Jewellery by Vanya

p&p price change

2011-10-25T15:42:00.002+01:00

Just a heads up to say that p&p prices have now been lowered on Jewellery by Vanya to £2.45, with additional items 50p extra. You still get the full gift wrap service of recycled kraft box, ivory ribbon and floral pouch. Items are still sent via Recorded Delivery.

Hope everyone is well.

xxx

Wedding Invitations

2011-10-06T12:44:00.000+01:00

Since setting the date and feeling the relief that it is actually happening, we have not done another thing wedding related. I have been focusing on work a lot as it's coming up to the busiest time of the year but this morning I decided I really ought to think about the invitations.

Here are a few favourites from around the web:

via oh so beautiful paper

via ruffled (this wedding has such a beautiful setting)

via 100 layer cake

via bird and banner

via rifle paper co. (love love love the two on the far right)

As you can see I'm drawn to the vintagey, floral, hand-crafted, colourful, informal and fun kind of designs. This will be the vibe of our wedding so hopefully I can create something (I'm making/designing them myself) inspired by the above to represent the day.

Any brides or grooms out there want to share their invitations with me? Did you make them yourself?

xxx

Business Cards, P.s and a P.p.s

2011-09-12T17:53:00.000+01:00

Hi all, hope you had a nice weekend. It was my first day back at the Sunday Upmarket yesterday and I still feel tired and achey. Oh well, dinner cooked for me and an early night should sort me out.

Lately I've been thinking about re-designing my business cards. You can see what they currently look like here (although now I only use the floral background) I still love the idea of them, they work especially well at the market where customers can browse through to find their favourite item, but they are time consuming and I wonder whether my time may be better spent on other aspects of the business.

Here are a few I've found as inspiration, as you will see I can't keep away from the handmade cards, they are just that extra bit special I think.

Lena Corwin

Ruthi Auda

above two via Logo Designer Blog

the feather collective

via oh hello friend

A lot of stamps feature in this list which is a quick, easy and cost effective way to make my own cards but will it represent my jewellery well? Hmmm some more thinking is needed on that one.

P.s, we have a wedding venue and date, yey! Until the deposit has been paid, I feel like I'd be tempting fate to tell too many people so if you are a friend or family member reading this, you will hear from me as soon as money has changed hands.

P.p.s, Colin sent me this this morning, so sad.

xxx

just thought i'd share...

2011-08-24T16:39:00.000+01:00

...Kitty Gallannaugh's new blog post. I know I can relate, can you?

Read it here.

xxx

Family Day

2011-08-17T17:21:00.000+01:00

Last Tuesday I visited family and got to have lots of cuddles and play time with these two cuties!

(my niece and nephew) (please excuse the horrible font used, only just realised how bad it looks, never mind)

I also spent a couple of hours wedding dress shopping with my mum and sister! I must have tried on at least 10 dresses, don't know if that's a lot or not when wedding dress shopping but it was a lot for me in one go. I was worn out by the end and had to skip the last shop. Although there were some lovely dresses, none of them were very 'me'.

I haven't forgotten I said I would talk more about the dress (if you are at all interested). I'll show you in another post all the images I have collected.

Hope you're well.

xxx

The Rings

2011-08-11T18:43:00.000+01:00

I don't have an engagement ring. I know it's not the norm but a while back, when Colin and I started to talk about getting married, I started to think about rings! I have been a major fan of Rust jewellery for a couple of years now, posting about one of the designers here and here so when marriage was possibly on the cards I knew exactly where my wedding ring would come from.

I liked the look of these three below and as they are very detailed and delicate, I wanted to wear it alone. Soooo basically I told Colin that if/when he was going to propose, not to get me a ring (I didn't see the point in spending lots of money on a ring I would only wear for a few months). Hope that makes sense. I have had to explain that so many times! Anyway the rings...

I'm not going to tell you which one I choose, I had a favourite online but when I went to try it on, I prefered another. It arrived last week and I LOVE it!!! All available from Rust.

Colin's ring was slightly more complicated. We originally ordered a kind of mechanical looking spinner ring with a tiny bit of bling but the re-sizing couldn't be done without having the join visible so we took it back. We then searched some more and found Van Buskirk Jewellery.

Again I won't tell you which one is Colin's but I will say that the designer, Mike is such a lovely guy. He happily put up with all our questions, created the ring in a different finish, and re-sized it (when we ordered one too big) all within a week! Fully recommended.

Next wedding post I might talk about the dress :)

xxx

wedding post number one - inspiration

2011-07-20T18:11:00.000+01:00

It's been almost three weeks since I was asked to be a wife and a little less since a wedding inspiration folder was created on my computer. It's filling up fast so wanted to share some initial thoughts. This is how we would like the day to go...

...plus all of our lovely family and friends of course, and music, and food! Relaxed and informal are the buzz words for the day, we will become husband and wife and celebrate it with the people we love. No fuss, no frills.

Has anyone else had/been to/have links to any weddings like this? Does anyone know of farms/fields/barns/woods for hire, either in Dorset or the Gloucester-Worcester area? It doesn't have to be licenced as we can do the legal bit before hand.

sources: once wed, wellies and vogue, junkaholique, rosie parsons, sorry there are a couple more that I've forgotten, please let me know if you recognise anything and I'll add the credit.

xxx

New Display Idea

2011-05-12T12:09:00.000+01:00

Sarah of Sarahs Scribbles wearing Flutter back in January

Morning/afternoon/evening all!!

I recently decided I was bored with my market stall display so have been working on some changes. One thing I would love to do is make a ‘photo wall’ with images of you lovely lot wearing Jewellery by Vanya. It will act as inspiration for future customers stopping by the stall as well as looking visually amazing!

So I would LOVE for you to send me any photos of you in my jewels, it would be great if you could upload them to my facebook page (by clicking on ‘photo’ in the share toolbar) but if you are a little shy you can send them to me at info@jewellerybyvanya.com.

There is, of course, a treat in it for your trouble. Those that post/send a pic will receive a personal 40% off discount code to use on anything in the shop!!!!!!

