7 weeks working holiday

Wondering where I've been over the Summer? Finishing this house in Abruzzo, Italy...Phew!

From this...

Front of old little cottage

Back of old little cottage

To this... Front with new extension

Side view with extension

It was no holiday! But obviously worth it.

What will your future bring?

Now you can send someone who needs a wonderfully uplifting gift of fortune with a Fine Silver Fortune Cookie! I offer various options, sold just as a cookie charm or on a keyring, bracelet, bangle, necklace options, along with finishing touches like a pearl or gemstone for further positive energy. This new design will bring someone luck, love, wealth, health or whatever you feel that person you love needs for their future with your personalised message..... Each cookie (not recommended for consumption) comes with a message, as shown above, printed on paper and is beautifully packaged in a gift box tied with ribbon.
These will be available on my website from September and is available now on NOTHS.

Doodles in Silver

At least once a month we have Yum Cha (Chinese dim sim) at our favourite restaurant in Canton and always pack some drawing materials for the kids to doodle on the throwaway paper table cloth. The last time we went Laura drew this really lovely bird (top) so I ripped it off and decided to transform it into a Silver bookmark for her Grandfather, whom we call Poppi. I thought it would be nice to personalise it further with a message of love from his two beautiful grand-daughters. We presented it upon his long awaited arrived recently from Sydney, as they are spending the Summer with us to help in Italy, and he was really moved, and also curious (ever the Engineer) as to how I managed to make it. Mum wants all the grand-kids names in the shabby hearts instead.
Judging from my friends responses, they will be a real hit! I was so pleased with the result, I have decided to start selling them on my website when I return from my working holiday in the September so I can take orders in time for Christmas. I know from my own experience, the deluge of drawings the kids product during their precious early years, we can't keep them all, that there is always a special one that really captures your heart and you would love to keep, but then it gets lost or coffee split on it or ripped and scrunched and the treasured drawing is lost. This way, it can be encapsulated to be treasured forever as a lovely AND useful keepsake. You can of course also capture their first attempt to write their name or whatever you so wish, add a date, message, the possibilities are endless. I already have orders from friends who I always run new designs by, and they are now scouring their kids keepsake draws for their favourite art piece.
The bookmark weights approx 5-6 grams of solid .999 Fine Silver, measures approx 60mm x 15mm and will cost £69 and can also be made into a keyring +£12. You need to do, is find that special drawing, make a copy with thick black ink on white paper, scan it and email it to me at sales@melindamulcahy.com with your message and I will do the rest.

Customer's at their very best

I was so surprised and heart-warmed to receive this note, I thought I would share this with my readers.
Thank you so much Caroline & John. This kind gesture has moved me deeply. And, got me thinking; Yup, "Kelly Rocks!" Love the Phonics!
I'm just waiting for Kelly Jones to knock my door and collect his plectrum.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you so very much!

i LOVE this postcard

A customer asked for this wording (above) and it really struck a cord! I am also getting loads of requests for co-ordinates (below) which I think might be Serbian??

Every cloud as they say

Then this popped through just in the nick of time:

Hi Melinda
Thank you for such a prompt reply.
I will pop the keyring in the post and return to you. The rest of the product is lovely and the girls father was delighted with his present so this issue is just a hiccup.
Regards Allison Usher, Sedgefield

You see, for every negative, I get tonnes of the lovely understanding customers, like Allison who make it all worth while!

Small batch problem

So I changed the first lot of keyrings bought from a very reputable source in the UK as the opening on 2 items out of a hundred or so didn't open far enough to insert a key. They were in fact some of the most expensive on the market but were causing me 2 out of 100 problems too many as I aim for 200% customer satisfaction.
I thought I had resolved this problem by finding another supplier, slightly different design, but still a lovely mechanism and no probs with fitting keys on. Although I know on occassion they might need male muscles to unscrew at first, but that's a good thing as you don't want to be losing your keys, right?
But as silver prices have sored I am actually losing money on each keyring I sell on NOTHS in order that I clear NOTHS commission, and I was going to pull them until after the catalogue when I would be able to increase the price. But I though was doing dis-service to my customers.
All's well until 2 days ago, when I find out after 3 customers complained they're plectrum or postcard had come off the jump ring. After investigation, it transpired that my supplier had provided the incorrect strength of jump ring and a small batch sent out were not holding. As you can imagine I'm completely mortified! I have offered to replace the ring immediately.
Then I get a really negative comment via the FEEFO system, even though I have offered to fix the ring for this customer. Needless to say, I was really down this morning, slitting wrist kind, when I saw this comment. Especially as she also said the plectrum was flimsy!
Has anyone seen a real plastic plectrum? Well the ones I make, might I add, in solid .999 Fine Silver, are much larger and thicker than the real life ones, so I really can't understand why someone would say it's flimsy!
Above: One of my unfinished fine silver plectrums next to a real life plastic plectrum. Does this look flimsy to you?

