New Design Blog

I'm just about to start in 2nd year in Jewellery and Metalwork at Duncan of Jordanstone College and I want to create a new blog as part of my course i.e. Design Studies. I also want a new address so I can record my progress and developments being a jewellery designer!
My new blog address is http://sheilarousseldesigns.wordpress.com
I hope you'll look in!

Angora Accessories

Just thought I'd show you the end result of my latest experiment with an angora jumper. I decided to make a clutch bag from the boiled washed jumper and line it with lovely butterfly material I had left over from some cushions I made a while back. I thought the big button was just perfect for finishing it off.

Clutch Bag

Butterfly Lining

I transformed the rib of the jumper into some pairs of cuffs, and decorated them with antique effect lace. Perfect for peeking out under a winter coat and keeping the draughts out.

I'm still trying to find a button to complete the third pair I made!

It's been a very busy few weeks, I've had workmen constanly in my house but the good news is that we are on the last of the finishings for the extension. Off to Ikea today for some ideas for Tom's room.

I've been volunteering with a couple of local Dundee Jewellery designers over the last couple of weeks -
Holly Willcox and Islay Spalding.

Holly has been one of the Jewellery Designers in residence at Duncan of Jordanstone College for the last year. I spent a morning with her, watching her work and getting the opportunity to try some soldering, hammering and sawing to make a wee silver ring. she designs and makes beautiful silver jewellery. Have a look at designs at www.hollywillcox.co.uk

One of Holly's silver necklaces

I've been lucky enough to be working with Islay Spalding too. She designs and makes really funky resin and silver pieces as well as really unusual silver kilt pins. Have a look at her website www.islayspalding.co.uk

I'm enjoying getting a shot of tools and materials in her workshop and beginning to learn a few basic techniques.
Some silver hallmark tags that I made for some of Islay's necklaces.






Islay's silver and resin jewellery.
Have a look at her website www.islayspalding.co.uk

Birkhill Primary Boys Sport's Champion

It's been a busy time with my son recently as he has been off to induction days at Monifieth High School then 3 nights at Dalguise outdoor adventure holiday, science days, sports days, school swimming gala, prizegiving assembly and leavers assembly. Tom was the boys school sport's champion and won a lovely silver trophy as well as a medal. He was really pleased with himself as he was the house captain of the winning house this year too. Well done Tom!

Visit to Aberdeen Degree Show

It seems that the more free time I have the less I seem to do! I'm not sure why that is but maybe I'm a bit lazy. I've still got builders in my house working on the extension and it's coming on nicely. The walls are being plastered as I type so hopefully we'll get on with some painting at the weekend.

I've not been totally lazy, I've been making some bits and pieces but they're still to be completed. I'm looking for one Mother of Pearl button (one and a half cm) to finish off some cuffs and a nice big button for a felt bag......watch this space. I've been on a pattern cutting course and made a great pair of trousers that fit! I 'll need to make some more before I forget what to do.

As part of my summer project I've been asked to visit the Art College Degree Shows. Last week my niece and I went up to Aberdeen to see what they had been up to. We both wanted to see the 3D Designs, Textiles and Fashion Departments.


Below are some of the pieces that caught my eye!

Metal and Ceramics by Nicola Walster

Seeing the Invisible by SuZie Guthrie




Textiles & Surface Design by Ingrid Stout



Textiles & Surface Design by Steph Reid




3D Design by Kelly McAllister

The 3D Designs Department was a real mixture of pieces including textiles, ceramics, metalwork, galsswork and jewellery. It was all really interesting to view and I like to take my time to study the peices in detail, look through sketchbooks ( there weren't too many on display) and read how the students have been inspired to make their collections. Luckily so does my niece likes taking her time too so we were both happy!

I thought it was interesting that Textiles and Fashion departments had used empty shop units in the Academy Centre in Aberdeen to display their work. The textile display was just like walking round a real shop selling lots of great fabrics, accessroies, interiors and artefacts, it was a pleasure to see. The fashion was well laid out too as there were manequins displaying the collections and rails filled with lots more designs and gave the feel of a fashion show about to commence.

All in all we enjoyed our day in Aberdeen. I just to get down to some sketchbook work now for my project.

