Defining my destiny

Following only 2 glasses of wine and a re-run of Desperate Housewives, I lay in bed last night trying to calculate my own existential existance and came up with this formula:

Sum = Envisage people actually saying:
"She is a designer" &
"She makes beautiful jewellery"

So actually, whilst I think about what people think about me and my work, this diverts my attention away from negativity and focuses towards believing they view me in the most positive light that I have created. We are, after all, inexplicably connected!

Existentialism.

Simple, yet effective!

Am i falling behind?

Age thirty something, I am starting to feel like I'm being left behind within the electronic ether.
I have been checking out loads of different blogs today (in between having to entertain kids during school holidays) and I can't seem to work out the need for all these bloomin networks?
So Flickr is an online database for photos and negates the potential for a huge hardrive - I get that, it's very useful and allows me to make my portfolios more interesting with a slideshow effect.
And Facebook hooked me up with some old friends from school which was great given that I moved to the other side of the earth. But do I really need another account for my jewellery?
Then I'm obviously here blogg'en on blogspot, which I thoroughly enjoy (but sometimes need to step away)
But Twitter? Hmmm, do I really need to spend more time on the keyboard?
Believe it or not, I do actually have a life where real people live and grow outside of this matrix! And I need to keep an element of anonymity.
But if I don't do it, am I missing business opportunities?

Credit - Oh how I love The

This month, I decided to list what's making me smile like a cheshire cat!

1). First on the scene for the biggest ever Jon Ian Sale, bought in total 3 pairs of boots, 2 pairs of wedges (inc Lulu Guiness), 1 pair mushroom suede/snake peep-toes (perfect wedding material) + 1 pair of black leather summer comfies, 1 pair of bright red sparkly leather pumps (shopping shoes) + 1 never-ending black suede bag on the cc (credit card).

2). Spruced up summer wardrobe with M&S colourful basics on cc (again) + Miss Sixty Jeans from Littlewoods, hhhhmmmmm

3). Second hand caravan bought on a whim and a hangover, inc motor mover and all kitted out with summer melamine dinner wear. Every trip is now an adventure - perfect inspiration for some paintings

4). BarryM eye powder in 3 new bright-alicious colours & a trip to my favourite hair dresser

5). Cling-ons no longer requiring I wipe their little bots & i'm lovin their ages right now.

6). Lost weight and feeling great

7). Booked trip back to Oz to see family, be bridesmaid at best friend's wedding, and catch up with old schoolies for reunion

8). Agreed gal-pals long weekend on the razz in Spain

9). Had secret something done

10). The warmth of the Sun - PRICELESS :)

The universe...

You may have noticed that I have little quotations from various philosophers, mostly "Buddha" dotted around this blog. As a Sagittarius, we are known to be vivacious and frivolous, which works great at parties. But as an artist working alone, being on an emotional rollercoaster has fuelled my artistic juices and has moulded me into a deep thinker (no drugs involved). Otherwise, it could just be that time of life (of the crisis kind)! For instance, I have started to write poems?!?

I have always been a spiritual soul allowing me the wonderful ability to give back to the universe, unconditionally. More recently, however, I have drawn inspiration from Jean who posts enlightenment videos which I use regularly to keep me focused and positive and I thoroughly recommend them to anyone "searching" for more.

Check out the "Wellness Experience" on YouTube for spiritual well being, go to the bottom of this blogsite to view a video of "Colour" or go for a walk in a park or by the sea and take in nature and all it's glories.

Anyway, Jean, Thank you. I really am not worthy!!!

Technology, who needs it?

Whilst I have received a little bit of help from fellow blogger, artist and now friend Jean Dayton, who is way ahead of me in terms of technology (she is on everything from YouTube to Flickr) just so every one knows, I'm proud to say that I built this blog all by my lonesome. I only hope viewers are enjoying my blog as much as I am enjoying making it?

