Sustainably Elegant Handcrafted Designer Jewellery by Suzie Horne
It's A Kind of Magic!
Last year (2021), I was contacted in regards to making a customised ‘Ring Holder’ necklace. I have to admit I had no idea what that was - and had to look it up!
What I found was something magical! 🤩 It involved a chain with a shaped pendant - that was open at the top, enabling a ring to be passed around the whole pendant, so that it would then ‘sit’ on top of the pendant - without having to take the necklace off.
...
Be Uplifted
A few years ago, as part of an art exhibition at the Upstairs Art Gallery in Titirangi, I created a new collection along the theme of “Uplifting” - it was called the “Rainbow Smiles” collection.
The Rainbow Smiles collection comprises dangly earrings, a necklace, a bracelet and a brooch that all feature recycled Sterling Silver wire in the shape of a shallow u (or a smile 😊) with 9 different types of coloured semi-precious stones on each piece. For some reason, I never added the ...
Firstly: What IS “Eco, Sustainable and Ethical” Jewellery?
“Sustainable and ethical jewelry means transparent and responsible sourcing practices and use of sustainable materials.”
~ sustainablejungle.com
In my FAQ’s section, I talk about what “Eco-Friendly, Sustainable, Ethical and Eco Jewellery” actually is, and what sustainable practices Curlicue NZ follows.
In terms of metals - recycled Silver and Gold are considered to be a ‘sustainable material’. That is because they can be melte...
Curlicue NZ's current packaging:
Back at the end of 2017, after quite a lot of thinking and research, I started using a new gift box to package and protect my Curlicue NZ jewellery.
It was made from a cardboard base and a food-grade PVC clear lid. I had believed all parts of the box and packaging were fully recyclable (even the re-purposed bubble wrap insert which could be recycled in soft plastics), so I called it my Eco Gift Box.
The idea behind these gift boxes was that you could...
What do you do...
When you lose one of your favourite earrings?
Or your best beaded bracelet snags on a zip and rips it apart?
What about when your beloved child grabs the necklace your best friend gave you and breaks the clasp?
Or, the wire snaps on your treasured necklace and all the beads fall to the floor?
Well, you scoop up all those beads, contact me and I’ll see what I can do to fix it for you! 😁
Fixing Jewellery
Over time I have repaired a huge variety of costume jewellery...
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...
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...