Silver Clay Workshop

One of my goals for 2014 is to make sure I keep on learning.  With this in mind, at the end of December I decided to book a half day silver clay workshop with Emma Mitchell of Silver Pebble. I've seen silver clay jewellery before at craft fairs and demonstrated on television.  I'd always wanted to try it myself, so when I found Emma's blog through a jewellery magazine, I didn't hesitate to find out more and book myself on one of her workshops. 

Emma creates beautiful silver clay jewellery from her home in a pretty Fenland village.  Her pieces are all handcrafted and take inspiration from the rich landscape she calls home. 

A selection of beautiful Silver Pebble jewellery

So last month, after a relaxing drive through the Fens, I found the picturesque village of Reach and stumbled into Emma's warm and welcoming cottage.  Emma only has a few people at each workshop which meant it was a lovely, intimate gathering.   We had a pot of tea and a 'get to know you' chat before we settled down to work.

To begin with, Emma talked us through the origins of silver clay.  It is a wonderful medium, created using particles of fine silver.  Once fired it becomes so pure it can be hallmarked.  I have a little bit of silver smithing experience, but silver clay is an entirely different kettle of fish and is so much easier to get started with.  The workshop aim was for us to create a selection of charms that could be used for necklaces or earrings.  We had access to all the materials we needed and were supported every step of the way. 

The small number meant that we had lots of 1 to 1 time.  Emma was a great teacher, very informative but also lively, and chatty, making everyone feel relaxed and at home.  We were invited to browse Emma's garden for inspiration and the chocolate cookie break was a perfect opportunity to get to know each other better and reflect on our creations.

At the end of the day I went home with a delightful selection of charms.  I've not decided what I'm going to do with all of them yet, but some have already been given a purpose.  I still can't believe that I started the day with a little bag of what looked like grey Plasticine and in just a few hours it had transformed into these gorgeous pieces! 

Leaf and flower earrings, completed with a little help!

Bee charm necklace, with added Swarovski crystals

I'm not yet sure if I will be using silver clay in my jewellery ranges.  However, I will be purchasing some of my own materials for some personal projects and special gifts.  I'll be sure to blog about them when I do!

For anyone who'd like to find out more about making their own silver clay jewellery, I can't recommend one of Emma's workshops enough.  I had a fabulous day learning a new skill and chatting to like-minded people.  It's always so much more fun going out and learning from real people than trying to teach yourself from a book or video!   

Find out more about Emma's workshops here: Silver Pebble Workshops

King's Lynn Wedding Festival

Not many posts of late, but that's because I've been busy out an about at various events in our lovely home town.  The first was the wonderful King's Lynn Wedding Festival on March 9th.  We did the Festival last September and had a great day, so decided we should do it again.  We've drastically cut the number of fairs we've been attending over the last twelve months, but this one is one of the good ones, mainly because it's organised by such a fab team of creative wedding suppliers and it takes place in one of the most gorgeous, historic wedding venues in King's Lynn, The Town Hall.

The Stone Room at King's Lynn Town Hall

One of the great things about a local wedding fair is I get to tell all the lovely brides about my home studio.  So many times I've done fairs and been asked if I have a shop brides and can visit, that it has been lovely to offer them the chance to view the collections in private or have a leisurely discussion about bespoke designs.  I've already had more consultations than I'd ever dreamed of and I know the brides just love knowing they're supporting small local business too.  It's definitely been a good decision to stick to local events.  

I was really pleased with how the stand looked on the day, it took a bit of planning and has changed a lot since our first fair in 2011 (I've compared pictures, and there's quite a difference).  We were very lucky in that my sister has been letting us use her black display stand and we have some gorgeous images from shoots with Amy Lewin Photography and Katherine Ashdown Photography that we could put to good use as a backdrop.  The trusty heads and crates came out again, but this time I wanted to show off our pieces with the beautiful new packaging and branding we have worked hard to put together.  Finally we made use of some frames I had made last Summer for a craft fair.  They showed off the combs and headdresses perfectly and I couldn't have been more pleased with how we presented on the day.

