2011 - The numbers

2011 has been a busy one as I think these numbers will demonstrate!

10 gallery exhibitions
13 fairs or markets
1 arts trail
2 trade fairs
1 workshop
1 new website www.judithbrownjewellery.co.uk
2 new blogs - this one on blogspot and also here on my website
1 new Twitter account @judithjewels with 489 followers (Thanks!)
2 new jewellery collections Vintage Lace and Vintage Petite
2 magazine articles, at least 5 mentions, and 8 blog posts Link
1000s of miles driven around the UK!
Countless the number of supportive friends, makers and customers
1 cute new nephew
and finally 1 tired Judith!

Happy 2012!

(PS if you enter Happy 2012! at checkout on my website you get

15% discount until 27th January)

Jewellery Focus Magazine - Alternative Materials

The other day I had an excited text from a jeweller friend, saying she had just read a great article about my jewellery in this month's Jewellery Focus magazine. Naturally I got straight on the phone to them for a copy! Read the article in full by clicking here.

The article features three makers who don't use traditional materials to produce their work. One of the other makers, Kate Hamilton Hunter recycles old biscuit tins into lovely jewellery. Earlier this year our stands were near each other at Top Drawer, in fact there were a few of us who became friendly and have made sure that we are next to each other next year too!

October - A busy month!

It's been a while because I've been so busy! In the last month I have finished designing my new website...

Which I launched to coincide with the Liverpool Design Show at the beginning of October. This was held in the stunning St George's Hall in Liverpool. Great to do a local event for a change, just 15 minutes in the car and back to my own bed at night!

The weekend after that it was the Vintage Wedding Fair in Chester.

 For which I designed a new display to show off my new Vintage Petite Collection.

This new collections is made with tiny vintage mother of pearl buttons and finished with pearl drops.

This necklace was won by Jacqui Hayes from Liverpool in a competition that I ran on the day.

Then last weekend was The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair in Manchester. It was a really really busy weekend with lots of vistors and a real buzz about the event. All the northern makers had a "Northern Lights" sticker on their stands to highlight them - that included me. I studied in Manchester so have an affinity for the city it was good to catch up with some of the tutors from my course all those years ago too!

So that was October, no wonder I'm exhausted!

November will be a busy month too.

See my up to date events listings on my new website.



A real FEAST for the eyes!

Last Sunday MJMAN ( Mersey Jewellers and Metal Artists Network) set up a one day pop up exhibition called "Table for Eight" at the Hope Street Hotel, Liverpool as part of FEAST - the Hope Street Festival


A table was laid with food inspired jewellery....



Some made with food elements....like these made from pistachio shells by Linda Jones

 From peach stones and silver by Elaine Jenkins



Brooches from recycled food packaging and spoons decorated with wire

by Alison Bailey Smith

Made with fish shaped soy sauce containers by Anthony Wong

Porcelain Witchity grubs by Dot Rowe

Flowers for the table made with petit four wrappers by Linda Jones



Tea inspired jewellery made with dolls house miniature crockery and cutlery

by Judith Brown

"Is there any more?" brooch

"Time for tea?" pendant

Ring inspired by lemons by Barry Swerdlow

The photo I took of Barry's display didn't do the work justice so here's a close up

We also had our other collections on display

Thanks!

Many thanks to Tony, Elaine, Linda and Barry for setting up and manning the display on the day, all your hard work is appreciated! I was lucky to be just a visitor for a change, and got to enjoy the fantastic table they had so beautifully laid out for us...a real feast for the eyes!

Design Show Liverpool

Elaine Jenkins and I will be exhibting at the Liverpool Design Show, St Georges Hall,  in less than 3 weeks time!

Mersey Jewellers pop up exhibition

"Table for 8" exhibition - 1 day only !
Sunday 18th September 12-4pm come take a nose!

MJMAN - Merseyside Jewellers are serving a delicious smorgasbord of wearable contemporary jewellery designs inspired by food and fine dining at the Hope Street Hotel,

as part of Hope Street Festival - Feast Liverpool

Scroll down for a sneaky preview of some designs.

