Our first Postcards of the year come as we slowly emerge from the depths of an Orkney winter. February has been a month full of love, and a busy time in the workshop, with many pieces taking shape and heading out the door to their new homes.
While it’s been very cold, with the occasional flurry of snow, the bench has been full of colour and gentle creativity — a lovely reminder that brighter, longer days are on their way.
Caroline Appleyard Art
“Create a caricature of me based on my job and everything you know about me.”
Caroline created this wonderful image of Alison around 10 years ago. Who would have imagined that, a decade later, people would be asking their phones to do the very same thing? Yet we far prefer this portrait — a reflection of how Alison is seen through an artist’s eyes, rather than by an invisible machine.
Let’s celebrate real art again, and the beauty of truly seeing one another.
Jewellery Making Workshops
New 2026 dates have been released for our Kirkwall jewellery-making classes over the coming months. Sessions are available for the ever-popular Stacking Ring workshop, as well as the Wide Ring-Making class.
If there isn’t a date that suits, please get in touch and every effort will be made to accommodate. If you’ve been thinking about booking, now is the ideal time to secure a place ahead of any upcoming price increases.
Purple Of Amethyst
Amethyst, February’s birthstone, has been keeping us company on the bench this month. One of our favourite pieces was a Gold Urchin set with a rich violet amethyst — a gentle pop of colour against warm gold. This piece isn’t currently on our website, but if you feel drawn to something similar, do get in touch. We’d be very happy to chat through options and create something just for you.
Gregor & His Loops
Four-year-old Gregor has already raised more than £10,000 for Inclusive Orkney — and he’s still going. Born with a neurological condition affecting his balance and motor skills, Gregor is taking on 30 days of “loops of the hoose” to support the charity, which runs activities for children with additional support needs and their families. If you’d like to cheer him on (and help a great cause), you can donate below.
Florence & The Machine
One of the lasses from the workshop headed off to Florence and the Machine's 'Everybody Scream' tour in Glasgow last week — which means we’ve all been enjoying listening along to her new album ever since. Safe to say it’s been the soundtrack in the background here, and no complaints so far.
Jorunn: Year of The Horse
The year of the horse is here, which brings our attention to a collection we haven't spoken about recently: Jorunn. As a child, Alison played with a painted wooden horse that stood on her grandparents’ mantel, its bright stillness full of promise. She longed for a real pony, and in her imagination the little horse carried her far beyond the room: a story of adventure, freedom and becoming.
From Beyond The Bench
The bench has been bright with colour this month, as vibrant gemstones brought some welcome light to the darker winter days. It’s been lovely to work with these small flashes of colour while Orkney still feels very much in winter.
We’ve had many enquiries about mix-and-match stacks — combining different gemstones, tones and textures to create something quietly personal. If you have a combination in mind, do send us a message and we can share pictures of various options and stacks to help you choose.