Our completed stand

Jewellery display frames, reused for combs

Vintage headdresses on display

Lots of sparkle

New boxes and business cards

New pieces on display

Pearl and crystal band, part of our Vintage Inspired Collection

Headdress and comb boxes

We had a truly wonderful day talking to couples and chatting with the other suppliers.  This particular fair has a great atmosphere, down in no small part to all of the 'little extras' that the organisers add to the mix.  There was a fantastic range of live music to listen to, free drinks, goody bags, cake samples and a hog roast to try!  Now I feel a bit sad that we didn't get a chance to photograph any of the other stands.  However we thought we'd add a list below of some of our favourite suppliers from the day.  If you're planning a West Norfolk Wedding then please take the time to check out these talented people:

Rebel Heart Photography - Wedding Photography

The Bottom Drawer Weddings and Events - Wedding Planning

The Little Lending Company - Prop Hire and Styling

The Town Hall - Beautiful Venue

Hairaid Shelter - Hairdressing and Glamour Make-Up

Twisted Melon Promotions - Music for your Big Day

Can't wait for the next King's Lynn Wedding Festival! 

Melissa

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Competition Winner!

You may remember, sometime ago, in October, we launched the new blog with a competition to win one of our bee and semi-precious necklaces.  The piece was chosen because it reflected our new branding and colours perfectly.

Well,  I find that here, I must apologise profusely for not announcing a winner at the time when it was stated that we would.  I had no idea how busy we would become over Christmas and the blog competition genuinely did slip my mind.  I've learnt from this, from here on end we will refrain from blog competitions until I either have more time, or less going on!  

However, it would be wrong to simply ignore it and not pick a winner.  All still seems to be fair, as all entrants commented before the closing date and I'm sure none of them would turn away their rightful prize, even if it is a little late.  So it gives me great please to announce that Alana Lawton is our lucky winner!  We hope Alana loves our bee necklace as much as we do!  

Our week...

One of our new year's resolutions was to make sure we update the blog on a weekly basis.  Well, we're starting as we mean to go on and whilst there isn't always time for long posts, I thought you might like a little peek into what we've been up to this week!

It's been a tricky one.  I've been back to work and trying to get a hold on all the things I want to do this  year.  There have been a lot of enquiries to answer, bits to plan and I've been annoyingly tired.  Some nights I've done only the necessary jobs and pushed the others into the next day.  It's not a great start BUT I do believe that sometimes your body craves a rest because it needs a rest.  It's always worth remembering...

...having rested, I feel better and have much more energy to crack on in the weeks ahead.

So what did we fit in?  

A rose gold obsession developed over Christmas, and this week I ordered and received some gorgeous rose gold findings and beads that I plan to use for the new collections.  Rose gold and blush is a big bridal trend for 2014 so as well as some everyday pretties, like these Swarovski pearl and crystal earrings, we're putting together a small rose tinted bridal collection. 

Rose gold plated earrings with Blackberry Swarovski pearls and Cyclamen Opal Swarovski crystals. 

We've also been busy getting photographs ready so that you can purchase our bridal jewellery on Not on the High Street.  This should make things much easier for brides as ordering the simple items directly can be a lengthy process for us and our customers.  Soon it will be an easy few clicks for everyone!

Swarovski pearl bridal earrings with diamanté rondelles, in crystal white. 

Swarovski crystal bridal earrings with diamanté rondelles, in clear crystal. 

Finally, we wanted to share this great feature in the recent Norfolk and Suffolk Bride magazine.  The fabulous Emily from Love Moi Make-Up organised these shoots and we loaned some of our vintage pieces for a few of the 'looks'.  We had no idea that they were going to be in print until we saw Emily share the magazine.  This week we got our hands on our own copy.  Little things like this make us so proud!  Whilst flicking through the magazine in Tesco, I wanted to shout to everybody, 'Look!'  

It's another one of those little triumphs on the road to success!

Melissa Morgan Designs in print

We hope you had a fabulous week too, we've already got the to-do list written!

Melissa 

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Sale Time

January is a great time to get rid of the old and crack on with new.  Here at MMD, I've got boxes full of things that I sorted when we moved out of our old home and then nestled into the new studio.  Some pieces I plan to take apart and others just need a new place to call home.  There are all sorts of reasons to have a sale and having a good old clear out is an extremely good one.

Whilst we reported sell out lines over Christmas, there were one or two lines that just didn't shift.  There's no way of predicting this, some of these 'slower' lines were the ones I personally loved and made for myself.  Others that I wasn't so sure about, were enormously popular.  Well, the money has been spent on the stock now, so what's the harm in getting rid of them at discounted prices?  Customers get a good deal and I'll get some space!

Find our latest discounts on our NOTHS Store front by clicking here.

I've also made the decision to get rid a few of the 'ranges' I once had, to make the business easier to run and to make it clearer to our clients what they can expect from MMD.  As a result of this, throughout January you can expect to see some reduced gems exclusively on our facebook page.  These will include a few vintage headdresses and our selection of vintage jewel earrings!  It's definitely worth stopping by to find out when these flash sales will be popping up, as I plan to make announcements just a few days before each sale.