Have I also mentioned my creations are not brought in from China which was mass produced on a production line with robots so they are cloned. I dedicate over 1 hour of my time to hand craft each fine silver item for each individual customer, which is quiet a lot of time in this day and age.
So I thought I would cheer myself up and check out my nice comments. I was blown away! All cheered up now, I thought I would share some with you....

• 17 Jun 2011
  We required the plectrum as a gift for our best man, at short notice Melinda very kindly rushed through our order and ensured we had it on the day. It arrived in perfect condition and beautifully gift wrapped. It was a beautiful gift, well made and beautifully presented. Excellent service!!!!!
• 19 Jun 2011

  Perfect - arrived on time and very original for a graduation present. thank you

• 17 Jun 2011

  i bought this as a gift for my fiancé who was THRILLED! It was so quick to arrive and was exquisitely wrapped up! Thank you!

• 
  15 Jun 2011
  The plectrum was perfect, exactly what i was hoping for and fingers crossed will be a hit! Only criticism is that the leather necklace that i chose for it to come with is not very long and think it will be too tight for my partner to wear, despite being advertised as a gift for fathers day - I contacted the customer upon hearing the length was too short and have offered to replace length of necklace with 20inch, so customer very pleased!
• 13 Apr 2011

  It's a gift for my husband to be, so he hasn't received it yet... But I love it!

• 
  28 Feb 2011
  Everything worked out great with the order, and I had great personal communication with the seller. The only thing that may have been improved is the delivery - as it arrived after Valentine's Day - but that wasn't a huge inconvenience. Overall very pleased! - Customer advised late delivery was due to Royal Mail putting item in an obscure place which customer didn't find until after Valentines Day?

I am getting lots of people saying that it's not much silver for £50, but they obviously don't realise the global market prices for silver and gold has trebled in the last 3 years and I have been trying to absorb these increases. Compare my product the one below (not mine), which is essentially the same thing with a kiddies pic on it for £130 with cheaper keyring, I think you will agree mine is very good value for money!

Credits

I've been celebrating the busiest period my business has ever seen, with the lead up to Father's Day orders, and after taking a well deserved break this weekend, I can see from my forward booked sales, that it isn't stopping just yet!
It's absolutely fantastic to finally see the fruits of my labours and I'm getting stopped all the time from parents on school run when I bounce the girls off in my MBT's, what I'm so happy about. Words escape me. Recalling only February last year I was so depressed about my sales that I was re-thinking why my sorry arse was making, when no-one was buying. And on only the second attempt, I got accepted on NOTHS then there was no looking back.
Of course it's been big a learning curve on there, trying to produce new concepts that stand out from all the rest and are what people want, not to mention getting organised throughout the year to get the most from events like Valentine's Day etc. So I thought I would take this opportunity to credit those who make it all happen:

Customers: Without you, I wouldn't have a business. So, high fiving it over to you.
Photography: Oh, that will be me!
Web updates on NOTHS, melindamulcahy.com, etsy, blog: Um, well that's me too!
Graphics: Me
Marketing: Me
Concept & product development: Oooh, me again.
Crafting of jewellery: That is of course only going to be me.
Crafting of Fine Silver Gifts: me, with help sanding late into the night during busy periods by my husband. Thanks Andrew x
Tooling advancement: Andrew.
Accounting: Andrew, cause I don't do money very well.
Soldering: Me!
Collating & Packaging orders: me too.
Walking orders to post office: me & the kids with bribbary by way of ice lollies!
Lovely Post Office Lady: Lynn. Your the best!
Post office queuing during busy periods with bulk dispatches: Dan, the man with the muscles and the van - Thanks Dan x
Purchasing: Me again.
Printing: Hadyn Prior, which reminds me I need to pay his invoice, oooppps! Oh, actually he hasn't invoiced me.... Must remind him.
Cleaner to keep me sane: Magda (please don't ever leave me!)
Customer Services & enquiries: Me
General dogs body duties like making coffee: Me
Website SEO: Blaine. Well done on the top of first page of Google for handmade jewellery.
Advertising: hahahahahaha, just kidding, I don't do any!
Patience and understanding during busy periods: My wonderful girls whom "I love all the way to the moon, past the stars and beyond!"
And lastly, weekly chats with my invaluable friends and hiphop classes keep my route to discovery a humorous and meaningful one!

