The Treasury workshop at Zeally and Cliff, Torquay.

Tassel making at The Treasury workshop!

In a little beach town called Torquay lives a gorgeous little workshop named Zeally and Cliff. I recently delivered a full-day workshop here and had a delightful day with the ladies who came to learn how to fix and re-create their old jewellery.

Here’s what some of the students had to say about the workshop:

“I learnt some great skills and Emma is a very lovely, relaxed and patient tutor and was generous in sharing her skills. A warm and cosy room” Sarah, Jan Juc.

“Thought [it was] fantastic from start to finish, great, thoroughly enjoyed the day. Emma explained things really well…. it was great to be shown and then do it myself. I was also inspired by what everybody else was making.” Deb, Parkdale.

Zeally and Cliff was a beautiful place to teach; the workshop room was sunny and open, and our host Kathryn is one of the loveliest people you’ll meet. If you’re in the area, I recommend checking them out!

Missy Higgins wearing Tucker & Grace jewellery

Well, it hasn’t even been officially launched yet but our first piece from the new Tucker & Grace collection shone bright under the spotlight while adorning the lovely neck of one Missy Higgins yesterday on a popular morning TV show. The amazingly talented Kate Tucker and I made this piece using 98% recycled materials. We’re pretty proud and we hope you like it too! Each piece in our collection is hand made so no two will ever be the same. And they’re so new they’re not even in the shops yet, but send us an email if you’d like to own one of these beauties for yourself.

Missy Higgins wearing Tucker & Grace neckpiece

Northcity4 ‘Pozible’ campaign a great success!

Northcity4 and I raised $2625 for our sustainable jewellery project!

As a result, I’ll be spending the next six months in residence at Northcity4 contemporary jewellery studio. While I’m there I’ll be researching and creating a sustainable collection of jewellery with the support of Northcity4 director and tenant, Ali Limb. I’ll also be working with Northcity4 to develop a list of recommendations and an action plan for sustainable improvements to their studio.

I have moved in and am LOVING spending time making jewellery surrounded by other professional jewellers and like-minded people. Here’s some pics of the studio – I haven’t quite got around to making my bench area look pretty yet but you can see it’s in a nice productive mess already.

Northcity4 Studios

Little friends at my bench

The Project Space

Thank you to all the amazing people who generously gave their support!!!

Matt Wicking, Anna Davern, Sam Dugdale, Fin Mactier, Cheryl duxson, Philippa Davern, sarah edwards, Paul Fritze, Nicola Cerini, Melanie Katsalidis, Ramona Barry, Lisa Lubbock, Ilka White, Kate Stanton, Nadine Treister, Vicki Mason, Karen O Donovan, Jane Newbery, Kirsty Smith, Roseanne Bartley, Min Oliver, Loring Harkness, Maria Lieberth, Maria Lieberth, Nina Ellis, Danni Bryant, Ali Crowe, Zoe Brand, Mel Young, Florian Kaiser, Laura Binks, Julie Kiefel, Elenni Balis, Frances Alanna Knight, Jillian Carroll, Vesna Stefanov, Emily Dunstan, Jess Fritze, Peter & Meredith Wicking, allona goren, Lilli McCubbin, Kate Tucker, Liz Kennedy, Suzy Sagar, Jess Telford, Caz Guiney, Katherine Bowman, Valerie Odewahn, Jo Jepsen, Deborah McArdle, Claire McArdle, Inari Kiuru, Lucy James, Vicky Wittmann-lamb, Liz Franzmann, Erica Sanders, Karyn Herath, Eliza Muirhead, Lara Hook and Cass Partington.

The Treasury school workshops at Melbourne Girls Grammar

For our sixth and final workshop at Melbourne Girls Grammar we re-designed reading glasses into new and fabulous Haute Couture pieces using recycled and reclaimed materials. The creators of these fine examples of creativity and resourcefulness are only 12 years old!

Do Re Me + The Treasury jewellery workshop

If you haven’t yet heard of Do Re Me it’s time to get with the program. The Craft Cubed festival program that is! Do Re Me has created a festival within a festival; ‘Share the Love’ is a celebration of all things crafty with a host of fantastic workshops and creative happenings.

Last Saturday I hosted a bumper four-hour edition of The Treasury at Do Re Me headquarters in Elsternwick. Incorporating a shop and a workshop area, visiting Do Re Me on a grey winter’s afternoon is like walking into a rosewater-frosted cupcake that has just come out of the oven – all warm and tasty, and filled with sweetness and light!

