New skill unlocked: granulation

To become better at any skill you need time and you need practice. There's no miracle method or magic button that can make you better at something, you just have to commit and I'm really pleased to be able to say that, due to my commitment (I must have gone well passed the old 10,000 hours) I have made some pretty good progress with silver and gold work.

There are a lot of folk out there making stunning sea glass based jewellery and I want to be one of them but, I need to find my own way and to have my own style and granulation is what will make my work look a little different to everyone else's.

Granulation is the technique where little balls of metal are soldered into position and it gives a fabulous organic look to metal work. First, you wind your metal wire around an object (could be pliers, the end of a file or a pen - whatever you like). Then, add a bit of flux and then heat your metal until it melts and forms balls. If you want flat bottoms (tee hee) you can just melt on a charcoal block but if you want balls you can make a little divot and that will give you spheres. The granules can then be pickled and prepped for soldering.

Soldering on granules is a combination of heat skills using the torch, prep work and luck! The results can be fabulous and I especially love the look that mixed metals can give. I mean, I already love gold and silver together so let's go ALL in right?

Gold and Silver Granulated Ring

This granulated ring is a mixture of sterling silver balls, three gorgeous gold nuggets and a tube set cubic zirconia. It's just lush.

So, back to the sea glass, on Mothering Sunday I went to the beach with my husband and dog as it's one of my favourite places to be; for the waves and the sea glass! Quite a bit of time later I had beach combed some cracking finds including a gorgeous piece of green glass which glowed. Who knows where this glass had come from, who threw it in the sea and for how long it had been tumbling in the water but now that I had it I wanted to do something special with it.

Inspiration hit me and I used some silver that I had already recycled once (and it was recycled anyway when I purchased it) to make a bezel and back plate and I wanted to keep a chunky look. Granulation was the next step with six granules place on one corner. But what next? How to keep the glass in place without spoiling my look... I came up with a little plan to make two claws to hold the glass in place but I needed one last element. I needed something to hold the last corner in place and low... a plan was hatched - a little golden granule perched just on the lip of the bezel - too far in and the glass wouldn't fit... too far out and it wouldn't hold. Delicate soldering required (and a little prayer raised to the solder gods).

The finished result is, if I do say so myself, flipping gorgeous! I'd love to keep it... but that won't pay the bills! This pendant is for sale now... it's sitting there, on the Jewellery page - just waiting for you!