Thank you all.

ramblings of truth

I absolutely can not believe the price of Fine Silver Clay has just doubled in price, literally over night and for no real reason. Nothing short of a monopoly if you ask me! There are only two companies, both Japan based, that produce this product and I have seen artisans around the world enjoy the fruits of they're clever product, but that will all change.
For this reason, and the fact NOTHS have advised I am legally held to contract concerning prices, due to fair trade (which doesn't cover my little business's needs and financial requirements to get paid) until the catalogue expires in July, so I have to hold my prices.
I have already witnessed it's victims in business falling around me. Good suppliers, now gone. Perhaps this may also deter independent artisans from working with ArtClay and PMC for the love of it, as I once did. It has taken me 2 years of developing and honing my skills to get this product to the standards I can now boast.
And it's any wonder I am in this position, when offering free delivery (which believe it or not is not accounted for in my costings) customers choose to purchase within days, even minutes of each order, to the same address, taking full advantage of "free delivery" which is totally flat-lining any possible profit. But this is just a sign of our throw-away mentality that my business has been caught up with, the down side of being part of a multi-national community of businesses that aren't makers. For this reason, I have decided to withdraw free delivery on NOTHS, although it's still free on my website, in order that I can somehow combat these massive price hikes.
Oh and I was pushed into offering "express" delivery, for no financial gain to myself, and for orders that I can not make in anything less than 48 hours, so the only thing I got out of it was a stomach ulcer! People, I am not NEXT delivery!!
I am deeply concerned about my business's future. Will my business withstand yet another financial storm? Perhaps my darkest days are just around the corner.....
Just venting, you understand! It's been a tough couple of days!
Customers can help support small and struggling businesses like mine by purchasing directly via melindamulcahy.com.

My "Daddy Rocks" personalised fine silver plectrum makes top 20 gifts for Father's Day on NOTHS!

Shabby Heart Competition

Okay, I've just released these sweet'n shabby hearts on a lovely silver ball necklace, also sold as bangles, available on Not On The High Street now and very shortly (after Father's Day rush) via my website. I have been thinking about ideas for 3 or 4 letter words to stamp inside the hearts, and I thought I'd make it into a competition.
No profanities please!
I am offering a chance to win a ball chain necklace with your choice of 1 initial shabby heart + 1 stamped with your own "word" as shown here in the picture "love", styled with a lovely white pearl worth £47.50 including delivery.
Just email me your most original word suggestion, via sales@melindamulcahy.com, mark the subject as "Shabby Heart Competition" and add your email, name and full delivery address. I can only accept mainland UK entries (sorry). I am unable to change/exchange or offer a monetary equivalent!
Competition ends 12 noon (GMT) on Saturday 25th June 2011 & the winner will be emailed within 5 days of that date.
Jessica & Laura, my two daughters, will be the judges who may be easily persuaded with sweeties!
Oh, and one last thing, the winner's suggested word will also be photographed and added to my webstore for all to see, NOTHS and of course here on my blog, printed with your name and address.

Postcard with Love to my friend

My dearest friend that I grew up with in Sydney tragically lost her Mother to a sudden stoke just before Easter. Chris was only 59, assistant head in a school where she has taught for over 35 years and looking at retirement.
The news was so surreal that at first I couldn't grasp it, but once it started to dawn on me as news came from friends and family far and wide, I realised how much it shook my core. Words can not convey how I feel nor what to say to my lifelong friend, as I couldn't just hop on a plane to be there to comfort her, when she needed it most.
So I thought of a poem and made it into a Postcard with Love, pictured above, finished with a keyring, instead of just sending a sympathy card. I wanted Leah to be reminded of her Mother's Love everyday, rather than mourn her loss.
Shortly afterwards it was Mother's Day in Australia and no doubt it would be a sad day, but instead of being glum, she stated everyday was Mother's Day with her Mum! How lucky she was to have been blessed with such a wonderful Mother.
So many fond memories spent with Chris as part of my teenage years, I smile sweetly to myself at those thoughts. She was a welcome part of our family events and we will all miss her. Softly spoken, Chris rarely raised her voice, like a sea breeze whipping over the rolling waves at Cronulla beach.
Chris is now with Leah's Father, resting as true loves.
My thoughts are with you, Leah, Steve, Cheyenne, Brock and the rest of your family.

