If you follow me on Instagram (which you totally should by the way) you’ll know that I share a style illustration every Saturday. Over the last few weeks, I’ve started to share a few of my favourite pieces by artists and makers. There are a few pieces I wear over and over again, so I thought it was worth sharing them with you all in one place here because they’re all wonderful and because supporting other makers is even better.

Belt by Kaye Blegvad

So I spoke about my love of my Kaye Blegvad/Datter rings in my favourite design pieces post at the end of last year, so I won’t prattle on about them again here – but they are glorious and I wear at least 3 of them every single day. Instead, I want to talk about this really special belt I picked up at the start of the year. When I say picked up I mean I fawned over for months and then got a friend in America to post over to the UK for me because I was so obsessed. It’s got a hand-carved brass face buckle which adds something interesting to even the most boring t-shirt and jeans outfits AKA what I wear most days. I do need to remember that I need to take it off before I go through any security checks though.

Wave hoops by Sacet

Hoops are my go-to earrings most of the time, because they’re so comfortable, even if I forget to take them off before bed which may or may not happen too frequently. These mid-sized hoops from Sacet have a lovely little wave to them which makes them a bit more interesting than your standard pair. Facet is a brand which supports craftspeople and designers, making sure everyone involved in making their jewellery is treated fairly and visible in the process, so while they’re not an individual maker they’re well worth inclusion on this list. Their stuff is even made from 100% recycled silver which is just the cherry on the top.*

*Sacet did very kindly send me these earrings for review, but this review is all my own.

Crescent necklace by Oh My Clumsy Heart

Sophie AKA Oh My Clumsy Heart makes the loveliest minimal jewellery. I have a pair of her arch earrings, but the newest piece to my collection is her crescent necklace in gold which is perfect for layering if I’m wearing something a little more low cut or wearing on top of a turtleneck (let’s face it, it’s pretty much always turtleneck weather in the UK) when it’s a little colder because the chain is just long enough. Bonus points for the fact that all of her pieces are super duper affordable if you’re looking for a simple special something to add to your collection or as a gift.

T-shirt by Tallulah Fontaine

As you can tell, most of my favourite pieces are accessories, but I have to make space on this list for what is my most comfortable and well-designed t-shirt. I’d been wanting to buy something featuring Tallulah Fontaine’s illustrations for a while now (remember that time I fan-girled over her super hard?), and a few weeks ago I finally made it happen with this dreamer t-shirt. I can already tell I’m going to be wearing it all summer. I got it via Black Winnebago Club whose packaging is some of the nicest I’ve seen and are just generally a lovely place to buy great pieces by great designers/illustrators.

Magritte earrings by Pieceofka

These are my special occasion earrings. They were the earrings I got my ears pierced for and I love them to this day. They’re laser cut, Magritte inspired wonders. Just big enough to catch the eye, just weird enough to start a conversation and break the ice at any awkward mingling event. Pieceofka, formerly Wild Thing Studio, custom made them for me 4 or 5 years ago now so they’re not available for purchase but her store is filled with some really beautiful pieces, especially if you’re into geometric designs.

As I think I’ve mentioned about a million times now, I really want to learn to make more this year. I’ve now got some stamp carving on the go and I’m thinking about trying my hand at knitting. But today I want to talk about something extra special that I made just over a month ago whilst I was on holiday using The Workbench Box.

What is it?

The Workbench Box is a ring carving kit. It comes with everything you need to carve your own ring from the wax (and a spare in case you make a mistake), to the tools you need, some handy instructional videos and then the magic of Katie and Kirstie to turn your blue creation into something cast in silver or gold at the end.

You can carve your ring in the comfort of your own home and really take your time before posting it off to become something wonderful and shiny.

It’s worth mentioning that the ladies also do loads of classes, so if you want to have a full ring carving experience with friends or just have that bit of extra guidance I’d definitely check those out.

What did I think?

I loved getting the opportunity to make a piece of jewellery that’s completely my own. I ended up making something completely different to anything I owned before, and that juxtaposition (gold vs silver, chunky signet style vs more delicate pieces) makes the fact that it’s mine that little bit clearer.

The instructional videos that come with the box make it easy to get started and as soon as I’d made my first few cuts with the craft knife I felt really confident in my carving abilities, even though I was on my own. 

I decided to go with the box rather than the class to give myself that little bit of extra time to carve, because I know I’m a bit of a slow whittler and more than a bit of a perfectionist. Plus, it was a lovely activity to take with me on my solo weekend away.

Any top tips?

I don’t think there’s much advice I can give that’s not in Katie and Kirstie’s instructional videos at the start, so I think the main thing to say is to watch those and be patient with yourself.