Can’t wait to see you.

xxx

The Push PR Press Day...

2011-04-12T15:05:00.001+01:00

Hello everyone, it's Jade, just thought I would pop by and let you know what's been going on in the studio lately...

So last week, in preperation for today, Vanya had organised a selection of her jewellery into 3 catergories ready for the A/W 11 press day: Garden Party, Hippie Luxe and Boudoir.
Then when I came in last tuesday we played around with how we could set up the jewellery, using props like vintage trinkets and frames Vanya has collected over time.


Boudoir Set-up

Garden Party Set-up

Hippie Luxe Set-up (AW 11 Collection, Coming Soon)

We took these photographs, which we sent along with the props to Push Pr, ready for them to set-up this morning. Our plan was that it would not only make it easier for the girls at Push Pr, but also ensure that the vision we wanted to portray was correctly communicated.

When we got to The Soho Hotel, where the press day was being held, a nice gentleman let us in and directed us downstairs to the room in which the Push Pr team were all set up. Not only was the room gorgeous, with modern colourful wallpaper and huge paintings scattered on the walls, but you walk into a girls dream, with tables of neatly set out jewellery, shoes, bags and rails of gorgeous clothes.

We instantly spotted the Jewellery by Vanya set-up, which was the first stop on our journey through the themes Push Pr had cleverly catergorised.

The Garden Party...
Beautifully layed out on a table of other garden party goodies, such as fruit punch and cakes, Jewellery by Vanya's set-up stood out and looked both delicate and pretty, perfect for any garden party in the sun...

The lovely table layout for The Garden Party section.

The Jewellery by Vanya set-up within the Garden Party section.

As we carried on round the room we soon came to the second section and second set-up Vanya and I had practised the week before.

Hippie Luxe...
Again beautifully displayed, among a number of other brands, alongside shoes and other jewellery, on a gorgeous darkwood table, there sat the Jewellery by Vanya set-up we had so proudly photographed for the Push Pr girls to immitate, and what a lovely job they had done!

The awesome Hippie Luxe table set-up.

The Jewellery by Vanya Hippie Luxe set-up.

These gorgeous items are sneak peeks from the up and coming AW 11 collection, and will be available to buy on the website after summer.

Boudoir...

After anther short wonder we soon found ourselves in the second press room, home to the gorgoues Bridal Boudoir section. Here we found the third and final Jewellery by Vanya set-up, which stood proudly in a corner, almost alone, which gave it the space it needed to shine...

The lovely Boudoir Jewellery by Vanya set-up.

Both myself and Vanya were really pleased with the way we had planned the set-ups, and how the Push Pr girls had then put them together for the press day! Hopefully there will be lots of fab feedback from Push Pr.

Keep your eyes peeled for another post soon letting you know...

But what do you think??

Jade xx

A Few Holiday Snaps

2011-03-18T11:32:00.000Z

I have about a million photo's but these are a few to go with this post as I wasn't able to upload them while I was in Costa Rica.

Colin's photography skills so a bit blurry :)

This was our daily walk to the beach, you can just about see the sea through the trees!

So many stray dogs, they loved to play and frolic in the water as much as the humans did.

Colin ended up practising Surfing more than me, he got quite good too.

Daily smoothie.

Holiday blues have set in a little bit now, please hurry up Summer (she says looking outside to the rain)!!!

We were very lucky to have such an amazing holiday in this current financial climate and we used it to properly wind down and reflect. Costa Rica showed us a more relaxed way of life which we want to try and achieve in our own lives, some changes will be big, some small but I am very much looking forward to the next chapter.

xxx

A favour for Jade.

2011-03-16T12:31:00.000Z

I think I might have mentioned before that Jade (pic above) is basing her final major project on Jewellery by Vanya. As part of her project she needs to produce a marketing report so she kindly asked me yesterday if she can host a survey on my blog.

It will only take 5 minutes and would really help her out so if you wouldn't mind please go HERE to fill it out. It's all anonymous so be as honest as you like.

Thank you in advance. This business wouldn't exist without all you lovely customers and I'm always grateful for your support.

xxx

I'm Home!!

2011-03-14T11:10:00.000Z

Back to work for me today (slightly jet-lagged), we had the most amazing time in Costa Rica (hence only one blog post-whoops!) and will be putting some photos up here very soon.

In the meantime, I came across a new (to me) blog this morning as I was having a quick flick through the new issue of N.E.E.T.

Blair Eadie (what a great name) is the girl behind Atlantic - Pacific. Her blog is a photo diary of all of her outfits. I love her style, the layers of texture and quirky shapes make for some inspiring images.

I love the creativeness that goes into Blair's looks. Mixing patterns and balancing silhouettes are her style staples.

Go check her out here while I get get back to my emails.

xxx

First Week in Costa Rica

2011-03-05T17:44:00.000Z

Hola! I´ll just start by saying I have no holiday snaps to show you just yet as I can´t find an internet cafe with memory card slots/readers. I´ll share them when I get home.

We are now in Santa Teresa after taking a bus, ferry, another bus (where Colin got pick-pocketed) and another bus after that. I won´t dwell on the pick-pocketing, it wasn´t a nice experience but luckilly they didn´t get away with much. Anyways, all that travelling (including 3 flights to get to Costa Rica in the first place) we arrived exhausted and found a hostel.

Cuesta Arriba is at the north end of a long rocky dirt track full of surf shops, hostels, cafes etc. The beach is a minute away and we are surrounded by rainforest, regularly frequented by howler monkeys who like to wake us at 5am. They´re definitely not called howler for nothing!!!

Sufing, swimming, sunbathing, yoga, reading, eating and sleeping have been our main activities. The beach is beautiful, the people friendly, and the vibe very relaxed. We love it here!!

On Monday we are travelling south to Manuel Antonio for a few days before coming home on Friday so I will update then and upload some photos.

I hope you are all well and have had a good week. Sorry if this has been boring without any images.

