Tell us a bit about yourself
Hi, my name is Gloria. Originally from Scotland I moved to Australia with my family back in 1974. I live with my husband of 21 years Peter and our three children, 2 boys and a girl aged 17-11. We live in Lilli Pilli, which is South of Sydney, not far from the beachside suburb of Cronulla. It’s a fantastic place to live, close to the beach and the Royal National Park on your doorstep.
Can you explain your craft/art and the material you like to use? I make handmade jewellery using recycled sterling silver and copper using traditional metal smithing techniques. I love to mix metals. I particularly love the look of silver and copper together. I think copper is very under rated, it’s a beautiful metal, great to work with and really easy to maintain. I also use beautiful gemstones, freshwater pearls and lampwork that source from lampwork artisans from all over the world.
Where do you get your inspiration and what is your creative process? I get a lot of inspiration from the materials I use, particularly lampwork beads with all their beautiful colours and effects. I love to make jewellery that has an organic look and feel to it, not too manufactured looking. When I was at school in Scotland we learned about Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a famous Scottish architect. Ever since then I have had a passion for all things Art Nouveau and Deco and I think that those influences come through in my work.
I’m completely useless at drawing so my creative process usually involves lying in bed at 2 am thinking of an idea, working through it in my head from start to finish, then hopefully not forgetting it when I wake up in the morning!
How long have you been creating and how did you get into craft/art? I tried pottery for a few years in my early twenties but I didn’t get the same kick from that that I do from making jewellery. I have been making jewellery now for about four or five years. I discovered Eni Oken’s web site about five years ago and fell in love with her jewellery. I tried a few of her basic tutorials and I was hooked! After a while I decided to enrol in a metal smithing and jewellery design course on offer at our local arts centre. I haven’t looked back since. Learning how to cut, pierce, shape and solder metal has added a whole new dimension to my jewellery.
How did you come up with your business name? My sister came up with it. We wanted something that reflected our gaelic roots. Alainn (pronounced aw-linn) is the gaelic word for beautiful, although people pronounce it wrong all the time!
What resources 'have or do you' use to help your creative pursuits (i.e. groups, classes, shops, websites etc)?
If there’s something I’m not sure how to do I just Google it, somebody out there always has an answer. There’s also lot of fantastic tutorials available on line. Some cost a few dollars but a lot of them are free. I also have quite a few jewellery ‘bibles’ I refer to when I need help. I’ve even watched some great jewellery making tutorials on You Tube!
What's your best advice for someone starting up?
I know everyone says it but find your niche. This helps to cement your style. It’s easy to get caught up with what other people are doing, but you just end up confused and not knowing which direction you want to take. The more seriously you take your business, the more seriously customers take you.
Do you have any advertising/promotion tips for sellers to be successful?
Sometimes I feel like the only person on the planet that doesn’t use social media for promotion. I recently did a Facebook/Twitter course (my kids thought it was hilarious that I would have to do a course on Facebook!) but as yetI haven’t gone down that path. I have a website that links back to Madeit and when things are quiet I do the odd jewellery party with the help of my two sisters. For me, in the end the best way to promote alainn is to make the best products and give the best service I can. Also to give people who shop with me a great buying experience. If they enjoy it, they’ll tell a friend and so on and so on. It’s the best promotion I could get. Hopefully my feedback on Madeit reflects this. Lastly take good clear shots of your work in natural light. Sometimes I get really frustrated when I shop online and the product shots are too blurry, far away etc.
Can you share any lessons that you have learned the hard way? Stay focused and know exactly what it is you want to create. When I first began making jewellery, I would go to bead fairs and bead shops, I was like a ‘kid in a candy store’ buying anything and everything just because I liked the look of it. Needless to say I ended up with a room full of supplies (which I’m now destashing on Craftumi) and no idea what I was going to do with them. I’m a lot more focused these days and only buy something when I know exactly what I’m going to do with it.
What do you like to do besides creating? Having three children that play sport, weekends are spent going from one sporting venue to the next. If I do get any free time I love to go ‘op’ shopping looking for a bargain (must be my Scottish roots!). Also I recently surprised my self and those who know me by having surfing lessons. I’m usually a ‘lay by the heated pool with a cocktail in my hand kinda gal’.
What is your favourite music, television show, film, book, website?
Love all types of music, couldn’t pick just one Book - prefer non fiction to fiction, but loved Stephen Kings, It – I couldn’t put it down. Film – Life of Brian – have seen it 100 times and still laugh! TV – Good News Week, Graham Norton, Escape to the Country
What would be your perfect day?
Winter, Hunter Valley, log fire and a bottle of red.
Who is one of your favourite madeit seller, explain why in less than 10 words? 3GIRLSandagoat – beautiful, innovative, quality