Workshopping designs using old jewellery

These gorgeous pendants were made by an 11 year old who had carefully selected each trinket to represent the person who was to receive the necklace as a gift!

The Treasury in The Age!

The Treasury was mentioned in Michael Green‘s article in The Age yesterday, Fix the world, piece by piece. The article talks about FixIt‘s initiative to encourage people to get together in small groups and fix their stuff, as well as the increasing interest in repair in general. It seems you could plan a round-the-world trip based on repair cafes and hubs – I made the long and complicated trip out to visit the Fixer’s Collective while in New York only to find they were closed for the summer, oh well, next time! The Bowe Reuse and Repair Centre in Sydney sounds AMAZING. Anyone want to start one with me here in Melbourne?!

The next Treasury workshop is in two weeks (Aug 25th) – as always, places are limited to 6 so make a booking quick!

How the Light Gets In – A collaborative exhibition of contemporary jewellery

Artists from L to R: Nicholas Jones, Ellie Mücke, Kate Tucker

I’ve collaborated with a collection of Melbourne’s most talented artists to bring together this exhibition. Each artist began with a pair of earrings and a necklace designed by me. Together we worked to re-imagine them, incorporating their skills, aesthetics and materials to articulate and illuminate new ideas, new feelings and new perspectives.

Participating artists: Clare James, Nicholas Jones, Chaco Kato, Ellie Mücke, Tai Snaith, Kate Tucker, Beck Wheeler.

 When: Opening 6-8pm, Tue 7 Aug 2012
Where: e.g. etal,167 Flinders Lane,Melbourne

Exhibition runs 6-18 Aug 2012

The Treasury at the Sustainable Living Festival

The Treasury will be giving three free workshops at the Sustainable Living Festival this Saturday!

We’ll be putting on a taster for those interested in fixing, tweeking or re-imagining their old jewellery.

Workshops will be running from 3 to 6pm at ‘Under the Gums’, Birrarung Marr.

For more information check out the Sustainable Living Festival guide or email SLF to make a booking.

Kicking off  this Friday is also the Melbourne Bikefest.

As a lover of art and culture, who uses a bike to just generally ‘get around’, I’m pretty excited about the festival program this year.  Of particular interest is the Bikefest Bike Runway which will be showcasing local designers and fashionistas alongside their wheels of steel.

See you there!

The (Melbourne) Magazine’s Top 100, 2011

Wow, what an honour to be featured along side all of these amazing people!

Melbourne's most influential, inspirational, provocative and creative people for 2011

Sustainable, social and ethical change makers made up a big part of this year’s Top 100. Among them, the lovely Nerida Lennon is making a documentary on sustainable fashion and the future of the fashion industry, the talented Anisha Bhoyro is a slow fashion advocate, who’s approach to fashion involves using zero-waste design principles when designing her garments, and the forward thinking Juliette Anich, co-founder of The Clothing Exchange and creator of Urban Food Maps. 

'From these hands'

I’ve had a few enquiries about the quartz-crystal necklace I’m wearing in this shot. While this particular piece is a one-off, I will be making more. But as I have decided to only use second-hand crystals (that which I can pick up at op-shops, garage sales and through trusted sellers online), you may have to be patient. If you would like one of these necklaces and have a crystal you’d like me to use I’d be happy to make one to order. Otherwise email me and I’ll pop you’re name on the waiting list.

Speaking of my jewellery, I have new pieces in e.g.etal and they have a gorgeous new online store – yum-o!

And last but not least – check out my new-look website designed by the uber-talented Jacqui Lau. And my modest little BigCartel store selling Gift Certificates for The Treasury and my Little Wonder earrings made out of Sterling Silver and recycled plastic.

Enjoy!

The Treasury jewellery fixing recreation workshop – Christmas Special!

Had the most wonderful time yesterday at The Treasury workshop!

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The lovely miss Lara McPherson from Sustainable Fashion Australia was in attendance, along with the equally dashing Verity McLucas of Future Fashion Now fame.

Apart from the usual fixing and re-imagining of our old jewellery, we also made pompoms out of vintage fabric to put on the Christmas tree!
Its very easy and looks wonderful – you’re welcome to use the idea for yourself. Happy making!