Ps, check out Jade´s blog. She has posted about her days with me so far here and here

xxx

15% Holiday Discount Code

2011-02-24T14:14:00.000Z

Well yes I am off to Costa Rica tomorrow-for two whole weeks!!!. I will try and bring the sun home with me but in the meantime, please accept this discount code as a little treat while I am away. All orders will be processed week beginning 14th March.

To claim your 15% off, just enter HOLIDAY at checkout! Offer ends 12th March.

Like I said before I will be facebooking, tweeting and blogging (every now and then) so check back soon.

Till then....

...have a brilliant few days.

Ps the image at the top is of some new 'pretty' clothes I am taking, the rest of my luggage is boring but practical old shorts and t shirts. Must get back to packing now.

xxx

Have a Look... P.S, it's Jade ...

2011-02-22T15:34:00.000Z

Hi, so this is my first blog for Vanya and I am hoping you will enjoy it, just as much as we all do her posts.

After our inspirational brainstorming session last week, Vanya and I came up with a few images we both really liked the look of. From these images I had a few ideas, along with the ideas I had already spoken to Vanya about, and we discovered that we both had similar thoughts about how the lookbook should be, wanting to use a mixture of textures, contrasting materials and off centre compositions.

I decided that the best bet was to get out the camera and do a few test shots to see if my ideas worked. Here's a few of them, let me know what you think...

Also Vanya is off on holiday!!! Lucky lady!!! I designed the little tag letting you know when she is away, hope you like it. Have a lovely holiday Vanya!!

Jade xx

I'm off on holiday!!!

2011-02-18T21:40:00.000Z

Península de Osa & Golfo Dulce via Lonely Planet

To Costa Rica where I will hopefully learn to surf (ish), learn some yoga, read lots and relax in the sun.

I'll be away from 25th Februrary - 11th March so if you’d like to purchase anything before I go, please order by midnight Tuesday 22nd to ensure delivery by Friday.

The shop will still be open for you and I will be checking emails when I can so please feel free to contact me. I’ll also try and upload some photos and do a couple of blog posts too so check back soon.

xxx

Lookbook Brainstorm Session

2011-02-18T10:53:00.001Z

Something I'd really love to achieve this year is creating a lookbook for Jewellery by Vanya. Jade and I went through all of my inspiration files on my computer on Tuesday and selected a few images to get us started with brainstorming. These are just a few.

I'm really sorry I don't have any credits for these, if you know, please tell me so I can amend.

We really loved the idea of playing with contrasts, mixing feminine and masculine, using different textures and composing 'off centre/non obvious' shots. My studio wall is filling up fast with tear-outs and print-outs (risking not getting back my deposit by ruining the wallpaper!!). I'll keep you posted on it's progress.

If you have any ideas or are creating a lookbook of your own (or something similar) I'd love to hear about it.

xxx

Meet Jade...

2011-02-16T11:59:00.000Z

...She's my new intern who started yesterday. Among many other things she helped package lots of orders, some of you will have cards signed by her so I thought an introduction should be arranged.

Thanks for all your help yesterday Jade, see you next week!!

Ps. I had a quick play around on Picnik to turn Jade's photo into a polaroid. It's been ages since I've used it and there are loads of new features available.

xxx

Books to be Inspired by

2011-02-14T18:04:00.000Z

I was in Covent Garden on Friday buying jewellery making supplies so I popped into Magma. Nearly an hour later and two new books in my arms I left feeling happy and inspired.

The first book is exactly what I've been after, Paper & Cloth:Ready-to-Use Background Patterns is basically a CD (and book showing whats what) full of, well, ready to use background patterns. Choose from paper, label, tape, and lace files (among many others) to layer up collage stylee. Hopefully you may see my efforts in the near future!

The second was a bit of a naughty purchase really as it has nothing to do with work and I should be saving my pennies for my upcoming holiday (more of that in another post). I am addicted to books about interior decoration/style, as I live in a shared flat all I can do is dream at the moment but anyways, this is a goodun. Milk Deco no. 4 is from the people behind the cult French magazine. This latest issue is full of stylish family homes from around the world mixing materials, colours and eras creating the homey, lived in vibe that I really love.

Happy Valentine's Day by the way. If you celebrate the day (I know lots of couples don't these days-including my boyfriend and I) I hope it's been a good one. I had a lot of male customers last week so to those of you who opened Jewellery by Vanya gifts today-I hope you like them!

xxx

For Your Listening Pleasure

2011-02-09T15:48:00.000Z

Just a quicky. Been listening to these songs today...a lot.

Birdy - Skinny Love (cover of the Bon Iver track)
Benjamin Francis Leftwich - Pictures

Enjoy
xxx

Feeling a bit Bleeuuurrggghh!

2011-02-08T13:23:00.000Z

I was sat in bed on Sunday night working out my plans for the week and felt inspired to start this blog up again (properly). The idea for my first post was to re-cap on what's been happening in my life lately (work and personal) and share future plans. I wanted to create a lovely looking page/moodboard type thing.

I had planned to do it yesterday but I overestimated all the other things I had to do so it got knocked onto todays list. I happily walked to work in the sunshine this morning, looking forward to my day, then I got some dissapointing news. It's nothing bad, just work stuff but it knocked me off my stride so the last two hours has been spent trying to present my recent and forthcoming events in a pretty way and I just cannot do it. Everything looks horrible to me so I gave up and wrote out a list on my white board instead.

I really enjoyed writing this blog when I first started it and would love to get back into it but I find that it takes up a lot of time and so much other stuff has to come first. You will see from the list that I have an intern starting with me soon. It's only for one day a week but I'm looking forward to having a helping hand, hopefully it will free up some of my time (which I can then dedicate to blogging).

Ok rant over, I'm sure I'll feel better soon. I just didn't want this morning to be a complete waste. To those of you that run shops and blogs I'd love to have a look...

xxx

20% off at Jewellery by Vanya

2010-12-02T10:02:00.002Z

I have already decided on a new year’s resolution to carry out next year - Blog more regularly!

