Silver and Stone Jewellery Making Studio, Riccall, nr YorkSo who is behind Silver and Stone Jewellery Design?

I thought I’d take a bit of time out in the Easter holidays to tell you a bit about me, and let you know who is behind Silver and Stone Jewellery Design.

I’m Helen Drye, I design and make silver jewellery using sterling silver and PMC – precious metal clay.

I was originally involved in economic development, particularly skills development and policy work in local government.  I loved my job and was passionate about my work and really felt I could make a difference to the world. When I had my daughter I returned to work, but increasing felt that I wanted to spend my time with her.  It was then that I developed my creative side more and more.  I wanted to make sure that she had creative opportunities as well as the usual school activities, but also develop my own creative skills.  I started beading and creating my own jewellery, then I wanted to learn a bit more about silver work, and came across PMC and Silver Art Clay.  I had a session with someone who taught it and I was hooked!

I developed my skills over the next few years and launched my own business in 2012.  I worked part time but managed to develop my jewellery business to the point that I needed to choose between my work and jewellery business.

My heart won the day and I quickly moved into full time Jewellery Making, but I loved being with people and helping them to develop their creative side.  Running the Jewellery Making workshops gave me that sense of achievement and I’ve met lots of wonderful people.  I have found that we have lots of mums and daughters, and friends coming together – to create something new, to catch up and to treat themselves to some quality time together.  One of my favourite things to see is how well the groups all get on.  Everyone has great fun and come away extremely proud of what they have achieved in such as short space of time.

Many of my workshops are targeted at beginners – general crafters or people who just want to ‘give it a go’.  My groups are small so that everyone gets a good amount of support and information and made to feel comfortable.  Often the people who say they are the least creative, come up with something totally unique!

I’ve recently become part of the PMC Accredited training centres network because I wanted to feel part of a group, not just teaching on my own.  This is a network of training centres that can teach the special certification programme for PMC.  I’m really proud to be part of this group and I look forward to sharing ideas with others and seeing how they are evolving.

PMC is a product developed by recycling particles of silver from film negative and x-rays. I love the fact that I am helping to do something practical, creative and environmentally freindly with what could have been a waste product.  When I took part in York Open Studios, I met a purchaser from York Hospital.  He confirmed that the hospital sent their unneeded x-rays to be recycled and got some money back from them.  I loved that link to my work –  the fact that I could see a local connection, plus money to the NHS!

Locally I’m also involved in a couple of networking groups which have become a real help to many of our local businesses in York and North Yorkshire. I work with many of them locally, buying form them where possible and sharing ideas.  It’s helped me to develop and given me a lot of confidence knowing I’m not alone in business.

Thanks to the help of these wonderful business friends I had the confidence to set up my own Studio at a separate location: Skipwith in September 2015.  This has made it far easier to ‘go to work’ rather than working at home 24/7.  I feel blessed to have the opportunity to share the fun I have at work, creating something special and unique with lots of our customers.

Helen xx