Featured artisan - Magriet from Babushka Jewellery Design

Babushka Jewellery Design
I "met" Magriet through us both being sellers on Dawanda and asked her to write a little about herself and her jewelry. I know you'll enjoy her story. She's is just completing a silversmith class too - so expect to see some new ideas coming to her store!

Why Babushka?

I have been asked many times in the past why I have chosen the name Babushka for my jewellery label.

Babushka is a Russian word meaning "grandmother," or more generally (but quite informally) "old lady." It reminds me of my own grandmother who had lots of trinkets and as a little girl, I used to go through her jewellery box. She owned the most gorgeous jewellery, which she collected from all over the world. I used to adorn myself with all these amazing pieces, wearing them all at once and it made me feel beautiful and very grown up and sophisticated. I have since then inherited some of these beautiful treasures, which I hope to pass on to my own daughter and grandchildren. And perhaps for some of my own designs and creations to be passed on as heirlooms for generations to come.

Babushka for me symbolises beauty, wisdom and love.

Imagine my excitement when I came across some little Babushka beads. I have used them in a few designs, most of which have been commissions. But this is by far my favourite.



This unique bracelet includes a selection of green, red & purple beads, Swarovski crystals and gold plated chain tassels plus two Babushka beads made with durable porcelain, finished with a gold plated toggle clasp.

Turquoise Skies
I am often asked what inspires me when making jewellery. I know a lot of designers might see a lovely flower or a beautiful sunset, and immediately feel inspired to create something to capture what they’ve seen. I almost wish I could work in this way, but I seem to be the complete opposite.

I am very much driven by moods and colours. And I tend to be at my most creative when I just sit down at my workbench with no idea of what I’m going to make and I just reach for the colours that appeal to me at that particular moment. I feel this gives me a lot of freedom with my designs.

When I sat down to make this bright and fun turquoise charm bracelet, I was in one of those moods where I just daydreamed all day long about lying on a beach somewhere really hot, sipping a cocktail and just completely relaxing and letting go. I work in my summerhouse in the back garden which backs onto woodland. It was a beautiful day with the scent of jasmine in the air and birds chirping so it was inevitable for me to create something to capture this summer feeling. This bracelet features turquoise coloured glass beads and Swarovski crystals and each bead has been individually wire wrapped onto the silver plated chain. A matching necklace and earrings are also available.

Magriet lives in Kent, in England and does shows and house parties with her jewelry so if you are interested, do get in touch with her. You can find her and her goodies here:

My website: www.babushkajewellery.co.uk
My Dawanda shop: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/BabushkaJewellery
My Folksy shop: http://www.folksy.com/shops/BabushkaJewellery
My blog: http://babushkajewellery.blogspot.com/

Featured in DIY City Blog

Today I was featured in an online magazine - DIY City Mag. It was an interview about me and Birdland Creations, by Sara Millis from Sara's Texture Crafts. Thanks Sara, for including me! Here's a snapshot - and you can read the full interview if you click here.

Featured artisan - Rena from LilyCobWeb

I'm happy to feature another artist today so you can hear about her work and what got her into her creations. Her name is Rena Roohipour and her store is called LilyCobWeb. She has stores on Etsy and Dawanda.

I asked Rena to share with us something about her work....and this is what she said:

I’m fairly new to selling online, but not new at all to crafts and crochet. I first learned to crochet at the age of eight or nine. I was taught by a neighbour of ours who did beautiful Irish crochet, and I used to marvel at her skill and patience.

I stopped doing any handcrafts for years, with occasional forays into making christening shawls for family members. I came back to crochet about three or four years ago, in a very roundabout way……

I'd been an art teacher but decided I'd give that up for family reasons - ie I have four children! I’d started painting, loved it, but realised that my lifestyle was too busy to allow the time I needed. Then three years ago, I went to Boston to visit my eldest daughter who was studying music there. As I was walking down Newbury Street, I visited the Boston Society for Arts and Crafts Shop where they had a jewellery exhibition. And that was the first place I saw bead and wire crochet jewellery! I couldn’t believe you could crochet wire! I went straight to Windsor Button, on the other side of Boston Common, bought myself some 28-gauge wire and some beads and I was off! I made so much bead and wire jewellery and had no trouble selling it. I’ve since gone back to yarn and thread, but I still use beads and wire a lot to make my creations. I don’t exclude any material, and I experiment a lot! Crocheting leather is my latest favourite thing!

The beaded cuff in the photo is one I made for a commission. Beaded cuffs have now become quite a trademark with me. I love making them as they combine yarn, beads, wire, ribbon and magnetic clasps-all the things I love! Creating them is quite a challenge, as they have a lot of stages in the making.

Crafting is more precarious than teaching, but a much more fulfilling occupation. I struggle to get as much time as possible to develop my ideas, and get really frustrated sometimes when ‘life’ gets in the way. My time management could definitely be better!

Creating in the medium of crochet is very satisfying for me. Crochet always amazed me with its possiblities. It’s very sculptural and I love that. In a strange way, it links me to my childhood and my home. Rudolf Steiner, the educationalist, says crochet has a link to breathing because of its rhythmic qualities. It relaxes me and energises me at the same time! I love the design process, experimentation with new yarns and old ones, and playing with colour.

At the moment, I’m obsessed with leaves and flowers and ways to crochet them. I want to do a series of leaf pendants connected with Celtic tree lore.I like to feel a link to nature, and I think that finds its way into my work.

Selling online is a whole new challenge. It involves having a bit of business sense and taking good photographs, neither of which I’ve perfected yet. But I’m getting there!