That aside, I have a little discount offer for you. Originally this was going to be a ‘moving into my new studio’ special offer but it seems that installing the internet is a lengthy process at the moment so I won’t be in properly till the New Year. I have moved in as much as I can and am using it to make and package orders, while the computer side of things is done at home.

Here are a few sneaky shots of some pretty things I have in there, so this can be a ‘I’m half moved into my new studio’ special offer.

To claim your 20% off any Jewellery by Vanya purchase just enter NEWSTUDIO at checkout. It's valid until 10am Friday 3rd December.

Hope it helps a bit with your Christmas shopping.

xxx

Studio Inspiration

2010-10-13T10:50:00.000+01:00

Remember this post? Well a couple of weeks ago I went to view a little office that I hope will become my new studio. I am so ready to leave the tiny work area in my bedroom (which as I look around is an absolute mess) I'm usually such a tidy and organised person but, and I'm sure you've all been there, life got really busy and I fell down a slippery slope to chaos.

I have dreamt of having my own studio for so long and love to see how other people organise their crafts so I thought I'd share some of my inspiration with you.

The colour in the last photo gives a slightly diferent feeling to the room, and a bit of warmth, I think I might be more productive in a room like that, having a comfy chair might be a bit dangerous though I suppose.

Do you have any craft spaces to share? I'd love to see more storage solutions if you have anything.

All images found via Lovely Scribbles and The Nest

xxx

Goody Bag Winner!!!

2010-10-08T12:16:00.000+01:00

Thank you all so much for your wonderful entries, I had a lovely time reading them all and was very pleased to see such a wide range of favourites. There is only one winner though I'm afraid and it is......

...comment 26 which was made by...

Well Done and thanks to you Some Style!!! I have yet to choose what will go in the goody bag, I want to look over the most popular faves from the entries, but rest assured at least one of your favourites will be in there.

Thank you again to all that entered, look out for more giveaways and special offers here on the blog, on facebook and twitter.

Have a great weekend!! xxx

Goody Bag Giveaway

2010-10-01T10:58:00.000+01:00

Like I said in my last post, I am most grateful for all your support over the last few months and to help say thank you I thought I'd do another giveaway. This one is a biggie.

For the chosen winner I will put together a goody bag of Jewellery by Vanya items worth over £100! You could treat yourself and keep them all or save them for Christmas presents for friends-totally up to you.

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment here on the blog or on my facebook page naming your favourite item from Jewellery by Vanya (this will help me choose which items to include) and I will pick a winner at random on Friday 8th October at 12.00 midday.

Good Luck

xxx

A Huge Great Big Massive Thank You

2010-09-30T22:00:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone, you may have noticed my extreme lack of blogging lately and and it’s all down to my lovely customers placing so many orders over the last few weeks and making me such a busy bee. I’ve had some amazing press this year and when Birds in Love featured in Grazia magazine last month the orders came flooding in, along with some really kind comments from you all.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am as you are letting me keep my dream job, not only the money side of things either, when someone takes the time to let me know how much they like my designs/website/packaging, it brings such a huge smile to my face. Massive thank you’s and virtual hugs all round!!

PS. Pic is of me enjoying a coffee break in the sun last Saturday. That chunky cardie is from Top Shop and is soooo snuggly.

xxx

Artemis and Nao

2010-08-17T13:13:00.000+01:00

I have been waiting for this post from Artemis ever since she announced she was getting married! I have written about her wonderful self before, I was lusting after her beautiful shed remember? Anyway, I knew hers and her new husband Nao's wedding would be something special. Take a look at just a few images from her blog today.

They made pretty much everything themselves, from the programs, signage and presents, to getting up at 4am for flowers. Atemis even re-worked a vintage 1930s dress into her own perfect wedding frock. You can read the full story over at her own blog tales of a junkaholic. There is a special 'our wedding' page at the top.

Thank you for sharing your lovely day with us Artemis and Nao. May you have a wonderful and happy life together.

xxx

Sketchbook Inspiration

2010-07-27T21:16:00.000+01:00

journal pages

I have been taking my press coverage to the market with me every Sunday. At the moment it's in a boring old file which doesn't really represent me or my work so I had the idea of putting it into more of a sketchbook type thing, showing my sketches of initial design ideas, along with my styled photographs and the press piece. It's just an idea at the moment and I don't know when I'll have the time to do it but here are some examples to get inspired by.

round robin journal

jeans journal

New York City journal

pg 18

I love multimedia sketchbooks that are full of different textures layered on top of each other, I might make one with lots different papers and stitch them all together.

I hope this post reads ok as I have been popping in and out of the room writing it for the last couple of hours. We have a room to rent in our shared flat so have had people coming over to view it all evening.

If anyone keeps sketchbooks or journals and has images online I would love to see them, and I promise that when I do get around to doing my own I will post pictures.

Good night.xxx

Irish Tatler and Telegraph Magazine - Amazing!

2010-07-22T15:08:00.000+01:00

Carnival in Irish Tatler August issue 2010

Bow Bracelet in Telegraph Magazine 17th July 2010

I only have one of the above bracelets left (it's the silver version) until 2-3 weeks time, they went like hotcakes over the weekend when this piece of press came out, so if you're interested get in quick!

I'm about to spend the rest of the afternoon, and probably evening, replenishing my jewellery stocks to take to the market on Sunday. Tomorrow morning will be spent making up packaging supplies and as my boyfriend has a half day at his work I will try and get everything done in time to enjoy the afternoon with him.

So I will say a day early....Have a good weekend everyone!!

xxx

Clare Owen saved my bloggers block

2010-07-21T12:55:00.000+01:00

Oh dear it's been a while hasn't it. I've had big bloggers block lately as all I seem to do at the moment is business related and I'm sure that can get boring for you guys. One thing I'm always on the look out for though is beautiful illustrations. I like sketchy kinds of drawings where you can see every line the artist has put down, I think it gives the work emotion and when the subject is of a whimsical nature I am in love!

This is the work of Clare Owen who enjoys cats, tea, ukulele and all things French. I found her via her Flickr.

I wish this chest of drawers were mine.

