Hairy Growler - Workshop & Commissions.

• Inside the heart of a recycling obsessed jeweller...

  photos/workshop1.jpg

  Welcome to the Hairy Growler workshop. Please feel free just to sit back and allow this slideshow to play. Alternatively, have a quick flick and see if anything particularly interests you. On my of the images you can click through to the actual piece or something in further detail.

  

• Spoons, Forks and coins, the raw materials.

  photos/workshop2.jpg

  Each and every piece of jewellery that leaves this workshop is completely handmade and 100% recycled. Each piece made with love and passion.

  

• Getting things heated up...

  photos/workshop3.jpg

  The workshop is one of my favorite places to be. A strange thing to say about my workplace! Its great place to relax and get hyped up. The area is substantial which allows me to section the various processes used in transforming old victorian coins and cutlery into contemporary jewellery. Here you can see the furnace, soldering and melting area.

  

• The beginnings of a flower brooch...

  photos/workshop4.jpg

  To begin with i free-hand draw a lovely whimsical flower design onto the bowl of the spoon. This rough sketch is refined when the piercing saw is brought into action. The detail that is attainable with the saw is far greater than i can achieve with a marker pen!

  

• A Victorian serving spoon transformed into a beautiful autumn tree brooch.

  photos/workshop5.jpg

  One of my favorite type of designs, the autumn tree, stripped down, honest. Certain items of cutlery lend themselves to particular designs. For me, serving spoon bowls scream out to be transformed into autumn trees! we're all different.

  

• One antique dessert spoon = one lovely spring / summer tree!

  photos/workshop6.jpg

  This formerly discarded, unwanted antique dessert spoon has undergone several hours of Hairy Growler surgery!

  

• Pigs might fly...

  photos/workshop7.jpg

  A lovely cynical staement, which i find myself increasing feeling, especially when listening to the news. This lovely design fits perfectly within the confines of a dessert spoon.

  

• Silver coins and local oak tree inspiration.

  photos/workshop8.jpg

  English coins dated 1919 and earlier are sterling silver. This coins feel amazing to the touch, especially when compared to the 'monkey-metal' used today! However, these sterling silver coins became worn much more easily than modern coins do. This means that unworn pre 1919 coins are much sought after, whilst the worn ones tend to be 'scrapped' for their silver content. This is a great shame. I like to use these coins, the historical details and a fabulous wonder and interest to each piece of jewellery made from them.

  

• Angel wings...from spoons

  photos/workshop9.jpg

  This is the closest most of us are going to get to a set of Angel wings! Luckily many Victorian, antique dessert spoons lend themselves to being transformed into a Angel wing bracelet.

  

• Cheeky cows...

  photos/workshop10.jpg

  A Glastonbury festival favorite. A simple discarded dessert spoon recycled, repurposed and reused into a wearable, fun, handcrafted brooch.

  

• Recycled fork bangle in the making...

  photos/workshop11.jpg

  The fork bangle is a classic symbol of recycling. A simple design which looks great, an absolute conversation piece.

  

• Tweet...Twang.

  photos/workshop12.jpg

  Two birds and a guitar. A beautiful and whimsical design brought to life by cutting it from the bowl of a spoon. As you can see the design is simply drawn onto the spoon. Thus, each and every one is col

  

• Twisted and twirled...

  photos/workshop13.jpg

  A special set of jewellers pliers help twist and twirl the fork prongs without marking them. Many of the fork prong designs are created freestyle, depending on whichever way they want to flow.

  

• Silver Shillings...domed into shape.

  photos/workshop14.jpg

  These sterling silver shillings look great when domed using this doming block. I fill the remaining shape with a non toxic eco friendly resin. The resin is coloured and polished. The resultant pendant can be found in the randomesque collection, they look fab and are totally customizable.

  

• Transforing a Victorian soup spoon into a beautiful original pendant...

  photos/workshop15.jpg

  Firstlythe soup spoon iscarefully selected for willingness to be recycled! It is then decorated with a random, unique design. This design is meticulously followed and embelished with the piercing saw. The details are honed and improved with the fineness of the saw blade.

  

• Take your unwanted jewellery...and let me recycle it for you.

  photos/workshop16.jpg

  A total custom service. Let me recycle, reuse and repurpose your old unworn jewellery into something ethical, original and wearable. Depending on what you have the possibilities are endless. Here a couple of silver rings and a silver chain are being ceremonily melted and reborn!

  

• One old English penny transformed into a lovely autumn tree pendant.

  photos/workshop17.jpg

  These coin pendants are great fun to make. I like to leave the original date of the penny at the base of the tree trunk. Some coins i use the original design on the coin, whilst others, like this one, i just get all creative!

  

• Birth spoons, Christening spoons, birth record spoons.

  photos/workshop18.jpg

  The silver spoon is a traditional gift to give at a Christening or the birth of a little one. Each one of these is custom created for you. Each one records all of the vital details.

  

• Celebrate a loved ones birthday or special occasion...

  photos/workshop19.jpg

  Once the spoon has been cut, filed and polished it looks quite lovely. Especially so from my point of view! The original spoon looked absolutely awful and i understand why it was discarded!

  

• Thrupney bits...

  photos/workshop20.jpg

  Old out of circulation coins transformed into fun, wearable, collectable items. Pure recycling.