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NZ Christmas Tree, the pohutukawa
[ Background Story ][ Pandemic ][ Thank you ][ Uncategorized ]

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The end is nigh...
Well, 2020 has been a strange, tumultuous, shocker of a year - hasn’t it?!

I know for some, it’s been horrendous. Many have lost family, friends, income and/ or jobs. 😔

For others, great things have come of it. Wherever you sit on that spectrum, I hope you are doing OK, and get a break over Christmas to recoup and reflect. ❤️

Admittedly, Curlicue NZ has done pretty well out of Covid. Although I had to shut down for two months during that first NZ lockdown, I’ve exper...

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[ Background Story ][ Invisible Illness ]

Living with Invisible Illness

"Don't judge a book by it's cover"
How do you know if someone has an invisible illness? I often think about the quote above - and try to use it when on the outside looking in to other people’s lives, in the hope that they can also use it with me.

Looks can be so deceiving!
What you see on the outside, is completely different from what I’m dealing with on the inside.

I have several different medical issues, or syndromes, most of which are a topic society deems as unmentionable - despite...

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R3 Collection_All with water drops on milk bottle
[ Collections ][ Zero Waste ]

The New R3 Collection

Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose
My "R3 Collection" is the second of two collections launching next Tuesday (8th September).

For some time, I had been thinking about how I could produce some jewellery by recycling or repurposing some sort of material. The material had to be one that I had easy access to, and also one that I had the tools to create something new from. But I don’t have the tools (or know-how) for woodwork, nor glass (yet!)

What could I use?
What can I do that is different, disti...

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Kauri tree and leaves
[ Collections ]

Leaves Collection ~ Behind the scenes

How I Design & Create New Collections
I have two new collections that I’m hoping to launch on 1st September. One has been in the pipelines and on my brain for some time, the other is a newer idea I’ve been mulling over, but one which I’m no less passionate about. I’ve decided to keep the two collections separate for several reasons, but mainly because they use different materials. Also, one ‘collection’ is made up entirely of different types of earrings!

So this month I thought I’d g...

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plastic free july banner
[ Plastic Free ]

Plastic Free July

Are you up for the challenge?
Choosing a sustainable and plastic-free lifestyle is a choice only you can make. However, it is one that can be broken down into small, easy and everyday steps, that after a while, become habits. While a world free from plastic will not fix all our climate and environmental problems, it is something that we - as individuals can collectively do, and have an impact on.

I like to think of myself as an eco-conscious individual with a ‘green biz’, which means making ...

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DIY bracelet making kits for kids, teens and adults
[ DIY ]

DIY Making Kits

DIY Making Kits

Let your creative juices run wild!

 A few years ago, I created some little bracelet making kits for a friends child's birthday party, then decided it was a great way for people - adults, teens and kids alike to spend time with each other whilst being creative. 
Making kits for girls
Having a daughter, I started off just with small DIY bracelet making kits for girls that contained a variety of different bead...

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Irritations and allergies caused by metal components in jewellery - what does hypoallergenic jewellery actually mean
[ Hypoallergenic Jewellery ]

What does ‘Hypoallergenic’ Jewellery Actually Mean?

What does 'Hypoallergenic' Jewellery Actually Mean?

Have you ever worn a new piece of jewellery, only to discover later that you have an itchy rash where the jewellery sat? Then you may have a jewellery allergy!But what exactly does 'hypoallergenic' mean? There’s a bit of confusion around this term, so let’s take a closer look at what exactly hypoallergenic jewellery is. Knowing the difference between 'hypoallergenic' and 'normal' jewellery can help you make an informed...

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World in Crisis: Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic header
[ Pandemic ]

World in Crisis: Coping with Covid-19 lockdown

World in Crisis: Coping with Covid-19 lockdown

Hello, how are you doing? The world is currently gripped by the biggest health crisis - Coronavirus Covid-19 - in a century. How are you coping right now? There are so many posts out there about how to cope with quarantine, what we "should" be doing (everything it seems) and how we "should" be "living our best life"....I'm not sure about this - I think we just need to be living day to day, with no additional expectatio...

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Jewellery Care and Cleaning options
[ Jewellery Care ]

Jewellery Care & Cleaning

Jewellery Care & Cleaning

How to look after your new handmade jewellery:

Let me guess?  You've got a collection of jewellery (jewelry) that's tarnished or just not looking as sparkly as it once was and you need some advice about jewellery care and how to clean it?
All Curlicue NZ Jewellery is created by hand with care and passion, from recycled Sterling Silver or Copper wires and genuine semi-precious stones, pearls & crystals.  Shop now to find sustainably elegant handcrafted ...

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Suzie Horne as Owner Creator of Curlicue NZ
[ Background Story ]

The story behind Curlicue NZ

The story behind Curlicue NZ

Hello and Welcome!
My name is Suzie Horne and I am the Owner, Creative Director, CEO and everything in-between for my small Handmade Accessories business: Curlicue NZ.  I thought I'd start off by introducing myself - and tell you the story of why I started Curlicue NZ.
My "Why?"
I made this video clip a little while ago explaining why I do what I do ~ the reasons behind starting my small handmade business. You can watch my WHY video here.
Some of the reason...

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