Isn't she amazing, I could dedicate a whole wall to her. She is based here in the UK and has an etsy shop and a blog.

Have a lovely afternoon/morning/evening, I might be back later to boast about myself again with a couple more press pieces. Till then....xxx

Another shameless piece of promotion

2010-07-13T17:25:00.000+01:00

I never want this blog to become all about me and my work but there is just some stuff I can't leave out, such as press coverage, right? This feature on the Giraffe necklace is from the fashion wish list over at Sky Showbiz.

I'm off to Push PR's (the lovely ladies who look after all my press) Christmas in July press day in a bit. I'm looking forward to seeing other client's new collections and showing mine (which will be available on the website soon) . I am a bit nervous too though, just because I'm not sure what to expect and I don't know if I'll be any good at 'networking'. I'll let you know how it goes.

xxx

In the Press

2010-07-05T16:08:00.000+01:00

Giraffe Necklace in Wedding August/September 2010

Large Leaf Pendant in Easy Living August 2010

Hello, I hope you all had a fun and sun-filled weekend. I have just received these two great pieces of press coverage from Wedding and Easy Living magazines (that Leaf Pendant is proving to be very popular, I almost had two girls fighting over it at the market yesterday). How exciting, best Monday yet!

xxx

Candace Meyer

2010-06-30T11:10:00.000+01:00

Candace Meyer is no up and coming artist, she is a fully established genius with a camera so you may have come across her work before. I found her via The Drifter and the Gypsy a while ago and bookmarked for a future post.

The lighting is amazing and the imagery has that ethereal quality that I absolutely love. How do you even begin to take photos like that!

Be sure to check out her films too, some are advertisements so are quite commercial (as you would expect) but others like 'Hobo' and 'Rose Garden' are gorgeous with beautiful soundtracks. I would post a film on here but have no idea how I'm afraid.

Prepare to loose yourself for a while.xxx

'Now' press and giveaway winner

2010-06-24T15:14:00.000+01:00

I feel I have been writing about myself an awful lot lately (with the exception of the last post) so I hope I'm not boring you too much. I just wanted to share this new piece of coverage from Now Magazine online. Cool huh?

I have been inspired by so many other bloggers lately so next week will be showcasing a very talented photographer who shall remain nameless till then.

On another 'me' note, it's my half birthday on Saturday (my real birthday is boxing day so I never really get to celebrate in the way I want) so I'm taking tomorrow off. My boyfriend has a surprise day planned so I'm getting all excited!

Ok, before I go I need to announce the winner of my giveaway. It's.....drum roll.....Elena, from Endless Summer. Thanks to Elena and all of you who entered, it's great to read all your lovely comments. Check back soon for more competitions.

Have a great weekend.xxx

Miss Unkon

2010-06-24T14:28:00.000+01:00

Thanks to Hannah over at justicepluskiss (who happened to write a lovely feature about yours truly) I stumbled upon miss unkon. I want want want so many of these beautiful clothes, now the weather is hotting up I may treat myself to something femine and floaty from their collection. It's an australian label but I will trawl though the online stockists and cross my fingers they deliver to the uk.

I think their attention to detail is stunning and the fabrics and prints are gorgeous. The photography is pretty amazing too. Ok I will stop gushing now.

I hope I've given you all something to feast your eyes on this sleepy afternoon.

Giveaway

2010-06-16T09:43:00.000+01:00

Good morning, I said on Friday that I would host another giveaway this week and here it is. This necklace has attracted a lot of attention at my stall on Sundays so I thought it would be a perfect gift to one of you. You can see more images and details here.

To enter, please leave me a comment (about anything) on this post and I will pick a winner at random when the competiton closes next Wednesday 23rd June. Now I am not the bestest blogger in the world but if you are interested in the goings on of my little jewellery label please feel free to subscribe and read my ramblings on a regular basis.

P.S a special thankyou to to Charlotte from Housewife Chic for stopping by my stall on Sunday to say hello. It was very lovely to meet you and your family.

Happy Friday Folks

2010-06-11T18:07:00.000+01:00

Just thought I'd share my first (of hopefully many) bit of press coverage. My Large Leaf Pendant is featured in the July issue of She magazine! Yey!

Also, a while ago I did an interview for the lovely Jessica from The Embellished Life, go and have a nosey if you like. Unfortunately the giveaway to go with the interview has ended, but next week I will hosting one of my own so keep your eyes peeled.

Aaannnnd, the Sunday Upmarket has continued to be a success so touch wood I will be there every Sunday now. Stop by and say hello if you're in the area.

Have a lovely weekend xxx

Sunday Upmarket Second Day

2010-06-01T10:57:00.000+01:00

Morning, I hope you all had a wonderful bank holiday weekend despite the miserable weather. I hear Sunday was sunny but I wouldn't know as I had my second go at the Sunday Upmarket off Brick Lane. It was sooo much better than last time so i'm very glad I gave it a second chance.

I met and chatted to some lovely people both customers and other stall holders which made the day whizz by and I got a massive boost every time someone left my stall with a purchase.

As you can see I made a few changes to my display, I made some boards to hang my jewellery on and bought some busts which were originally a horrible white leatherette so I covered them. I also made a few new pieces which I absolutely love and hope to get them on the website over the next couple of weeks.

Thank you to all the friendly faces that came by my stall with kind words and exchanged your pennies for my work. I went home with a big smile on my face and it was all down to you guys. I will be there again this Sunday so I hope to see many more of you.

Do you think my display is better this time around? What did you do over the weekend?

xxx

Sunday Upmarket First Day

2010-05-24T16:25:00.000+01:00

Hello, I've been feeling guilty all week for not posting these photos but after all the hard work it took to get ready for the market I've been exhausted, and I had major wisdom tooth pain!

So here I am setting up, I dragged my boyfriend along to help with the first one as I didn't know how long it would take and how being only 5"1 I was going to get that fabric over the shell! He's 6"3 so no problem for him.

Can you see where my inspiration tallies up with the last post?

You may also notice my charity shop finds being used.

