Making them has been a long process that began by designing the net for the boxes on my computer. I then used my Cricut Explore machine to cut the card. Then I folded the net up into the finished box. Getting all the sides at exactly the right length to make the lid fit snugly has taken a lot of trial and error. After many different versions I have one I'm happy with.
Every order also comes with a free 'Sending you an air hug' card, to which you can add a message. Perfect for gifting as it all fits through most letter boxes.
]]>A new collection for Autumn 2020 of sterling silver and gold-plated silver.
The collection is linked by the inclusion of a rough-hewn oval shape. The word oval comes from 'ovum', which means egg. This means it represents birth and rebirth.
In most of this collection, the oval sits atop an abstract body. These pieces take inspiration from avant-garde sculptural forms and from my own sketches of people. This is jewellery to represent the wearers story and carry their memories.
Throughout my collections the oval shape represents the human head. It’s a repeating shape across my Oh, Wax & Wane , and Soma collections. The oval is set at an angle to the main ‘body’ which gives it a recognisable quality, as if looking down at another person. A subtle shift in that angle can make the change between a piece looking contemplative or down, or joyous and up.
These collections came from life drawing and quick sketches of people I’ve done over the years. I’m a bit (a lot) of a holiday sketcher, and many of my drawings are of (other) tourists looking at things, or conferring together. But I also have quite a few sketches of parents holding their child. These sketches are usually done in seconds , before anyone notices I’m doing it.
The release date of this collection is the 11th October, but you can pre-order at a discounted price now. All pre-ordered items will be sent out on the 26th October.
]]>With the easing of the lockdown we were finally able to make our plans concrete in August. Initially, Onur and I had discussed doing a studio shoot but with Covid we decided it was safer to go on location.
I was looking to shoot my new collection, which is influenced both by twentieth-century sculptors like Moore and Hepworth, and by the nineteenth-century Arts and Crafts movement. Something drew me to Hodson’s Folly (built 1897) on Coe Fen, which I had passed a few times on the river. As soon as I saw it again, I knew I had found my location. I knew that the colours and textures formed by the layers of history, paint and graffiti on the folly itself would be the perfect backdrop to my new pieces.
However, August saw a change in the weather and we thought we may have to delay. Our little team anxiously watched the weather apps, and seeing a small gap in the rain we decided to go ahead. Tani raced up from London early one morning and we were able to just fit the shoot in before it came down heavily again.
So, I'm sure you're wondering how the shoot turned out? All the photographs here in this blog are ones that I took of the shoot in progress.
Onur's images will be unveiled the week after next when I relaunch my website. If you want to see the pictures earlier than everyone else join my mailing list here. I'll be sending out a set of images along with a special offer on Monday.
The dresses used in the shoot were loaned from georgiaboniface.co.uk
See Tani's Instagram account here.
See Onur's website here.
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I've been developing it for a couple of months now and have finally released a range of jewellery that uses it. I use it for both the paper element and an etched silver element and each of those took a long time to finesse. Here's how I designed it.
Making the paper element
Step 1: Drawing the pattern.
Step 2: Scan the pattern. Refine digitally including amending the scale and colour before printing out on recycled card.
Cut my card shapes and laminate these together. Varnish. Then add layers of resin, allowing to dry between layers. The end result is these 'gemstones' which will be added to the silver elements created below.
Making the etched silver element
Step 1: Scan in the drawing as above and translate it to a cut file. Cut out of vinyl on a cutting machine. Pick out the unwanted vinyl areas as per below.
Step 2: Stick the vinyl to prepared silver sheet and place in acid bath for a few hours. Peel remaining vinyl away and clean up silver again.
Step 3: Cut required shapes from silver.
Step 4: Construct pieces, including soldering various elements.
Step 5: Clean up pieces by filing and sandpapering. Oxidise pieces that will be blackened. Finally add in the 'gemstones'. Check out the new collection here.
]]>I have stock that I had made for fairs which have now been cancelled and soon I will add this to my website for sale. Remember that anything on my website is ready to send now.
The reason I’ve decided to keep my shops open is that there does seem to be some demand, people still have birthday gifts to buy for example. Also keeping the shops open means you can browse and while away some time window shopping. Enjoy!
