Makers Month: Let's Meet: One & Eight

We are in Maker's Month now, so alot more about our favourite makers, but as always we had to have our Let's meet feature and so we thought we would talk to fellow Mollie Makes Awards attendee, although she only went and won her Start-up award! yey.  It's the very lovely Susie from One & Eight with her beautiful jewellery.  Which also means most of it is going in the shopping basket to be bought right now, so we best get on with it to give you a chance to grab some bits too!

What was the first thing you remember making?

I have been making things for as long as I can remember. As a little girl, crazy costumes for my shows & houses for my toy animals, and as a teenager, my own clothes!

I don’t know why I didn’t follow a creative path but amazingly I studied Biology at university! It wasn’t long until I found my creative side again (or maybe it found me). I wangled myself a job in buying and product development and then bought my first flat. Living on a shoestring I set about making things for our home. Prints for the walls (using up old tins of paint), shelves & coffee tables from old storage crates, the list goes on!

How did you find your creative side?

My creative side has always been present but recognizing it and channelling it into a business hasn’t been easy.

After having children I took a pottery course to do exactly that, ‘find my creative side again’. This sparked my love of working with porcelain and out of it came the jewellery ranges and ‘One & Eight’ the business was born. Taking the jewellery from a hobby to a business has been challenging at times but also hugely fulfilling and exciting.

What has been your favourite ever make? Whether that is for your business or pleasure – tell us about it.

Gosh this is a hard one. I absolutely love our new ‘old rope’ necklace, I think because it has sentimental value, being inspired by my daughter. We were in a small coastal town near where we live and my little girl was coiling rope she found on the quayside. This sparked an idea and as soon as I got back in the studio I started playing with the clay. Whenever I wear this necklace (which is often) I think of her!

What are your favourite ways to stay inspired?

Getting outside in the beautiful countryside I am surrounded by or by taking a little trip to the coast. The colours, sounds and sense of freedom never fail to lift me and give me time to think.

Inspiration for me also comes from chatting with and listening to people. Oh and I love to travel and experience new things and there are still so many places on my list!

We are all part of the digital world and Pinterest helps me pull all my ideas together. Get a feel for me and my brand oneandeight.

Who are your favourite Designer/Makers right now?

There are so many! I have a growing collection of cups and teapots. It has become a little tradition of mine to buy a piece of tableware from each country I visit. I do though, like to support British Designers and there are so many amazing ones. Sue Pryke is currently one of my favourites. I have an increasing number of her mugs and I love the tea strainer too.

I also seem to be amassing a collection of spoons; porcelain, metal, wooden, I love them all. I was in California recently and come across a Japanese craftsman named Ruka Kikuchi (also known by his nickname Lue). He works in brass and crafts beautiful and unique spoons and bowls. I couldn’t resist it and now have the most perfect miniature brass spoon, which has taken up residence on my desk!

What crafty item is top of your wishlist?

It has to be a painting by my dear friend Lu (known in the art world as Sarah Bowman) bit out of my price range mind but on my wishlist (we can all have one of those right?!). Her work has just taken a new direction and I love it!

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

Hang out with my family, chat with my friends and drink wine.  I try to run and squeeze in a bit of yoga; easier said than done!

Tell us a bit about what you have coming up?  Any little projects you want to tell us about.

Well, there are a few things. A couple I can tell you about and one or two things that aren’t confirmed yet (I will keep you posted on these in our blog, if you are interested?)

We are doing our first ever trade show, Top Drawer, in September! (as you read this I will be there) Eek, a little scary but also very exciting. We are in the ‘Spotted’ section which a curated area showcasing new and emerging designers and brands! Crafty also needs to be commercial if a business wants to be successful. It feels very grown up. Wish us luck!

I am also very excited to confirm that we will be exhibiting in the MAKE exhibition at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen in Bovey Tracy. This runs from 19th Nov 2016 – 2nd Jan 2017. I am honoured to be there with so many great designers and makers.

Wow, so much pretty!  It's just a question of which one to buy first!  Love Susie's packaging too, such a good gift idea.  Trying not to mention the Christmas word too early, but a great page to mark for the upcoming day!  Which one is your fave?

H, xxx

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