Pippa’s work is really amazing. She uses polymer clay and can imitate other materials and create intricate designs, all with one simple ingredient and her imagination and skill. I want to have a custom order made, but there’s so much to choose from, I haven’t yet decided what I want!
Who are you and where do you come from?
My name is Pippa and I live in a beautiful little village not far from Bath in Wiltshire. I am a Mum to my two Children, Katie who is 12 and Logan who is 6.
What do you do in your spare time other than craft?
I don’t have any spare time! Every spare minute is taken up with making beads and jewellery! It makes for a busy life, but I love it! I do set aside time for the Children though, Sundays are our Family Days when we go out for walks or to the park or just stay in and play endless games of Frustration! I am very lucky to have a near perfect Husband who supports me so much and will do the washing or ironing and cooking when I am at Craft Fairs or working. I couldn’t do what I am doing without him, he is truely one in a million.
Please tell us a little bit about what you make.
I make Polymer Clay Beads which I then use in my own Jewellery Designs. I only use my own beads, which gives me great scope for design. I use seed beads and crystal for accent, but that is all.
What do you enjoy making most?
There are so many techniques you can use with polymer clay from Kaleidoscope Caning, to Mokume Gane to Mica Shift, that it is hard to chose a favourite. I do love Mica Shift because it gives such lovely results – it looks 3D but is actually only 2D – almost like a hologram!
Kaleidoscope Caning is also a great favourite. Polymer Clay Artists all over the world are pushing the limits of this fantastic medium and are creating the most wonderful things with it. It seems to me that there is no limit to what you can do with it. I also love doing Swirl beads – they are really addictive!
What part of jewellery making do you dislike the most?
I really hate sanding! I sand every bead with 4 different grits of sandpaper – it can take forever, but it is well worth it for the results!
What are your main inspirations for making a piece?
I find inspiration all over the place. Nature, of course, especially leaves – I love leaves! My daughter is great at coming up with unusual ideas, probably because she never thinks “oh you can’t put that with that, or that colour with that colour”, she just says what comes into her head like ” I think you should make something in Purple with some orange and green highlights” I would never come up with that, but often she is right and the results are fantastic!
Do you plan out your designs or do you get stuck in straight away when inspiration strikes?
Sometimes I plan, but not often! I find when I plan something to much it will not turn out the way I want it to. The clay has it’s own ideas about what it wants to do and sometimes you just have to let it! Often I will just sit at my desk and look at the colours of the clay and just start playing – some of my best pieces have come about that way!
What are you currently making?
I am making lots and lots of stock for all the craft fairs I have coming up before Christmas as well as several commissions. I have also got involved with some Secret Santas and Ornament Swaps online.
Do you make custom orders?
Yes I love making custom orders. That is the joy of making your own beads. I can match colours for outfits such as Mother of the Bride or Bridesmaids, or for a special dress. It is wonderful for the customer to be able to design their own piece too. I can advise on what will work technically speaking, but they can design the colour, pattern, shape and size of the beads we use in their necklace. That is a really empowering thing! I get great ideas from these collaborations too, things I might never have thought of.
Where can we buy your work?
I am a Member of the Craftsmans Market in Cirencester. This is a Craft Market that has been running for nearly 30 years and has some amazing Artists who show their work there, everything from Mosiacs, glass, pottery, textiles, ceramics, furniture to jewellery. It was nerve racking applying to become a member, because I was not sure my work would be good enough, but was thrilled to be accepted. I am also a member of the Cotswold Craft Market, also in Cirencester, which is another fantastic Craft Market. These two markets are open on consequtive Saturdays each month. So I do every Saturday! It is quite a challenge having to make enough stock, but it does keep me on my toes! I also have a shop on Etsy (http://pipsjewellery.etsy.com), although there is very little in it because of time constraints – I just don’t have enough time!!
See more of Pippa’s work on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pipsjewellery/
I am taking part in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month), so I will be blogging every day in November. Today is post 29: http://www.nablopomo.com/
PennyDog Patchwork (and illustration, recipes, other crafts...) 