If you have a spare day over the May bank Holiday, why don't you have a trip down to Whitstable? Apart from the great atmoshphere, fresh seafood and fish, the real ale and beer from a local brewery, there will also be a chance to catch up with me and some other fab Medway creatives!

We have hired a shop on Harbour street for one week only - Thurs 29th April - Tues 4th May, and we'll be exhibiting and selling some fantastic creations - all hand-crafted and unique. I of course will be taking jewellery, bowls and glass art to sell and there will also be photography, lino prints, japanese paper watercolours, beaded jewellery and accessories, metal sculpture and clocks and a host of fab little bits and bobs that you just MUST HAVE!!

We will be located on Harbour St, about half way down in 'SHOW OFF' - it's the bright red shop - you can't miss it!

So, if you are passing, or if you feel like a day out, please pop by and say 'Hi' - we'd love to talk to you!!

Best Wishes, Bev x

With the kids now back at school, it seems like everyone is getting back into gear. I have certainly been kept busy in the last few weeks by brides-to-be and have enjoyed every minute of it!

Firstly let me tell you that the Harlequins Rugby cufflinks came out great (all 8 pairs!) and my client was chuffed - his bride also ordered 5 'blob' rings for her bridesmaids (and 1 for herself, as they are so scrummy, how could she not?!)

Next, I had a call from a bride in Southampton in need of tie pins and cufflinks for her peacock feather themed wedding in 2 1/2 weeks time! After a few discussions, some teal and purple fabric sample and images of her flowers, feathers, and other bits and bobs we agreed on a design and she was the very happy recipient of her items with a week to spare - phew! Such excitement and gratitude, and they weren't even for HER! I do hope the guys appreciated the effort she went to to ensure their tie pins and cufflinks were just right!

Here they are -

I love the bit of my job where it's all about the detail...........

And now I'm working on the some red and gold cufflinks for the Rochester Town Crier, as he has a competition coming up and a new outfit - so spangly cufflinks are a MUST!

And with 1 wedding fair done and 3 to go (starting today) I'm hoping that more cufflink commissions will be forthcoming!

Have a great weekend, Bev x

.....with rings on her fingers and rings on her toes, she shall have sparkle wherever she goes!

Well it seems that rings are the thing this month! Particularly the 'blob' rings, which have been so popular at the Nucleus Medway shop, I keep selling out and having to make more! Not that I'm complaining you understand - I'm glad everyone likes them so much! Claire Poynter seems to be their biggest fan (thanks Claire) and keeps sending in her friends and family to get more.......... maybe she should also be on commission?!

With the school summer hols in full swing I'm struggling to get into the studio, but have had a few commissions in the last couple of weeks so made a special effort at the weekend. Things turned out fairly well, and I was especially pleased that my Harlequins Rugby top wedding cufflink client was pleased with the sample cabochons I sent him, so hopefully that will turn into a set of happy rugby fans when they get their hand-made cufflinks!

Have a restful Summer!

Bev

With the sunshine this week comes a feeling of rejuvination - the sun really does lift the mood and make people smile! Yesterday was the first Friday of the new Nucleus shop at Dickens World, where you will now find me every Friday. The sun poured in through it's 2 glass walls, and filled the gallery with light and promise! What a fantastic place to be - you really must visit!

Tony has put some of his photographic artwork in the shop and it's had very positive responses so far! I'm just waiting for Ellis to produce something more robust than a lollystick alien, and who knows, the whole family could be exhibiting!!

Have a lovely mothersday/weekend! Bev x

Well they say things come in 3's!

This last week, three things have happened:

• I spent a whole day at Acorns Nursery in Sevenoaks 'fingerprinting children' for mothersday pressies! This was my 1st major commission for Fingertip Treasures and it went really well - the children were well behaved, the staff were lovely and hopefully when I deliver the goodies on Wednesday, the fathers will be paying up! And because I did so well I've treated myself to a 'tumbling machine' which will help with the arduous sanding & polishing aspect of these little treasures!
• On Saturday, the doors of 'Nucleus Medway' opened at Dickens World! What a fabulous space! It's so light and airy, has a real welcoming feel to it and best of all, was busy with people all day! It will be open on Fri, Sat & Sun for the time being - with myself and Claire Poynter manning the shop on Fridays, so please come in and say hello!
• Today, I did my first wedding fair!!! Even though I say it myself, the array of cufflinks I had on show did look rather scrummy and I got some great feedback from people who seemed very interested. I even had a possible commission from a guy who wasn't really interested in my offer to match his cufflinks to the brides colour scheme - he wants them matched to the Harlequin Rugby Club shirt colours! Well the best man and ushers are all his rugby mates, so whatever floats his boat!! It was also great to make some contacts in the wedding world, and a possible association with 'Wedding World' of Folkstone may be in the pipeline - they seem keen to have my cufflinks in their shop, so all in all a good day!

And all in all, a very good week!

Bev x

Today I made the decision to take the plunge and book a space at the forthcoming wedding fair at Oakwood Park, Maidstone - it's on Sunday 15th March if you want to stop by and say hello!

I've been a long time thinking about launching a range of wedding cufflinks, so with the confidence gained through being at the Nucleus shop in Rochester, and everyone badgering me to 'just do it!' I've JUST DONE IT!!

I have a lot of work to do in the next 2 weeks - finalising a range to actually show at the fair, getting leaflets printed, devising my stand layout and promotional materials - but it's all good!

On top of this, the shop (that's THE shop) in Rochester is closing its doors on Sunday 1st March, which will be a bit sad. It's been such an inspiration working there alongside some of Medway's finest artisans - they've given me untold support and encouragement and I'm really pleased to have been involved! Thanks, Jo & Paula!

All's not lost though - when one door closes, another opens........... Nucleus Rochester will become 'Nucleus Medway' and will re-open in a couple of weeks (date TBA) at the dockside complex, in the old Dickens World gift shop - affectionately labled 'the corner shop', as it occupies a prime location right on the corner of the Dickens World building and has been very kindly lent to us by Kevin at Dickens World - HURRAH!!

So, keep your eye on the nucleus web site for info re it's opening and please do take the time to pop down there if you can! www.nucleus-arts.com

Bye for now, Bev x