Edinburgh jeweller

Yesterday (1/11/11) Mitsubishi announced that they are going to start retailing sterling silver clay . This is an interesting and welcome development in the world of metal clay. Up until now silver clay from all manufacturers has been 999 fine silver. This means that 99.9% of the silver is made up of silver particles, the rest is copper. 999 fine silver can be hallmarked but in the UK 925 sterling silver is still the most widely recognised form of silver. The Metal Clay Academy website is an excellent and impartial resource if you are interested in finding out more about this fantastic material.  The recipe for sterling silver clay was made available earlier this year through the experimentation of Lisa Cain, director of the Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery . The full recipe was made freely available when it was published in Volume 2 number 2 issue of Metal Clay Artist magazine . It can be made by blending the correct combination of fine silver clay and copper clay. However, t...

There's been a lot of chat on twitter and blogs in the last few days about a new craft magazine called Mollies Makes . As a bit of a magazine fan I decided to take a look. Issue 1 came out in the UK on 12th May, with some people saying that shops are already out of stock. I managed to find a copy in a Hobbycraft and decided to give it a go. I don't normally buy general craft magazines, preferring ones that are more specific to my crafts. However, I have set up a subscription for this one as I was impressed, even though there wasn't much jewellery. I love the quality of it and it's photos. I also love the house/workspace features. I love home magazines and their features are especially good because it features people making and buying handmade things for their own homes. And with a five pound subscription for the next three issues - I feel that's a bargain! Other magazines that I subscribe to I adore Metal Clay Artist magazine . Silver clay is my main medium and ...

The metal clay community is very excited about the development of sterling silver metal clay. Lisa Cain, who runs the Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery, worked hard to develop a sterling silver clay from commercially available silver and copper clay. In the press release Lisa Cain said 'My motivation for developing this new option was the very real need for this type of clay, especially here in the UK where hallmarking laws influence the materials we artists can use credibly in our commercial work.' The recipe, firing schedule and test results will be published in the April edition of Metal Clay Artist magazine (volume 2 issue 2). Lisa has said that she is not interested in making money from her discovery and that her 'interest is set firmly on innovation' and 'artistry in metal clay'. As a student at the MCSJ I was fortunate to see a few pieces that had been made from this clay last week. I am looking forward to reading the full article in the magazine soon. ...