“I have always loved combining high-street clothing with vintage pieces to create outfits,” comments the very stylish Adrianne on why she decided to set up the venture. “I would create pieces and customise elements to create the look I wanted. Opening the online boutique has enabled me to turn this hobby into a business.”

Sourcing elements of her pieces from all over the world she combines contemporary and vintage stock to create jewellery that is both on-trend and has a story to tell.

Having no formal training in jewellery-making didn’t stop the young entrepreneur. Her father used to do silversmithing and taught her some techniques and processes when she was growing up.

“My qualifications are all in Art and Graphic Design and I have gained knowledge through experiences working in the fashion industry.”

Working from her studio in the Worcestershire countryside she comes up with ideas and designs that have recently been seen on several celebrities. “I am definitely led by the fashion trend seasons, but because I buy stock which is vintage I tend to be more inspired by the unusual elements, colours and textures that I find. I think this makes quite an exciting design process, as I aim to create fashion-led pieces using unusual and limited edition materials.

“I love vintage style and beautiful things, but am definitely a high-street shopper at heart. I like to combine classic items with high-street outfits and create looks that are of the moment, but always with a little something different.”

With regular commissions for weddings Adrianne has also spotted her creations on Katie Waissel from X Factor; “Last season [she] was photographed on several occasions wearing my Bonnie Bow necklace. Also I know that Eliza Doolittle and Pixie Lott have a couple of rings and Fern Cotton has this season’s Faye necklace. These are exactly the celebrities I would love to see wearing my collection. Alexa Chung would be amazing though!”

Up and coming designer Kat Dibbits takes old, unwanted vintage trinkets and lovingly transforms them into unique pieces of jewellery; cleverly up-cycling them for a new life with a new owner. After studying English Literature at the University of Leeds, 28 year-old Kat moved to Bolton to work as an arts journalist on a regional newspaper, and began to get her creative juices flowing as a part-time jewellery designer.

How did your jewellery-making start?
Three Christmases ago I decided I was going to hand make all my friends’ Christmas presents. Initially I was going to make fudge, but it turns out that while I’m a decent chef I’m a rubbish confectioner, so I had to think of something else. I had lots of vintage bits and bobs that I’d accumulated that were broken or just a bit unwanted, and so I set about trying to transform them. I got a bit obsessed, bought way too many supplies and so the only sensible thing to do was to try and sell some.

How do you find your older, vintage jewellery?
Wherever I go I’m always on the lookout for charity shops, flea markets and odd little bric-a-brac shops where I can spend hours looking for pieces to use. The great thing is it doesn’t matter if they’re dirty, have broken pins or are missing parts, I can easily clean them up, smooth them off and replace missing stones.

Do you have a certain style you aim for?
Not intentionally, but I find that most pieces I make fall into one of two categories, the very romantic pastel-coloured whimsical pieces, and the stronger, jewel-coloured pieces that look like a treasure chest when they’re piled up together.

Do you feel that your pieces are aimed at a certain type of person or that they could be worn by everyone?
Well my customers range from 14 to 65 years old, so I’m guessing everyone, it just depends how they’re styled. Rather than aiming for a certain market I just trust to my own taste and make pieces that I would like to wear – it’s quite difficult to part with some of them.

Is the fact that your jewellery is one of a kind something that’s important to you? It must be a nice feeling for you and your customers to know that what they’ve bought is a one-off and completely unique!
Definitely. When people tell me they’ve been complimented on the piece they’re wearing or that someone has asked them where they got it from it makes me really proud. And the fact that they’re all one-offs means my customers will never have that awkward moment when they see someone else wearing the same item.

As an emerging designer, is it hard to get your work noticed?
It can be. I’m very lucky in that my background in journalism makes me quite brave when it comes to approaching magazines and websites. Social media makes a huge difference, too – I don’t know if I could have made a success of it without Facebook and Twitter.

Do you find you have loyal customers who come back time and time again for new items?
Yes, very much so. Some are boyfriends of girls who have bought items and then return every birthday and Christmas, and I have one customer who has bought dozens of pieces as gifts for friends. She gets a special discount now!

Tell us a bit about the space you work out of (studio / home) and what around you helps with inspiration…
I work from a very jumbled room at home that’s strewn with jewellery components, stones, bits of vintage jewellery and pictures and bits of fabric I’ve picked up intending to make mood boards that I never get round to. It’s advisable not to walk in there in bare feet.

How do you position yourself and your website in the market place?
I sell through Folksy.com, which is a dedicated site for people to sell their handmade items. I’ve been with them since pretty early on in their history and I’ve seen them grow and grow – it’s fantastic. My own little shop on there is aimed at people who want one-offs, but not at terrifying prices. I was very aware when I started that there was a mid range of people who want something a bit more special than the usual high street fare but who can’t afford designer pieces and I felt that they were being somewhat overlooked.

How do you market yourself and the store?
Mostly it’s through word of mouth – I’m very lucky that my customers get excited about their purchases and tell their friends about my site. I also use social media, and I have a blog.

Do you sell in stores? Where else can people buy your work?
I sell through a little shop in Bolton called The Wench and Trinkets and I’m going to be stocked in a new store opening in Manchester too, but details are top secret at the moment. I also sell seasonally at a range of galleries in Manchester and Liverpool for two or three months at a time. I’ve recently started doing jewellery parties – the first one went so well that the coffee shop that hosted me have asked if I can come back – and that’s something I’m considering doing more of in the future.

Words: Sophie Hannah

Fairytales and Post it Notes have created a range of vintage jewellery which shows a distinct style and expresses a unique look with everything from necklaces to rings, brooches and even hair trinkets. The collection is individual and really cute, with a magical feel to it. Inspiration is taken from all that is ‘Vintage, Romantic and Mischievous’.  If you are looking for something different this is a great place to look.

The majority of the items are under £10, which is great because there are so many pieces that you will want to take home. Fairytales and Post it Notes sell jewellery online and most Sundays you can find them at the Backyard Market on London’s Brick Lane.

Limited edition items are also created from time-to-time offering something truly unique. A great idea for gifts, or why not just treat yourself…

Words: Lauren Chrimes