Preparing to Sell. Marketing, Presentation and Approaching the Press.

Who would you most like to wear your jewellery designs?

...and that was the question posed to me in the latest EtsyMetal blog carnival. I am an EtsyMetal member and we set each other challenges, questions and tasks to keep our brains tip-top.

For the last 22 years I have been a fan of this lady;

Helena Bonham Carter...for her great acting, the way her character shines through all her roles and her terrifically individual dress sense. I would be very happy if she bought one of my jewellery designs to wear.

I can still remember the first time I saw Kate Bush on "Top of the Pops" performing Babooshka, I was just a kid but I wanted one day to be as beautiful and creative as she was. If she bought one of my pieces to wear then that would make me smile.

I'd like to imagine that Helena B.C might wear these dark, locked heart pendants and that Kate B. might wear the folksy red earrings with the red dress she wears when dancing in the woods in one of her videos;

 

To follow the blog carnival and see who the other EtsyMetal members would love to see wearing their jewellery, read their posts;

1.Rebecca Bogan: http://www.AdobeSol.com/blog
2. Beth Cyr http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com
3. Danielle Miller http://daniellemillerjewelry.blogspot.com/

Two great jewellery exhibitions to see in the UK.

A fabulous collection of jewellery designers in this exhibition, if you're anywhere near that part of the country, you should definitely try and see it. Also looking very exciting is this exhibition;

 And it's thanks to my regular ACJ newsletter that I knew about these shows, among many others. If you would like to join the Association for Contemporary Jewellery, then visit their website where you can find out more. They also have presence on FaceBook, LinkedIn, Crafthaus and their own forum.

Material alternatives.

Another instalment of exciting jewellery from around the world, all made from or featuring what you might consider to be "alternative materials" either with a historical reference or a contemporary twist. Please click on the images to visit the websites or galleries of the artists themselves to find out about their methodologies, and stories behind their work.

Fabric Portrait brooch experiment by talented painter, teacher and Masters student "A blackbird". The portrait was intended to capture an element of fun and character of the person portrayed. Loosely padded and stitched.

Intriguing positive-negative spacial designs by Minya Mindungui. Abstract forms with a gentle look to them. The materials are not easy to pinpoint, the pattern could translate in different ways depending on the wearer and the viewer.

Beautiful and raw, steel nut ring by "The Justified Sinner", Dauvit Alexamder. An artist who constantly explores the boundaries of ideas, materials and technical process. A clever piece, honest in material and form, contradictory beauty with the tiny sharp, traditional stone.

"Spirograph brooch" by Trincar Uvas. Simple, clean, evocative of memories of childhood perhaps.

"A MANO LIBERA- CROCE necklace" Another ingenious folded paper construction by Frucci. Elegant, sinuous and flexible.

From the "Zoonoses" collection by art jeweller Stevie B Jewelry. To read more about the ideas behind this piece, read here. Found object used to tell a story and put forward the makers point of view.

Very attractive mosaic pendants by Angela Ibbs. These work because they are not over filled, the compositions of the tesserae are well thought out to fit the heart shaped space.

Felted brooch with a sculptural 3-D form that draws the eye most effectively. See her other felted works here. Compelling design that evokes thoughts of the Turkish "evil eye" to ward off spirits...or perhaps it has a psychedelic cartoon appearance.....

The perpetually inventive "2Roses" team never cease to inspire with their enquiring minds. What better way to learn about historical styles and techniques, than by trying and adapting for yourself, which is one of the ways in which 2Roses constantly explore their ideas. Read more about these scrimshaw bone earrings here.

"Carpented Pendant" by "Blind Spot Jewellery"; Janos Gabor Varga. A jeweller whose creativity and ingenuity never ceases to inspire me. Traditional carpentry techniques of joints and slots contain the marble 'bricks'.

"Spinal Decompression" brooch by Salvadorvico. One of a series of exuberant expressionist works of wearable art. You should certainly take a look at his archive of work which is made up of a huge variety of media. There is a rawness and dynamic vibrancy to this piece, it has a feeling spontaneity about it...no contrivance here.

I hope you've enjoyed looking at some of my favourite artists, find them as inspiring as I do and have come across some new styles.

Irish Cream recipe.

Oh yeah, it's dead easy to make your own and perfect for New Years Eve. I saw this recipe on a TV show recently and had a go...it's good alright. I don't drink much, the odd medium dry scrumpy, a gin and tonic here and there, but a glass of Irish Cream during the festive season can lubricate a sore winters throat just nicely....

1. After first washing, sterilise a bottle and it's lid by boiling in water for several minutes, or in a bowl of sterilising fluid (like for baby bottles) or by putting in a hot oven for 10 minutes.
2.Gather your ingredients;

• One cup of whisky.
• One cup (tin) of condensed milk.
• One cup of double cream.
• One teaspoon of instant coffee dissolved in a little hot water.
• Two drops of Vanilla Essence

3. Put all the ingredients into a blender and whizz until thoroughly mixed up.
4. Decant the Irish Cream into the sterilised and dry bottle and store in the fridge.

Apparently it will last for between 10 days to two weeks in the fridge, though I can't imagine anyone leaving enough of it in the bottle to find that out....

Enjoy your New Years Eve!