Meet the Maker - Daisychain Designs

A week, only a week to go, and more Meet the Makers to squeeze in :)

Now it is the turn of Jo Tinley also know as Daisychain Designs !



What got me into crafting?

I’m really lucky that I come from a family where crafts were always valued and I was encouraged to knit, crochet, embroider, glass paint and lots of other crafts from an early age. I’ve still got a couple of pieces of (very simple!) jewellery that I made when I was about 11, and although I still do lots of other crafts, working with silver is definitely my passion.
It wasn’t until my little boy was born and I left full-time teaching that I turned a lucrative hobby into a business. I now work from home in a fully kitted out shed in the back garden where I can solder, cut and hammer silver to my hearts content and I love it!
It’s great being able to work my business around my family. I love passing on the jewellery making addiction too – I offer one-to-one private silversmithing tuition, teach workshops to small groups at home and teach City and Guilds Jewellery Making for Eastleigh College.

What’s the best thing about making your jewellery?

That I never stop learning and I can get inspiration from so many things around me – a pattern glimpsed on a piece of material may inspire the creation of a pendant by the following week. A fellow silversmith in the same craft guild as I belong to (Wessex Guild of Craftsmen) taught silversmithing for several decades, and told me that no matter how long I develop my skills there will always be something new to learn, and I really enjoy that challenge.



What Handm@de stuff do you have your eye on?

Where do I start?! I’m definitely going to have to ask a friend to come and help me on the day so that I can have a good browse and buy!
I’m really looking forward to see Quercus Silver's resin work as I love her use of colour. Then there’s Raspberry's beautiful bags (you can never have too many bags or too much jewellery as far as I’m concerned), 23 Beech Hill's gorgeous textiles, and Penny Spooner's cool ceramics – please, everyone, buy my jewellery so that I can spend the money on the other stalls!
I do at least half a dozen craft shows a year, but Winchester Handm@de is definitely the one I’m most excited about as it seems so fresh and there will definitely not be any mass produced products!



Some great selections there from Jo, and also very true about Handm@de, no re-selling, all made by the person behind the table! Lots more Meet the Makers this week, keep your eyes peeled for them!!