A Willow Pattern love story

As Gail said, it has been a long time since we've posted anything on new on the blog - we have been overwhelmed with work as my other blogs, Facebook site and Ndau's blog website will show! I can now make it up however with something really gorgeous.

Kelly has been working on a new collection of antique Chinese blue porcelain shards set in sterling silver, which I am very happy to share with you:

Kelly explains: " 16th Century Chinese blue ceramic ware was traded from the East in return for ivory and gold in Africa. The Monsoon Trade Winds blowing from the Northeast of the globe in the months of November to April brought Eastern traders to the East Africa coast. With the change of the monsoon in May to October, winds were now blowing out of the South East, sending the same traders home bound.

These shards of Chinese blue porcelain were found buried in the sands of the old dhow harbour on Lamu Island in Northern Kenya, close to the Somali border. I collected, shaped and set them in silver to show off the beauty and age of each piece."

One of my fondest memories is of my grandmother reciting the story of the Willow pattern to me a teatime when I was young. To me, these pieces capture a sense of romance and wonder as well as history in sterling silver - and I feel that one of those rings has my name on it...