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This lockdown has definitely had its challenges over the past year and there seems to be no sign that things are letting up any time soon However, don't despair.....help is here.....😀 Of course the best way to  celebrate Valentines Day is to spend it with each other, but then most of us have been spending a helluva lot of time together for most of this year!!!!   So if you are looking for something different to 'gift' to your better half then you've come to the right place! Whether you're in an established relationship, or are just starting out, I thought I would put together a list of 10 ideas that will keep you and your better halves entertained in a romantic way!  ❤️ Give the gift of a super cosy breakfast in bed, complete with flowers from the garden (or someone elses!) and top it off with a Hot Chocolate with Amaretto Bake some Valentine heart shaped cookies together - or anything else for that matter but heart inspired bakes earn extra points!  Create a memorable lunch of all your favourite foods - don't forget the candles! Create a repeat of your most memorable date and re-live it at home complete with your favourite music  A movie night, it has to be romantic movie (of course) and with popcorn :)  Try an online course in cocktail making - I think I will be doing this as it sounds like a lot of fun!  Play a game - how about blind fold food tasting? Could be a whole load of fun and you can get VERY creative!  Take a romantic local walk  An indoor camping night - assuming you can fit the tent in your lounge and with your favourite takeaway meal Take a bath together - and don't forget the roses and champagne Well I hope that gives you all a few tips - what you must remember to do is HAVE FUN!  Enjoy!  Much Love  Jo  MaisyPlum xx

Well goodbye and good riddance 2020 and I hope this year is not a repeat! What a turbulent year it was - this COVID can bugger off  as I'm done now!  My intention is to start 2021 with some positive vibes by wiping the slate clean and pretending that this horrible virus has only just arrived, that way I will be able to carry on in lockdown for the next few months without feeling too fed up!  I have to say - on a positive note - last year for me was wonderful for MaisyPlum. You lot kept me busy and I'm so grateful for all your support. Not only were the orders flooding in, but the kindness shown on my social media accounts was amazing. All the comments, likes and interactions really kept me going and I 'm so very grateful. Small businesses everywhere need all the help they can get, so where you can, please continue to support handmade as much as possible as it can make such a difference. One thing  I'm incredibly proud of is that I came in the Top 5 Winners for the Handmade Hamper Awards over on Instagram ( I won 3rd place!!!) This was run by @Handmade_Hour in conjunction with @Emerald Grove Studio . I entered,  not for one minute thinking I would get into the top 100 let alone 3rd place as over a thousand small businesses applied. I've never seen so much talent. To say I was blown away is an understatement. Needless to say it was a fantastic way to end a crappy year and it has definitely given me a much needed boost and inspiration to keep creating unique enamel jewellery and gift ideas  :)   Anyway, onwards and upwards - we can get through this! I wish all of you a healthy, happy and very successful year and let's hope that 2021 brings some lovely surprises.   Stay SAFE!  Much Love Jo 5MaisyPlum    

Geometric jewellery has been a trend for a while on the fashion circuit and it looks like it is here to stay for a while yet! Simple and elegantly sleek or bold statement pieces are very much en vogue and so it is a good idea to have a selection of both to ensure that you have a varied accessories collection. Geometric jewellery tends to be bold and simple therefore avoiding a cluttered look.  There are different ways to accessorise your look and I have listed a few of these below Deep V Neckline - Pendant Necklace  Crew Neck - Layered Necklaces Sweetheart - Short Statement Necklaces I am a lover of dainty jewellery but on a night out that doesn't mean I don't like to make a statement from time to time!!  With this in mind I have been creating a colourful line for 2019 including this dainty triangle pendant with matching earrings in a variety of colours.  Small enough not to overpower your outfit but bold enough to make a statement. These look just as stunning teamed with a simple t-shirt or with a stylish dress for a night on the town.  You can find these pendants and earrings online here or here If you like to wear a real showstopper and love a bit of sterling silver, then something like this geometric circle necklace would set of a simple outfit beautifully!  The delicate strands of coloured silver compliment this hoop necklace perfectly. What do you think? Have you a favourite piece of jewellery? If so feel free to leave your comments as I would love to find out more about your style too!  If you are after some alternative designs then you can find pendants here and earrings here Have a great weekend! Until next time Jo 

