'Grá mo Chroí'- My Darling

This beautiful looking glass necklace was specially created for a client of mine who wanted to gift a friend with a memento necklace in remembrance of her late mother. There was a purple theme for the piece, as her mother loved anything in tones of purple. I used my own pressed botanicals; cornflowers, orchid petals and Queen Anne’s lace flowers for a nice contrast. I also added in my signature moss border and lavender sprigs, as she had a love for this enduring botanical.

A new challenge is always a request that I enjoy. I was asked if I would engrave the frame with a loving phrase that meant a great deal to her friend - grá mo chroí (‘my love’ or ‘my darling’ in the Irish language). I had never tried engraving before, and was intrigued as to how it might look. I decided to do a free-hand script in my own handwriting using an engraving wand. It is a tricky process as the frame is clamped at an angle not very suitable to writing with, so it can be a shaky and nerve-wrecking process, but I think it worked out beautifully in the end, and adds such a personal aspect to the final piece.