Personally, I’m finding it hard to focus and so am not committing myself to big projects. There are still plenty of admin and business improvement tasks to do though. For example, my website is getting an update, and the collection that I was due to launch at the (cancelled) British Craft Trade Fair in Harrogate needs launching online. There is plenty to do and bit by bit I am doing it!
Keep an eye on my Instagram or Facebook pages to keep up with any developments. In my Instagram stories you’ll see a lot of pictures of my cat and my garden, both of which are keeping me sane.
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The answer is about 7 million. Every day. And less than 1 in 400 of those cups are recycled. Read here to find out more.
However, I have found a paper manufacturer who is using CupCycling technology to remove the plastic lining from the product and upcycle them into paper sheets. I'm then using this paper to create drop and stud earrings. So ,whilst these earrings are made from my usual materials: silver, paper and resin, there is something super special about the paper. Drop Earrings Stud Earrings
Each sheet of A4 paper I use contains at least 5 upcycled coffee cups. Here is a link to the maker of the paper so you can learn more.
As they say, this is a paper that they hope to be able to discontinue, once we've stopped using throw away cups. And if follows therefore that my earrings are also a product that I hope I won't be able to make in the future.
]]>The shop was opened as a sister gallery to the Cambridge Contemporary Arts gallery which is on Trinity street. It was CCC's 10th birthday on December 1st. It's in a lovely 16th century building with beams and wonky walls, on Bene't Street.
It's two doors down from the famous Eagle pub so you can't miss it. It's always a pleasure to go in and have a browse while I'm dropping off my work , and I may even get a chat with the illustrator Nicola Killen if I've hit one of her working days.
]]>This year Muddy Stilettos voted them the Best Norfolk Art Gallery. Polly Miller who runs the gallery is delighted and says that their aim is to 'show great high quality art, and quirky and unusual work from makers and jewellers – work that you won’t find replicated in other galleries in Norfolk and with a wide range of prices.'
Polly is keen to point out that 'We are very friendly and approachable, everyone is welcome to come and look around, no airs and graces here!'
This pale green Soma pendant is for sale at The Gallery Norfolk currently. It's a one-off piece in my Soma series , which are all inspired by the work of sculptors such as Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. They are reminiscent of figures and are each holding something precious.
Take a look at The Gallery Norfolk online page about their jewellers and you'll find me!
]]>I'd like to send them huge thanks for supporting me from the beginning. I don't get out there as often as I'd like, but I urge you to go visit. The art is well chosen and the displays really well done too. St Ives is interesting for a day out also.
VK Gallery was opened by Victoria K Mudge in September 2014. Victoria says, 'I have wanted to run my own gallery for a long time prior to finding the courage to do it. With the experience gained at my previous work within the Gallery and Arts sector, and a huge amount of encouragement and support from my family, I opened VK, taking what I feel are the good bits of all the other galleries I've worked at with me to make VK the success it is today."
She also says 'It's still a young business so we're still learning, but I think we've found our niche and the support from other local businesses and customers in and around St Ives has been fundamental to this. I feel grateful every day for their continued support.'
Their website is also well laid out and has a section focussing on each craft. Here's a link to the jewellery page ( scroll to the bottom to see my bit!)
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First I need to explain how I use paper in my pieces. To start with, I print my designs onto thick card and then cut the card into lots and lots of circles (I'm currently obsessed with circles!). I then layer the circles and laminate them together to form a thick lozenge.
The centre of the lozenge is made from different card as it doesn't need to have the pattern on it. I currently use thick black card for most of my 'inners' as I like the look this gives. Some recent products (see above and here) have used black and white card together to create stripes. I aim to play with this idea more in the future, adding colour too.
Some of the paper I use is recycled and some is not. Of the non-recycled I don't know if it is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. There is no information on the site of the seller, and they have not replied to my questions.
The problem is that I use specific thicknesses of card, which so far, I have not found in recycled versions. To make pieces with other thicknesses will require a redesign of my jewellery. And that is something I pledge to do. Once I've used up current stock I will move to using all recycled paper.
However, can we automatically assume that recycled paper is better than virgin paper? As is noted in this Guardian article 'If the paper was recovered using energy generated from coal, it might as well not be recycled' On the other hand, both this paper and this site give clear evidence that the manufacture of recycled paper uses considerably less energy.
It looks like a no brainer actually. I'm currently sourcing recycled paper and over time will make the necessary design changes so that all my paper is recycled.
