‘Silversmithing has been my salvation’

Clare Edwin, 50, left university with a degree in aeronautical engineering, and worked in the electronics industry for 12 years before retraining as a maths teacher. Now she runs a jewellery-making business in Hexham, Northumberland, where she lives with her partner Paul and a recently adopted retired police dog, Ivan.

THE IDEA

In 2015, I was 44 and off sick from my teaching job with stress. The constant monitoring and assessment had changed the job. I needed a career change, but I didn’t feel well enough to look for a job. When I started making bead jewellery as a hobby, I dared to think I could do this as a business. I took a few market stalls and didn’t sell very well. I knew I could do better.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

I took a night class in silversmithing. I found I loved making jewellery out of copper, brass and silver. The costs of the raw materials and tools were more than the beading work, but I could see it was selling better. I returned to supply teaching to give me an income while I continued to work on my jewellery. I hadn’t rediscovered a love for teaching and knew I had to make the business work. I called it Lolla Mac, based on my mum’s name, and I established my own Etsy shop, continued with the markets and shared space at two local, cooperative-run shops.

Then came COVID, and there were no markets and no shops, so in early 2020, I set up a website. The company that does my branding also designs e-commerce websites, so I paid it to build the website for about £2,500, which I funded from Christmas-sales income. The pandemic pushed people online, and they seemed keen to support independent craftspeople, so I did well with direct sales. It made up for the lack of a physical place to sell my work. Being online also helped me reach a country-wide audience.

BREAKTHROUGH MOMENT

I was approached by someone from Northumberland National Park’s visitor centres in the summer of 2020. They saw my pieces that are inspired by the local landscape around Hadrian’s Wall and said they would love to add them to their shop. Thanks to my online presence and taking part in trade shows, I now stock my jewellery in gift shops from up in the highlands of Scotland down to the south-west of England.

STEEPEST LEARNING CURVE

The admin and marketing side of running a business has been a real challenge.

WHERE I AM NOW

In 2019, I had moved my business out of my freezing garage and kitchen alcove into a local arts centre that provides space for small businesses. In April last year, I took over a larger space, which I rent on a monthly basis. It gave me the room to create and expand as well as a sense of legitimacy; I was no longer a hobbyist. It also resulted in a return to teaching of sorts, as I now run workshops. I enjoy sharing my love of jewellerymaking. I run wedding-ring courses to teach couples how to make their own rings, and have private sessions too.