Jewellery Maker of the Year in wirework

Posted on 1st December 2009

The award ceremony at the Artisan show

Dear friends and customers,

Welcome to my new blog on all things sparkly and I start my blogging career on a high note as I have just been awarded the title of Jewellery Maker of the Year in wirework by Beads and Beyond magazine. I could not believe my eyes when I read the e-mail from the editor, Michelle Powell, telling me that I was on the short list and inviting me to the Artisan show at Leamington Spa for the award presentation. I arranged to stay with my daughter in England and she was as excited as I was on the day. Beads and Beyond magazine had laid on a delicious buffet lunch for the 24 finalists and it was a chance to meet and talk to like-minded people (jewellery-making obsessed, that is!). 

After lunch came the awards and I can tell you that I now know exactly how Oscar winners feel: the anticipation, the nail-biting wait, the mounting tension and finally the thrill of being recognized by your peers for your achievement. All the entries were displayed at the entrance to the show in beautiful tower display cases that visitors could walk round and I had the added pleasure of seeing the word “winner” displayed next to my earrings. 

But it was not just the kudos that went with the title, my prize was a substantial £500 worth of tools and supplies donated by the Shiney Company and it was like all my Christmases had come round at once. They had been very generous and included all sorts of hard to find tools that I had been coveting for a long time. So it has been jewellery-making heaven for me ever since. The prize also includes writing up two projects for the magazine so look out for that in the future.

And the winning entry? Well, it’s my Twirly Whirly Earrings which you will find as a tutorial in the jewellery-making section of the website. They require few tools and are very easy to make so why not have a try yourself?

 

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