Well, really, I think it found me.
Have you ever listened to Elizabeth Gilbert's TED talk lecture on 'Your elusive creative genius'. It's worth a watch (just under 20 mins so perfect for a coffee break. Read this first though, haha!)
I love the concept and how it forces your ego to let go of the 'owning' your creative genius, or blocks. How fabulous - and when you think about it - accurate, is the idea that these fleeting moments of inspiration that we all get, come from some kind of energy outside of ourselves? Like it's something floating past, that has a momentum all of its own but might feel some kind of magnetism to one thing, or one person, or another. So if we are open and pay enough mindful attention to our surroundings, it might just be attracted towards us, where we can grasp it before it feather floats out of reach and makes its way to someone else.
I think this is how creativity and its inspiration works for me, anyway. Every little thing I’ve ever created from nothing, seems to come to me as an almost formed thing. It kind of materializes, a picture in my mind, and then I just need to put in a bit of effort (sometimes quite a bit of effort) to turn the slightly ethereal whispy thing into an actual solid creation, that the rest of the world can also see.
In actual fact, that's how the idea of making jewellery at all, first came to me. Like an unassuming droplet of water, landing in on the surface of a larger body of water, like a lake. Or maybe even - more appropriately given my living situation - a river, on a very still day when the surface is like glass, or fine silk with the occassional ripple. One moment the idea or concept isn't there and the next... there it is. It doesn’t break the surface, or jar in any way: it just glides in, and then acts like it was there all along. (more about all that in this blog post: foundbydawn.co.uk/beginnings)
It was the same with the Windblown Collection. I was driving up to my Mum's in Haxby, York. It had been a windy, rainy drive, up the dual carriageways and roundabouts of the A1, at the tail end of Storm Eunice. When I woke up there the next morning, there was snow - big massive flakes of it. I had a bath (there's always seems to be a bath involved somewhere with my moments of inspiration.. Funny, as living on a boat now, we don’t have one. If I ever have a creative block, remind me to borrow someone’s bath!).
Anyway, the sun was glistening in through the window as the storm cleared and I was thinking about all the dripping tree leaves and how beautiful everything becomes when it's been freshly whipped about by the wind, to then be left dripping in sunlight.
Wind charms dropped into my head, closely followed by a whole heap of jewellery (mainly earring) designs. I thought 'there's some good ideas', got (quickly) dried and dressed and headed to the lounge to dig out some plain paper from Mum's printer. I then spent the next hour and a half drawing all the ideas that had found me, and their (very very) many variations.
I have only made a tiny proportion of the ones that I sketched out in a jumble that afternoon. Anything that catches your eye here that you think I should have made?
So if you're in my Inner Circle, you'll be getting an email with some exclusive previews of the collection, before it officially launches on Friday 30th*
If you're not you can join at foundbydawn.co.uk/innercircle. You will have to do that before the end of Wednesday 14th September to be one of those getting the first sneak-peak.
If you don’t manage it before that... well, you will just have to hold onto your hat and patiently wait until Friday (16th September) when the collection officially launches and will be available to buy, finally, as long as everything goes to plan!
Please bear in mind that all pieces are made to order so it is likely to take 4 weeks to get something to you after you place an order.
This is 'slow-jewellery' after all. I know you may not have time to follow the link in that blog, so - in summary – I want Found by Dawn to be the living opposite of fast-fashion. All my pieces are handmade - carefully, mindfully and slowly, with all the crafts-womanship, quality finish, care and love that a piece to brighten your day deserves.
Ooo and an extra bonus, because I make to order, is that you can request a bespoke finish: would you like that bangle with a satin or hammered finish, that necklace in part gold, a small stone added to the bottom of that pair of earrings? Just select your chosen options within the product listing, or email me if your requirements are a bit more specific.
It will be well worth the wait when you receive your own beautiful piece of jewellery, made especially for you! I'll be even more excited to make your order too. Woohoo! Let's do this!
PS. If you're a little curious to see how the collection came into being, you can check out the 'Windblown Collection in development' gallery here.
*Editor's note: This is the new release date: I've had to put it back a fortnight due to my underestimation of how long the hallmarking process would take. We live and learn!
Browse the Windblown Collection for a piece of jewellery to treasure