Alex Monroe's New Jewellery Collection

Jewellery Designer and Previous Interviewee Alex Monroe Releases the 'Banquet' Collection

Alex Monroe Baroque Parrot and Fruit Necklace

I had the pleasure of featuring the very talented jeweller Alex Monroe in the November issue of Make & Sell Jewellery magazine, the last issue I worked on before I left. I had been after him for a while as my colleague on the magazine had one of his signature Bumble Bee necklaces, which I loved.

Alex Monroe Bumblebee Necklace

The design sums up his style; natural, detailed, unusual and with a little touch of whimsy.

He was ahead of his time as bee jewellery is becoming a big trend, I did a feature on it in the November issue of Make & Sell Jewellery.

I was lucky and managed to interview Alex for one of our regular features, How I Started, which was also in the November issue. As the name suggests, the piece is a look into how big-name designers began their journey. Alex was really interesting, funny and refreshing, plus he comes from Ipswich, so he's local to me. His story is fascinating; he's gone from being homeless to one of Britain's most successful jewellery designers.

Here's the feature in the November issue of Make & Sell Jewellery magazine.

Now Alex has released a new collection of jewellery called Banquet. It's a fitting title, the range features Baroque style pieces depicting delicious fruit and exotic birds. It makes me hungry just looking at it.

Alex Monroe Perching Parrot and Fruit Ring

Alex Monroe Split Pomegranate Necklace

Alex Monroe Split Peach Necklace

I particularly love the Asparagus Bundle Necklace, I never would have thought to include vegetables in my jewellery.

Alex Monroe Asparagus Bundle Necklace

Check out Alex's Banquet range, and all his other collections, they are beautiful.

I'm afraid the November issue of Make & Sell Jewellery is no longer out (due to my slowness at posting) but you can order back issues here. Or you could buy a current one, it's a pretty good mag, even if I don't work on it any more.

Happy December!

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Alyssa Smith Jewellery

Gingerbread men jewellery - Alyssa Smith

We've recently launched a new feature in Make & Sell Jewellery magazine called How I Started. It's a feature on an individual from the jewellery world about, you guessed it, how they started.

I've been lucky in managing to get some big names, including Alyssa Smith. She's got a strong celebrity following (Sheridan Smith and Dawn Porter to name a few). I thought because of this she would be too big to talk to me, but oh no, she was actually one of the nicest and funniest people I've ever featured.

Alyssa Smith

Happy Ever After Necklace - Alyssa Smith

She started her company straight out of university, even though she "didn't know how to fill in a tax form." Now she's a successful business woman. Her Tweetie necklaces in particular are popular.

Tweetie Necklace - Alyssa Smith

I think I like her best because when the magazine came out she posted this on Twitter:

'I put the magazines on the main stand and left all the pages open at my interview. Had to be done! :-D xxx'

Legend!

The magazine is out now so take a look.

Lou Gardiner, Free Machine Embroiderer

A National Treasure - Lou Gardiner

A great part of my job is getting to contact and write about stupidly talented people, one of them being designer Lou Gardiner. She creates amazing works of art using just a sewing machine. It's a level of talent that I'm in awe of.

Lou Gardiner

Pink Fizz and Feathers - Lou Gardiner

I interviewed her for one of our regular features on Sew magazine, My Sewing Room, which is a one page in depth piece on a person from the sewing world. She talked about her inspiration and her work with Sensations crisps, designing the logos for their new flavours.

Kettle Chips - Lou Gardiner

Also, she designs pictures of ducks wearing chef hats.

Bonjour Canard Cupcake - Lou Gardiner

She's now become a regular columnist for Sew where she frequently talks about her love of sherry, my kind of girl.

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Journalism Internship in Brasov, Romania.

Last summer I managed to combine two passions of mine, travel and writing, by undertaking a journalism internship in the Romanian city of Brasov.
The internship was a voluntary placement organised with the company Projects Abroad (www.projects-abroad.co.uk). I worked on The Village magazine, which promotes the real Romania to tourists and locals alike.

It was an amazing experience; I got to travel all over Transylvania, visit remote villages and meet inspiring people. I also had several articles published in the magazine. Unfortunately the English version is only available in print and not online, but I have written an account of my experience for the Projects Abroad website which can be found here: http://www.projects-abroad.co.uk/why-projects-abroad/volunteer-stories/?content=journalism/romania/victoria-richman/
For any Romanian speakers, or any one who would like to look at some pretty pictures of Romanian scenery, then please visit the website: http://www.revista-satul.ro/