Solo Exhibit & Giveaway: Bella Bijou Too!

Update: Congrats to Sarah who left comment number 110! Great big thanks to Jaime for this fantastic giveaway!

Classic yet fresh designs, strong eco-friendly practices…you’ve found Jaime and Bella Bijou Too! Everything here is made to order, like these Sakura earrings. Inspired by blooming cherry trees, they’re made from reclaimed silver and copper. Heating the copper flowers gives them a rosy patina which contrasts beautifully with the shiny silver hoops.

I love the pleasing proportions of this wee pansy pendant. The rounded petals have been imprinted with a slight texture, layered together, and topped with a 14 k gold center. Such a lovely bit of summertime to wear all year round.

Stacking rings are nothing new, but Jaime’s take on them feels modern. Each ring has been hand formed into a slightly squared shape and hammered to add texture and shine. The set includes one ring in sterling silver, one 14k gold filled, and one 14k rose gold filled.

Jaime’s delicate touch is evident in this lighter than air necklace. The pear has been hand formed from sterling silver wire and polished to a bright finish. Wear it, layer it, love it!

Curator V: How did you get your start making jewelry?

I kind of fell into jewellery making. I moved across town years ago and was struggling with the boyfriend I moved in with. I went out one day for a walk to clear my head and stumbled into a little bead and gem store. The rest I guess you could say was history – I started making fun earrings, and my friends started buying them. I found my calling, and left the unsupportive boyfriend. I developed my skills and I not only live with someone who is my best friend, but my creative outlet flourished into a full fledged business. It just happened

Curator V: Bella Bijou Too is the sister shop to Bella Bijou. What made you decide to open a second store? What are the advantages of having two stores? The challenges?

I felt it was time to really separate my two styles of jewellery. My one of a kind shop (Bella Bijou) is full of pieces pulled right from my dreams. They tell stories and boast my most creative moments. Bella-Bijou Too is full of jewellery that I love to wear on a daily basis. Classic designs, easily paired with each other and easily worn by all women. I wanted to separate them to quench any chance of confusing what could be made over and over, and what is a one time deal.

Keeping them maintained has been easier than I thought. I actually put off opening the second shop for about a year before actually doing so. The big challenge was just making sure both shops look (and continue to look) cohesive, while keeping my personality and heart in all my work.

Curator V: At Bella Bijou Too, all of your pieces are made to order. Is there a difference in your creative process when you work that way?

Definitely. I think about the simplicity of a design in the aspect of “will I hate this if I have to make it over and over” but at the same time I keep in mind that while simple, the designs need to still set me apart from everyone else.
With one of a kind work you can really let your heart do all the designing, but with made to order you need to be able to put the same amount of focus and attention into each piece, each time you make it. I never want to keep a design around longer than I like making it – I feel it would show in my work.

Curator V: You have a strong commitment to being eco-friendly. Could you share some of your practices with us?

First and foremost, in all my designs I use reclaimed & recycled metals. Unfortunately the world of jewellery is full of “dirty” and non?earth conscious practices, and mining for new metals is one of them. Not only does metal mining produce monumental amounts of environmental waste, but it leads to contaminated oceans and endangerment to humans and animals alike. I purchase my raw materials from a completely solar powered company, and by using recycled and reclaimed metals, Bella?Bijou is doing every part to keep the beauty of jewellery, with out the price of the environment at stake!

In addition, I purchase my gemstones from ethical and reputable sources. I work directly with stone cutters themselves, and other small stone businesses and family owned mines. I bet you don’t like the idea of sweatshop stone cutters – and neither do I! And finally, all my jewellery is always packaged in 100% recycled cotton lined jewellery boxes, and shipped in 100% degradable bubble mailers ( they begin to break down in as little as 24 months)

Curator V: Do you have a best-selling item? What do you think makes it so popular?

My best sellers wax and wane, but my Daisy Earrings and Squared Stackers are both designs that have carried me through the years, the changing of shops and still stayed popular. They both happen to be favorites of mine as well, so I guess there are some things that are just classic and are always in style. Recently, due to the big geometric trend, my Chevron Necklace has made itself a contender though

Outside of the online world, my Wishbone Necklace and Fern Cuff are very popular at markets and shows. I am guessing it is because one can really see the craftsmanship in these pieces better in person. They can really see the leaf veins in the cuff and the metal forging in the wishbone charm.

Curator V: What can we expect from you in the future?

Hopefully big things! Over the years on etsy ( I’ve been selling on Etsy since 2005) I have been able to cut the hours of my day job down slowly, and ideally I’d like to quit all together. In a world and a city like mine (Vancouver) it can be very hard to tap into the market of selling your work in stores, so I am forever grateful for the world of online sales – it has allowed me to send Bella-Bijou Jewellery all over the world. In the future I want this to be full time, and to continue to know that packages will be arriving on doorsteps and putting smiles on their recipients faces

Giveaway time! Everyone has a wish. Keep yours close to your heart with Jaime’s hand forged sterling silver wishbone necklace. To enter, visit Bella Bijou Too then come back here and leave a comment with your favorite item. One winner to be chosen at random next Sunday, November 6th.

(Reading this via a feed? Here’s a link to the giveaway so you can enter.)

Tagged as: giveaway, handmade, jewelry