home from Melbourne on Tuesday evening (where I attended a wedding and shopped for supplies) and set to work on Wednesday pricing and photographing jewellery I’ve recently completed.

I photographed my new Akoya pearl set first (I decided to sell it as a set because I have limited stock of Akoya pearls and they are just made for each other) and put it straight up on my Etsy store.

Japanese Akoya pearls and sterling silver necklace and earring set

It was certainly very good timing, as within a few hours of listing this set it sold to a woman in Melbourne who knew my shop in Sydney Road and who has purchased Bella Moon jewellery in the past.

Apparently she’d been watching my Etsy store in the hope of purchasing a gift for a friend’s upcoming birthday.  When she saw this set it was just what she’d been looking for and bought it on the spot.

Lovely black Akoya pearls on sterling silver leverbacks

The beauty of how this first sale happened is, for me, the fact that she is a former customer who’s returned, albeit online and not off the street.  Either way, return business is an extremely positive sign.

The item was posted to her within 24 hours, so hopefully she’ll be very happy with it.

Japanese Akoya pearl tin cup necklace on sterling silver

Last night I went to see Cirque du Soleil’s Saltimbanco in Hobart.  I realise Saltimbanco as a show has been around for several years, but this was the first opportunity I’ve had to see it and I was absolutely delighted.

Image source: Oglobo

From start to finish the show was bright with energy, colour, light, movement, comedy, thrills and all the things you’d hope for in a circus performance of the Cirque du Soleil calibre.  Even the audience interaction, which I hadn’t expected, was highly entertaining.

Image source: Denver Post

So often the difference between expectation and reality is vast, but this performance met – exceeded in some cases – everything I’d hoped for.

The performers’ skills sometimes defy belief – I mean, how can a person get flung off a large seesaw, do several twists 30 or more feet in the air (the distance is a wild guess, but it looked extremely high from where we were sitting) and land on a not very big padded mattress.  How can four performers control elastic bands while flipping, twisting and bouncing and then land on a little trapeze bar high in the air with such grace and perfection?  How can a man ride a bicycle upside down, backwards, while sitting on the handlebars?

Image source: Bloomingmind.org

Okay, I do have some answers – lots of training, great choreography, very tight (and highly important) teamwork, plus, in some cases, an insanely strong stomach.  Oh, and don’t forget those lean and very fit bodies.

I must say though – experiencing the creativity and fun at work is very inspiring.  Particularly the colour and movement.

For one who works with a lot a very monochromatic palette it may just be what I’ve needed to add a little more vibrance to my work.  Hmmm … enamelling could be fun.  Stay tuned (but don’t hold your breath).

Until next time dear friends, may you experience a little magic xx