Other collections by the Mersey Jewellers will be on display too.



"Life's a peach" by Elaine Jenkins



Barry Swerdlow -made with naturally yellow Piquia Amerello wood



Spoons by Alison Bailey Smith



My contribution "Time for Tea" pendant - Judith Brown

"Is there any more?" brooch - by me

Linda Jones - made with pistachio cases

Linda Jones - made with pistachio cases

 Table for 8 on Facebook

Wirksworth Arts Trail

Last weekend was spent in the lovely Derbyshire town of Wirksworth, taking part in the opening weekend of their annual Arts Festival. There was loads going on with artists and makers dotted around the town in homes, shops and other venues as part of an Arts Trail.

Work ranged from beautifully crafted objects like these giant ceramic and paper flowers

To more conceptual pieces like this shop window "Bland" supporting independent shops.

Do you like BLAND?

I have to say that whilst there was a wonderful atmosphere in the town, and a real sense of life and energy about that festival - sales weren't good. Times are hard for all, but if the energy created by artists and makers is to continue to bring life then sales need to be made!

Buy handmade and support British makers

 or live with the Bland!

Ok, campaigning over with! Back to the trail and my experience at Trail Venue 23 - Totley Antiques

Hosted by George and John of Totley Antiques on the main street, I was upstairs along with artist Louise Jannetta, who loves trees and paints and creates collagraphs. We also had one of those "it's a small world" moments, as we had exhibited in Buxton at past fairs in the Pavilion Gardens.

Totley Antiques from the lovely courtyard garden

The shop is an old tudor house, which means that it's quite "cosy", and I was "nestled" amongst antiques and paintings! I also had work in a cabinet too.

Good job I'm not claustrophobic!

Next weekend more of my work will be in another unusual venue. More on that in my next post!

Design Show Liverpool, 2 for 1 ticket offer code

Judith Brown Jewellery, Stand 52, St George's Hall

www.liverpooldesignfestival.com



The stunning interior of St George's Hall



Wirksworth Festival - 10th & 11th September

Art Trail

My next event is a new one for me, and a new experience too. I'm taking part in the Wirksworth Festival on Saturday10th and Sunday 11th September. There are many events including an Art Trail with around 140 selected artists and makers taking part and exhibiting their work in unusual places, from people's homes to shops and restaurants.

I will be in Totley Antiques on St John Street, the main street of this small but lovely Derbyshire Town.

I've got use of a cabinet downstairs and am planning to display my Vintage Collections (Vintage Noir, Vintage Mother of Pearl Buttons and Vintage Lace) along with some of the sewing ephemera I seem to be acquiring (like the lovely button sample cards in my last blog post) Hopefully it should complement the antiques in the shop.

I may even be able to incorporate some of the stock in my display I saw some nice Victorian jet beads which would look great with my Vintage Noir jewellery which I have made with black wire, hooks and eyes and press studs - the collection has a really nostalgic feel to it reminiscent of Victorian and Edwardian jet jewellery.

1930s card of Newey's hooks and eyes

Button heaven

I've found some great buttons recently. Like this great sample card from the early 20th century, probably the 1920s or 30s I think, for shirt buttons.

You can imagine some salesman carrying this sample card around to tailors and dressmakers and extolling the virtures of these buttons. It's amazing if you look closely, across the top are the different qualities of buttons from clear to strong to wavy and various combinations of these sadly I don't think the photos will show up the differences.

At the bottom are the different styles of shirt buttons, all of which I have met before when making earrings and bracelets in my Vintage Collection
But don't worry this card will staying intact!

Vintage mother of pearl button and silver bracelet 

Colourful buttons
I've been rummaging in boxes at a couple of antique fairs and have managed to find some lovely vintage coloured buttons which I will use to make rings and brooches like these.

A collection of these brooches are in my shop at madebyhandonline.com

1950s button card

Buttons from the 1930s, 40s and 50s