Wednesday 11 November 2015

Renegade Craft Fair


Last weekend (November 7th and 8th) I was at Renegade Craft Fair in The Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane, it was so much fun and so great to meet some lovely customers and other crafty folk! I didn't get around to taking many photos but here's the few that I did:



Here's the booth I shared with Juream Box and Lili Price


Juream Box's wonderfully colourful dip dyed items!


This photo of a load of us representing the Brighton Etsy Team is actually stolen from Karli from Designosaur, from left to right: I Like Cats, Woah There Pickle, half of Designosaur, Hello Dodo, Juream Box, ME! and the other half of Designosaur

October Playlist

Here's what I was listening to in October:

Silicon - Blow


d d elle - Kind 2 U


C Duncan - Say


Nadia Reid - Call The Days


I've also been listening to a lot of The Velvet Underground during late night jewellery making sessions so here's two of my favourites from them!


Wednesday 7 October 2015

Christmas Fair Round Up

This Christmas I'll be doing not one, not two but THREE Christmas Markets! Which is unheard of for me. Here's where you can find me this winter:




This is the first year I've been brave enough to even apply for this fair so I'm really excited to be selling here this year!



Can't wait for this market and to sell alongside all the super talented makers from The Brighton Etsy Team!



I've wanted to sell at Crafty Fox Market for a long time so I'm so pleased I get the opportunity to this year! Hopefully see some of you there :)



Tuesday 6 October 2015

Tuesday 22 September 2015

Etsy Blogger Sleepover Event at Lick Yogurt Warehouse

The super talented people at Lick Yogurt have made an amazing video of The Etsy Blogger Sleepover Event I and some other members of The Brighton Etsy Team were at a few weeks ago! Take a look here: 




Video by Mary Martin for Lick Yogurt

Thursday 10 September 2015

Found Film


A couple of weeks ago I bought two vintage Kodak Brownie cameras at a boot fair and when I got home I discovered that they both had processed film in them! Curiosity got the better of me so I had them both developed and these photos are the results. Sadly they're all quite damaged and most of the photos didn't come out but the ones that have are pretty magical! From the womans beehive in the photo below I reckon they must have been taken in the 60's or around about that time.






These were the only two that came out on the second film:





Monday 7 September 2015

Favourite Customer Photo: August



This photo is from the very talented Victoria (aka Pukepie on Instagram), the front of the necklace reads 'que trépasse si je faiblis' which roughly translates as 'I shall die if I weaken'.

Women In Business: Brighton Style Magazine

I have recently been featured as one of Brighton Style Magazines Women In Business, you can read the interview below or head on over to their website to take a look at all the inspiring women who have been featured

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Kate Holden is the woman behind Oh Someday jewellery. She makes personalised jewellery and sells them through her Etsy shop, having taken her business from part-time to full-time in 2013.
Here’s what happened when we caught up with Kate to find out more about her recent leader role with the Brighton Etsy team, and where she finds her inspiration.
Oh and BTW, we just had to buy one of those Be Brave and Be Kind bracelets.
OhSomedayShed1

Tell us a bit about you and Oh Someday..

I set up Oh Someday Jewellery in 2012 and I’ve been running it full time since the end of 2013. Before this I had a part time job alongside the jewellery making, it was quite scary to leave behind the security of my other job but it was definitely the right decision and I haven’t looked back!

Have you always lived near Brighton?

Yes, although I’ve actually never lived in the city, throughout my life I’ve never lived more than 30 minutes from Brighton! I’ve recently become a team leader for the Brighton Etsy Team where alongside some other team members we organise talks, meet-ups, events and markets. I think Brighton is such a wonderful and unique place and will find any excuse to spend time there.

How would you describe the type of accessories you sell?

I mainly make personalised pieces out of brass and silver at affordable prices- so everyone can have a truly individual and personal piece of jewellery. Every piece has been made using traditional jewellery making techniques, I saw out each piece myself and they are all hand finished too meaning every piece is slightly different and unique.
bebraveandbekind

When did you start actually creating jewellery?

