Finding Focus

You may have noticed that Shutter Jewellery has gone a bit leafy recently. 🌿 Here’s why.

I began making jewellery from my photographs nearly 3 and a half years ago now. I have been releasing designs as they are finished, some on a common theme, some completely randomly – images simply picked purely on their desirability and ability to work well on a tiny scale. Certain collections seemed to come together all by themselves and more often than not come from a natural rather than an urban habitat. With so much more of the natural world to explore it seems I’ve found my focus. Pun 100% intended.

What’s even better is how much you seem to love it too. My fern leaf design has been far and away my most popular as well as one of my most long lived, having first used it in costume pieces right at the beginning. This is why I’ve adopted it – or rather you lovely customers have – as the little flag for Shutter Jewellery’s new direction :

Last year’s Butterfly collection was a real eye opener at how much you value the sustainability of using a photograph and not a flower or a real butterfly while achieving the same effect. I spoke to many people who came by my stall at events last year. Many were attracted to my statement butterfly pieces and commented how beautiful they are, but with an air of caution… “They aren’t real butterflies are they?” Relieved when I explained they were not. I was amazed also that this even extended to the flower jewellery, some customers commenting that they were pleased I didn’t pick real flowers to use in my charms.*

It stands to reason that if I’m respecting nature as I am, plastic packaging is a no no. I’m so pleased that nearly every day I see an Instagram post from another business that has gone plastic free. This is no mean feat and they should be congratulated. It’s so sad that plastic is the norm and it now takes effort and cost to avoid it. For this reason it’s lot easier and quicker for small businesses to implement than large businesses but hopefully if we set the example, the big boys will follow suit and we might be able to save our natural world and give me a chance to photograph it all. 😍

I’m nearly there on the plastic free thing, I’m no longer buying plastic packaging but I recycle plastic packaging that has been used to send supplies to me. It seems the logical thing to reuse it rather that throw it away in disgust, so if you order something from me please reuse again – after all this stuff was designed to last forever. That doesn’t always have to be a problem.

My favourite bird, Rio. This is her ‘I’m a good parrot’ look. This is my ‘No you’re not’ look.

I’m currently working on a new collection based on another type of winged creature with an awesome palette of colours and patterns. You guessed it, an avian theme. I’ve been asking what your favourite feathered friends are so head over to Instagram or Facebook to join the discussion or comment below. I’ve already had some amazing suggestions.  Thank you! 💚

One more thing, I’ve recently opened my VIP mailing list, so if you want to be in the know about new items first, please do go ahead and join here. You can of course unsubscribe at any time.

*Of course, there are many jewellery makers who do use real butterfly wings and flowers in their work and, no, they do not go around killing butterflies and pulling up handfuls of wildflowers. I’m not trying to make a comment on anyone’s else’s work!