Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? Is is important to give your loved one some attention, warm gestures, flowers and present just on this day? Are you looking for something unusual? I have some heart pendants in my shop. Maybe you will find something your loved one be happy with. Just take a look. Happy Valentine’s Day
Hi, my name is Deborah and I am the owner and maker at Silver Wave Jewellery and based in Maidenhead, Berkshire.
My love of creating really began many years ago without me realising when I started to watch my mother make my and my sister’s clothes – they were gorgeous pieces – and I wanted to copy her and make my own. I continued making clothes into adulthood and when I worked in the City you could often find me at local markets in my lunchtime buying fabric ready for my next makes! I also made some of my children’s clothes when they came along.
However, as life became busy with work and family I did not use my creative skills that much apart from knitting a few jumpers and making a few curtains but about seven years ago having always loved silver jewellery and buying it to match my handmade outfits I signed up for a one day silversmithing class in Dorset. I had such a wonderful time and made a couple of rings, a pendant and a beautiful bangle – all of which I still wear today! I
enjoyed it so much I decided I just had to carry on.
I began attending weekly jewellery classes then started to exhibit my work locally, sold at local craft fairs and in the last few years have taken part in art trail events around my local area in Maidenhead, Berkshire. I took early retirement just before the Covid lockdown so Silver Wave Jewellery has now become my main focus and I love being able to work on designing and creating new pieces from my little studio at home.
I use nature as my inspiration and I am lucky enough to be able to spend a lot of time at the coast in Lyme Regis which is where I came up with the name for my business. I love walking along the beaches with my dog Archie and collecting sea glass and pottery. I have not used these in my jewellery yet but have made quite a few pictures for myself and family with them.
I work with sterling silver, precious metal clay, copper and brass and add semi-precious gemstones, crystals
and gemstone beads for a touch of sparkle and interest. Texture is added to my work with hammers, metal stamps, etching, fusing and reticulation, fold forming and on occasions a rolling mill. I love creating simple, boho style, wearable jewellery suitable for any occasion. I create contemporary sterling silver and copper jewellery including rings, pendants, earrings, bangles and cuffs using traditional silversmithing techniques. Many of my pieces are one of a kind, unique items often created out of scraps left over from other projects as I try not to waste any metal and recycle as much as possible.
If you are buying for a gift I can ship direct to the recipient with a short handwritten gift note.
All my jewellery complies with the UK hallmarking regulations and I have my own makers hallmark registered with the London Assay Office.
Please get in touch if you have any questions.
Deborah
Email: silverwavedesigns@gmail.com
If you follow any small businesses on social media, you may have noticed a lot of shouting about Just a Card Indie Week recently – but what exactly is it all about?!
Just a Card is a fabulous campaign focused on encouraging people to support independent makers and artists, and to shop small – you can learn more about it in my previous blog post here. Throughout Indie Week we’re given a series of social media prompts to follow and it’s the ideal opportunity for small businesses to promote their work and share why shopping small is so important. The week culminates in Indie Friday, an independent creative alternative to Black Friday, where we ask shoppers to consider shopping small from independent businesses rather than the massive retail giants – even switching just one purchase to something from a small maker can make a big difference (Holly Tucker talks about this more here in a recent Forbes article)!
So to help you along with some gift and shopping ideas, and in the spirit of today’s Just a Card prompt of celebrating independents, here are a few of my own favourite small businesses below!
Happy shopping – and please do comment below with any favourite small businesses of your own!
There are so many reasons why buying something handmade is so much better than buying something massed produced. Continue reading Why buy Handmade?