Jewellery has the power to evoke memories and stories in us all. It’s the ultimate story-teller and it’s something that you will keep forever. Creating a custom piece of jewellery is also a really nice experience. You get to decide exactly what you want, it’s designed to fit you perfectly and you get to see your own idea come to life.
If you’ve been following me for a while you’ll know that I’m all about creating custom jewellery. I named my brand This Story and that’s exactly what I want my jewellery to do - I want it to tell your story. I’ve had a lot of emails from you lovely lot lately saying you really want a custom piece of jewellery, but have no idea what you want or where to start. Well, the fact that you know you want a special piece means that it’s there somewhere, deep in your subconsciousness and it’s my job to find it and bring it to life.
The first stage is discovering whether you’re after a ring or necklace. These are the two main pieces of jewellery that I tend make most of when creating custom jewellery. Then it’s choosing what metal you wear or love, and what shape you want it to be. Once you’ve decided those things it’s then time for the fun bit… deciding what you want on your piece of jewellery.
Here are some ideas to help you:
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One thing I always get asked to create is jewellery with numbers and dates on them. I’ve created rings with lucky numbers on them, rings with birth years on them and also roman numerals too. I’ve even carved a number that was an amalgamation of loved ones birth dates. Numbers and dates are so simple but hold so much meaning.
- Words and letters are also popular. Words have the power to instantly remind you of something or someone. They can make you smile and transport you back to happy memories. I’ve created pendants with pet names engraved. The words “Not Yours’ secretly engraved on the inside of a ring for a civil partnership. I’ve engraved surnames and quotes too.
- Gemstones are also a great, simple way to bring a story to a piece of jewellery. Maybe a birthstone of a loved one or a certain amount of stones to represent different people in your life. Gemstones originate from all over the world so maybe you’ve visited a place that is popular for a certain gemstone? e.g. Brazil is known for amethyst and emeralds, Australia is best known for opals, India for sapphires.
- Flowers and plants. Flowers and plants are my favourite thing to draw onto jewellery. Flowers can hold more meaning than people realise. It might be of a certain type of flower you had at your wedding, a favourite flower of a loved one, your birth month flower. I’ve drawn a wilting rose on a pendant for a photographer who loves photographing wilting flowers, a peony for the owner of Peony Vintage, a palm tree for someone who loves palm trees.
- Drawings of other special things. There are so many other beautiful things in the world that make us happy and give us beautiful memories. Pets, wildlife, art, bodies, the night sky, coffee, wine, chocolate. I've had the pleasure of drawing all sorts of beautiful designs onto jewellery.
No idea is too big or too small. As long as I can draw it I’ll do it. I love hearing your stories and bringing them to life. If you want to chat about a custom piece of jewellery get in touch via the contact page, I’d love to discuss your ideas.
