Elisabeth of Fleur de Trésor
Have you always been a maker. If not how did you get here?
I trained as a Textiles designer at Central St Martins College and the ENSAAMA in Paris. I have also always been collecting trinkets, flowers and been making my own jewellery for as long as I can remember!
Is making your full time job?
I am a part-time maker. I also teach Textiles to teenagers in a London secondary school. I love both jobs very much!
The great thing about designing jewellery is that my workshop fits into a small space so I can work from home. I find my inspiration in books, museums and spending time roaming the streets of South London!
What sets you apart from other makers in your category? Most of my flowers are collected around South London and pressed at my workshop in Peckham. During lockdown, I realised that there were beautiful wildflowers thriving just on my doorstep if I took the time to look. I love walking around my area to pick up my wildflowers. It's like a treasure hunt! They grow literally everywhere: local parks, friends' gardens, any wild patch or even in between pavement cracks! Some colours are harder to find or fade over time so I hand-dye them. Some varieties don't grow around where I live so I find them at local florists.
Pressing the flowers and making the jewellery is a very meditative and rewarding process. I love to create a range of colourful yet harmonious compositions that will suit a variety of tastes and customers. My pieces are like miniature landscapes with their very own unique stories. The mini crystals, pearls and beads represent the sun, moon, stars, and rivers at different times of the day and night. I want my designs to feel like little meditative treasures to the people who wear them.
What challenges do you face as an independent maker? Spinning plates! I have to be good at all the aspects of my business but this year's challenge is to learn to delegate more!
What sustainable practices have you integrated into your business? My pieces celebrate sustainability, local flora and community parks and gardens!
Favourite product? I love the Daisy necklaces and earrings. I pick the daisies up from the green right in front of my flat in Peckham so they couldn't be more local! I love to spend hours browsing in the grass to find the cutest specimens!
What have you got from being a part of the Crafty Fox community? I met so many new supportive and lovely customers and fellow traders. I really enjoy working with the Crafty Fox team as they are very professional and helpful. I was also offered a place on a business support programme last year because I was spotted on their members' listing.
See more of Elisabeth’s work at www.etsy.com/shop/FleurDeTresor
