I have been preparing for Open Studios which begins here in Hastings next weekend.

Autumnal fruits and berries have been an inspiration this year in creating some new jewellery – scroll down to see more. I have also been determined to have a go at making jelly this year, foraging bramble berries. The weather has been glorious the last couple of weekends so we set off on a  family walk with a mission to pick blackberries. However, my daughter wasn’t in the slightest bit interested, maybe it was the thorns, nettles and gorse bushes that put her off, I was determined though and I have to say she has been enjoying eating bramble jelly on toast every morning. I’m not here to tell you how to make bramble jelly but for the record I used Gloria Nicol’s recipe from her book ‘ 100 jams, jellies, preseves and pickles’, which I really recommend if you are interested. I didn’t realise you would need quite so much fruit and my first pickings were fairly lean. With half a kilo I made a small but delicious pot of jelly. Fruit will be ripening for the next two weeks so there is time for more!

I have also been busy foraging in my studio. I can be a bit of a hoarder and I thought it was about time to go through some of the bits and bobs I have in boxes and drawers of beads, wire, castings and cut-offs from silver sheet that can build up over time and try to create something new.

These are some of my designs that will be soon up on my website and available directly from my workspace in conjunction with Hastings Coastal Currents Open Studios 2012 click on the Hastings area for more information about where we are. And in the meantime please take a look at what I have been making.