Hashtag Chocolate Mimosa

When I started my business 15 years ago, I never imagined that social media would have such a massive impact. I started using Instagram in April 2014 and it has since become a leading platform for me and has helped me to grow Fran Barker Design into what it is today. For me, it's not just a way of sharing my work, it's a means of connecting with magpies across the globe and building lifelong relationships with them. Denise and I had followed each other for a while and had built a continuous stream of likes and comments before her husband, to my delight, purchased the Chocolate Mimosa ring from the website.  We're looking forward to collaborating on a piece together, for her shop, Manor Jewels (Instagram: @manorjewels), in the States. I hope to open up many more doors and relationships with like minded souls through social media. Its power to put people in touch with each other, all over the world is second to none and something that would never have been possible before these platforms were available to everybody. Thank you Denise, I look forward to working with you in the future. 

I asked Denise if she wanted to write a little from her perspective, here's what she said: 
"I opened Manor Jewels in September of 2016 and from the beginning I understood that social media should and would play a large role in my reach.  To be fair, I didn’t fully appreciate how far that reach would be - not only in reaching potential clients but also in networking and connecting with other jewelers and designers.  Instagram connected me to Fran Barker Design one day and I knew from the first scroll through her feed that I would own one of her pieces in my collection.  So when my husband asked me for ideas for Christmas, I sent him Fran’s way with a few ideas.  He chose the piece I loved most without me having to tell him.  He and Fran truly blew me away on Christmas morning and, since then, Fran and I have discussed a collaboration piece for Manor Jewels.  All of this would never have happened without the incredible reach of social media.  Don’t underestimate its power to connect you to those you respect and admire in their fields or vice versa.  Very grateful of the connection we now have Fran and thank you Instagram!"

Instagram links: 
Fran Barker Design: @franbarkerdesign
Manor Jewels: @manorjewels

Peacock in Patagonia

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I was asked to make an engagement ring for a gent called Seth in the USA.We looked for a beautiful labradorite that would have the perfect glow. Seth already knew he wanted the peacock style but wanted to incorporate a marquise stone, which was a fantastic choice as this works really well in this style. Once we found the perfect stone, the peacock design was delicately sculpted around that shape to weave the two beautifully into the peacock style. Whilst this is a very unique style of engagement ring, it will be a charming piece to wear every day and the stone will always glow in different lights. 

"The engagement was a success and the ring glowed beautifully in the light of the glaciers. I couldn’t have asked for a better presentation. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so flexible. " 

Pondering on 2017

Trying to round up 2017 in a single blog post seems like an impossible task. This year has seen huge changes, big improvements and a massive increase in custom designs.

When I took part time evening classes 14 years ago, I never imagined I’d be where I am now with the pleasure of making jewellery for customers all over the globe. With each new piece I make, more inspiration follows and I’m still as eager as I was back then if not more so. Jewellery has always been, and continues to be, my passion and the hidden story behind each piece makes my job all that more special.

2017 could be described as the year of the Mimosa. From the moonstones to the one-of-a-kind engagement rings, I’ve loved making every single piece and cannot thank my customers enough for commissioning such different pieces. 

This year I also introduced Katie to my workshop to organise everything from shipping to making the website run smoothly... and basically cracking the whip and organising my whole life! Working alone can be quite solitary, and having a workshop companion is an absolute joy. She's now become accustomed to Radio 2 (we're thinking about Radio 4), she's someone to bounce ideas off and is an eagle eye; if anything falls off the bench it's found within seconds rather than the hours it used to take me....that alone is priceless!

This year has taught me that if you stick at something, you’ll get there in the end and the long wait is so worth it. Thank you to all of my customers, past and present and to Katie, for making my jewellery journey so exciting.  Here’s to 2018 as a two man band with lots of new ideas, shared goals and  grubby jewellers hands.