In a world where you can buy a necklace for the price of a fancy coffee and have it delivered to your door before you’ve even finished your brew, why on earth would you buy from a woman in Ireland who spends her afternoons picking apart vintage jewellery with a pair of pliers and a look of deep concentration?
It’s a fair question. To be honest, sometimes I ask it myself—usually when I’ve just dropped a tiny jump ring into the carpet for the third time.
But there’s a reason I do things the "long way round." Here’s the real story behind your jewellery:
1. It’s Got a Past (Unlike That High-Street Stuff)
Mass-produced jewellery is born in a factory, thousands of them exactly the same, with all the personality of a damp biscuit. My pieces, like the Electric Avenue earrings, started life as something else entirely. I take broken vintage necklaces—the ones that have been sat in a drawer for thirty years—and I give them a second chance. When you wear them, you’re not just wearing "an accessory"; you’re wearing a bit of history that’s been saved from a landfill.
2. The "Slow Craft" Struggle
When I say something is "handmade," I don’t just mean I put a bead on a string. For pieces like Artemis's Arrow, it means hand-filling resin, hammering metal to get that perfect "I’ve seen some things" texture, and choosing repurposed stones that actually have a bit of soul. It’s a slow process. It involves a lot of trial, a fair bit of error, and a significant amount of talking to myself. But it means that when you buy a piece, it’s actually unique. No two are ever the same, mostly because I’m human and not a calibrated machine.
3. Materials That Won't Break Your Heart (Or Your Skin)
We’ve all been there: you buy a lovely-looking pair of earrings, wear them for three hours, and suddenly your ears have turned a concerning shade of green and you’re itchy for days. I use nickel-free stainless steel because I believe you should be able to look like a goddess without needing a course of antihistamines.
4. You’re Supporting a Real Person
When you buy from a small business, you’re not helping a CEO buy a third holiday home. You’re helping me keep the lights on, buy more resin, and occasionally afford the "good" biscuits. You’re supporting Irish craft and a more sustainable way of living.
So, thank you for choosing the slow way. It’s a bit more work for me, and a bit more of an investment for you, but I think the result is worth it. Plus, you’ll look much cooler than everyone else at the checkout.
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