I kind of underestimated the size of the table, it was huge, so my dainty jewellery did well to attract peoples attention.

If i'm honest the day didn't go quite as well as hoped, it could have been due to many reasons (I blame the weather myself, it was horrible that day) but I took lots of positive ideas to try out the next time. I'm not going to take it personally because I didn't see anyone particularly doing that well. I guess that's just how it goes, some days are good, some are bad.

What do you think of the set-up? Please be as critical as you like, it all helps. I'm thinking it needs bigger display boards at the back to get rid of all that empty space. I also need extra lighting, can you think of anything else?

xxx

Sunday Upmarket Stall Display

2010-05-12T12:03:00.000+01:00

Clockwise from top left lace curtains, floral bows, doily diy, mirror, posy's sofa, bird embroidery

To date I've only taken part in one small craft show which I loved doing so thought I'd aim a bit higher and see what happens, soooo as of this Sunday I will have a stall at the Sunday Upmarket off Brick Lane. I'm very excited to see my customers in the flesh and gauge all your reactions.

It's a much bigger stall with an ugly metal frame so I want to make it look beautiful and feminine to represent my jewellery. I have a few ideas up my sleeve which I won't tell you about just yet, I want it to be a surprise. Many of them came from the inspiring images above which I have been collecting. Maybe you can imagine what it will look like.

If you can make it, come by and say hello, i'd love to hear your thoughts.

xxx

Soft and Pretty

2010-05-06T22:03:00.000+01:00

I'm going to get an early night as I have a massive headache but wanted to share these pretty images with you first. They are so soft and beautiful and calming which is good after a busy day. I hope you enjoy them.

rachielllll

thru the eyes of ruby

maaarit

gingerlillytea

say.today

Night Night. xxx

weekend purchases

2010-05-04T14:39:00.000+01:00

Hello, welcome back to the working week, I hope you all enjoyed your weekends. I had a lovely time with my uni girls up in Birmingham, not quite sure if I've recovered from lack of sleep yet but hey ho. Unfortunately I didn't manage to get a photo of of us all (too much chatter made the days fly by and I forgot) so I thought I'd share my purchases with you instead.

We went charity shop shopping on Saturday and I found this gorgeous platter to display my jewellery on.

I also found this book which is so beautiful. It's all worn and faded with yellowed pages, I love the New Forest too so had to get it.

This dress was from Urban Outfitters, it was in the sale and was one of those instant 'i'm going to buy this' purchases which doesn't happen an awful lot with me.

So that's it, thanks girls for a fun filled weekend and to Becky for being such a great host. You looked after us well!

Oh PS spot the bird, remember Claire Coles who I mentioned in this post. Well she and I swapped treasures, the above bird brooch for my Aztec Ring. I love mine and attached it to my bag straight away. I hope you like yours too Claire.

xxx

off to see the girls

2010-04-30T14:48:00.000+01:00

Kirra Beach 1938

It's Friday! and a bank holiday! Woohoo!!! I'm meeting up with the girls I went to uni with this weekend. Hopefully it will go something like this: picnic, gossip, wine, old skool songs, getting ready together, dancing till late, shopping, more gossip, dinner, pajama party,home.

ASH steps 1941

I'll leave you with some vintage images I found on Flickr. I thought it was apt to show some girly gangs through the ages in spirit of my weekend adventures.

miss shrewsbury 1952

sororiety 1960

lets party like its 1971

outdoor chat 1983

I'll stop there as I couldn't find any good images from the 1990s. It's not quite vintage enough yet! If you know of any please pass on the link and I will add it on. Next week I might contribute one of us for the noughties slot.

I hope you all have a great weekend.

xxx

tree & kimball

2010-04-29T13:10:00.000+01:00

Lisa's etsy shop tree & kimball has the most beautiful lace jewellery. Love the lace, love the styled photography, love the descriptions. Nothing more to say really....

.....except I'm sorry that I haven't kept my promise about blogging more often. I've been busy designing new items lately and allowing myself to take lunch outside when it's been sunny, which often results in a bit longer than I should lunchbreak. Ooops!

xxx

Lauren Moffatt Spring 2010 Collection

2010-04-23T12:32:00.000+01:00

How good is the new Spring 2010 collection from Lauren Moffatt. I love the laid back 70s vibe of the shapes and fabrics used, I want it all!! My favourite has to be those denim shorts at the top, although only having tiny legs, i'm not sure I could get away with it. Maybe the dress and hat combo next to it then....

My sister is visiting from Poole tomorrow so it will be another (hopefully sunshine filled) trip to the park for us. We might even get a boat for a little sail on the lake.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend too. See you Monday.

xxx

The amazing beautifulness of Claire Coles

2010-04-21T10:25:00.000+01:00

How amazing is this work from Claire Coles. To steal a phrase from her website "Claire Coles offers a new approach to wallpaper design. Stitching vintage wallpapers together of various textures and patterns Claire creates one off intricate and ethereal wallpapers, illustrations and accessories."

It is truly beautiful and would look soooo good in my dream home (which currently only exists in my head).

I could go on forever about Claire's work, I find it so exciting and is totally 'my thing'. I urge everyone to check out her website as there are loads more inspiring images to ohhh and ahhh over.

Has anyone been lucky enough to see this work in person?

xxx

More New Designs

2010-04-20T10:00:00.000+01:00

Good morning, I just wanted to update you with some more new items available on my website and etsy shop. I've been wearing the filigree locket necklace like mad lately, it's so summery.

I will be taking a stall again at the next Tik Tac Toe event which is on Sunday 9th May at Carnivale in East London. It was a really good day last time with live music and lots of cake so pop by if you're in the area.

xxx

A lovely relaxing weekend

2010-04-18T20:43:00.001+01:00

Well apart from the bike ride, I managed to achieve everything I was inspired to do in my last post. As I find it hard to take time off work sometimes, I promised myself I would RELAX this weekend, and that I did.

The picture was taken in Regents Park on Saturday afternoon (look at the beautiful blue sky) where I read, walked, dozed and drank coffee. I also managed to fit in cutting my boyfriend's hair, eating lots of nice food and meeting a friend for some lovely wine!

