This week, Pedddle chatted to Loretta, owner of True Love Keepsakes, a small business specialising in personalised keepsake jewellery pieces made from pure silver. We got to find out how her idea to incorporate hand and paw prints came about, the process and what it’s like to run a small business through a pandemic and increasing online presence.
Read our Meet the Maker Q&A below, to get to know this featured stallholder and her small business a little better!
Pedddle: When did you first become interested in producing your products?
I first started my business back in 2014. What initially sparked my interest was a personal need of mine. I wanted to find a way of capturing my son’s hands and feet as he was growing so fast. Whilst researching, I came across Keepsake jewellery and fell in love with the idea of preserving memories this way.
Pedddle: We’d love to know more about your process, the materials you use and what you’re inspired by.
All my Keepsake jewellery is made using Pure Silver. The silver first starts out as a lump of silver clay which is then rolled and cut into a desired shape. An impression, such as a Fingerprint or Handprint is imprinted onto the clay and left to dry. It is then fired and polished to produce a high shine. I’m inspired to capture precious memories of loved ones. This has led me to also create memorial Fingerprint jewellery for those who have lost someone dear to them. I’ve also introduced a Paw Print range so that we can capture the precious paws of our beloved pets.
Pedddle: Have you sold at any in-person markets since they’ve opened up again?
I have yet to do one in person but it’s a goal of mine! I’ve taken part in the Random Acts of Kindness online market organised by Pedddle, as well as Shop Small Love Indie’s online markets. Most recently, I’ve taken part in Shop Small UK Crafts and Ideas Birmingham online market, and have loved taking part in all of them.
Pedddle: What do you love about shopping small?
I believe shopping small is a great way of finding something unique, especially if you’re looking for a special gift. It’s also a great way to support someone’s passion. Shopping small means that not only are you helping someone fulfil a dream, your supporting independent businesses, many of which produce handmade goods using locally source materials. I find that shopping small leads to a wider range of people/businesses you’re helping such as your local Post Office to other small business who provide materials such as packaging, business cards and stickers in smaller quantities, enabling small businesses to manage their cash flow.
Pedddle: Are there any new skills you learned during the pandemic?
I’ve always been an online business, but I’ve used this time to extend my online presence by joining a community such as Pedddle, which has helped tremendously with my online visibility. As I had extra time being at home this past year, I’ve managed to extend my jewellery skills and introduce a new range, a gemstone range, something I’d been longing to do.
Pedddle: What’s next for your business this year?
I’m gearing myself up for the Christmas season, which is my busiest time of year! I’ll be introducing new gift sets for my Paw Print and Gemstone jewellery and will be running early bird offers in the run up to Christmas too. Furthermore, I’ll be taking part in a couple of Christmas markets.