Here is the first of a new series of posts here on the PH Blog where you can find out a little bit more detail about our fabulous house residents, what they do, how they do it, and how you can have a piece of the pie!

This week we introduce Jeweller Extraordinaire...  Victoria Walker

What does your business do and what inspired you to start?
I design and make kinetic jewellery based on seed pods and flowers. After four years studying fine art and illustration, I took an evening class in jewellery making and fell in love with it. This lead me to study at degree level and I graduated with a first in 2009.

How long has the business been going?  Who is ‘behind the scenes’?
I have been running my business since graduating in 2009 and currently work alone.

Give me a brief over view of the services you have on offer...
I create kinetic lockets which are the centrepiece of each collection where you will also find non-moving matching items such as earrings and bracelets. I occasionally do commissions.

Have you won any Awards? if so which ones?
Goldsmiths Company Precious Metal Bursary 2008
Exhibitor award, Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair 2012


Describe your studio (Please send a picture or two)...
The smallest studio in Princes House. My traditional jewellery bench was  built in by a local carpenter and my bespoke display cases were designed by me and  built by my dad.

What sets your business  apart from your competitors?
My products are very unique and require and element of engineering in order to  develop the kinetic parts. My non-moving collections also include a lot of hollow forms which require specific forming skills.

Do you have a specialist area / style of product that you to create?
I specialise in kinetic fine jewellery based on botanical forms.

Who/what are your influences?
I'm intrigued by the idea of creating gentle impressions of the natural world from comparatively harsh materials and tiny mechanisms.
      
What do you love most about your job?
I love creating pieces of jewellery that give joy to the owner and surprise the viewer. I love the idea that they will be treasured for a lifetime.

Tell me about your favourite client experience...
A Scottish couple expecting a baby saw my work in a gallery in Edinburgh and really liked it. They were looking for a special piece of jewellery that their baby girl could treasure for the rest of her life. Keen for the piece to have a strong Scottish connection, they commissioned me to make a kinetic Thistle Locket for their little Olivia. (They even sent me a picture of her!).  I really loved the sentimental nature of the commission and the idea that it might be passed down to her own children.

What are the stages of your service and how long on average does it take from consultation to completion?
Kinetic pieces are always made to order and I usually quote 4-6 weeks (though I'm always keen to meet deadlines for birthdays/anniversaries so they can sometimes be ready quicker if needed).

Top tip for choosing your perfect gift....

If you want to buy jewellery as a gift but you're not sure what size she would be in a ring/necklace/bracelet, I'd say go for earrings as they will always fit!
    
Can I find you at any wedding fayres this year?
I tend to do contemporary craft fairs rather than wedding fairs. All my shows should be listed on my website including The Contemporary Craft Fair at Bovey Tracey in June and Goldsmiths Fair in September.

What was your best Christmas present?
Baking and cookery books - I love them! My fave this year was called Tart it Up by Eric Lanlard
(note from PH Blogmistress - I can endorse this - Victoria is a master baker!  We often have tasty treats in the Princes House kitchen!)

Where can I find out more about your business?
 My website vwjewellery.co.uk

As the recession filters more and more into every aspect of our daily lives, businesses are increasingly under more scutiny, as are you and your role.  Your profile and visibility become even more important, whether as a team member or individual pioneer. 

Now it’s imperative to stand out and deliver.

Clare Greenwood of Looks Magic refers to her motto,“Be Seen and Heard”, set the scene, don’t follow the herd! This message is all about branding yourself or business in such a way that you have the impact and presence that attracts people to YOU! With every enterprise, this takes into account that you need to attract the appropriate business that benefits you and your customer/client base, it is a case of mutual attraction.

It is vital that you engage people in a positive and vibrant way. If you fail to recognise that it is human nature to identify with success rather than failure, your business is doomed! So, whether your business is booming or feeling the hideous drain of a dragging recession, you need to manage the perceptions that others have of you.

Look like a failure, you start to feel like a failure and the spiral will surely whirl downwards. Look great and feel great and suddenly you engage with a more positive energy which in turn attracts more visibility and engagement.

Whether on a more personal or professional level, you need to be seen, be consistent with who you or your brand is and make sure that people like what they see! This of course means that you have to be seen to be proud and enjoy what you are offering. One of the biggest lessons that it is worth reminding ourselves, is that if we don’t like ourselves, why would we expect anyone to like us. Put that into a business model and learn to love every aspect of your product, even if that means you. Then you have some chance of sharing this love with a world that needs you and what you have to offer!

Clare delivers “Be Seen and Heard”  life coaching and personal or business branding sessions so that you can develop an authentic, attractive and visible profile.

For more information on Clare's services - or to make an appointment  visit her website looksmagic.biz or call 07877 654 543 to make an appointment!

The Little Cornish Design studio is proud to reveal its new name...   

From now on we will be known as The Wedding Stationery Co!

We have a new website too www.weddingstationeryco.com and a lovely new logo.

At The Wedding Stationery Co we will still offer the same great range of contemporary wedding stationery, however we will soon be adding new ranges by some Cornwall-based illustrators - watch this space - and offering some great DIY wedding stationery kits for all you creative DIY brides out there.

For customers who wish to print their own invitations at home we have a great range of PRINTable wedding stationery which we will also be expanding in the next few months. These digital designs are popular as you purchase a digital file which is designed with your own personal wedding information and then you are free to print an infinite number of copies on your own printer at home, offering you great value for money.

Our PRINTable range currently has an offer on - buy two PRINTable products and get the third half price, meaning you can grab your Save the Date cards, Wedding Invitations and Reply Cards all in one go for a great price!

