How it all began....

After spending about 3 years juggling studying for a professional qualification, with a full time job, and an extra part time job, when I passed my exams I suddenly found myself with lots of spare time.  Whilst to start with this was a refreshing change, which I took great delight in, I'm the type of person that actually likes to be busy (it's a character flaw - one of many I'm sure).  This means I will always find something to do - which is what led me to decide to see if I could repair a pair of earrings.

Who would have thought that the trip to the craft store to find the parts I needed for this little repair job, would eventually lead to me starting my own business?

The problem was that the smallest pack of jewellery findings contained enough parts to repair 5 pairs of earrings.  So as I stood there wondering what I was going to do with the other 4 pairs, something sparkly on the next shelf caught my eye "ooh those are pretty.....".  So to avoid the parts going to waste, I just had to buy some beads and crystals to make some new earrings.

After that I was hooked and started making necklaces as well.  Friends and family started making requests and eventually after lots of encouragement from them all I established Character Crafts in 2007 and started selling my pieces at craft fairs and on line.

I'd started figure skating in 2007, about the same as launching Character Crafts, (did I mention I like to keep busy?).  In 2009 my coach suggested that I should try making something skating related.  Not one to shy away from a challenge I started thinking of how I could do that.  Air dry clay seemed a possibility, and after a couple of, shall we say interesting results, my tiny clay skates were formed. 

Whilst I have refinded the process of making these tiny skates it is still quite a time consuming process as each one is handmade and then delicately handpainted.  But their uniqueness adds to their charm and by Christmas my clay skates were starting to get quite popular, as they made unusual unique Christmas gifts for the skaters at my rink.

The popularity of my figure skates resulted in requests for other charms, such as hockey skates, trainners, running shoes with spikes (ahh those were tricky), and before I knew it I had established a growing range of footware clay charms.  Though I was actually quite relieved when someone requested a Bride and Groom charm, actual people not just their feet.



In addition to my ever growing range of beaded and crystal jewellery, and my wide range of clay charms, I undertake customised requests and also carry out costume jewellery repairs.