Hopefully you will be seeing the use of multimedia, now that I have finally come to grips with flickr, I can now make the pictures into videos (whaaaoooooo). I have so many pictures of jewellery now, I (well my husband) has had to set up a mega-gazzillion hard drive (whatever that means). And I am astonished at the amount of jewellery artists on flickr. It's certainly become a great resource and in fact, if you want to see some beautiful pictures, you really don't have to look far.

I am also amazed at what one can achieve without paying for it! For instance, I recently made a video short using some pictures of a weekend break and added it to YouTube. Of course, it's certainly not worth viewing, as I was only playing, but I can see it's potential (not my potential as a moviemaker you understand). And as my computer died for almost a week, not so long ago, I didn't know what to do with myself. How else would I keep up with what my friends are doing on facebook? I realise now, I can't live without it.

Technology, I so need it!

My Creations

When designing and making jewellery, I have always considered the valued opinions of both stockists and private customers. Unfortunately, we have become fast consumers opting for quick and cheap fashion fixes rather than considering quality, originality and purity of materials.

Have we forgotten about quality and what it stands for? The question is, can we really put a price on limited precious materials, integral design and quality workmanship? Does a piece of plastic provide the same feel good factor as a real precious stone? I do know that those who appreciate “luxury” products can tell the difference, and it's not just snobbery!

Perhaps it’s down to education before things will change. Of course knowledge is power, which is why I right these notes. Without compromising my genuine beliefs, I have set out the creative processes of crafting my little treasures…

And, imagine if you will that, without designers like myself, who would the mass-producing companies copy from?

Perhaps one might consider these notes before buying throw-away jewellery in future…

Concepts – Since tuning into my creative talent, designs have constantly flooded my mind, often causing sleepless nights and a handbag filled with scribbles on whatever writing material I could find, often napkins or the back of sales receipts. I am now far more organised and carry a note book!

The source of all my ideas remain locked in my mind until I find the right key (material), which I then turn into a piece of jewellery. I never make a piece I would not wear myself; the jewellery must be feminine, tasteful, stylish, colourful, original and wearable so that each creation enhances the wearer.

Time – The thought process focused on each concept is priceless as it’s the most important part and will define a great design. Unfortunately it’s also the least appreciated of any of the processes. Whilst I only buy materials that inspire me, a design may not come easily, often taking days, weeks and sometimes I will sit on materials for months until I get the idea completed in my mind before even starting to play with production. I very rarely have to draw it out, as this often suggests the piece is too complicated, whereas I prefer simplicity.

Materials – Choosing Gemstones, Pearls, Shells etc is a personal experience and one that requires an eye for quality and detail, ears to the ground for the latest market releases, and actually not constantly following the norm, but is always based on intuition. Even if I’ve exceeded my budget, there is usually something I just can’t say no to and I’m always thankful for those last minute decisions.

Some believe gemstones have magical powers and others believe when worn they capture your life-force. I believe they evoke memories and certainly have a mesmerising quality, when you view them carefully to see what’s inside, as there is more to them than meets the eye. Perhaps it’s just because they are natural, yet strangely so perfect, even if they have flaws or inclusions that I choose to incorporate them in practically all my designs.

The Pearls I use are all cultured, meaning they are cultivated in fresh water with a helping hand from the experts and every year we see something new like petal shapes this year. Ultimately I look for good lustre, size and shape, but bright new colours play are part too. Pairing pearls for earrings is extremely laborious and can sometimes take up to ½ an hour for one set, any longer and I tend to put them away for another day.

Production – Through pain, sweat, stress and sometimes tears, I handwire each piece into memoirs of my experiences, emotions and travels, hence I name them. Once a design concept is firmly thought through, I intimately set out the materials, checking sizes, colours, shades, quality of materials, carefully cherry picking each gemstone or pearl as if it were a diamond for a solitaire ring. I see such depths in each material and finally frame them into Sterling Silver to display each piece to my exact specification, sometimes dancing with various other precious metals like yellow gold when necessary.