We hope that you like our new image! Please come and pop into our office and showroom at Princes House, we are on the Lower Ground Floor and currently open every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Contact us by calling 07838 778 553 or emailing your enquiry to Natalie at [email protected]

Jane Taylor is a luxury milliner based in Fulham. She has dressed the heads of the Duchess of Cambridge, the Countess of Wessex And other European Royals. Her work can regularly be seen on the pages of Hello magazine and Tatler. 

Her creations are whimsical and elegantly beautiful with a touch of vintage styling. Taking  inspiration  from taxidermy,  antique prints and couture designs. Jane Taylor’s hats are individually hand crafted to create three stunning collections- Couture, Ready-to-Wear (Taylor by Jane Taylor and Limited Edition by Jane Taylor) and Bridal. 

I am a milliner myself and was asked to assist in making the ready-to-wear range for the department stores. We had a tight deadline so I packed up my bags from Cornwall and off I went!

When I arrived I was thrilled to meet Lupin her adorable whippet (who was sporting a very jazzy jumper!)  Her studio is divided into two spaces, a ground floor show room housing her stunning collections and upstairs her working millinery studio where all the magic happens! 

In the studio was Jane, Raina who I met working at Philip Treacy’s, Katie -  Jane’s P.A, and Natalie and Kelly, both doing work experience. We set to, working on some feathered head pieces for House of Frazer, and we had twenty five of each style to make so we had to get cracking

There was lots to do over the course of the two weeks. Our daily tasks consisted of sewing sequined fabric onto fascinator bases, curling feathers, twisting crin into pretty shapes, sticking  Swarovski crystals and pearls onto veiling, wiring silk flowers onto headbands, blocking (molding) hat shapes and usually pricking our fingers with needles multiple times a day!

Jane started her business after completing a course in millinery at Kensington & Chelsea 7 years ago, starting her business from a rented room in Mortlake. Since then her business has gone from strength to strength and she is now known for her considered use of tonal colouring and dramatic shapes. So much so that this year saw orders from Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Fenwicks, Fortnum & Mason and House of Fraser.

My two weeks working at Jane’s was filled with laughter and fun, we made over two hundred hats which will be on the shelves in selected stores of House of Frazer within the month.

I’ll be back again to make more beautiful hats when there is another big order on ... who says you can’t mix business with pleasure!  

The past week has been madness, as we all rushed around preparing our studios and the house for the big launch do on 7th Feb.  It's preoccupied us all for the last month and the changes here have been incredible.  Superhuman efforts from all involved meant that everything was presented to utter perfection when at last, we were able to open our doors to all you eager folks keen to have a look-see and explore Princes House Cornwall.

Preparations were taking place right up until the last minute including the delivery of a fabulously luxurious sofa, curtain and dressing screen for our lobby area, styled and kindly provided by Debbie of Interior Dynamics.  It adds real panache to the hallway and is dead comfy as many guests discovered at the party later...

The day began for us with the Town Crier (Mr John Sweetman) travelling valiantly in the cold around Truro and calling all who heard him to come to the party that evening.  Holly followed and tweeted and videoed the whole affair.

Back in the day when a wedding was to be held, and they were much bigger community affairs than they are now, guests were invited in exactly this same way - with everyone within earshot being taken as invited to the ceremony.

We felt it was only fitting therefore to spread the word in this way and it certainly went down well when our Town Crier generously returned to hold the door for our many guests.

Speaking of which we had some 500 guests, yes that's right FIVE HUNDRED people came to see us.  Wow.  We are all totally blown away by the support you all showed us and the positive things that were said by many in reference to the Collective, the building, and the talented business who reside here.

Those who came were treated to a glass of bubbles supplied by the Truro based winery - Old Chapel Cellars or for the more robust among them, a pint of Cornwall's finest courtesy of Skinners Brewery just round the corner in Newham.  Massive thanks to them both for supporting us on our opening day.

Keith Kneebone, a professional Master of Ceremonies welcomed guests and made introductions before the lovely Daphne Skinnard, Deputy Editor of BBC Radio Cornwall (and newly made Deputy Lieutenant of Cornwall to-boot) kindly joined us to say a few words and introduce all the businesses to the guests on the night. You can see how crowded it was with people unable to move on the stairs or landings and backed up into all studios off the ground and first floors...   

Then the Mayor of Truro, Councillor Ms Lindsay Southcombe, officially cut the ribbon and everyone was free to explore the building and the hidden gems inside each inspiring studio.

Local boy Tom Cary an acclaimed singer / sonwriter played throughout the night adding some real atmosphere to proceedings which was appreciated by all, we are thankful and lucky to have had him to join us!

All in all it was a truly fabulous evening, one we will never forget and the best possible start to this exciting enterprise of which we are all so proud to be a part.  

On behalf of the Collective we'd like to publicly thank everyone who contributed to our evening including our guests for turning out, being interested and helping to really make the party happen!  We look forward to welcoming you into Princes House again soon.

On Thursday this week we'll announce the winner of our prize draw - entries close at midnight on Wednesday 13th so if you weren't able to make the launch do pop by and pick up a form - they're in the lobby and the building is now open every day from 9:30 - 5:30 for you to wander around and meet the suppliers!

Did you make the launch evening?  What did you think?

Excuse us while we squeal with excitement but did you know two weeks from today Princes House will throw open its doors to everyone for an exclusive launch event?

There's a fabulous draw with some incredible prizes on offer from members of the collective -  behind the scenes peeks into all these gloriously creative studio spaces and a chance to meet the faces behind the business.  And all that with a glass of bubbles to send you on your way!

To RSVP simply fill in the form on the page here, or email us at [email protected]

How could you resist...?!