Hello Plummies!  Well since my last post I have been working on a new collection which I am hoping you are going to love!  It has all been about cubes for me these past few weeks! I wanted to create something that is easy to wear, simple and contemporary for the modern woman. Everything is made in sterling silver and there is the choice to have your item plated in gold! The collection looks great when mixing the metals too!  At the moment there is one bangle style, two earring styles as well as 1 pendant style, but there is more to come over the coming weeks as I am hoping to expand it a little more. So, if you like cubed jewellery or are looking for something a little different that has been hand crafted then why not check the collection out here ! I would love to know what you think of it so feel free to drop your comments below. Have a great evening!  Jo

Hi Plummies!  It has been a while since I last wrote a post and I am sorry about that but life and work has just gotten way too busy!  Firstly, I just wanted to wish you all a very belated Happy New Year! I can't quite believe that it is nearly the end of January already!  So, here is a little update on what has been going on at MP HQ! Last year saw me get busier and busier on the work front. It was a great year for me, but, as there is only me doing it all, I do find that it can be a little overwhelming sometimes and I certainly need to think about how to prioritise the many balls that I seem to juggle!!  Just to give you an update on what has been happening here.... I am also now supplying my stock on a regular basis to a lovely little shop called Made by Kent, which is a great little outlet for me to be seen by local people, I am also supplying my ring bowls on an exclusive basis to the fabulous PomPomBlossom, which is run by Sophie Stewart. You can find her on Instagram here . She makes fabulous hand dyed silk ribbons, silk textiles as well as floriculture.  So between the two that I supply and my own orders coming in, I am being kept very busy indeed. What's new? Well since my last post, I have finally taken the plunge and invested in a larger kiln (I now have two) which is for glass fusing. I have been wanting to learn this craft for a long time and attended a basic course back in March of last year. Of course, I am now addicted to creating glass pieces, but it is a slow learning curve as there is so much to remember! However, I am loving it and am currently enjoying making swizzle sticks, which are great for cocktails/ drinks at parties as well as the odd item of jewellery and other bits and bobs! Here is a photo of some I made today - these were inspired by Valentines Day as they feature little hearts on the top of each swizzler! Aren't they cute? Perfect for a wedding gift or anniversary gift too!  I am delighted with how these turned out against the grey and will definitely be adding these to my store! Apart from the glass items I am making, I will also be introducing some new jewellery into the mix too, so watch this space for some unusual pieces.  Well that is it for now - but please feel free to sign up to my newsletter as I often send out special offers that are exclusive to my subscribers!  Happy January folks! May you stay warm and lurgy free. I shall be back soon with some Valentine gift ideas!  Much Love Jo xx

Hello Plummies!  The snow has arrived!! First time in five years and boy did it show itself in East Sussex this week! Sub zero temperatures and at least a foot of snow meant that I have been a little house bound!  So to keep myself amused, I decided to try my hand at water casting as I want to develope a new jewellery collection for Spring/ Summer.  I knew I wanted the collection to be delicate, featuring some gorgeous colours by way of enamel, as well as having an organic feel to it. Water casting is the only way to go, so I took out all my tools and some silver and decided to have some fun melting silver!  I took some scrap silver and melted it over a bowl of cold water. When the silver eventually hits the water it creates wonderful little cupped shapes that are all so different, making each one unique in itself.   Here I am heating the silver over a bowl filled with cold water  And here are some silver pieces that were the end result!  As you can see they need a little clean in some pickling solution but these are going to look gorgeous when I have finished with them....... Watch this space - I will be back with pictures of the items I make and I would love your comments on them too :)