Remembrance Day Poppy Paperweights

"Remembering those brave men, women and animals that gave and continue to give so much for our freedom and safety".

The red Poppy is used as a symbol of both remembrance and hope for a peaceful future. I am sharing today paperweights that incorporate the red Poppy. All Poppies were sent to me for preserving inside the handmade resin paperweights, so that the owner can safely display their Poppies all year round.

The first paperweight contains four traditional paper Poppies sold by the Royal British Legion. These were sent to me for preserving inside a resin square paperweight.

Royal British Legion Poppy Paperweight

The second paperweight contains an imitation fabric Poppy flower and cremated ashes, preserved inside a resin domed paperweight.

Fabric Poppy Paperweight

The final paperweight contains a hand-drawn Remembrance Day Poppy. This Poppy was drawn and coloured by my customer who then sent the flower to me for preservation.

Hand-drawn Poppy Paperweight

Many thanks for reading!

Mick 

My Fossil Dino Poop Jewellery has been featured in a book!

My fossilised Dinosaur poop jewellery has been featured in a new National Geographic book 'Weird but true Dinosaurs"! This is the first time my jewellery has been featured within a book and I am extremely happy!

Dinosaur Poop Jewellery

I made the fossilised Dinosaur poop jewellery back in 2014 for a bit of fun, and you can read about it here: Dinosaur poop gifts.

Let me know if you have ever made anything that has been featured in a book.

Shpangle on YouTube - Hair Keepsake Jewellery

Hi and I hope everyone is staying safe and well! Although I am still busy making keepsake jewellery for people, I have had some spare time to make a YouTube channel. Please subscribe to it if you can. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ4Glrp2r5NPCWgTlQHU4ZQ




The above is my first attempt at a video about my hair keepsake jewellery. Please forgive me for the accompanying music but it is all I could find that was the right length.

Thanks for watching and Take Care
Mick

How to Preserve a Child's Arts & Crafts Models

I originally started to write this article before the current situation; however it seems to be even more relevant now with the majority of children being at home. Many children are home-schooling in isolation at this time; with many arts and crafts items being made daily.

Firstly I must say that I wish I had known how to preserve my son’s craft models when he was younger. I have been asked on quite a few occasions to preserve a child’s model within resin paperweights. Often these pieces of art are made while the child is at nursery, pre-school or early years at primary school and taken home. They can be quite delicate in nature and over the years can become damaged without protection.

Whether it is Plasticine, Playdough (Play-Doh), Fimo or other craft modelling method used, I can encase the model within a paperweight, to be preserved and enjoyed for years to come.

This is an example of a child’s Christmas decoration made out of Plasticine at pre-school. Obviously, without protect, the decoration would degrade over the years. However, once preserved within the paperweight, the Child’s art can be enjoyed every day, without the worry of it becoming damaged.

Paperweight for a child's Plasticine decoration

This is an example of a piece of art made by a child using Hama Beads, I have preserved this within a resin paperweight and personalised the paperweight with a customer supplied message.

Paperweight for a Hama Bead craft creation

This is an example of a piece of art made by a child using a form of air dry clay. The model is again preserved within a domed paperweight.

Paperweight for a Child's clay craft creation

And it is not just modelling clay crafts that can be preserved within paperweights; I can also preserve other modelling craft items including sugar icing flowers and other embellishments for cakes.

I hope that everybody is staying safe and well during this uncertain period; and this article has provided you with some inspiration!

Take care

Mick

Custom made retirement paperweight gift

I was asked some time ago if I could make a custom made paperweight for a UK company. The company specialised in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of industrial products and they wanted to send me some machined components for incorporating into the paperweight. The paperweight was to be given as a retirement gift to one of their long standing employees.

This is the finished paperweight containing the bearings and other machined components that they provided. I also included the company logo and the name and date of the gentleman who was retiring from the company.

Custom made company retirement paperweight

I have often thought how special this must have been to the recipient of the paperweight; to receive something custom made and unique to them, containing items that they may have worked with for many years.

