I was so lucky to go to Paris last week with Cornwall Trading and Investment and Cultivator for an export mission to check out Maison et Objet trade show, and make contacts with French galleries there. The show was massive and very inspiring; it was a great opportunity to analyse European trends and chat to French makers there. I also fully took the opportunity to visit amazing galleries in Paris whilst I was there, including the Louvre, the Musee National de Picasso and I’Orangerie. The Louvre was mind-blowing with her favourite sections being the Ancient Greek and Egyptian artefects and beautiful sculpture atrium. Look out for a new collection based on ancient jewellery inspired by the trip…
The Picasso museum was fascinating with loads of insight into his mindset and processes; the building was also beautiful and really quiet and peaceful: I loved meandering around it in the winter sunshone.  Monet’s Waterlilies in L’Orangerie were a complete revelation! I had no idea how massive they were! Creating a really immersive, meditative experience in two large elliptical rooms: they were intended to symbolise infinity and painted especially to fit into that space.
As well as all this fascinating culture we also fully appreciated the patisseries and creperies and bistros every day; and loved mooching around the friendly affordable vintage shops and craft galleries in la Marais district. All in all it was a really inspiring, useful, creative trip; I loved it!

I've just uploaded some new workshops for this summer here: WORKSHOPS Just let me know if you'd like to get a group of friends together and book a different date to make your own unique silver and brass jewellery :-)

If you'd like to set up a small silver jewellery studio at home, here's a basic shopping list for soldering tools and equipment to set up:

From cooksongold.com (this is for the 3 online workshops I'm going to do to make stacker rings, bangle and handmade chain):
soldering torch
heat mat or block
bench peg and anvil
2mm silver wire: about 7cm per ring, about 22cm for a bangle
1.2mm and 1.0mm wire for chain: about 50cm of each
medium silver solder strip
liquid flux or borax cone
safety pickle

Things you might already have or can get on Ebay cheap:
Flat-nosed pliers and snips
tin snips (to cut solder)
ball hammer
medium file
needle files
old slow cooker (or can put it in a pan on low)
kitchen scrubber and duster
wire-wool

Just let me know if you need to check anything x