MAKE IT FUNKY

Perspex Jewellery Artisan

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The Electric Ballroom in Camden (London) All set up and rearing to go - bring on the party people!

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Poetry from the Streets of Shoreditch in London

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Here’s another idea for DIY jewellery display - on a budget.

I started with a cheap plastic bust I got from Ebay (£14). To give it a more interesting texture I thought I’d paper mache the front.  This time I’m leaving it white but in future I might paint it silver or gold.  One time wasting thing I did, was start with a layer of newsprint (what was I thinking!?) - save time, start with white paper.

After I did the front I thought the back looked a bit dodgy… then remembered some old magazines I had (bit of a lightbulb moment), cue PVA glue and a lot of childhood-memory-inducing moments of sticky fingered joy.

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Fun with Pespex! So one thing I've noticed is that I have to be careful not to press too hard with the heat resistant gloves when handling hot/ soft Perspex, as it marked the surface; it got me thinking. Came across some wooden stamps at Camden Market in London yesterday. Pretty chuft with the results. Think it'll be a great way to add texture to designs and pretty much anything could be used. I'm thinking: lace, leaves, wire... I heated a piece of Perspex with my heat gun (but you could easily do that in an oven at about 160 for 5-10 minutes) until soft. Then I placed it on a glass coaster (i.e. clean, flat, heat friendly surface) and pressed the stamp in until it cooled. Still experimenting with how it reacts to spot section heating but think this technique has real potential. Love it when a vague idea comes together;-)

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New Kit! Very excited by my latest purchase. Today I bought a Pendant Drill from S&M Tools in Hatton Garden. Thanks to Laura of LaParra Jewels for the tip. When looking around at various drills I thought I'd have to spend around £250 - £350 for a basic model, but this one was only £99 + £25 for a heavy duty stand. It come's with a wall-hook attachment but that wouldn't work with my set up. The hand piece ('drill holdy bit' for those of you who need the technical term) has a quick release chuck system, so no messing about trying to find the correct collet - pure bliss! Oh and it comes with a 1 year guarantee. So, I have to seriously recommend S&M Tools. I've spent a small fortune there in recent years - because they have a great range of low to mid budget tools at really reasonable prices. The owners are quirky, friendly and a little eccentric, in the nicest possible way.

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It's been an amazing week at the Craft Central Pop-Up Shop. The pleasure of working along side my fellow designers, meeting the public, and seeing what people are drawn to is invaluable. The sales were rather nice too:-) Also, my time with Thor & Wistle has taught me so much about the business of sales - it's been easier to relax and enjoy the moment. Im inspired to do more and plan to check out Camden and Greenwich Markets as possible regular outlets - Starting next week. A big thanks to the friends and family who made it to our late evening - there's a picture above of my Mum and Mother in law - first to arrive, last to leave. That's how it's done! Actually wine has played a big part in the general gayety of this week...well we are the Empire of Indulgence, it would be rude not to really;-)

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Great news - all the effort was worth it! My new Siren Curve - Shell Ring sold the same day I put it out. Just been working on a new one today, in Bronze £49.

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Killer curves...straight from nature. This ring is part of my new collection, Siren Curves. Launching at this evening's late viewing of the Empire of Indulgence pop up shop. Should you be in Clerkenwell Green, London, between now and Sunday - pop in for a looksee.

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It's 11pm Saturday night, I sit here typing this from the comfort of my sofa while Chase and Status bring the house down at Glastonbury 2013.  Gawd bless the BBC tv coverage for allowing me to feel like I'm there...whilst surrounded by lifes little luxuries, sipping cocktails and blogging.  Turn the lights down low and get your head banging!! 

So, leaving the saddo-stay-at-home behind for a moment, and getting back to a/the point..... In preparation for next week's pop up shop I've been playing around with some display ideas.  This 'ring display book' idea is a variation of something I saw on pinterest (will try to find the link and update this at a later date).  

The Pin I saw showed an old book with the pages rolled, but the book I had was so knackered that I thought I should cover it completely.  I picked up several tome like volumes from a car boot sale in a couple of months ago, and lugged them home (about 50p each) with a view to using them for photographic props. 

I think the pictures (above) pretty much tell the story, but in brief; I used slightly watered down PVA glue, ripped up some old magazines...stuck bits on.   I would like to tidy up the edges with some complimentary coloured tape, but I don't have any to hand so that will to wait for another day.

One other edition to the original design was the perspex holder which was quickly made with a rectangular off-cut I had.  I bunged the perspex in the oven (Jamie Oliver style), about 170 C, for 10-15minutes, until malleable. Then, wearing heat resistant gloves, I just bent it around the book and held it while the perspex cooled.  

