Once I’ve completed a small batch of unique handmade jewellery designs, there’s still plenty of work to do before it appears on my website. Here are a few things I have to consider.

My Priorities

I began Deborah Jayne Jewellery 6 years ago as a complete novice. Armed with experience of art and antiques, together with a desire to stop ransacking the planet and creating more and more waste, I began to develop my craft. As a very small player in the huge costume jewellery business, I’ve pinpointed the most important priorities when adding new products to my online shop.

Number 1: Photography

I am certainly not a professional photographer and I’ll admit I found it really hard in the early days to take good shots of my work. I wanted to share my mini works of art with the world! My images should truly reflect the hard work involved, the beautiful designs and the originality of my work.  Very quickly I realised how hard it is to make my photos reflect all of this…  it has taken many hours of failed attempts to reach a level I’m happy with. I have also had to learn some image editing skills and invest in some basic equipment.

Here is a snapshot of my home “studio” – basically a loft room with good light, together with a white photo box and a lamp!

Number 2: Time

Publishing products online needs to take as little time as possible. As a busy mother of two, with other work commitments, the Deborah Jayne business needs to work efficiently side by side. For this reason I ditched the traditional stand-alone camera and tripod, and opted for using my smart phone. I can take pics in the square format required, as well as easy downloading from the Cloud. Then all that is needed is some quick edits in Photoshop, and the photo is ready to go.

Number 3: Cataloguing

With a long background of writing catalogue entries in antique auction sales, I found it difficult to move away from my ‘academic’ style. In line with my training in professional ethics, I can’t help but describe products with absolute honesty. This includes any signs of wear and tear and inclusion of modern elements. I also stress that when dating vintage materials, I am merely.expressing my experience based opinions. In time, my descriptions have become more to the point, keeping the details to what is relevant and concise. But with Deborah Jayne you can be sure that descriptions are exact, with no misleading information.

Final Results

After a day of taking pics, editing and adding product entries, my most recent unique handmade jewellery pieces are now live.

Follow this link to take a look: SHOP NOW

Remember, each piece is a one-of-a-kind, and once sold, there will never be another.

For something a little different from the High Street, and always made with ethical principles at heart!