A career in the Retail Jewellery Trade...

When I first started out on my jewellery journey around 20 years ago, I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, I bought loads of jewellery equipment and books from Warrington Collegiate.  They had closed down their jewellery years before.  I took my Dad and his van and for a small fee, took what I could.  As I rearranged the workshop recently, ready for reopening in January (we'll get to that in a minute), I found some of the older books I'd acquired, but never looked at. I have to admit, this one made me laugh. Oh how times have changed!

Anyway, hello, how are you all?  I really hope you're all keeping safe and well!  Lockdown 3.0.  It would appear this lockdown may be the longest of them all.  Have you managed to do anything creative with your time yet?  Are you making any jewellery? Or has homeschooling made you hit the gin?  Well, I've got an idea or two to help with the creativity side of things, so stay with me if you can and I'll explain all further down the email.

As you will know, I had hoped that The Fox Studios would be able to open in January, and with a bit of hindsight, it was probably a bit over optimistic.  The workshop was rearranged (there's a little video here if you've not seen it on Facebook or Instagram), I've made more space for everyone and added two extra permanent jewellers benches, made better use of the space, moved some tools around to make them more accessible (the pendant motor), added some new tables and was excitedly waiting for you all to return.  Those plans are all on hold at the moment for the foreseeable future, but the workshop is still ready and waiting for us to get back to making as soon as we can!

In the meantime, I've postponed all January classes and emails have been sent to everyone who was booked on.  I will be contacting all February classes in the next few days, but as you're probably already guessed these won't be going ahead either. I hope that you'll stick with me as I postpone them until it's safe to open again. 

Online Sketchbook Course	Just had to share...
I'm not quite there with it yet, but I am now collaborating with Liz from Martha's Grandad, to launch an online sketchbook course.  She's a ceramicist and a college lecturer teaching art & design as well as ceramics. If you find sketchbooks scary don't worry, I want to share loads of hints and tips of how to design jewellery even if you think you can't draw, magazines are fab, Pinterest, photocopies, tracing paper, there is loads of ways of being creative with a sketchbook and not having to draw! I'm hoping to put something together in the next few weeks *fingers crossed* so watch this space! Oh and I may put a little kit together too, to make it easier to find everything you need.	One of my Christmas pressies, Gold Dr Martins, they're perfect cheer me up around about now, thanks Mum xx

Chain Making 

A quick 'how to make a chain', Sarah was thinking of making chain recently and I thought I'd share my process.  I make my links (the ovally type ones) first, solder them together, then join them with a jumping and solder that together to make a set of 3.  Then join 2 sets of 3 together and solder...and continue until all the chain is finished.  If I get chance, I quickly photo a different way to do it for next time, or if Sarah ask's me for it sooner :)

Plans for the coming months - 

• New ideas for the aluminium kits - resists to use on the aluminium, templates to draw around, rubber stamp designs, and maybe pre-coloured sheets ready to use in your own designs (I'm just finalising the ideas).
• Zoom call for everyone that bought an Aluminium Kit, to share ideas, show some new ideas, share what everyone's made.
• Online sketchbook course.
• Toolkits, if you're needing some tools, then let me know, I've got plenty in stock at the moment.  Some maybe click and collect only, but others I can post out.
• Zoom calls for the weekly students (look out for an email about this if you were booked in for January classes).  I hope I can start putting in regular calls to kickstart everyone's creativity again, after a good catch up that is.  Have your mini rolls ready.
• I'm also thinking of adding Zoom 121 calls if you need some specific guidance on a topic.
• Oh and making lots of new jewellery.  I've started on a few things as you can see above.  It's funny, I still don't seem to have time to make jewellery at the moment, but I am working in the background with new ideas to get you all making again!

I'm sure I had some other news to tell you, but my mind's gone blank and I think I've waffled at you enough!

Stay safe and well and hope to see you soon.
Much love
Heather x