I found the decoupage (that's fancy for 'glued bits of paper') holds the book open to the right angle if it is placed that way while you're gluing, then allowed to dry in that position

I reckon the perspex holder (whilst not especially necessary in the short term) will add to the lifecycle of the display by protecting it from knocks.  As well as being a stable platform, it also add's (to my mind) an aesthetically pleasing element to the design that makes all the difference.

And on a Chase and Status/ Glasto update - I'm getting sick of " Glas-ton-bury Make Some Nooooiiisse!!"

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The Empire of Indulgence, is here to tempt you.

London based designer-makers, Norma Gaytan, LaParra Jewels and Made Audacious - by Rachael Chapman (formerly Make It Funky) are proud to collaborate and bring to you The Empire of Indulgence pop-up shop.  

Embrace the frivolity of want - for one week only (1st - 7th July 2013) at The Corner Shop (21a Clerkenwell Green, EC1R 0DP) you can enjoy the launch of new collections and one-off sample sales.  

Open Daily 11.30 - 19.00, or come along to our late viewing (Thursday 4th July, 11.30 - 20.00) and enjoy a glass of wine, chat to our designers, try on jewellery...and not even try to resist temptation. 

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Yeah, you know that new name....

...That I banged on about in my last post - well, I changed my mind, again.

Sooooooo drum roll (again) please - from this point forth Make it Funky will now be called....wait for it..... Made Audacious - by Rachael Chapman.

Just ordered some business cards so that's how it's staying...for now.

Honestly, a little bit of knowledge can be a bad thing sometimes.  Knowing how important the right name is, I've been in a spin for months trying to think of something.  Made Audacious sits well with me.  The test will be next weeks pop up shop and launching to friends and colleagues... then of course all that's left to sort out is new social media accounts, email, domain name, website, product shots, press releases.......

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Max, Relaxed This is my friend Jessie's dog - knackered after a walk though the cemetery yesterday. With only 3 legs a bit more effort is required.

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Times they are a-changing...

I've handed my notice in at Thor and Wistle.  Alas I need to return to full time employment within the corporate world.  I've learnt so much in the last year and a half and will still be making and selling jewellery in the weekends/ online.  The issue is (as ever) cashflow, my husband has also been out of work - it's been lovely spending so much time with him in our domestic bubble but times are tough....going gonna rough...or some some cheese.

I'm totally at peace with the decision, it feels about right.  I think I've learnt enough about the manufacturing, making and selling process to continue small scale, while taking the pressure off of myself to make a living out of it.

I have plans to do more courses too; desperate to learn CAD design and more about wax carving.  The great thing about learning the art jewellery making is that there is no used-by date.  I've probably go another 30 years of creativity left.

The necklaces pictured above are re-tweeked designs. The Bangles slightly older. If you are interested in purchasing any of the pieces you see here, email me directly: [email protected]  

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The Joys of Jigsaw!

Does anyone else have moments when you discover something new then wonder how the hell you were so stupid not to figure it out sooner??  That's how I felt after my husband schooled me in cutting perspex with a Jigsaw (Electric hand-saw thingy).  

In my head I thought it would crack the perspex or the blade would go so fast the perspex would melt.  Yay, none of that happened! The wonders of fast, easy to cut, straight lines are now at my finger tips.  The threat of loosing said finger tips just ad's the mystic of it all....I guess.

The reason I'm in the midst of a make-fest and working on new designs is a potential market spot, this weekend, at Cabbages and Frock's, which is a craft market in Marlybone, London.  Keeping an eye on the weather forecast before committing.

I'm planning this latest selling adventure with 'Empire of Indulgence' buddy Laura Parra. for those not in the know - Empire of Indulgence is a little collective of Jewellery Makers who met through Holts Academy.  Some of us are teachers there and some are ex-students.

I've also go another pop-up shop, for one week, in June or July....obviously I need to find out a little more information on that one:[)

Blog Images: S'all about a work in progress. Sorry, the lighting in my basement flat is terrible - it's on the top 3rd of the to-buy list...that I don't have any money for at this stage.  Nay bother, one of these days we'll get there.

Bye for now. x

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Don't take the message to heart This cheeky little piece of street art caught my eye the other evening. Despite the fact I was running late for a gig and had everyone's tickets on me, I couldn't resist a moments pause to snap a pic.

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More art from the streets of Shoreditch. 

I love my Iphone5 - it gives me so much more photo snapping pleasure, and I always have it with me.  These images were all taking on the wander between work/ train/ lunch.