Tools – My weapons of choice are my hands, for without them, I am unable to achieve such intricate details especially when wiring 0.3mm wires! Along with a simple combination of pliers, precision cutters, a good imagination and willingness to produce quality, not to mention years practicing each technique, is all that is required.

Courage, Spirit, Passion, Hard work and Sheer Determination –It has taken many years of dedication to the art of jewellery making to earn a prestigious title such as an Artist. As a Designers/Maker I pour my heart and soul into my work, contemplating and scrutinising each twist of wire and I never compromise.

Yet it’s not just about the work I produce, changing from a hobbyist into a commercial business has taken virtually all my energy, and it’s certainly not without sacrifice. I am now constantly evolving and steering the business, like a chameleon searching for the multitude of skills inside myself, so that I can improve each day.

Finally, it’s the delightful thank you’s from satisfied customers that keeps my dedication on track. Little notes that ping through emails, or hand penned notes pinned around my studio walls; I refer to from time to time. Not that I need enthusiasm, as I have plenty of that, it’s just a little reminder that I’m heading in the right direction, for one needs to consider what they have already achieved in order to move forward. After all, I am only as good as my last design.

I am, to this day, in search of that illusive perfect design.

New Season, New Reasons...

So the doom and gloom on the markets may be making us think more about how to gain the most from our money, but we still all need a bit of "feel good factor" to get us out of bed. And in a world of rules for rule sack, in my world of styling, there are no rules for classics, and classics are always key in any wardrobe, so you can guarantee the one piece you buy, will stand the test of time.

Thinking about how to keep the business flowing in the right direction in our current economic climate has allowed me to consider the reasons why we choose the jewellery we wear. I recall my Nana discussing how her family survived the Great Depression in Australia, she was from a wealthy family but had to sell some of the family jewellery to feed themselves. This old-fashioned ideal could never be more significant today and is why I have decided to move slightly away from fashion-led jewellery, for this season, as we have become such fast consumers, and rather edging backwards in time, to a more glamorous era when quality really mattered...

I have gathered all the best gemstones and natural pearls available to revisit my routes of cluster designs, similar to "vintage" revival, where elegance, extravagance and fashion collide. Bracelets and necklaces dripping with hundreds of individual components all fighting for the right to sparkle in the light, finished with ornate and fanciful detail makes these classicl pieces, ideal collectibles for the future.

Each piece is a labour of love, the time taken to handcraft these luxurious creations is more like full days (not hours) making them more precious, as gemstones and silver are commodities in their own right, and a good investment. For pure indulgence thus named the DELUXE Collection.

When you polish your style with unique jewellery pieces you get a real rush of freedom and vitality, like taking the top off your sports car when you've just set your hair, sitting on wet grass with white linen trousers, burning a beautiful candle rather than keeping it just for decoration, eating desert before dinner, to live and love, because we can. These are not just for special occasions, because everyday is special and we must cherish the moments we have.

All of these unique pieces have been designed for private customers, both here and abroad. Should you like what you see, please contact me directly via email or go to my etsy shop.

New Candle Recipe

Those of you who have enjoyed burning my aromatherapy candles, should by now know the benefits and amazing powers of pure Essential Oils.
After only a short, but successful time on the market, I am thrilled to introduce another of my very own scent blends called REFRESH... Made with Rosemary, Lime & Lavender.
The concept behind this blend was to create the ideal dinner party accompaniment. We love to cook and entertain in our home where many friends and family have sat around our dinner table and enjoyed the scents of my candles. This led me towards developing a specific scent for such occasions and I believe this new addition blends well when serving food. The trick was not to overpower subtle food smells, rather to compliment, perfect for welcoming guests, entertaining and may even stimulate intellectual conversation. But there are other benefits to this particular blend too.....
This wonderful mix of citrus and wood offers a clean feeling, so is perfect for detoxing, for self indulgent beauty days at home, or for enjoying that "spring clean" feeling without picking up a mop or cleaning cloth. Also, this combination of Rosemary is great for concentration and clear thinking, the Lime revives whilst the Lavender works to calm the nerves and so may aid study or brainstorming in the office.
All candles come in recyclable, eco-friendly packaging. This new scent will be available online soon and at specialty stockists.

