56thingsnice

A Little About Me and My Jewellery

Hi, I'm Christine. I was born and bred in Cairns and now enjoy retired life in Mareeba, Far North Queensland, where I create and sell my handmade jewellery under the name of 56thingsnice.

I've always loved making things and enjoy having a project on the go. My passion is transforming vintage silverware into unique, wearable pieces of jewellery, including pendants, bracelets and rings. I love taking something old and often forgotten and giving it a new life.

Each piece begins with finding beautiful vintage cutlery. I enjoy researching the patterns, discovering the maker and learning about the history and approximate age of each piece. There's something special about knowing that these pieces of silverware have a story of their own before becoming something new.

I'm entirely self-taught and have developed my skills through experimentation, plenty of practice, UTube tutorials and the generosity of jewellery-making communities in Australia and the USA.

My workshop is equipped with a variety of tools, including a bandsaw, drill press, bench grinder, tumbler and arbor press, which I use to cut, shape, bend, polish and assemble the silverware into jewellery. Some pieces also involve soldering to bring the design together.

I put a lot of thought into finding the right tools, techniques and vintage silverware to create each piece. I love the challenge of working with these old patterns and shapes, knowing that every piece of cutlery has the potential to become something beautiful and wearable.

My aim is to create jewellery that celebrates the character and history of vintage silverware, giving these little treasures a second life for someone to enjoy