Lets play catch up 1: Norfolk

Ok, where do I begin? These last few weeks have been a blur of work, holiday, sunshine, showers, work, play, wilderness, city, jewellery-making, gardening..... so a big sorry for neglecting my blog here, life has got in the way with more gusto than normal! So, a few posts in the next few days to get back on track!

In half term, we went to the very beloved cottage in Norfolk, place of so many of my childhood memories, and now our kids' too. Man, I love this place. The way it cradles so many of my family's high days and holidays within its ancient flint walls, its steady peace and solid views over local farmland, the huge skies and skudding clouds, and close by, the wild marshes and pulsating tides that scribble on the sandy expanses of coastline. I love it all.

Occasionally, I actually pat the old walls of this place in gratitude. Possibly weird behaviour, but the place has my heart! My parents saved it from demolition in the 1960s, so there is something extra special about it still being here over 450 years on from when it was built by the west gate of the huge priory in the village. The place has soul.

This is the view from the back garden, it may not be grandly impressive or majestic in scale, but I have known it from my earliest days and nowhere feels more part of me or more comforting.

We were so happy to luck out with the weather for the few days we were there, the local beaches did us proud. They are always so uncrowded once you walk even a few minutes from the coast carpark, even on a sunny day  in half term, this is one reason we love it here!

No filters on these photos, Norfolk light is something else! I also always come away with my imagination buzzing with all the colours and textures - always lots to inspire the jewellery making. This time I found lots of really teeny shells that I might cast in silver or gold, exciting!

Those few days were a lovely lull before a slight storm of activity on the Wild Acre jewellery event front, but more of that in the next post. x

Oh Norfolk!♥

The hubby and I have just returned from a rare twenty-four hours to ourselves. We needed to go to the north Norfolk coast to rescue our little, scruffy dinghy from the patch of salt marsh it had been dumped on during this winter's tidal surges. We managed to squeeze in an overnight stay at The Wiveton Bell, a favourite, cosy pub with gorgeous little bedrooms which we had often enjoyed meals at in the past but never stayed overnight. It didn't disappoint - prettily decorated, romantic rooms and warm croissants delivered to the door in the morning to complement a whole cupboard of generous and delicious provisions. Properly good value too. To have a gander at the rooms, click HERE.

We could not believe that we got a two hour stomp across the marshes, a walk I have grown up doing from Morston Quay to Stiffkey Fen, in blazing sunshine. And the thing about the flat north Norfolk coastline is it is utterly transformed by sunlight - and when the light is late and slanting, slipping away to a fiery sunset, the whole landscape turns a warm, glowing colour, a shifting apricot hued mirage of light-tipped grasses, glinting water and mud and vast skies filled with birds screeching overhead. It has been a tough few months recently and this felt like the most restorative vision, so uplifting, so comforting, so energising. Bliss.

We started at Morston, and walked along the coastal path, the marshes stretching away to the sea on our right.

The views always seem to have the same miraculous effect upon the knots in my shoulders! Here the old lifeboat house on Blakeney Point can be seen. As a kid we used to sail out to it and have a drink and packet of crisps before exploring and beachcombing. I love it that our kids have the same memories.

Our little boat was remarkably unscathed despite having moved about 200 yards!

Sadly, so many others were not so lucky.

Happily though, there seems there were many others that made it through the storms.

So many birds, the noise of this huge flock on the far mud flats was fantastic!

From the top of Stiffkey Fen there are beautiful views to sea on one side and to the Fen on the other. One of my favourite places in all the world.

That light! As we turned from home, the sun sank lower and we took a few minutes to just stand and stare. It felt so good to just breathe out. 

Coastal Collection

There are some new sparkles in the Wild Acre shop. They are the beginning of a collection I am designing for 2013 called Coastal. Each piece has been inspired by the beautiful coastline of North Norfolk - the sweeping beaches, the wild marshlands and hidden away islands. It is the landscape of my childhood and family holidays, and this is a very personal, heartfelt collection. As much as possible it is made from 100% recycled sterling silver, hallmarked at the London Assay office.

Here is the landscape I love so much and some little finds that are inspiring the collection:

Earrings, dramatic drops, and rings so far, embellished with pebbles and shells picked up on the beach at Brancaster and cast into solid silver - 100% recycled eco silver, hallmarked at the London Assay.

I am aiming for simplicity and strength in this collection, and I hope others will find these qualities in the pieces. I am going to be seeking out galleries and shops that have a coastal focus, so if you know of any I would be most grateful if you could let me know?

In the mean time they will be for sale in my online shop and a few other retailers and at my Private View on Friday. I have been giving my online shop some thought and have decided to offer FREE shipping on all UK posting and £5 for all overseas - both fully insured, as a little thank you for your custom and support and in an effort to streamline my prices as much as I can, making the jewellery as affordable as possible whilst valuing the time and costs involved in creating it. If you are a fan of handmade contemporary jewellery, please pop over and check out the shop here. Thank you! xx

soppy in norfolk

There is only one other place in the world, other than the lovely, lopsided old barn we called home, that really wraps  me up in its arms and nurtures me somehow, and that is the summer home of my childhood near the north norfolk coast. I have posted about it before, but the few short days we have just spent there, did their same old magic, it sounds so sappy I know, but places that you love and are part of your history have that effect, no?

I don't know if it is simply because I have spent so much time there with four generations of my family now, or whether it is something about the way the roses flop over the windowpanes,

or the way the honeysuckle has always grown waywardly around the front door, or whether it is those ancient flint walls and the glimpses of the farmland beyond, but the whole place plays utter mad havock with my heart!

I literally pat the old walls occasionally, linger an extra second at a window or as I push a door open... and can almost touch memories. I am not sure this is totally normal behaviour (ha! no need to answer that!;)) but I think it is just my way of savouring the place, remembering how lucky I am to still  have a place belonging to our family that holds so many good memories. Gah, so soppy!

We were really lucky with the weather (and it is capricious there!), and we can never really believe how empty the beaches are if you are prepared to walk a few minutes from the car parks. Especially near the beginning of the day or late in the afternoon, the coast is so empty and so breathtaking.

It is always SO hard leaving.

Incidentally, in order to keep it on, my parents rent our house out on a week stay basis, so you could see it for yourself!  :) - do email me if you would like details.