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My jewellery is made from paper, silver and resin. I've decided to try to find out how eco friendly those elements are and where I can make improvements. I'm going to look at each material in turn. It may take some time to make changes but I'm making a start.
First we need to define 'eco friendly'. The dictionary says 'products which have been designed to do the least possible damage to the environment'. However, sometimes what seems like the most eco-friendly product actually has a higher impact on the environment when looked at, say, from its whole lifecycle.
This BBC report , for example, looked at whether plastic, paper or cloth bags are greener. The outcome was not clear-cut. However, there are four useful questions in the report that could be used helpfully to analyse the environmental impact of any material. They are:
In my next blog I'll look at the first of my materials - paper - and try to answer the questions above.
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Over the coming weeks I aim to publish a few blogs around the subject of paper, and so I'm starting with a broad overview of the history.
]]>Over the coming weeks I aim to publish a few blogs around the subject of paper, and so I'm starting with a broad overview of the history. Most of what I discovered was through reading Paper, Paging Through History by Mark Kurlansky.
I think the two biggest surprises for me were that people have only been making paper from wood for just over 100 years, and that in England we've only been making paper of any kind for a little over 500 years. Although paper was invented by Cai Lun in China in 105 CE, it took until 1309 for it to be first used in England.
Williams Caxton's famous first printing press in England opened in 1477. But that was 18 years before our first paper mill was founded. From 1309 to that point we imported all our paper. And paper, at that time and for many years after, was made from rags.
Yes, rags, old clothes. Mills had to be located near large population centres so that the rag collectors could ply their trade. As Kurlansky notes, 'Aside from the Hollander beater and the medieval innovations of waterwheels and wire moulds, paper making in late-eighteenth-century Europe was not that different from what it had been like in ancient China'
It was only in the mid-nineteenth century when demand for rags was far outstripping the supply, that European scientists and businessmen began to seriously consider other alternatives. It took a while for the use of wood to catch on, as let's face it, using wood is rather counterintuitive. It's hard and very un-paper-like compared to cloth. It needs to go through a range of different processes before it arrives at a usable pulp. Also, once England did turn to using wood pulp, as we did almost completely by the end of the nineteenth century, we had to import it as we didn't have enough forests.
I say almost completely because as Kurlansky notes, 'Even today, the finest paper, used for quality stationery, artwork, or currency, is often made from linen or cotton, not wood.' And what we do with that fine paper is perhaps a good topic for another blog. Watch this space!
]]>I now also have two new stockists who sell my work online. The first is Audrey Arts, based in Cambridgeshire.
They have been set up in order to donate 25% of the proceeds to local charities. Find out more about the owner's aims in setting it up by clicking through to the website.
The second is Down to Earth. Based in Lancaster, they also have a bricks and mortar shop at 12 Sir Simons Arcade.
It's a family business and one of the longest running independent shops in Lancaster. It's now run by Hannah and husband Chris, plus mum Annie. They've recently doubled in size by buying the shop next door and knocking through! As well as jewellery you can buy clothing and gifts, all I'm told chosen from an ethical angle. I'd love to go visit!
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There were two areas of her life which took up major amounts of time. One was looking after the house she shared with her sister (it had been my grandfather's house before), which although small has a fairly large bit of land with fruit trees, lawns and even a small wooded area. The other was being a trustee of a UK charity working in Romania. Both could be considered full time jobs that she'd taken on since retiring only a few years previously from her work as a support worker in adult mental health.
As a young woman she'd studied at Art College before marrying my father and dropping out. They separated a few years later and, when I was small, she picked up creative practice again by getting into weaving. She had a loom out back of our house, and I believe she was selling her pieces in galleries and fulfilling commissions. Of course, now I wish I'd asked more about it when I was older. Much more.
Life got in the way and she stopped weaving. For many years she didn't have or make space for her own art. But when she retired she took up printing - I think encouraged by my having done some courses in it. She was still often too busy to really focus on it as much as she would have liked. Sometimes she showed me pieces, but I wish I'd really paid them more attention, and paid her more attention.
Having to clear out her belongings I've finally seen how much work she created, and of what quality. Her notes show that she was thinking as an artist about composition, form , direction. She tried a range of techniques, but mainly focussed on linocut, woodcut and collagraph. She was serious about it, not a dilettante. She was always a modest person, but I hope on some level had started to realise what talent she had.