I'm hoping that these sales and offers will keep lots of interest in the business over January, a month that can be a tricky one in this industry, and hopefully bring some new faces to our family of valued customers.  If you have a creative business, having a sale could be your key to keeping things fresh at the start of the year, so why not try it out?

A New Year

The 1st January marked three years since I decided to start Melissa Morgan Designs.  I didn't start it with any particular goals in mind.  I'd made a few headdresses and thought I'd set up a facebook page to see how much interest they got.  Whilst it didn't feel like it at the time, it was a slow start.  I watch fledgling businesses now and they seem to burst out from nowhere and get everywhere in no time at all.  Personally, I didn't have the confidence, knowledge or money for this.  I didn't have any funds at the beginning, and so many people seemed to believe that making any kind of profit creating wedding jewellery was such a silly idea, that the thought of risking money on it was absurd to me.  What I did (and still do have) is perseverance and that's the one thing that has bought me this far.

Things built gradually.  After a few bespoke orders and sales in an etsy shop, I made enough to buy new supplies and try out a few wedding fairs.  Sales grew and I started to find the best materials to use, learn the easiest way to do things, network with other creatives and develop my business.

For the first two years there was no profit.  I worked purely for the joy of knowing I was building and creating.  Getting home and busying myself with my business was fun and getting positive feedback from those around me was empowering.

This year saw a turning point, with MMD making slightly more money than I needed to pump back into it.  Not a fortune, certainly not enough to live on, but enough to make be believe that maybe, just maybe, this business could really be a business, not just a hobby with a bit of profit.  This year MMD paid back the small loan for setting up with NOTHS, furnished the studio and added the last injection of funding to make our house move possible.  I rewarded myself with a shopping trip, a new piano and our final splash of 2013, a new sofa.  Small things yes, but things that have been purchased from our sweat and tears, our hard work, our many, many hours of hard work.

So now we can see a profitable business, it changes everything. But this means how we run things needs to change.  No more 'going with the flow' but more practical, sensible  approaches to business.  Ruling with the head a little more than the heart.

With all of this in mind, we have some 'resolutions' in place for 2014...

Set targets for sales, monitor these and react appropriately

Targets have played a big part in every job I've had, and yet I've never put them in place for MMD.  This year is all about target setting and reacting if/when the targets I've set aren't met. And of course, adjusting the targets if they seem too easy!

Keep the blog up to date

The last few days I've really knuckled down with the blog and I've found it so therapeutic.  I've learnt a lot from trying to organise my own thoughts.  I plan to be realistic about how often I can post, but stick to at least twice a week.  The blog is the home of MMD so it needs to be updated. I will remember that not all posts need to be long and wordy, sometimes just an image is enough. It must be fresh and up to date. 

Increase our number of facebook likes

So much of my business comes from facebook that continuing to grow our family of likers is really important.  Over the Christmas period I've watched how some really successful business owners create interest in their page and whilst I do post regularly, this year we'll be pushing facebook even more.

Create 'collections'

I've always approached making and creating as a bit of a game.  Selecting some sparkly things and seeing what will happen.  This year I will be taking a step back, and creating collections of items that work together, planning a little bit more.  I hope that this will add a professional edge to our offering and make it easier for our customers to find what they are looking for. 

Learn new skills

I'm a firm believer that learning should never stop, no matter how old we get.  This year I already have plans to learn pearl knotting and how to work with silver clay.  These skills may or may not find their way into the business - but I know I'll have a lot of fun learning!

Read more

I never read enough, of any material.  This year I'd like to read more for pleasure and for the business.  I've seen some recommendations for business and social media books that have already made my reading list and I plan to continue sourcing the best information and advice the web has to offer for small business.  Seeing the successes others have and how they got there is inspirational and incredibly motivating.

Don't let the 'bad guys' get me down! 

There's at least one out there, another business, trying to get me down.  Well it won't happen. Someone very wise told me that it's when you start to annoy others that you must be doing something right.  I don't run my business like I'm an entrant in a last one standing competition.  It's not healthy.   This year I'm not going to let anyone spoil things. 

2013 Highlights

Highlights of 2013 are popping up all over my news feeds so I've decided it's my turn to reflect upon what has been a magical year for Melissa Morgan Designs.  It's therapeutic, I feel, to look back and remember the great times of the year gone by and also to evaluate and learn from those things that haven't worked out so well.  Yep, not everything works out, and it's only by trial error that we can learn.   Bet let us not dwell on those, fortunately, we've had some truly amazing moments..

Here are our highlights...

