Next up on our 'Meet the Maker' series is our amazing team member, Claire.
1. Tell us a bit about yourself
I'm Claire, from the Southside of Dublin. I spent some time travelling and working in Australia but returned home to go back to college and get a degree in Hospitality Management. I had been working in Event Management for 10 years before it was time for a change.
2. How did you get into jewellery making?
I had been working in an office role for a number of years but was always creative and interested in working with my hands. I decided to do an evening course in the School of Jewellery Ireland as a creative outlet and after one class was hooked! I finished the course and immediately started another, knowing it was something I wanted to continue. I had followed Lulu + Belle online and once I saw the maker job advertised, I knew I had to apply.
4. What do you do in Lulu + Belle?
I'm a maker working full time to create your beautiful pieces. Tasks vary from day to day from cutting the silver and gold disks to making up chains. Each disk is hand stamped with your personalised message and polished by myself or one of the other makers.
5. What's your favourite piece of Lulu + Belle Jewellery to make and why?
I love making the star necklace because of what it represents, a guiding star or a symbol of hope. It is such a simple piece that has the versatility to be worn alone or layered with a larger disk.
6. Do you have a piece of Lulu + Belle Jewellery that you love to wear?
I have a pair of the silver constellation earrings that I wear all the time. They are dainty enough to wear every day but the drop means they can also be paired with other accessories to be dressed up and worn for a special occasion.
7. What's your favourite part of working in the Lulu + Belle studio?
My favourite part of working in the Lulu + Belle studio is getting to be part of the creative process and working with my hands daily. The relaxed and friendly atmosphere (even at busy times) makes coming to work a joy. The seaside location of Rush is a bonus, getting to enjoy beach walks at lunch time is great.
8. How do you spend your time off?
I like to spend my time off doing outdoor activities. Hiking with my dog Jess, sea-swimming (when the water is warmer!) or going for a jog. I also love to do some yoga to relax and enjoy trying new recipes in the kitchen. Other than that on time off I enjoy travelling and experiencing other cultures.
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Come behind the scenes with us as we give you a look inside the process of hand-making your orders, what's important to us at Lulu + Belle and the values behind what to we do and how we do it. Our hand-made ethos is important to us and we are constantly striving to do our best to balance what's best for our customers, our makers and our planet.
We are absolutely thrilled to have been nominated for the Irish Country Magazine's Irish Made Awards this year. This year their are 12 categories and Lulu + Belle is a finalist to win the jewellery category, along with one overall winner who will be announced at a special awards ceremony at the Morrisson Hotel in October. The overall winner will receive a prize worth €20,000 - and each category winner will be featured in Irish Country Magazine in the run up to Christmas this year.
We Are Hiring - Part-Time Jewellery Maker - 3 Month Contract (Oct - Dec 2022) Position One: 35 hours a week - 3 month duration We are looking for a jewellery maker to join our small team from October to December this year. The ideal candidate is someone who has jewellery making experience, either in a commercial or home based workshop and who is used to having tools in their hand every day. This is a busy workshop and speed and attention to detail are required.