Latest Press

The Western Mail featured my kitchen in their "Favourite Room" article by editor Charlotte Hayden, which you can view here.

Coloured Diamonds

Black Diamonds are the latest "craze" in the London jewellery scene at the moment, although I have been working with these for the last 3 years!
Unfortunately, as they are still fairly unknown, there seems to be some confusion regarding the Diamond Collection that I am showing on my website. Apparently, customers believe they are not real?
For the record, if they are called Diamonds on my website, and in accordance with Trade Descriptions, that is exactly what they are!
Most customers may not have seen Diamonds in this form before, but I can assure you, they are real Diamonds, just not cut like what you would see in traditional jewellery. They are weighed the same, in Carats, the difference is that these are beads i.e with a hole in the middle for threading, and obviously far less expensive.

Black Diamond 2 drop pendant Black Pearls on Sterling Silver, approx 5 Carats.

How? Traditional "cut" diamonds use only the best types of raw diamond leaving the rest for dust, literally (on diamond drills for instance). With the onslaught of colours to hit the market, and the ever expanding bead market's zest for new stones and cuts, the suppliers/cutters (mostly in India) decided to experiment with diamond beads, and has been the biggest product to hit the bead market since Precious Clay was introduced. At the last International Jewellery London Trade Fair in September, retailers were queing to purchase ready made necklaces (crafted in India) for the Christmas season.

2 drop Black Diamond and Labradorite earrings, on oxidised Sterling Silver.

Being a Diamond, the hardest substance known to mankind, they sparkle beautifully like a diamond should, but because they are mostly solid in colour, although they have inclusions and some transperancy, they don't have the "fire" of a traditional cut white diamond, i.e allows more refraction of light. Each bead is "roughly" faceted, to keep the price competitive and they are usually found in 2mm button shapes.

Yellow, Green & Brown Diamond necklet with short single gold pearl drop, approx 3.5 Carats in weight.

I handcraft unique pieces for each individual customer, in keeping with my signature and have several colours available including Black, Grey, Yellow, Green, Brown, exclusively cut into 1mm cubes. As the holes are so tiny, I thread 0.3mm wire, either Sterling Silver or Yellow Gold and each necklace takes a minimum of 3 hours to make, as all diamonds are individually wired to make a chain. I can also oxidise the Silver for a blackened finish, again very en vogue this year. Alternatively, I indispurse the individually wired diamonds with diamond cut chain, thereby reducing the overall price of the finished piece.

Layered Black Diamonds for sparkling "Harry Winston" Red Carpet moments!

Coloured Diamonds look amazing multi-layered, as a tight necklet or with drops of pearls, whichever you prefer and to your exact requirements. Please feel free to email me regarding these gorgeous and most precious gems only available from my online boutique, e:melinda@melindamulcahy.com. Prices start from as little as £45 for 30point earrings with drop pearls, so your not exactly breaking the budget.

The Gift

In this cold commodity culture
Where you lay your money down
It's hard to even notice
That all this earth is hallowed ground...
The gift keeps moving
Never know where it's going to land
You must stand back and let it
Keep on changing hands. --Bruce Cockburn

This week's inspiration, when all we are hearing is doom and gloom!

And always remember, "It's not how much you do, but how much love you put into doing it"

Here come the girls....

For some strange reason I am one of these girls who manages to spot new and interesting things before everyone else. Of course, I always share my news with friends. It's my sixth sense for high fashion.
For some, keeping up to date with fashion fads can be a rather daunting task, so I am happy to offer my services by letting you know my predictions and best picks for each season. Here are my top fashion finds for the imminent party season.....
Most exciting find so far is Barry M cosmetics, which I found in Superdrug, very well priced at around £4-5 and will glitterize you for perfect party power. I love the glitter gel eye liner in red, green, turquoise, silver and anything else you can think of. Not to mention their glitter nail polish, I had to have the red. Go to www.barrym.com for the most fun you'll have since the eighties!

