Monday 11 January 2010

Belated New Year




It all went by so quickly...and now here we are in the second week of Jan....with lots of snow.
The dogs loved the sledging.

So I am taking advantage of the fact that I cant go out anywhere.Top of the agenda is to finish a decoupage screen commission for a lovely customer who is a Physic Artist.The screen is Japanese themed so I have spent the last few weeks finding images and cutting out 100's of Japanese ladies.koi carp and rural scenes. The back of the screens are crackle glazed with a border of Japanese woodcut flowers and butterflies...I hope Sally likes it!!

As time goes by so fast I have already started preparations for my stand at the Spring Country Living Fair in March.

I have managed to find some reclaimed pine shelves over the weekend that originally came from a cheese factory,you can still see where the cheeses were left to mature...and smell them still.Lets hope the aroma fades before the fair.

There are lots of new and exciting gift and homeware products in production at Jo Verity Designs for 2010 these include bud vases, coasters and mobiles to name but a few.

Off to visit Top Drawer trade show at Earls Court on Sunday...weather permitting...to check it out for later in the year possibly.

Anyway screen waiting.

Wednesday 16 September 2009

Silly Show Season


Since my last blog I have managed to do another five days of shows.This year I decided that I would try as many different types of shows as I could fit in and afford to do.

The learning so far is that there is no science or predictability about them as there are so many contributing factors.....the venue....the weather....who are you next to.....how many people are selling 'bought in cheap goods'.....where are you positioned.....has your customer come to where you are...and the list goes on.


But theres one thing for certain, every show you do you come away a little bit wiser and determined to do somethings different at the next one.


So I'm extending my market appeal but launching a range of small home accessories,still using my paper beads but combining them with traditional tin work in brass,copper and pewter and doing more decoupage pieces like 'handle hangers'.


These will all get an airing at the Autumn Garden Show in Malvern 26th & 27th so if your going please stop by my stand and let me know what you think.

Wednesday 19 August 2009

Here We Go


Welcome,I'm Jo and I run Jo Verity Designs

My friend Tess at Ochre & Ocre helped me set this up months ago.But as I said to her...its jut about getting the first sentence down.

I started by business just over a year ago when I had been made redundant.....again.

I trained as a Designer Jeweller 20+ years ago and thought maybe it was time to put it to some use!

As everyone and their dog [ and I have six,but more about them later ] is making silver / stringing beads I wanted to do something different.

So I started fiddling about with some paper and remembered that years ago I had rolled some beads ....and that was it.

The Victorians used this technique to make bead curtains from wallpaper so why can't you make jewellery from it? I have subsequently discovered that some women in Uganda roll paper beads from magazines and cereal packets to make necklaces..and very nice they too.

The difference in my pieces is that I combine the paper beads with semi precious stones,glass and silver,which makes them completely unique and materially quite eclectic.

Anyway I need to get going and get some bits made up for Saturday for a stand at Worcester Festival....more about this after the weekend.