Merry-Go-Round - Take Care!

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women from around the world as they link hands and tell you a little bit about their lives in craft.

Do look up the answers from the rest of this band of crafters (links to your left).

If they haven't posted yet, remember we all live in different time zones and check again later...

This month's theme:

How to take care of your art— information for buyers.

Because of the variety of crafts I dabble in, there cannot be one answer to this, except to point out that anything extreme (temperature, activity, fingering... or even cleansing!) is going to be potentially damaging.

So, first things first.

When you buy jewellery from me, you're going to be aware of the materials used, because I always give as much information as I can in my listings.

If you buy pearls— since I tend to use silver or vermeil with them, but not glue— a little soft soap and warm water once in a while, followed by thorough rinsing and immediately by light-handed dry padding with cotton cloth, is going to revive your pearls for as long as you love them.

My more whimsical jewellery often involves the use of glue. This entails that though you should be able to rinse it (it will survive rain too!), soaking is an absolute No No. My motto for cocktail rings: "No shock, shower, no dish washing!"

Anything that involves several elements shall definitely come apart if you try it...

The good news is that most of my pieces can also be mended.

As for textiles, I like my own possessions to be washable, so most of what I make can be washed. But any handmade accessory, especially embroidered and embellished ones, will have to be hand-washed, just to be on the safe side. I use nearly no synthetics, so, yes, the fabric will age, as we do. Careful storing and moth-repellents work well...