Recycling vintage porcelain

Annie Banian uses 'shards of discarded tea-services' according to 'Intelligent Life' to create her refined and unusual jewellery.

For comissioned work customers bring her ceramics for her to transform into jewllery and she claims almost every piece comes with a story. From a grandmother's cherished cup to a favourite cake stand. Annie turns the momento into something cusomters can wear.

She cuts porcelain with a handsaw if the china is valuable. Her creations range from rings made from tea-cup handles, to bangles from the rim of a cup, to china pendants hung on a string or two of pearls.

Annie claims that 'porcelain is surprisingly robust' and expects her creations to last for easily as long as the original pieces did!

Taking recycling to a new level

The creator of this interesting necklace is Amanda Caines, a self taught jeweller based in East London. I met her at Origin where a customer was trying on an amazing creation in white. It looked stunning.

Amanda recycles anything! Usually her jewellery is made from the least likely found objects.

Saucy party

Four little businesses came together on Wednesday evening when armcandii joined Sharon's Cupcakes to Canapes, Phamie's Personalised Magazine Covers and Jane's Ohsoprettygal.com at Sharon's for a girlie soiree!

The girls were buying corsets - for Sharon's Vampire Circus party - as well as our collars and corsages.

Cupcakes and Canapes provided luscious quiche and obligatory cupcakes of course.

Visiting Stockbridge

Yesterday we met friends for lunch in Stockbridge. They have a great new bistro in this pretty little one street town, Thyme & Tides. They serve delectable simple foods and have a very tempting deli of mostly locally sourced foods.

Fresh fish is one of their big attractions and the size of the King Prawns on the fish counter were definitely another. The John Dory didn't look so happy - well his expression anyway (though I'm told they always look grumpy)!

We came away sporting locally produced chocolate orange crunch and Fig Jam - both yummy!

We walked on up the High Street visiting Garden Inn, a pretty florist cum gift shop and then to Bergman & Brown who stocked a number of trinkets that were hard to leave behind - long armed, fingerless cashmere gloves, printed velvet make bags, wire sheep and statement jewellery pieces not to mention almond perfumed soap and scented candles.

We finished our sunny stroll at the Stockbridge Gallery who specialise in 'dog art'. Dominic Gubb's recycled sculptures were great - made from recycled plastic bottles and paper bags.

The Craft Fair of craft fairs

Yesterday I visited Origin the annual Craft Council craft fair. It's a very professional and slick affair, real stands not tables, queuing round the block to get in, a trendy London location and of course and most importantly, some amazing maker/designers!ceracer


I was blown away by some of the jewellery but there were illustrators, ceramicists, textile artists, scultures and more there. I'll do some individual blogs about some of those that really caught my eye - like the girl who creates 3D art out of sweet and chocolate wrappers! Watch this space!

Repurposed knitting needles

Linda Slade based in Sydney, Australia repuposes - recycles to us - a number of things but on Etsy her real eye-catchers are knitting needle bracelets.

These are such fun. Made from 50s and 60s colourful, plastic knitting needles, they make perfect bracelets!

Getting ready to Promenade

We are busy getting ready for the Promenade exhibition - organised by Plain Arts for member artists; you can see all types of art from painting, photography, textile and jewellery displayed in shops around the town.

armcandii will share space in The Lighting Workshop in Catherine Street, Salisbury, no 19 (the pink dot!) on the street trail map. You can catch candii there from 11th - 18th September.

Just for fun

We love these crayon rings from nonsuchthings blogged by Domestic Sluttery. What a great idea and you can use them to colour with. Perfect kids present or for those who don't want to grow up - or just want to doodle.

The rings are glittery and come in all sorts of colours - though you can't choose as it's a 'lucky dip' buy but they only cost £11.50! Bargain fun.

Etsy's handmade blog

Etsy have joined the Mary Portas campaign. On their blog you can read what they have to say and the comments of many designer/makers including armcandii!

we strongly believe in the campaign; we need to change the media's views so that it filters down to the general public. 'handmade' needs to be seen for its quality and skill; designer/makers as skilled and pursuing the art of handmade; fairs and markets as places to purchase goods made by hand with love and care.

This glorious necklace was made by Laura Brubaker (Bloomington, USA). It's part of a Curio collection she made for the SoFA Exhibition at Indiana University in 2009.

It's made from 'chased' sterling silver, a technique which creates a bumpy surface involving heating and beating!

Take a look at more of her work on Etsy.

Designers need to be entrepreneurs

In an article online at guardian.co.uk published on Tuesday 31st August, Lorraine Candy, Editor-in-Chief of Elle magazine, says that designers - in fashion in particular - need to be entrepreneurs not just good designers. She says that she knew Christopher Kane would be a storm when she met him first in 2006 because of his business plan!

A fair comment for all us designer-makers, it isn't just about the design and expertise in your own particular craft. We have to be as skilled in the business side of promoting our business too!

More approval for Mad Men

Have you seen this series? It's coming back to a TV near you with a new series soon. Meanwhile this clever little TV drama captures the exact feel of the 1960's not just in look but also in ambience!

And they've won an Emmy for Best Drama series - their third one! See www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment

Our latest commissions

We've just completed two new commissions! The knitted cuff above is embellished with a vintage filigree silver brooch and random size turquoise freshwater pearls. It's waiting to go to its new owner who loves the pictures. We hope she loves the real thing more.

The second commission was for a friend via her husband for a special birthday. She wanted a charm bracelet but one that didn't look 'empty' before all the charms were there! We hope she likes our version of semi-precious African Turquoise rondelles alternated with sterling silver rings and fastened with a sterling silver toggle. It was sent with 4 ready to go charms on the prettiest head pins - a pretty American handmade lampwork bead in orange and turquoise, a foil lined murano glass heart and a tiny glass flower bead. Two African Turquoise beads make the 'fastening' toggle dangle.

Joe Massie's tribal necklace

This stunning necklace was made by award winning florist Joe Massie from Liverpool. Very tribal yet very modern ... and guess what? It's made from leaves - many leaves!

mary portas, handmade needs you!

Social networks are buzzing with excitement as designer/makers get behind uk handmade's campaign to enlist the help of Mary Portas (mary queen of shops) in our quest to bring our handmade goods to the masses.


She is the 'chosen one'...a modern day 'Jim'll Fix It' if you like, but with considerably better hair & far more style! Will she help us? We're counting on it.

For more information on the campaign & how you can help spread the word on Facebook, Twitter & the Mary Portas forum, see the uk handmade blog.

vintage goodwood

Well the headbands for Vintage Goodwood are coming on fine. One is finished & the second will be by tomorrow. Watch this space...

see the finished headband on Etsy

vintage goodwood glories

The greatly anticipated Vintage Goodwood Festival is almost here. There'll be music & fashion from bygone eras to feast your eyes & ears on.

see the finished headband on Etsy

And right now we are busy making two head bands for the cocktail waitresses at the Silver Rocketeer trailer bar at Vintage at Goodwood next weeked.

These armcandii treasures are worked on a knitted wire base embroidered with vintage trinkets and new freshwater pearls. they'll look simply stunning on shaz and amy as they entertain the visitors to the bar.