I don't know what to do with all her work. Friends and family have each taken a print but there are many remaining. I thought a good place to start, at least, would be to log them all. And so I've started an Instagram page where I aim to do that. It's called Clare Rose Prints.
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…. the reality is more like 40%. I know this because I kept a record of how I used my time in 2018. And this chimes with what the Design Trust says:
‘most sustainable creative businesses spend on average 40% of their time on making to sell because they need to spend an equivalent amount of time (40%) on marketing their business to get the sales they need! The other hours they spend are 10% on professional development and research and 10% on administration – in an ideal world.’
Design Trust (see here for full article)
So what did I spend that other 60% of my time on in 2018? From the questions you ask me online and when we meet at fairs and markets it seems you may be interested in the answer, so here goes.
My main focus was launching a new website (the one you are on now). I did this in February and then spent time improving it throughout the year. Things I’ve added include a GDPR privacy policy and an FAQs page, so you can be sure you have all the information you need about my business.
Prior to launching this website I had only been selling online through my Etsy shop (which remains open too). This new website is easy to use and accepts multiple payment methods. I also have a device that means I can now sell at fairs directly from my online store. That means you can be confident that if something is available online it really is available, and can be sent out straight away.
In 2018 I also started a mailing list. It’s easy to join and members receive my bright, interesting newsletter six times a year, and no spam. Membership of the list gets you free postage and access to special offers throughout the year. Some of you have introduced yourself to me at shows and it has been lovely to meet you. Click here if you’d like to join now.
I also spent a LOT of time taking and editing images of my jewellery last year. I taught myself how to use new editing tools so the images you see are crisp, clear and give you a fair idea of what you are buying.
I’ve added many new products to the website, some of which I had but were not yet listed, and others are brand new designs. I listen to your feedback and am constantly working to improve current designs and come up with new ones.
Best sellers in 2018 included the brand new ‘tiny’ studs, which I made in response to some customers who told me my ‘small’ studs were not quite small enough.
Those small anemone studs, however, continue to be popular, as do the small anemone drop earrings. I usually offer both of these in eight colours only, but this year I went a bit mad and created a separate range of 15 to 20 ‘rare’ colours. I made only one or two of each and haven’t yet decided if I’ll make more as it’s rather time consuming. Click here and here to see which ones are still available.
My favourite new product this year has been my Microorganism range of cuff links and earrings, which were snapped up by scientists and science enthusiasts. A few stud and drop earrings still remain in some colours, although all cuff links are currently sold out.
You can now catch my January sale here with all items on sale between 10 and 40% off. Also, if you have any ideas for products you’d like to see in 2019 do let me know. I’m always open to new ideas.
Many people still prefer to buy where they can see and touch the items. In 2018 I attended eight fairs in Cambridge, Norwich and London so that people could do just that. Another way of seeing my work before you buy is to buy from my stockists. In 2018 I continued to sell with Cambridge Contemporary Crafts in Cambridge and VK Gallery in St Ives and also gained two new stockists in Newmarket and Cromer.
In general I put a lot of effort in 2018 into professionalizing the business, creating backend structures and processes that ensure you, the customers, get a good service and a quality product. Overall the learning curve was steep but I’m pleased with the strong foundation I’ve built for the business.
When I left Middlesex University with a degree in Jewellery Design over 20 years ago I didn’t have the courage or conviction to set up a business. I do now and know that with your support it will go from strength to strength. Thank you for all your custom and cheer in 2018.
]]>Between now and the end of 2018 all purchases excluding brooches will come in decorated boxes. These boxes will be wrapped in pink tissue paper.
'Love the video! I bought a couple of gifts from your website last year, you wrapped them for me and I loved the way they looked! (and I still managed a sneaky peak at the contents before giving!) '
Sue, Oct 2018
Gift Wrapping from Dittany Rose on Vimeo.
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I studied Jewellery Design at Middlesex University from 1991 to 1995. Starting out as Hornsey College of Art, it became Middlesex Polytechnic in 1973 and a University in 1992 whilst I was studying there. The Jewellery Design degree ran for 54 years, with the final students graduating in 2016. Tutors such as Caroline Broadhead, Pierre Degan and Julia Mannheim encouraged us to push the boundaries of forms and materials. I believe this means that even when using traditional materials, Middlesex jewellers create innovative, exciting pieces. I've included jewellers here who use leather, silicon and aluminium but also those working with gold and gemstones.