Home and Garden

We have started work on our house to extend the upstairs attic room and convert it into a living area, a bedroom and a shower room.
It has been a huge upheaval and a marathon to find new homes for all that was in the upstairs room.
Removing the flat roof created a big problem as the day it was taken off the rain came down. The water was pouring in through the light sockets in the bathroom, bedroom (over the bed) and in the kitchen.
It eventually got sorted out and so far there's only been some drips throught the kitchen ceiling and the kitchen door frame.
I had always liked the idea of open plan, but this was taking it a bit too far!



In amongst the chaos of the work going on in and around our house the flowers are continuing to bloom - something to do with all that rain last week I think!
It's amazing they contine to grow as we are not really gardeners and don't do too much apart from keep the weeds down.
I have to say that the colours are rather fantastic and they help brighten up the mess all around the house at the moment!

New from Old Jewellery

It's been a busy last few weeks but I'm finally getting round to my blog again. The lastest project is the last one of 1st year. I can't believe that I've completed my 1st year at Art College. Just the assessments and results to go now.

I chose a Craft and Design project for my last option. I had ten and a half days to complete it. It involved making something new from something old. There were a various themes to choose from: performance, atmosphere, statement, ornamentation and the oportunity to make a garment, accessory, jewellery or a soft furnishing.

It's always the same at the start of a project, I have a million ideas flying around in my head and start to panic a bit as well as become excited. I thought the best way forward for me was to look around for something old that could be transformed. I had it in my head that I would like to create some kind of soft furnishing. I also thought that I would like to create some accessories too, but what theme could I choose?

After searching through every charity shop in Broughty Ferry, I came across some lovely angora/wool knitwear. My ideas were on the move again and I instantly thought about felting the knitwear to create a new material. I found a tweed skirt in a similar colour and another tartan patterned skirt all of which I bought. I was considering cushions and a throw at this point, soft, warm and comfy.

Back home to make felt! I first of all picked the knitwear apart and did a few experiments in the washing machine with it.

Back at college with all my materials and after going over the brief with the tutors I reconsidered my idea and decided to try to develop some accessories.

Lots of research, drawing, sampling and experimentation later my statement jewellery and a accessories designs were finished.

Finally a call out for help from one of my nieces to model for me and "Hey Presto" one finished project!

The "Spirit of Angora" Collection

It has been an interesting two weeks at Art College. I have been in a Jewellery Design class and we were looking at working on a lighting design.
For inspiration I thought about the patterns light makes when it is shining on water. I already had some photos from my holiday in Turkey of the sunset. I also took lots of photos at Broughty Ferry of the sun (yes it was sunny one day believe it or not!) shining on the Tay.



Some material samples.
I played with lots of different materials during the two weeks. These two above are the ones that I have taken through to my finished piece.

One of my design developments. The orange you can just see at the back ( it's not too clear on the photos) is the sunset photo printed onto acetate. If it was a free standing piece You'd be able to see all round the design

This is my final design for lighting. I've put some LED lights inside jsut to show the lighting design and its effect.

Jewellery Design Project

What is my GOLD?
This was the title for my latest 2 week project at Art College. I decided that my Gold was my life and time. I enjoyed using old clock bits and pieces, using Photoshop to enhance my photos and digital clock bits & pieces to develop my research into what my designs could look like.

Here are some of my sample design ideas.
I like the idea of having a snooze button, a rewind button and a pause button in my life. I like the fun side to this as well as the more thought provoking meaning.
If I decide to go on to study jewellery design in second year I would like to take these design ideas further and create wearable pieces.
I've got a 2 week textile project, then another 2 week jewellery project then I put forward my request for my study option for 2nd year. How time flies!

A Few Bits from Semester One

Colour and The Word

We were given a letter of the alphabet and had to choose a word then interpret it in colour in some way.
That was a challenge but looking back it was fun. I chose "Kitchen" as my word and made up a "Kitchen Scrap Book" using colours, shapes, recipes and designs from the 50's. There are about 8 pages in the book but I've just copied a couple and the finished book with the miniature wire kitchen utensils attached.

Self Portrait Christmas Project

I didn't realise that doing a self portrait was so difficult! Obtaining a likeness to me or what I think I look like seems to be almost impossible for me to achieve.

After lots of sketching looking in a mirror, trial and error with a variety of materials and serveral "aliens" produced I am quite pleased with my illustrative self portrait. I used water colours, ink and stitch. (The camera flash has caught the black of the hair so apologies for the photography)

I 've to hand this in the first day back. I don't feel particulary confident about it but I'm Art School to learn and I feel I've learned a lot working on my self portrait project so that has to be good!