Friday 29 April 2011

New design! Lucite Crucifix-Loaded Charm Bracelet


Lucite Crucifix-Loaded Charm Bracelet

♥ ChArMiNg! ♥

A rainbow of brightly coloured, translucent acrylic/lucite crosses mounted on a gold plated T-clasp charm bracelet. These translucent crosses really pick up the light, some colours even appear to glow in the right light!
Handmade, available while stocks last!

♥Materials:
Bracelet - gold plated
Charms - lucite

♥£12

xoxo 

Meet the stockist: Heart Gallery, Hebden Bridge

♥ What’s your name and where do you come from??
Alison Bartram, owner of Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.

♥ How long have you been in the boutique business and what made you get started?
I opened the doors to Heart Gallery in September 2006 after finally realising a dream and taking a leap of faith brought about by tragic circumstances.
My sister took her own life in 2005 and it made me realise that nothing in life is certain and we have no idea what is around the corner so I quit my job and took a part-time job in a cafĂ© whilst I thought about what was important in my life. Rachel had always told me I was wasting my life working for others, she had always told me that I should go out and grab that opportunity, she had always told me to open my own shop again (I’d had a punk/alternative clothes shop in Bradford in the eighties), she had always told me that nothing was impossible, she had always told me that tomorrow never comes .. and for her there are no more tomorrows. But for me there are and her death gave me the kick up the backside I needed to realise that dream – my when, where, what and how had arrived finally when I spotted the Old Baptist Chapel in Hebden Bridge up for rent.

♥ What’s your shop like and what do you sell?
Heart Gallery is a unique contemporary jewellery and craft gallery featuring an eclectic mix of ever-changing work by around ninety emerging and established designers and makers, with quality and originality guaranteed.
Heart Gallery is passionate about all things beautiful and sells the very best of inspirational work including fresh, innovative and exciting contemporary jewellery, ceramics, glass, textiles, wood, furniture, accessories and stationery.
Heart Gallery ensures that there is something for everyone's tastes and budgets and is constantly evolving and reinventing. Heart Gallery prides itself on showcasing classic pieces for today's modern living alongside the more quirky and challenging accent pieces and brings unusual and unique sumptuous gifts and design-led
interior and lifestyle products together in one beautiful and inviting space offering a haven from the predictability of the High Street.
Heart Gallery is currently only bricks and mortar - see it, touch it, feel, it, try it on! Heart Gallery aims to have a selling website in the future however.


♥ What’s your typical day like - the best bits and the worst bits?
Every day is so different and that's what I love about working in Heart Gallery. Every day I put the key in the big black door that was once a Baptist Chapel and open it to Heart Gallery I feel instantly calm and as excited as I felt the first day I opened to the public way back in September 2006! I never know what is going to be thrown at me and although there are jobs that have to be done every day quite often not all of them get done because of who comes through the door, who emails me or who phones! The worst bit if I'm honest is not having enough hours to get everything done so a lot of work goes home!

♥ What do you look for in handmade goods to sell?
Heart Gallery prides itself on being a little bit quirky and not a typical gallery that can appear to be a bit unapproachable by customers due to the white walled format and stark layout used. I try to reflect Heart Gallery's quirkiness in the makers I source, the pieces I choose to display and also how they are displayed. There are certain disciplines that I have tried at Heart Gallery since opening that don't seem to be appreciated by my customers so I unfortunately tend to ignore those at Shows and when searching on line for new makers. Otherwise, I just tend to adopt the approach of knowing that if I fall in love with it my customers will too as long as the craftmanship is there.

♥ Do you actively seek new designers, or wait for them to come to you?
I am constantly seeking new designer/makers - I can't switch off really, even when on holiday. If I spot a maker in another Gallery somewhere that I know would sit well in Heart Gallery then I contact them. I do have more approaching me these days as I have a good reputation within the industry.

♥ What’s your best seller?
I display more jewellery in Heart Gallery than other disciplines as there was such a gap in Hebden Bridge for great contemporary jewellery designed and made by makers in the UK. Obviously that means I sell more jewellery but handblown glass sold  amazingly well in December and functional ceramics weren't far behind! It does change however, there is no pattern and I can never understand why!

♥ How do you prefer a designer to approach you about selling their work? Any tips?
I have had to get strict over the years and now refuse to see makers that just turn up at Heart Gallery to be honest. I don't feel it's the right approach as I am open to the public and therefore cannot give quality time to the maker or to their work! I have an artist section on the website that asks makers to send images first. This means that I can see if their work will fit into the programme ahead and if it will sit well in Heart Gallery. I can then contact them to make an 'out of hours' appointment to meet them and see their work.

♥ What sort of basis do you prefer to work with your designers - consignment or wholesale?
I have run Heart Gallery purely on Sale or Return since opening and I do believe this is certainly a two way street that works for all. Because the makers have faith in me as a Gallery Owner I can offer more diversity for my customers. Because I know that I wouldn't have Heart Gallery without their faith then I ensure that all paperwork is kept up to date and payments made on time as per my agreement which they sign.