I started making pieces of jewellery for myself when I was in school but didn’t truly discover a passion for jewellery design until I signed up for evening classes to learn silversmithing about 5 years ago now. Learning about different types of metals and gemstones and how to work with them was so exciting to me and made me realise the design possibilities with jewellery are endless.

How did you find your niche?

I think really just by trying new things and seeing which pieces my customers responded to the best. When I first started out I had no intention of making personalised jewellery but through customer requests over the years it’s now the main part of my business and the thing I enjoy doing the most! I love hearing the different things people would like put on their jewellery and finding out the story behind why they would like those particular words is always really special.
PicMonkey Collage

Where do you get your inspiration from?

The jewellery I make is heavily influenced by music, nature and the people around me. I’m a bit of a daydreamer so most of my pieces are thought up when I should be in the middle of doing something else, or late at night when I’m trying to get to sleep!
Most of my favourite pieces have been commissions that customers have asked for. I loved making a pair of rings with the words ‘Noli Timere’ on them which is Latin for do not be afraid and were the last words of the poet Seamus Heaney.
leo

What tips do you have for others wanting to set up a local business in Brighton?

I think my main advice would be to just go for it! You can spend too much time thinking about doing things rather than just giving it a go.
I would recommend joining a website like Etsy where it is relatively inexpensive and simple to set up a shop. There are great communities on there that can help you with every aspect of your business.
Joining the Brighton Etsy Team has been really valuable for me and my business and I’ve met some really lovely people through it too. Going to the meet ups (which you can find out about on the Facebook page www.facebook.com/brightonetsyteam) is also really useful as everyone has tips and advice to share.
Etsy has also given me the opportunity to reach customers all over the world, which I think is really exciting!
Find out more and Kate and her jewellery here:

Thursday 20 August 2015

Etsy Blogger Sleepover


On Tuesday I took part in the Etsy Blogger Sleepover event! Etsy UK invited a group of bloggers down to Brighton to show them around this beautiful seaside city and then to come to the wonderful Lick Warehouse where a group of us Etsy sellers had set up work spaces to show how we made our wares! This was one of my first events as a Brighton Etsy Team Leader! As well as this the Brighton Etsy Team also put on workshops by Georgie St Clair and Karli from Designosaur. I took quite a few photos on the day and thought I'd share them below.

Here's my little work space:












Hello Dodo printed hundreds of these Brighton Up Your Day prints while we were there!


Georgie St Clair did a workshop where everyone made beautiful works of art from flower petals!


Karli from Designosaur hosted a workshop making colourful dinsoaur charm jewellery


The day was held in the wonderful Lick Warehouse,owned by Lick Yogurt (which is delicious by the way, if you ever get the chance to try some do!) here's a few photos from their space




It was so great to spend the day working with other Brighton Etsy Team members and see how they create their work! All the props and tables were made by Clare from In The Making Made , the space looked amazing! 

If you 'd like to see more pictures from the day and the bloggers weekend search on Instagram using the hashtag #etsybloggersleepover

Wednesday 19 August 2015

My Favourite Customer Photo: July


I love this photo by Decoherent_blue of one of my Be Above It bracelets!

Interview With Making Magazine

I was recently asked a few questions by the lovely folk at Making Magazine! You can read the interview below and there are lots more from other creative people over on their blog


Jewellery designer Kate Holden lets us in on her metalwork musings...