 Photoshoots

We took it upon ourselves to organise a little shoot at the beginning of the year.  The gorgeous Zoe kindly modelled for us and the super talented Amy from Amy Lewin Photography worked her magic behind the camera.  This is one of my faves:

After this we were very proud to have been asked to supply pieces for numerous shoots throughout the year. We worked with some of the best local industry talent and got to visit some memorable locations along the way.  Seeing the headdresses and jewellery modelled on real, beautiful ladies always brings a smile to my face. 

Sennowe Park Shoot, Amy Lewin Photography for Raspberry Wedding Blog, with Love Moi Make-Up

Godwick Hall Shoot, Amy Lewin Photography, with Flower 30.

Sedgeford Hall Shoot, Rebel Heart Photography, with Norfolk Brides.

Hair and Make-Up Inspiration Shoot, Rekha Garton Photography, with Love Moi Make-Up and Hair by Tracey Ward

Happy Valley Wedding Venue Shoot, Rebel Heart Photography, with Vintage Deli, Norfolk Wedding Festivals and Faerie Wishes.

Bespoke Pieces

My favourite part of the business is without doubt making bespoke pieces for brides and their attendants.  This year we had some challenges but so much fun making unique creations for our beautiful brides.  Some of our favourites:

 Maddy's floral crown

Elizabeth's 'Mrs' comb and co-ordinating jewellery

Jennifer's brow band

Gemma's flower girl jewellery

Sioned's vintage 'something blue' combs

Karla's acorn accessories

Everyday Jewellery

In 2012 we were invited to sell with Not on the High Street.  This led to a huge increase in bridal accessory sales, so early in 2013 we took the plunge and asked if we could sell our everyday items alongside the bridal lines.  Within a month we had sold all of our vintage stock from the increased traffic to our page and our jewellery lines were a success too.  We built on this and have re-launched the range as 'Melissa Makes'.  Our Christmas range had many sell out lines and we are so happy to report our busiest month ever.  Adding a wider variety of products to the site was the best decision we made in 2013 and we're already well on our way to planning the 2014 collections - keep watching!

The Studio

The first two years of MMD were run from our small (and crowded) spare room and/or the living room floor.  As we've grown this became a difficult set-up.  I was always having to tidy away the pearls and wire, never had enough room to store my bits and pieces and photographing products was a tiresome task.  Added to this were many requests from brides to come and visit, browse the collections and discuss their orders.  Whilst we had many a bride welcomed into our home and non seemed to mind being in our living room/dining room/kitchen (open plan), it didn't feel quite right.  This year we were very, very fortunate in that our dream to own our own house came true.  We've had a lot of work to do but along the way found time to transform one of the rooms into a cute little studio, solely for the work of MMD.  It's a joy to be in, a beautiful, creative space and I absolutely adore it.  We've already had our first consultation and the feedback has been great.  I plan to post more about the studio in future weeks, so for now here's a little peek of the art work that sits by my desk:

A Wonderful Wedding Fair

We took a brave decision in 2013, and only attended one wedding fair.  After being at so many disappointing events, we felt the work and expense was sometimes not equal to the business gained.  There was of course, a risk, that we might see a dip in business over the following months, but luckily this hasn't happened - probably because the fair we did chose was an absolute cracker!  Organised by Norfolk Wedding Festivals , the first King's Lynn Wedding Festival was held at the Town Hall in King's Lynn and it turned out to be a truly memorable occasion.  We found the halls full of friendly faces, some familiar, some new, and the atmosphere was electric.  The place was packed and the brides were queueing at the door.  Massive congratulations go to the organisers - we are looking forward to returning in March 2014!

 Friends

And so to my favourite part of the whole year.  If MMD fell apart tomorrow, of course, I'd be heartbroken but I know I'd be left with some pretty wonderful new friends that I wouldn't have had if I hadn't embarked upon this business journey.  2013 has strengthened old friendships and brought some wonderful new people into my life.  I won't mention names, through fear of leaving anyone out, but I sincerely hope you know who you are.  Thank you to you for your continued support and inspiration throughout the last twelve months.  It can be lonely doing this on your own, and the connections we make along the way most definitely make the ride a little easier.  

Image, Norfolk Wedding Festivals


So there they are, the highlights of 2013.  There have been a few more gems, that I plan to share in more detail in 2014, but those above really help to build a picture of what it's been like over the past 365.  If you haven't already, please do take the time to reflect on the successes of your year - I promise you there are some and once you realise how many, it makes you feel tremendous!
Wishing you all a very, very prosperous and happy new year!

Melissa
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