♥ Link us up!
Heart Gallery

Heart Gallery Wordpress Blog

Heart Gallery Blogspot Blog

Heart Gallery on Twitter

Heart Gallery on Facebook


"Meet the Stockist" is a collection of interviews with stockists of independent designers' work, posted on the last Friday of each month.  If you are a stockist and would like to be featured, or you are a maker and know of a great stockist to interview, email me!


Don't forget to subscribe if you heart my blog!

xoxo

Tuesday 26 April 2011

Great Hair Day!

If I ever need to justify why I live in Leeds and nowhere else, this has to be one of the reasons:

GHD HQ on your doorstep! I'm lucky to be on their mailing list as a model and today has been the first chance I have had to get there.  I've modeled before but nowhere quite as glamorous...

I got the the Dalek (big building it's based in) and approached the doors to GHD. Have you ever watched Ugly Betty and thought that no place could actually look like the Meade Offices? Well... it can, and GHD is that place. I felt quite exposed walking to the end of the runway/tunnel to check in with the receptionist.

It turned out I was the only model, how special did I feel? A very professional stylist spent a couple of hours showing a handful of other stylists how to use the GHD products, brushes and various styling irons to create this look they call 'Glamour'. Would you even believe that this is a couple of hours after the session, and they had even brushed my hair a few times to show how the style holds? The Senior Stylist said that the style will also stay in until I wash my hair. Fantastic.

 

On leaving the stylist asked the receptionist to make sure I'm invited to future sessions because I have great hair and made a great model! Yes! And I also got a bag of GHD goodies to take home! Winner all round.

So now I'm kinda 'all dressed up and nowhere to go'! Anyone want to take me out?

xoxo

Monday 25 April 2011

Tea for Two?

I had a very special guest at Indie Cindy on Saturday! My friend SamARTha popped by with Marco to say hi on their flying visit to the north of England. She has recently been enjoying crafting herbal teas, and arrived with some for me and Cindy!






I've been working hard to get Indie Cindy shop looking just so for the launch party (Sunday 1st May, 2-4pm, everyone's invited!) and this pick-me up is great, and makes me happy when I open the little wooden box and find the sweet notes inside :)

Thank you Samantha! x

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Just checking...

That you're following the Indie Cindy Secret Diary and are a fan of her on Facebook!

Keep up to date with the Leeds shop venture. I'll still be here though, with personal and KitschenSink related news :)

xoxo

Tuesday 12 April 2011

Update: what's going on??

Well, it's busy, busy, busy!

I moved into Bird's Yard to set up the new shop Indie Cindy at the weekend. It's coming along nicely! Still a few finishing touches yet though...

KitschenSink sales are picking up again, must be the nice weather! Got a few wholesale orders I need to sort out... and there's a couple of new collections that I really need to pull my finger out and promote! They are awesome.... all in good time! Wowow!

More soon!

xoxo

Tuesday 5 April 2011

Barcelona: Best Bit Part #2: Raval Vintage Shopping

So, once the rails started to come out onto the street we had a looksee around Carrer Riera Baixa.  To look down the alley you would never realise what treasures there are!

The first shop was incredibly weird. We got excited by all the vintage sportswear on the outside rail and a very odd shop assistant lady with Lego hair wearing wrap around shades followed out moves literally one foot away from us at all times. They had an amazing dresses filled with trinkets, I asked to take a photo and she said no, so I left! Bad customer service. I'd name and shame if I could remember!

The next shop was a tardis! Smart and Clean had an absolutely awesome collection of vintage ladieswear, menswear, childrenswear and homewares. I fell in love with some of their 50s lighting!  Again, no photos allowed :(

The next was a lovely pretty little shop where I bought a delightful green knitted skirt.  But check out their amazing wall paper!

For some reason I cannot rotate this picture! Annoying.

And for my favourite shop and favourite purchase

Motel!
I didn't even ask if I could take photos in here. I just did it, because I loved it.





I just loved the little details like these old fashion photos on the wall by the till...

 

I felt inspired in this shop and the lady in there was just lovely. She let us rummage around in the 3 Euro bin... and I found the most amazing t-shirt, much to the amusement of my friends...

 

I had no idea who Sachin was. But coincidentally, I bought it on the day that India won the cricket world cup! All the Indian gift-shop owners loved me... and took my photo! I felt like a celebrity!

What do you reckon? I it so much!

What secrets do you know about Barcelona? I'd love to go back... 

xoxo

Barcelona: Best Bit Part #1: Raval Graffiti

I've just got back from a whistelstop tour of Barcelona with two good friends. We did all the usual sights like the Sagrada Familia and Park Guell... but you can read that anywhere.

I'll tell you about my favourite bit. Raval.

We'd heard there's a pretty good vintage shopping scene and on Saturdays, they bring rails of clothing into the street at knock down prices. Right then! Let's get the bargains nice and early! Fail. The Spanish don't get moving til after 11. So I went for a wonder... look at the lovely art on the street!!






Next up: Vintage shopping!

xoxo