Vicki graduated in the late seventies, and creates intricate jewellery in precious metals inspired by architecture. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Royal Scottish Museum amongst others. I remember being inspired by Vicki’s work when I was a student and my degree show pieces were (loosely) based on architecture too. http://www.vickiamberysmith.co.uk
I had seen Lindsey’s work in the gallery in Cambridge where I have work, and then when I went to the Bovey Tracey Crafts Festival in June this year, I met her and found out she was also ex-Middlesex, having graduated in 2002. Lindsey works with anodised aluminium, combined with silver and with polymer clay. She also makes fabulous automata and has written a book on anodised aluminium. http://www.lindseymann.co.uk
Jenny is an exciting jeweller who graduated in 2007. She works with precious metals and silicone resulting in beautiful statement pieces in gorgeous colours. As you can see, they are inspired by sea life, which is an inspiration of mine too. Jenny is based at Cockpit Arts London and has won a number of awards. http://www.jennyllewellyn.com
Tania graduated in 2008. She works with leather and creates high-end pieces that are stocked in all the leading galleries. I followed up on Tania’s work when I met her at a Middlesex Jewellery Degree reunion event last year and she was wearing one of the gorgeous necklaces shown here. Brilliant work, really innovative yet elegant and wearable. http://www.taniaclarkehall.com
If you are interested to see a wider range of jewellers who graduated from Middlesex I have created a Pinterest board here.
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I'm really pleased with the whole effect: the displays are light in colour and easy to pack away. Having a set of stands all designed to match really draws attention away from the display and to the jewellery. I laid most of my pieces out in a rainbow: pinks and reds at one end, blues and blacks at the other. As well as this I showed some things in a complete rainbow, such as in the images below, where I put all the cufflinks or a set of small drop earrings together in one display.
The stands were also relatively easy to pack and carry. Part of my design process was to make sure that the stands would fit inside a box and that the other boxes could carry my stock. As I don't own a car and would prefer not to hire one for fairs I also wanted something light enough to take on public transport. With the aid of a trolley borrowed from a friend I managed it. Not easy, and did have a nerve-wracking 3 seconds when I got stuck in the closing doors at Cambridge North station, but all in all it worked. Don't believe me when I say it was light however!
]]>In 2015 I took part in Pint of Science and designed some jewellery based on bacteria. I had been paired with a scientist doing a talk on evolution where he made the key point that for most of the world's history microorganisms held sway.
This was some of the first jewellery I'd designed since I started up my creative practice again. Back then the pieces were thinner and I wasn't covering them in resin to protect them. Recently I re-found the pattern and decided to updated it. I then used it to create jewellery in my new ranges.
Click here to take a look at the Microorganism Range
if you're into science you should check out the Pint of Science festival, which returns this year in May. It runs in Cambridge from the 14th to the 16th.
This set is based on new doodles of geometric shapes I did a few weeks back. I've drawn patterns like this for years - starting out in gel pen on black card and then moving the patterns into screen printing. Kiruna has a mid-century modern feel with Scandi influences. This fresh design feels like you're wearing a drawing - a sketch or scribble.
Click here to take a look at the Kiruna range
This set looks like a mermaid's scales. However, the pattern is actually based on some tiles in the interior of the former Fosters' bank in Cambridge. You could say I borrowed the image to create this design. I love the colour combination here of turquoise and yellow. Beautiful and eye catching.
Click here to take a look at the Selkie Range
If you're in Cambridge pop into Lloyds bank to take a look at the tiles: it's a hidden gem.
I studied Jewellery Design at Middlesex University in the 1990s but started my business about 3 years ago. I now sell my work online, at fairs and in galleries. Amongst other galleries, last year I sold my work in the shop of the Hepworth Gallery (winner of Art Fund Museum of the year 2017).
I also sell my work in Etsy - click here to shop - but have had a standalone web shop for about a year now. I decided to move it to being hosted by Shopify to take advantage of the tools that can link my business to accounting and marketing systems. It's been tricky choosing as price is an issue too! Also anything technical sends a shiver of trepidation through me. So here it is, decision made: my new shop on Shopify. I intend to write more regular blogs. Let's see if I stick to that one!
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