Hello, only me!
Something a little different for you this week to mix it up amongst our chats with those insanely talented creatives!
So I don’t know about you, but I am utterly obSESSED with a fun earring. Give me a bright tassel; a fruit shaped acrylic dangly number; a polymer clay abstract shape or just a big old hoop and I am giddy.
I love me a bit of bright coloured clothing, but 82% of the time you’re going to be more likely to spot me in black, sporting colourful accessories – shoes, bags, necklaces, badges and obviously: earrings.
The one thing that I’ve been struggling with is how to store my ear candy. I’ve tried multiple stacking box combinations and those metal stands with holes in them, but they’re either never quite big enough, or too… away. I found myself re-wearing the same 2 or 3 pairs because I am a toddler and if it isn’t in front of me, it doesn’t exist.
So I had a little scroll on Pinterest (as I do whenever faced with any form of dilemma) and found all sorts of ideas for pin badge storage. Some were displayed in embroidery hoops or framed cork, which were really cool, and someone had stuck them all over a lamp shade which I loved, but these pointed flag hangings really caught my eye.
L – R:
www.incolororder.com
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/DecollyStudio ps how dreamy is this pin collection?!
www.hellobrio.com
So using these as inspiration I had a go at making one a little bigger to fit my stash. I started with the thought of using a printed fabric but decided my earrings needed a blank canvas to show off, so I decided on a plain cotton calico, with some contrasting turquoise stitching.
I got the shape by just cutting a rectangle to the size I wanted, with a 1cm seam allowance, and then folding it in half to snip an even point at the bottom. I then pressed and stitched the double-fold hem on each edge and I was done! I decided to hang it with a trouser hanger rather than sliding a dowel through the top hem, and I’m pretty happy with it!
Once I got my earrings on it I was pretty impressed with the result. I’ve now had it up for a couple of weeks and its actually worked really well – having all of my options displayed in front of me means I’ve worn way more than normal. It also adds a bit more colour to our walls!
While I was at it I then decided it was a no-brainer to make a mini version for my pins & badges, so I did the same but smaller.
This time though I dug out a vintage knitting needle and slid it through the top, then chose some pink yarn to tie around each end.
Pictured:
‘I’d rather be stitching’ (top left) by jeweller @charlottebezzant
‘Girl Gang’ Hen Party Badge from @oh_squirrel
‘Stripey Top Club’ (bottom left) by @tumbleandrose
‘Pompom Cactus’ by @teapartyatthezoo
Black & gold ‘Go Wild’ from @oldenglishcompany
The others are all either ones I’ve bought as souvenirs (my personal favourite being my Sydney Opera house (top right)), or over the years from @flyingtiger! And if you’re super observant, my original ‘I Heart Busted’ badge also takes pride of place, and rightly so I say…
We live in a rented house at the moment so are a little limited on putting things up on the walls. So I used an old existing hook to hang the pins on, then I used a few loops of sneaky white thread behind that and hung the hanger on it – this kind of gives the illusion of another hook on the wall below!
I’m loving how colourful they all look up here, like little pieces of artwork in their own right! My next issue is my recently growing collection of big necklaces – any ideas on how to display those??
Below is a selection of my current favourite small businesses making beautiful earrings – have a little looky, and get inspired for your next accessory purchase!
JESSIE’S ART SHED
Talented Jessie over at Jessie’s Art Shed (providers of art lessons, workshops, crafting supplies and so much more) has been designing and making this collection of gorgeous macramé earrings inspired by her love of the sea! Give her a follow on Instagram to keep updated on the next drop!
@jessiesartshed
www.jessiesartshed.com
CONFETTI CREATE
Maker of jolly and bright clay earrings Amy, the lovely face behind Confetti, has an incredible eye for joyous colour combinations and fun, playful shapes. All of Amy’s creations are made to order so drop her a ‘hello’ on Instagram to grab a pair!
@confetti_create
confetticreate.com
FAT POM POMS
How incredible are these bad boys?! Pom poms? And tassels? I think Jess – designer, maker and owner of Fat Pom Poms – has been reading my mind…! And this is merely the tip of the iceberg, have a scroll through her Instagram for a feast of sparkles, striking colour palettes and a whole lot of tinsel! Huge earrings; tinsel pom pom garlands and crafting kits are just a handful of what awaits you there.
@fatpompoms
www.etsy.com/shop/fatpompoms
NIGHT TIME HOLIDAY
This stunning brand of handmade jewellery, founded by talented maker Brooke, is a fab one-stop-shop for beautiful long-lasting pieces to make your wearable art fantasies a reality! Have a gander at the brand new shop online, and follow along on Insta for all of the behind-the-scenes goss!
@nighttimeholiday
nighttimeholiday.com
If you’ve managed to read to the end, kudos to you, and thanks for joining my ramblings! Let me know if you make something similar to display your own collection, or if you have a go-to small business for all your statement earring needs!
I hope you have a wonderful Friday, see you next week!
Janey
janey-creative.com 