What first sparked your interest in jewellery making?
I started making pieces of costume jewellery for myself when I was in school but didn’t truly discover a passion for jewellery design until around 5 years ago when I started evening classes to learn silversmithing. Learning about different types of metals and gemstones and how to work with them really interested me and made me realise the design possibilities with jewellery are endless. I really enjoy working with metal and the idea of the permanence of it is something that really inspires me too.  
Be Above It
What so far has been your biggest achievement?
My biggest achievement so far has been going full time self-employed at the end of 2013. Being able to work for myself has always been my dream, deciding to take the leap was pretty scary but it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and I haven’t looked back.
If you weren’t a crafter, what would you be doing instead?
I don’t think I could be doing anything else! I’ve always felt the need to make things and I have to be doing something with my hands. I think creating things, anything, is so important.
IMG_7181 (2)
Are there any other crafts that you are passionate about?
I’m interested in woodwork and recently went on a woodland woodcarving workshop with Miscellaneous Adventures which was excellent. I’ve started making spoons but I definitely want to get better at working with wood and learning new skills, I’d like to eventually be able to make my own furniture and larger items. I also really enjoy taking photographs and love a good vintage camera.

What three words best describe you?
Independent, curious, optimistic

Tell us about your latest project
I’m currently working on my spring/ summer collection and making a few new designs that can be personalised. I love making personalised pieces and finding out the words that people choose to have on their jewellery is one of my favourite parts of the job. I also recently went on a metal engraving course, which I’m still practising, and hoping to be able to incorporate some hand engraving into my work in the future.
Lyra3
Where do you find your inspiration for new projects?
I tend to find my inspiration in the everyday to be honest. I’ll see an interesting shape when I’m walking around or I’ll be reading a book or listening to music and a particular phrase or idea will stand out to me and I’ll work from that. I’m a bit of a daydreamer so most of my ideas are thought up when I should be in the middle of doing something else, or late at night when I’m trying to get to sleep.

Tea and cake or pie and a pint?
It’s got to be pie and a pint. I’ve got cravings now, might have to have that for dinner tonight!
Sunday
To see more of Kate's lovely jewellery, head over to her Etsy shop
All images from shop and Kate's Instagram, @ohsomeday.

July Playlist

(I've got this) Sanctioned Blues by Ultimate Painting



The Bird by Kathryn Joseph



Mountain At My Gates by Foals



Kathleen by Samantha Crain

Tuesday 7 July 2015

My Favourite Commission: June



This one's not technically a commission but I just really wanted to share the amazing photo Ffion McKeown took of a necklace I made her as part of a swap for one of her stunning caligraphy pieces. The quote, "Tell me what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" by Mary Oliver, has become really important to me and I've hung it next to my bed so it's the first thing I see every morning. You should definitely check out Ffi's Instagram to see the rest of her beautiful pieces and photos!


June Playlist


Micachu and the Shapes - Oh Baby


C Duncan - Garden


The Lunchtime Sardine Club - Dollars For Donuts


The Heartless Bastards - Low Low Low, not new, but new to me


Young Fathers - Nest

Sunday 5 July 2015

Instagram Giveaway


I reached 1000 sales on Etsy, which is a bit of a milestone for me! To celebrate I'm doing a giveaway over on Instagram to win a personalised piece of Oh Someday Jewellery of your choice. If you'd like to enter head on over to my Instagram page, a winner will be picked from a hat on Friday 10th of July 

Wednesday 17 June 2015

Wildlife Photographer Of The Year


I had a look around the Wildlife Photographer of The Year exhibition at Brighton Museum recently, the photos are absolutely amazing and I would highly recommend going and having a look around if you're visiting Brighton at any time. 


There's also a section taxidermy and animal skulls on show which I took some photos of. The skull is from a Fennec Fox, which is also in the photo below from the exhibition, by Bruno D'Amicis. It was one of the saddest one's I saw there telling the story of poachers illegally selling them as pets to people in the West as there's a demand for them because they're so cute. On a side note the wonderful hand model in the photo is also wearing a couple of personalised rings I made (Thanks again for showing me around Kerrie Curzon! :D)


 


I also really love this chair display as you walk into the museum:


You can find out more about the exhibition at Brighton Museum here: Wildlife Photographer of The Year