Father's Day 2011

It's going to be a ridiculously busy period leading up to Father's Day judging by the orders I am already receiving, more than a month and half before. Not to mention NOTHS featuring me twice in their next catalogue, due out shortly.
Unfortunately I have felt the aftershocks following the devastation in Japan earlier this year as my usual Silver Clay supplier has had problems obtaining it from their Japanese manufacturers which has set me back. So I have spent the last week sorting this little issue, but I'm back on track again and ready to rock. On that note, my heart goes out to all that were effected and you can donate with the Red Cross.
Plectrums, Golf ball Markers, Cufflinks & many other men's gift ideas available.
Make sure you order early!

My bucket list

1. I've always wanted to learn to fly a helicopter.
2. Visit Africa with aid to help a small community
3. Tour around America & Canada in an old airstream, then when I'm finished, do Europe.
4. Learn to make my own tasty brown bread & fresh pasta from scratch (with the help of my wonderful new Italian neighbours, in Palmoli).
5. Visit Sri Lanka, the ice hotel in Sweden & Reykjavik, Iceland
   
6. Commission an eccentric posh hat
7. Train my own horse and participate in a hunt
   
8. Build a timber boat from scratch
9. Go back to Central Saint Martins and study shoe and bag making
10. Learn to make chocolate as good as Lindt
11. See a Blues Singer in New Orleans
12. Dance in Havana
13. Cruise the Nile
14. Experience the Orient Express 1st class from London to somewhere romantic and not yet visited in Europe
    
15. Write a book (of sorts)
16. Learn to snow ski properly (hopefully this Christmas)
    
17. Master the language of Italian, sooner rather than later
    
18. Put on a barn dance or masquerade ball
19. Go hot air ballooning
20. Race a sports car on an F1 track
21. See the Aurora Borealis
22. Sing with a backing band
23. Read more books
24. Stop worrying
25. Learn to say "no" without feeling guilty!
    

Finally, happiness is not just saying your happy, but truly feeling it within

Have you ever been labelled?

I have been thinking about introducing so many new designs in Fine Silver, one of which is this label or tag. But as I am the only employee in my wonderfully thriving business, it takes time actually getting anything to market these days.

Over the years I've been labelled in several ways, some good and some not so good, and when I caught up with an old friend from school, I thought about his label. I made this for him in a shabby chic style, which he absolutely loved when I surprised him and it was obvious from his reaction, it would be perfect to introduce to my NOT ON THE HIGH STREET shop when I get back from my working holiday this Easter. I will be making them available as just the charms, on keyrings, on leather necklaces and as lariet necklaces which I think look great, from RRP £49. Of course, customers can personalise it with their very own label imprint, whatever it may be. Personally, I think we're all priceless!

Combining age-old smithing with technology

I've been using the fine silver clay product for years now which has transformed my business from virtually nothing to being asked by the Editors to take a full page of the NOTHS catalogue which is amazing, even if I can't yet afford it or cope with the volume of orders!?!
As you may have noticed that I don't stay idle with new creations and I am always working on techniques and pushing the boundaries of my work like the Stash bowls and aromatherapy candles. The next stage is combining age-old silver-smithing techniques with the technological advancement of PMC, so that I can make studs, cufflinks etc. There is only so much you can do with PMC which in itself is a fab product, but by combining the two, opens a whole new world of virtually no restrictions other than your imagine.
Here is a new creation, meant for my daughter who had her ears pierced earlier this year. They had to be very light weight, so I used fine silver roughly sculpted into hearts, torched instead of kiln to fire off the clay, and then soldering the back posts on. I have decided not to sand or polish them as I love the organic texture, almost like crumpled foil. I love evolving and creating, it's a part of who I am.

My cousin THE Photographer

Here's my cousin Peter's work! I have been watching him grow as a photographer over the years to where he is now. More recently, as a fashion photographer for an Ozzie swimwear company called Tribe. This photo shoot was on the beautiful shoreline of Sydney, and brought back my childhood memories of living in such a beautiful place. Where Peter resides and where I am originally from. The pictures just blew me away. Check out his website. Watch out Mario Testino. And I love the swimmers too, hhhhmmmm HELLO! Might order some for my hubby, though he's not really into "rocket launchers" as he describes them, I certainly now am! lol

Silver Smithing

Along with everything going on in my lift, I have also managed to squeeze in a weekly silver smithing class which I started last year, so have been practicing my soldering skills, which I need for making cufflinks. When I am a little more confident, I will consider a set of stud earrings to add to my collection. Small steps as they say!
But I have been eager to make rings for myself, and the first was just a simple round hammered one, nothing to blog about. Especially to incorporate one of my favourite stones, Sleeping Beauty Turquoise.
I decided on a flat oval and had the challenge of covering the holes where I would normally thread, set in a rather organic obtuse bezel setting so that the stone lays gently against my skin to harnise it's powers by absorbing negativity, transmuted into useful energy.

