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Vic

Vic

@wildandsapphire.bsky.social

30 followers 45 following 49 posts

North Devon Silversmith ... but this is probably going to end up a gardening account

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Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Sep 10

I rely on food chains, not pesticides in my garden - predators will come where there is food, and its so satisfying to spot them and know nature is doing its thing (ladybird/hoverfly larvae are my favourites - absolute machines)

Anyway this is a really easy thing to give up ... and to support ↓

Butterfly Conservation @savebutterflies.bsky.social · Sep 10

Butterflies need two things to thrive: good weather and a healthy environment ☀️🌱

Join us in asking UK retailers to remove synthetic pesticides from sale for a wilder, butterfly-filled future for generations to come 👉 https://butterflyemergency.good.do/rescue-mission/

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Sep 9

ah thank you! hope all is good - thanks for the help with the tree by the way, it is still alive :-) x

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Sep 9

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clip 6 - a ring being polished by a spinning felt ball loaded with dark polishing compound. ball moves away to show it is now shiny
clip 7 - me standing in front of my workbench holding up a sign that says "I made your jewellery"

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Sep 9

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clip 5: a bunch of freshly soldered silver rings - they look pale and misty at this stage

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Sep 9

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clip 4 - a rough silver oval with a stamped eye held in a pair of pliers - I am filing its edge

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Sep 9

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clip 3. a silver ring under my blowtorch - as the flame runs over it, it is soldered closed (solder flowing looks like a little ball of metal melting and disappearing onto the ring)

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Sep 9

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clip 2 - silver on a wooden surface, a hammer and some steel stamps. there is wire for the rings, some is shaped into circles and some is still straight, a length of silver sheet stamped but not yet cut and a few bits of silver that are stamped but not yet shaped

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Sep 9

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clip 1 - three dainty silver rings - stamped shapes soldered onto bands - an eye (oval), a sunshine (round) and a rainbow (half circle). overlay text says "wild + sapphire jewellery handmade stamped rings"

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Sep 9

a glimpse of my process and what "artisan" means to me #handmade #silversmith #metalsmith #creative #creativeprocess #imadethiswithmyhands

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Sep 9

#silversmith #metalsmith #jewellerymaker #craft #handmade

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Sep 9

just bailed on my next 3 craft markets because they also had a maker selling temu/shein charms there - it was labelled an 'artisan market' but...🤔 anyway I'm going to focus on online a bit again now, which requires proof of life via social media (apparently?) so, here I am + some stuff I made lately

a hand wearing a silver ring with a small but chunky green turquoise stone

a stack of three dainty silver rings with stamped designs on them: an eye, a sun and a rainbow

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Jul 6

thanks Emily ❤︎ - should I do diagonal cuts toward the ground or perpendicular to the branch? does it matter? x

Reposted by Vic

Dr Ella Hawkins @ellamchawk.bsky.social · May 29

Today is National Biscuit Day, and it’s about time that I populated this account with biscuit (cookie) sets from the past few years. Here are some of my favourites. 🧵

First up, a set inspired by the delicious designs of William Morris and John Henry Dearle.

A set of eight rectangular cookies arranged on a square white plate against a dark wooden background. Each cookie is inspired by a wallpaper design by Morris & Co. The patterns represented feature different floral and leaf shapes in shades of baby blue, soft pink, leafy green, mustard yellow, cream, and dark grey.

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Jun 1

still working on those photo editing skills and especially, trying to get gem colour to reflect reality instead of the inexplicable fever dream version my camera wants to give me 🤷🏻‍♀️

this is progress though (finally)

#photography #onewomanbandbiz #gemstones #silversmith

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · May 15

these will be with me at the fore st flea in #exeter this Sunday ... but the colours of the stones are a little different than this picture (more muted and cooler toned)

Because I'm not very good at colour balancing photos yet.

But I am pretty good at making rings so swings / roundabouts I reckon

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · May 15

I'm trading at a big market in three days... so naturally I'm practicing photo editing instead of making jewellery to sell...

#makeitmakesense

#thosestonesthough #reflectionsareannoying #photography #stonesetting #silversmithing #metalsmithing #landscapes #natureimitatingartimitiatingnature

two silver rings on a dark wooden table in low light - the rings feature large square shaped cushion cut cabochons in warm reddish / orange tones

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · May 7

❤️

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Mar 29

in non metalsmithing news, I discovered a frog, newt AND a slow worm in my suburban (but trying very hard to be a wild-life friendly) garden this week 🎉

no one in my house is as excited as I am....

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Mar 29

"Joni"

recently made at the bench 🔨 featuring a huuuuge chunk of Burro Creek Agate from Arizona set in recycled silver

#imadeyourjewellery #wheredoyourgemstonescomefrom

A very large gemstone set ring on a raw wooden surface. This ring is set with a huge oval light purple stone which is highly polished and has patterns of lighter purple within it in plumey cloud shapes. The gem is set within a thick silver bezel on a plain band which are both also highly polished & shiny.

Side view of the Joni ring to show the depth of the stone and the high shine of the bezel holding the stone.

A face on view of the Joni ring to show that the stone is so big, it hides the ring band on either side of it. This photo also shows the patterns within the stone which resemble cloudy plumes.

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Mar 17

🤩

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Mar 8

this sounds stunning and such a good idea 🙌

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Mar 8

this is so helpful - first the no-transplant thing is super appealing - I'm pretty sure im going to try that, and also I can see its definitely a space saver. thank you! 🙏

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Mar 8

Ah that looks lovely! I'm like you, if I have spare seedlings they have to go somewhere..... :-)

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Mar 7

Any #sweetpeas growers out there? What’s your favourite set up for small garden? Torn between an arch (but that means no roses on it) obelisk (is this more efficient use of space?) or wigwam (because budget friendly but … local cats. If you know, you know) tips / photos appreciated ❤️

#gardening

Vic @wildandsapphire.bsky.social · Mar 7

Yeeeeep 🙌