The best place I have seen so far for, in my opinion, festive frocks is Monsoon, they have by far excelled themselves with the most colourful line they have ever done. Divine teals, greens, reds and not much grey or black in sight - YIPPEE! I picked up a satin Emerald Green dress for £85 which will be my top frock for the season.
The must have but ridiculously priced Lara Bohinc black and gold Suede Tatiana clutch - £595.00 is a good investment piece and will stand the test of time.
I great pair of ankle boots in bright purple suede, although I am currently lusting over the Chloe electric blue cut-out angle boots at £455. If you like the colour but not the price, go to Preen at Topshop's Boutique collection, which is about time as I am so sick of "Wafe Moss". And whilst you're there, new find Ashish do colourful sequin outfits to match the boots.
For everyday coats, go for long and black like the Moncler padded at £645, although I bought a fab long zip front from Karen Millen, which does the trick for windy and rainy school runs at half the price..
For the ultimate lip plumping lipgloss rather than cosmetic surgery, during my recent trip through Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, I found a new product called LipFusion XL which is a little pricey, at about £36, but I have to say works! Available via www.musthave.co.uk
Oh and don't forget to accessorise with a fab piece of jewellery like my long Constellations necklace and earrings from £30 available via my online boutique and at selected stockists!

Unusually styled woolly jumpers and knitted dresses are huge this winter. Oversized, or majorly textured with different patterns and cuts like Jil Sanders knitted dresses, and I love the Antonia Berardi bell sleeved kimono style cardi if you want to blow the budget. Otherwise go to Topshop for chunky shawls and cardigans. If all else fails, just get yourself an oversized cowl from Etsy which will do the trick.
If you just want to spruce up that tired LBD, get yourself some gorgeous Gothic Lace Leggins from Topshop for £22.
Bows, bows, bows are everywhere, oh and get yourself a hat, like the Nougat soft and cutchy Mohair knitted Beret with bow detail, in Mink (available at Ginger Lily, Malpas) £69.
And, I am not ashamed to admit that it really is worth checking littlewoods these days for good quality brands. They have certainly upped their game since their catalogue days.

one door closes, another opens

It's disheartening at times, bordering on slitting my wrists down right frustrating when, customers, usually stockists , decide not to restock my jewellery, as they have chosen a more lucrative path of "mass produced" brands like Pilgrim found on every High Street (ggrrrr) leaving no room for us little crafty "independents". Sometimes it feels like my coat tails are still trapped in the door just slammed in my face.
Strangely, similar to karma, another door always seems to open for me, like meeting Jayne or becoming email buddies with Jean, or finding another place to sell my jewellery like Etsy, or being invited to showcase at Celtic Manor events.
Someone explained early in my sales career the "when one door shuts, another opens" theory, which has held me in good stead remembering this and is my most valuable tool when working alone. The old saying "Your only as good as your last sale" I adapt to many areas of business including my designs. Perhaps this might explain why I am so prolific at producing new designs and why I choose not to have a signature style preferring to be a chameleon.
With the power of positive thought, I always seem to recover with a little bit of effort, survival mode and intuition kick in and I am able to see the new horizons everywhere. And actually, when I think about it, this happens in relationships too!
I don't like to say I never look back, as that suggests ignorance. Learning from a situation is always wise in business, but looking forward for new opportunities is far more exciting.....

Ginger Lily Opens

Last week saw the inaugural opening of my fellow jewellery designer/come entrepreneur and friend Jayne Wade's new shop called "Ginger Lily". Little surprise, according to locals on the night, Jayne's gorgeous shop has already made a real splash into the sweet little town.
Located on the main street of Malpas, Cheshire, after talking with the locals who joined in the celebrations, it's exactly what they wanted.

Jayne (right) with friend Alison and a local customer

As an independent shop, Jayne not only offers something different from the High Street, but also prides herself on supporting local talent, like myself for instance, along with her own jewellery brand "Jayne Wade", Dower & Hall, Nougat smellies and accessories, gifts, prints from local artists and much more.