Now I feel more refreshed and motivated for the week ahead. I really must learn from this.

How did you enjoy your weekend?

Cassia Beck - photo story of my weekend.

2010-04-16T18:42:00.000+01:00

Happy Friday everyone, I'm very much looking forward to a weekend of sunshine and relaxation. Hopefully if it's not too cold, a picnic in Regents park is in order.

I thought I'd leave you with the work of Cassia Beck and her wonderful etsy shop. She actually has two shops Lola's Room and Cassia Beck full of nostalgic, dreamy, vintage inspired photography. I have picked out a few that I hope will be relevant to my weekend!

What are your plans for the weekend? Is it sunny in your part of the world?

xxx

I want one of these!

2010-04-15T11:23:00.001+01:00

The very talented Artemis from Tales of a Junkaholic recently posted these photos of her new weaving and sewing shed. She's done a wonderful job on it, I am so jealous, I would love more space to work in. As I live in a shared flat my current work space is a desk in the corner of my bedroom and all my bits and pieces have found homes wherever they can. I'm forever having to rummage around for what I need. Ah well, I will just have to window shop beautiful sheds for now.

Be sure to check out Artemis' blog as she is a woman of many talents. She can put jewellery designer and vintage collector/seller to her name, as well as letting us nosey folk into her very creative world.

New Designs

2010-04-10T19:21:00.001+01:00

Happy weekend everyone, I hope you're all enjoying the same beautiful sunshine that we've got in London today. My brother, his partner and my 9 month old neice are visiting tomorrow so I really hope it holds out for them. My neice is the most gorgeous baby in the world (slightly biased I know) and she changes so much every time I see her.

Here's a few new items that have been added to the shop. My favourites at the moment are the small and large leaf pendants so I've been wearing them together. They are also available in my etsy shop.

PS Sorry for the lack of blogging lately, as we all know, other things seem to take up way too much time. I hope to get back into the swing of things next week.

xxx

My First Stall!

2010-04-06T11:09:00.001+01:00

Good morning, I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend. After a very long week and the show on Saturday I hardly left my bed all of Sunday. Bliss!!

The above photos are from my stall, as this is the first time for me I'm pleased with how it all turned out. Looking back at these pictures there would be a few tweaks to make next time but all in all i'm happy. I did mean to get a photo of my face to use as my blog photo (I hate having my picture taken so don't have anything else decent to use) but kind of forgot in all the excitement. You can see a little bit of me in the top right photo :)

It was a brilliant day at Tik Tac Toe, there was tea and cupcakes, board games, bands and even a hairdresser. Hopefully it will become a monthly event so watch this space.

Please let me know if you have any comments/criticisms on my stall display. I'd love to hear from you.

xxx

I long for a lazy summers day

2010-03-29T12:21:00.000+01:00

source

Morning, I just have enough time to pop in and say I would like to be this girl for a while. I've got a busy week ahead of me trying to get ready for the show on Saturday. There's jewellery to be made, display items to be collected, business cards and packaging to make (why did I decide I wanted to make everything). I can't complain, I love it really.

What are your weeks plans?

Oh I almost forgot to announce the winner of my giveaway. The lucky lady is Florence! Thank you for your comment, i'll pop it in the post tomorrow. I hope you like it.

Thank you to everyone who entered, it meant a lot to read all those lovely comments. I will do another giveaway at some point so make sure you check back soon.

xxx

Katie Thompson

2010-03-26T12:49:00.000Z

This is the amazing work of Katie Thompson who uses pieces of discarded junk and recreates a unique, recycled range of furniture, lighting and interior accessories. Each piece is infused with its own previous character but given a new function.

I am in love with her work and one day would love to own a piece. What's your favourite?

"An object is no longer being used for its original purpose in life! That purpose has expired and I have recreated a beautiful 'something else'"
Katie Thompson

Make sure you check out her website to see the rest of her wonderful creations. Happy Friday and I hope you all have a brilliant weekend. I will be anouncing the winner of my giveaway on Monday so if you still haven't entered you stil have time. xxx

Artist Spotlight at Simply Hue

2010-03-23T15:06:00.000Z

Today I just want to say a big thank you to the lovely Vicki from Simply Hue for featuring me in her 'spotlight on artists' series. You can find out a little bit about my background and inspirations over there so please do have a look. I am truly grateful for her kind words and support.

You can also have a go at winning the above necklace from my shop. All you have to do is visit Simply Hue here, have a read and leave a comment. Vicki will contact the winner on Monday. Good Luck! xxx

Bargain Hunting

2010-03-22T16:18:00.000Z

Hello everyone, I spent yesterday searching for little display type knic-knacks at a few markets and carboot sales in London. I was pretty unsuccessful overall but managed to get the above coaster set for 50p! I may pull them out like drawers and drape/sit my jewellery on top, i'll have to see what it looks like. I may not use them at all.

I was hoping to get a vintage hand held mirror but couldn't find one so I bought this on Etsy instead. It's from Kats Vintage Finds and it's beautiful, just what I was after so I really hope it arrives in time.

Here are a couple of other mirrors I found on Etsy in case you are inspired to get one for yourself.

The Merchant of Kismet

Tigerluxe

I hope you are having a nice Monday anyway. I plan to visit a few charity/antique shops over the next couple of weeks to thrift some more so if anyone has any suggestions it would be great to hear them. Preferably in the London area! Also if you know of any other online vintage shops (that ship to the UK) I'd love to see them too.

xxx

Free Giveaway!

2010-03-18T09:34:00.000Z

I have a very busy day ahead of me today so not much time to blog I'm afraid. Instead I thought I would host my first giveaway. This Birds in Love necklace is one of my most popular items and it could be yours. It will be beautifully packaged so will be a lovely treat for yourself or a friend.

All you need to do to win is leave me a comment on this post and I will pick someone at random when the giveaway ends on Friday 26th March. I will message the lucky winner and arrange for delivery.

