I'm so glad to see the back of June - the weather's been rubbish and work.... well that's another story but all fine now!
As it's the 1st of July I thought it would be a good time to do July's Feature and this month I've chosen to highlight Emma from Maybe Daisy.
Describe what you do,when you started doing it and what made you decide that was what you were going to do.
I make jewellery, mainly from old, broken, unloved pieces. You know, the kind of thing you find in the bottom of your jewellery box or down the sofa next to the crumbs, the 1p coins and the empty crisp packet that's a flavour nobody in the house actually eats... I take them to bits and mix them with other bits and pieces before lovingly re-making them into something you'd actually like to wear....I hope!
What makes you different from other people selling/ doing the same craft?
My pieces are unique, you're not going to see someone else wearing the same thing! Unless of course that's what you want, I did make four necklaces the same for a customer recently.
Where do you get your inspiration/ ideas from?
I find it helps if you have a glass of wine in hand! I've only been jewellery-making seriously for six months and I can honestly say I've never yet sat down at my desk and not been inspired by the bits and bobs overflowing from it. If I can't see something interesting on my desk, I try the floor, where I re-discover all those bouncy beads that I've dropped recently.
Do you do this as your business full time or is it just a sideline. If you dont do this as a job would you like to?
I work full-time as an online journalist for the Beeb, but would Love (yes, with a capital 'L') to do this full-time. It's tricky trying to balance work, two teenagers, husband, dog and cat with playing with beads. I won't lie to you, sometimes one of us runs out of clean pants.... or food!
Where do you make your items, do you have a craft room/ studio?
I share an office at home with my husband. He's on one side, I'm on the other and the dog usually lies in the middle looking confused. I'm a very organised person, but my side of the room is a tip. Hubby's side of the room is a tip. He often accuses me of messing it up, but that's not true, he's quite capable of messing it up himself. If we're both in the room at the same time, you can hear him sighing as bits of metal ping off the blinds in the bay window where I sit trimming them. He also looks disapprovingly at some of my pliers... that used to be his....that I stole from the garage! Occasionally a teenager stumbles in looking for food or clean pants!!
Where do you sell and how do you market yourself?
I tried Esty, didn't like it as much as the lovely folk on Folksy. I also use my own Facebook page -
facebook.com/maybedaisy - it's my personal one, there's just not enough hours in the day to have a fan one too! But feel free to offer your friendship!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
In a huge barn conversion, in my own craft room, husband playing with computers across the hall, house full of teenagers, wine in the fridge, dogs playing in our acreage. And all that's stopping me is a massive win on the lottery. (note to self - buy lottery ticket)
Do you have any advice for people out there who might want to start a craft hobby/business?
Go for it! What have you got to lose? If you like the stuff you make, chances are someone else will too, so share the love. Keep up to date with your books though! And buy extra pants because you'll get behind with the washing.
and last but not least this month's Random Question to Emma was... I
f you could invite 5 famous people round for dinner (dead or alive) who would they be and why??
Gary Barlow - 'Nuff said.
The actor David Boreanaz - (see Gary Barlow).
The architect George Clarke, because he is amazingly talented and lovely. My daughter is into interior design and he has advised her on a college project, and when I asked him to autograph a book for her as a surprise he was happy to oblige. Plus I want him to redesign the barn conversion I can't yet afford. And I did once see the outline of his bottom against a shower curtain on one of his programmes. It looked peachy.
Katherine Middleton (as was) because she just seems lovely and it would be interesting to see life from her side of the balcony.
And of course Katherine Brookes because she was nice enough to ask me these questions. :)
If you'd like to know about Emma you can find her on
Folksy or
Twitter