But if there’s one thing I think I would have wanted to have known before I ordered it’s: know what you want to make before you start carving. Make sure you know what kind of ring you want to make before you start, using the helpful advice on carving and finishes, and stick to that plan. I’d also recommend working out where you want to wear your ring before you commit because I had a good half an hour of taking rings off and on to try and work out how to fit in my new piece.

Oh and if you’re carving for a special occasion make sure you give yourself plenty of time to order, carve and then have your ring cast.

Would I recommend it?

If you’re a big jewellery fan or if you just want something super personal, I would definitely recommend the Workbench Box. And while I’ve not been to one of their classes, from everything I’ve heard and seen (and tried through the self-lead box) I can’t imagine them being anything less than brilliant.

I’m already planning my next ring – I’m thinking something much daintier now I’m more confident with the wax. So, there’s definitely going to be a refill pack somewhere in my future.

FYI – This is not a sponsored post, just something I enjoyed and wanted to share with you.

It’s time for another monthly round up of my favourite gems from the internet about art, design and creativity. April seems to have been a great time for long-form writing, so get comfy and make yourself a cuppa then get reading.

SHORT READS, IF YOU’VE ONLY GOT A FEW MINUTES:

ISLE OF DOGS | Making of: Animators | FOX Searchlight

If you’ve seen and loved the wonderful animation in Wes Anderson’s new film Isle of Dogs you need to see this super short mini-documentary where animation director Mark Waring and lead animator Jason Stalman begin to explain some of their meticulous process in a new short documentary, “Making of: Animators.”

braille neue typeface by kosuke takahashi wins one for information-equality

Kosuke Takahashi’s font which combines both English and Japanese characters with their braille counterparts is both a break through for universal design but also a wonderful thing to behold.

Finding Your “Product-Market Fit” as a Creative Freelancer

You know I’ve been struggling to find my place recently, so I found this interview with Any Miller AKA Dr Pizza of Creative Pep Talk (and just being a great illustrator) fame is absolutely fascinating. Plus it’s a great kick to get moving and defining if you need one.

15 Ways that travel inspires creativity

Now that we’re past Easter my mind has firmly turned to dreaming about a summer holiday (as yet unplanned). If you’re in a similar position, or you’ve got some travel on the horizon Jean Julien’s illustrated guide to how travel can inspire creativity is so fun you might feel like you’re on holiday just reading it and seeing his photos from the road to Big Sur.

LONG READS, IF YOU WANT SOMETHING TO GET YOUR TEETH STUCK INTO:

Key projects in London’s design history

Aiga’s Eye on Design recently did a full London guide, which is well worth a read if you live in London or are interested in learning a bit more about the capital’s relationship with design. One of my favourite pieces was this run down of London’s design history – there were definitely a few projects in there I didn’t know about!

How to effectively design everything at the last minute

Pablo Stanley’s twelve steps to procrastinate like a professional are equal parts true and terrifyingly accurate. Bonus points for the wonderful animated illustrations which accompany this piece.

Meet the Designers behind Your Favourite Book Covers

You all know I love book cover design, it’s a big part of why I started my monthly Book Club. Here Alexxa Gotthardt talks with five designers whose book jackets are routinely hailed as the leaders of the pack and crowd favourites, giving you a little bit of insight into the people behind the covers you admire on shelves.

The Controversial Process of Redesigning the Wheelchair Symbol

It has its own emoji, but where did the new Accessible Icon come from and why did it need an update? Design history and universal design fans, this one’s for you.

What about ‘The Breakfast Club’?

While this isn’t necessarily about design/art, it is one of the best things I’ve read this week. Molly Ringwald’s discussion of The Breakfast Club, and what it means to watch it knowing there’s so much that would be deemed problematic today is sensitive and insightful and one of the best critiques that takes into account the issues and the joy of a film at once.

Mind the Gap

With the release of the gender pay gap statistics this month and equal pay day, I’ve been thinking a lot about pay dynamics. One of the best pieces I’ve read about in the design industry comes from Ruby Goss who shares her story of how “we are discriminated against in the most insidious of ways – by the gender pay gap” for Intern Mag and it’s a good read.

WHO TO FOLLOW, IF YOU WANT TO SPRUCE UP YOUR INSTAGRAM FEED:

This month I shared a list of ten smaller wonderful art instagrammers you should be following, so if you’re looking for some new favourites I’d start there. But here’s a short list of some of the best from that list, plus a couple of extras!

@dorotaliwacz

Dorota Liwacz was recommended to me by the lovely Asti and I’m so so so glad that I’ve found her. I know I say this all the time but her characters have real character, and I love how jam packed her illustrations are – each one is over flowing with goodness. Plus look at all of the pink!

@thanksforbeingu

I stumbled across Son Eunkyoung’s illustrations on Twitter by way of some absolutely stunning Korean posters for Call Me By Your Name. Since then I’ve fallen in love with every layered pencil portrait, scene and sketch I’ve seen – each one is tender and full of emotion.