Jayne's business Partner (right) with a customer

Of course, apart from Jayne and her partners, no-one was more excited to see the opening than me as Jayne bravely trusted me to produce the natural therapy candles I had been raving about, and was the first stockist to feature them. I was delighted to see how well received they were, literately walking out the door, with fabulous comments in tow.

Jayne's Sister with local Graphic Designer

I love supporting independent traders who support British designers, which are few and far between these days, but even more so with Ginger Lily, as I have seen first hand the hard work and courage it has already taken and I am so thrilled for her.
On the border of Cheshire, Shropshire and North Wales, it's a great place and idealic country town, so don't forget to drop by and take a look inside. It will be well worth it.

Not the best pic of me, with Jayne (left), but it had taken 5 1/2 hours to get there, leaving no time for fluffing myself up!

Ginger Lily can be found at: The Cross, High Street, Malpas, Cheshire SY14 8QX

Handmade

I have found the most fabulous website for all things handmade.

It's called Etsy and I have recently signed up to start selling my products on it.

Sellers all admire one another's work and it's more than a selling site, it's an international community of artisans.

You will find thousands of amazing items for sale and all handmade by the sellers themselves, like myself, so you are supporting individuals, rather than corporations!

So rather than worry yourselves over Christmas shopping this season, I suggest you take a good look. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Genius.

Candles NOW available online

Thanks to my brilliant web-girl, my new Aromatherapy Candles are now available to purchase on my website!

Believe me, they smell even more divine than the pictures portray.

These candles have been made with much love by myself, not to mention a great deal of time testing and researching to perfect the scents so that they fill a room.
At £13.50, you can't even say you're spoiling yourself, so try both scents and let me know which is the best!
Even more exciting, take advantage of FREE DELIVERY for purchases over £50.

Being Who You Are:

People of high self-esteem are not driven to make themself superior to others. They do not seek to prove their value by measuring themselves against a comparative standard. Their joy is being who they are, not in being better than someone else. Nathanial Brendan

In the news

I was asked yesterday to comment on Catherine Zeta Jones style V's Carla Bruni!

Here is the article link which made the front cover of today's Western Mail newspaper

Of course there can be only one, and in my opinion, CJZ wins hands down.

New Gold

Yellow Gold is certainly on trend right now and seeing as my choice has been Silver for over 17 years, I think it's time for a change.



I have decided to introduce a Yellow Gold line and I hope to progress this throughout some other collections so that I can please those staunch yellow gold lovers with my little treasures. Make sure to check into the website or this blog for more details.


Above: Keishi Pearl Hearts, Gold Plated Solid Silver Hearts & Swarovski Crystal Hearts extra long necklace, earrings and bracelet.

But don't worry Silver lovers, I have no intention of going over to the other side full time!


Bracelet of Keishi Star Pearls & Swarovski Hearts on fine Yellow Gold chain

Stars

I am thrilled to finally announce that my new season's collection will be available shortly on my website and via stockists named "Constellations"featuring stars.



Since YSL introduced their mega-star glass necklace in Spring, editors of fashion mags have been featuring stars at every opportunity, but, as stars are so hard to find in precious jewellery, editors have even been specifically requesting them from designers like me!

I have been searching high and low for star shaped Pearls and I have finally got my hands on them! Known in the trade as "Stellation" it was a real challenge to find good quality AND a good size, like these new Keishi Pearls just in.



Of course High Street brands have already mass produced dress jewellery featuring stars, but always edging on the side of caution, the precious jewellery market hasn't yet featured them, because I certainly didn't see any traders at the IJL (Int Jewellery London trade fair) with these gorgeous pearls as part of their Christmas collections.



One particular stockist of mine has been chomping at the bit to get her hands on these little twinklers and I will be dropping the new collection in to Bryl's Boutique, Barry, later today!

If you can't wait until they get loaded on my website, call the studio for more info on 01656 651527