Similar paperweights could also be provided by companies as client gifts or corporate paperweights, showcasing the products that they manufacture or supply.

If you would like to see more examples of my custom made paperweights, please visit my custom paperweights gallery page.

Jewellery for Ashes Ideas

I have been making memorial jewellery and other keepsakes containing cremated ashes for the last 10 years so I thought I would illustrate some of the options that I have available. I take pride in offering a fully personalised service when it comes to making the jewellery, however if you would like to see some previous examples, please visit my Jewellery for Ashes gallery of images.

Keepsake jewellery for cremated ashes

The resin jewellery and keepsakes for ashes have an advantage over glass jewellery because they can be further personalised with the addition of other objects. I can provide most items such as real forget me not flowers, however if the customer wishes to send their own sentimental items (for example photographs) to be included within the jewellery, that is fine too.

Resin Pendants for Ashes

The resin pendants for ashes can be made in many shapes and sizes; the pendants can be coloured, and other objects incorporated into the design (small flowers, silver lettering for names, dates etc). The resin pendants have a three dimensional appearance and really do look beautiful with the ashes suspended throughout.

Cremated ashes and forget me not flower resin heart pendant

Colourful keepsake pendant for ashes

Ashes and hearts keepsake jewellery

Sterling Silver Pendants for Ashes

As with my resin pendants for ashes, the sterling silver pendants can also be made in many shapes and sizes. These pendants however have an additional benefit; due to the silver backing to the pendants, I can also engrave names, dates and personalised messages onto the back of the pendant. The sterling silver pendants for ashes are generally smaller than my resin pendants. I can still incorporate small objects such as real forget me not flowers into the design, and the pendant settings can also be coloured.

Sterling silver cross shaped pendant for ashes

Sterling silver oblong shaped pendant for ashes

Sterling silver round pendant for ashes

Sterling silver round pendant for ashes and forget me not

Rings for Ashes

I currently make several different styles of rings for cremated ashes. The ring settings containing the ashes can be left clear or coloured to any colour; the rings are all sized to fit the correct finger size.

Sterling silver memorial ring for ashes

Sterling silver rings for ashes and locks of hair

Sterling silver ring for ashes (suitable for a male)

Bracelets for Ashes

My sterling silver bracelets for ashes are formed by linking sterling silver oval charms containing the ashes together. The sterling silver bracelets can be sized to suit and I can engrave the back of each charm with names, dates and messages. The bracelet charms can hold ashes, photographs, a lock of hair, small flowers etc.

Personalised sterling silver bracelets for ashes

Alternatively, any of my pendant shapes and designs detailed above can be supplied as hanging bracelet charms. The charms containing the ashes are all fitted with a silver jump ring that can be connected directly to a bracelet or alternatively I can also add a lobster clasp clip.

Hanging bracelet charms for ashes

Cufflinks for Ashes

The sterling silver cufflinks settings containing the cremated ashes can be coloured, left clear, and other objects included if required (small flowers, initials, hearts, stars etc).

Sterling silver cufflinks for cremated ashes

Earrings and Ear studs for Ashes

My resin pendant shapes can be supplied as drop earrings containing the cremated ashes and other objects such as real flowers.

Ashes and forget me not flower drop earrrings

Alternatively I can make several styles of sterling silver ear studs for ashes.

Sterling silver ear studs for ashes

Keyrings for Ashes

Any of my pendant shapes and designs illustrated above can be supplied as keyrings for ashes. The resin keyrings have an added benefit being double sided. The ashes and other objects can be encased within one side of the keyring and a photograph or personalised messaged displayed on the reverse side.

Colourful keyring for ashes

Personalised keyring for ashes

Paperweights for Ashes

My memorial paperweights containing ashes can be made as an alternative to a piece of jewellery. The paperweights can be made either domed or square and I can incorporate other objects such as flowers, photographs and personalised messages into the paperweights.

Domed paperweight for ashes

Custom made paperweight for ashes

Many thanks for reading this page containing ideas for jewellery containing ashes, if you have any questions or designs in mind, please contact me.