A new career

For my 'secret Santa' present for Christmas 2014 a good friend gave me an afternoon with a silversmith. I loved every second of it and for nine months since then I have been to the same guy each week for evening classes.

Once bitten by the bug I set up a workshop at home. You can see from the photo that it takes an awful lot of kit, but I have all I need now. Since last August I have made over 220 individual pieces and sold the vast majority in the run-up to Christmas.

We're off on our holiday to South Africa tomorrow. I'm hoping to come across the odd gem I can incorporate into a piece on my return home.