Please feel free to follow my blog as I will be hosting more giveaways and special offers in the future.

Maryy Maryy Quite Contrary

2010-03-17T13:50:00.001Z

Calling out to the sewers amongst us, do you use Burda Style? I always look to this site for inspiration and help with new sewing projects. My latest endeavour is to make a few peices for spring/summer. I'm thinking some easy skirts and dresses that I can wear with tights until i'm brave enough to bare my legs.

The images displayed are from Burda Style member Maryy from Finland. She is the first person I came across when I joined and I immediately fell in love with her style.

If you are a member or have projects on other sites please leave me a link to your page as i'd love to see your creations.

Treat Yourself

2010-03-16T11:46:00.000Z

At long last I have finished my packaging design. It's taken so long because I wanted to try and get my business cards made for me but I haven't been able to find a printers that can do what I want (problems with inkjet, lazer and thickness of cardstock).

Anyway, it is ever so slightly time consuming but completely worth it in my opinion. I hope it makes recieving a package from me an extra special treat.

First of all I use recycled kraft boxes and line the lid with an image of 1970s floral wallpaper (top image). I then hook the item onto a card stamped with my logo and tie cream ribbon around it (i'm afraid the ribbon in the picture is white as i'm waiting for supplies).

I then place the box, along with a business and thankyou card into a canvas bag made from vintage curtain fabric.

Pull the drawstring and voila, popped into a jiffy bag and a pretty package is on it's way to you.

I hope you like it, I really wanted to present my jewellery in a luxurious and special way that reflected my work and wasn't too wasteful. You can re-use everything except the thankyou card as it will have my 'not so great' handwriting on it.

If you would like to see more images, close-ups and descriptions you can visit my flickr page and any feedback or comments will be most welcome.

how do you display your jewellery?

2010-03-15T15:16:00.000Z

The other day I told you about an event coming up where I will be selling my jewellery. It's called Tik Tac Toe and will be at Carnivale in Whitechapel, East London on 3rd April. It's my first ever stall so it would be great to have some friendly faces come by.

This will be the first event that will hopefully continue on a monthly basis and will be a whole day into evening thing with an acoustic band in the afternoon along with market stalls, cakes, tea, food, board games etc and then a headline act in the evening along with happy hour, and Djs. The stalls will be open from 2-6pm.

As it's my first time, I have been collecting inspiration from other displays. I'd like to go with something a bit vintagey looking with natural fabrics and woods to compliment my jewels. I love Anthropologie's visual design so will be making a visit this week, I'm hoping they might let me take some photos to share with you too.

Here are a few images that will hopefully show my thought process.

Rust

Emma Cassi

Source unknown (sorry, big blogger no-no) If anyone can let me know where this came from I will change it.

I also really love this stall. It would be amazing to have a space like that and make it into a mini room complete with lamps and pictures framed on the wall. It's so effective.

Spring Attire

2010-03-11T11:03:00.000Z

my first attempt

Isn't polyvore slightly addictive? I admit i'm no way near as good at putting 'sets' together as some people but I was reasonably pleased with my first attempts. As I sit here listening to the [500] Days of Summer soundtrack (I saw the film a couple of nights ago), I can see bits of blue sky and sunshine emerging through the clouds. Now we just need the warmth to go with it and I can wear outfits like these. Come on Spring, you're nearly there!!

Weekend Stroll

Untitled

Only the first two are by me (you might be able to tell). The last one is from EvaDonohoe who has about a million sets to her name.

Must go now, I have been invited to sell my jewellery at an event in East London (details to follow soon) so I need to go and be organised.xxx

Love in Vain

2010-03-10T11:24:00.000Z

I came across these images from Fault Magazine on Fleur Avenue a while ago. I love the vintage styling and the soft photography used to create the Love in Vain theme for this shoot.

Inspirational Words of Wisdom

2010-03-09T10:24:00.000Z

I'm sure we all need a few motivational words from time to time ( I know I do). I'd like to put some up in my studio space to see every day. What do you think of these?

Volume Twenty Five the secret to becoming who you wish to be

Volume Twenty Five Remember Happiness

Sunny Champagne Put hour heart into it

The Love Shop EXPLORE DREAM DISCOVER

Orange Beautiful Get On With It Already

I'm spending the day making up orders, sewing canvas bags as part of my new packaging and hopefully experimenting with new jewellery designs. Hope you all have a wonderful day.xx

Style Watching

2010-03-08T14:37:00.000Z

Being nosey at other peoples style is a favourite pastime. Living in London is amazing for that but I am increasingly spending more time on sites like LOOKBOOK.nu and polyvore. There are so many people with such creative style, I find it really inspiring.

This is Mattie who I found via LOOKBOOK.nu. She also posts photos to flickr. Do you love her style too?

Rosie Music's beautiful illustrations.

2010-03-05T09:34:00.001Z

I found it difficult to get into my work yesterday, my head just wasn't working properly so I did a bit of window shopping on etsy. I do need some new illustrations to put on my bedroom wall and I came across these beautiful prints from the lovely shop Rosie Music. My favourite has to be Sunday Morning, what could be better than a lazy morning full of coffee, kittens and the boyfriend (not necessarily in that order).

New Jewellery Packaging Ideas

2010-03-04T14:33:00.001Z

I have recently been working on some new packaging and business card ideas and thought you might like a sneaky peek. It's not yet properly finished but I'm not far off, hopefully by the end of next week I can post full photographs of it all.

first blog post

2010-03-03T15:12:00.000Z

So here goes, I'm a bit late to the blogging game as I only started reading them a few months ago. I have become fed up of forever emailing friends and family links to things I have found in the blog world so I thought this would be a useful space to collate all that inspiration. It's looking very sparse around here at the moment but that will change soon.

I also thought it might be nice for those interested to see the experiments and progression of my jewellery line. I have just started working on it full time so there is still so much to do, it sometimes becomes a little overwhelming. Anyway I will leave you with a few images of the fruits of my labour so far.

By the way I am very aware that I am talking to myself as I have no followers yet. I hope very much that will change soon.xx