Photographing jewellery

I have taught myself how to photograph my own jewellery ever since I began making it, especially after suffering two costly and disastrous experiences with so called "professional" photographers who, say they can photograph jewellery then charge the earth, squabble over the photo's I can actually use, and worst of all, most where out of focus! Through bitter experience, it's actually horrifying how many professional photographers can't actually photograph jewellery and if they can focus on the jewellery, they often can't style it.
There is soooo much to consider when photographing jewellery, lighting, backgrounds, keep away from reflective surfaces etc. After upgrading to an amazing G10, and improving my styling which is also extremely important when it comes to selling your work, my photographs have really improved, along with sales. Now, I never have to worry about copy-write, I take my own photos the minute I make something new and this self-taught skill has seen amazing results.
So much so, that I was asked by a friend, Anne Morgan, to photograph some of her work for a competition. Anne is not only a lovely lady, but a very talented and renowned silversmith, and now Chair of Wales' new Contemporary Jewellery Association, whilst still making time to also teach me silver smithing every week. As she flits between trade fairs, there is little time for organizing photography which she sends away for.
Here are some samples which I hope she deems good enough to grace her website and her very own Not On The High Street shopfront, where she also sells her work. I think these studs look great against a gray plank of driftwood I found along Newton beach!

Plectrum makes Top 10

Ok so my plectrum didn't make Heat magazine's Valentines Day 2011 list but it did make the UK's Independent i Top 10 gifts for men, which is incredible news and is in amongst huge names like Tom Ford, Fortnum & Mason to name a few. I'm sure you can just imagine how totally thrilled I am. When I get a moment, I will be adding this feature to my website, but for now, here is the link should you care to see for yourself. Although, not so pleased they called it "moulded steel" what the........? Nor did they publish my name alongside NOTHS. Anyways, it's still great news.

Not On The High Street Editors Love my plectrum!

With over 150,000 sellers on the web giant gift store Not On The High Street, my plectrum has made the front page under "We Love" and is also now featured in their top 30 favourite gifts.

Buddha

A taste of what's to come this year with my beloved, handcarved natural Sleeping Beauty Turquoise from the depleting mines in Arizona, all hail Buddha! Extremely limited stock, I think there are only 8 available, served with sweet heart and Chrysophrase charms on a long necklace, in your choice of gold vermeil or sterling silver. Be quick, they're only on my website for a short time....

French Macarons

My plan over the Christmas/New Year break, apart from spending oodles of time playing with my gorgeous children and catching up on some long awaited house work, painting, patching and generally cleaning up the mess that tends to accumulate over a year, was to test my culinary skills and master French Macarons (french spelling for Macaroons).
I was first introduced to these little delights when I used to visit my brother who lived in Zurich, many years ago and have only now managed to find a recipe so I could try making them for myself, especially as it's an awfully long way to go for a little French sweet!
These little treasures have a reputation for being temperamental, and so I have been reading up on making them through various blogs by top chefs, many of which also found them to be rather difficult to make.
Unfortunately, however, I had been struck down with illness and didn't manage to leave the house for 2 weeks, so I wondered if my Macaroons might become a distant dream.
Finally, after the children went back to school and I was able to catch up with items pushed to the side and cleaning up my work room, it was time to revisit these mystical little treats, especially as we were dining with friends on Saturday night.
I got out all my notes and re-read them to make sure I knew what I was doing, even though I kept receiving a deluge of questions from my children who kept popping in to see if I had made them yet, every 3 minutes!
Four and a half hours later, and two different recipes, I emerged like I'd had a fight with a snowball covered in icing sugar and the kids faces and hair covered in chocolate ganache, triumphant, offering two types of Macarons; Almond and Pistachio filled with chocolate ganache. They looked so luscious, but tasted even better, that I decided as they quickly melted in my mouth, to take a photo before they disappeared completely.
Seeing as these were my first attempt and I am determined to get them perfect, I have decided not to post the recipe until I am completely satisfied and confident to share with you. But as soon as I do, I will post them here.
The pink ones (almond) were my first batch and the recipe wasn't as good as the second green ones which are pistachio filled with chocolate ganache and these (mostly) came out looking pretty good with little feet on them. I would have filled the pistachio meringues with white chocolate and pistachio ganache but ran out of time, instead I just used what was left from the pink ones.
And felt pretty chuffed with myself, head held high as I thrust my delicious cake plate filled with candy coloured french treats as I entered Cathie and Gareth's house for dinner.