A tiara to raise funds for Sport Relief

I was never very good at PE. I used to stand forlornly on a playing field on the banks of the Mersey in the mid eighties, wielding a stick with a sort of tiny climbing net on the top of it, trying to scoop up and throw a ball that seemed harder than granite and dropping it, every time, to the concerted jeers and exasperated looks of the Sporty Girls. They would always send me to the 'deep fielding' area, which was half way to Chester. That stick was a sort of modified shoe. Lacrosse. What a wally of a game. 

Whenever Sport Relief arrives in March I always feel rather unqualified to raise any money. I could perhaps organise a sponsored 'throw like a complete sillyhead' event, or perhaps a special 'run like Joyce Grenfell' race. I would win BOTH of these. Perhaps I should do this for 2016.

This year though, I stuck to my strong suit: I made a tiara to help the ASTONISHING TeamHonk team raise pennies. They scooted, cycled and ran in a relay from John O'Groats to Lands End. Imagine it! I got my pliers out.

I used to make a lot of tiaras ten or fifteen years ago. I made them for brides and their bridesmaids. Sometimes I used very special AA grade gemstones that made me hyperventilate. I wove miniscule pearls and silver wire together to make delicate crowns that I liked to imagine Audrey Hepburn wouldn't have minded wearing. I did this in the evenings. During the day I was an intellectual property consultant in Silicon Fen with a brief case and scary heels. Secretly I wanted 'making tiaras' to be my job. 

I made my own in 2001.

The one I've made for Sport Relief has tiny fine silver hellebores and hellebore leaves, little freshwater pearls from the 1920s and...

...diamond beads.... 

...tiny facetted ones that I've twirled into berry-like clusters. They're the real deal. When they arrived in the post from Etsy I jumped up and down like a barm pot and then simply held them in my hands for about an hour. I made a film of them on Vine. I know this is slightly tragic but I've never worked with diamonds before.

It's a Spring crown inspired by the hellebores that grow in my garden. 

I admit to having worn it a few times whilst doing the washing up and wielding the dustbuster. It's VERY cheering. With this on my head I like to think I'm channelling Audrey H whilst folding small vests.

You can bid for the tiara on eBay. The link is here. 

Every penny will go to stupendous causes in the UK and in Africa. Just £5 buys a mosquito net that can prevent the children sleeping beneath it from being infected with deadly malaria. You can read more about the people and causes that money raised from this tiara will help HERE.

TeamHonk is a group of parenting bloggers led by MummyBarrow, Mammasaurus and AResidence who raise money for Sport Relief and Comic Relief. They are a force of nature. Read about their story here.

Huge thanks to dear L of My Pretty Tea Party who was my patient and very lovely model.