Handmade sterling silver jewellery from Hearts of Brass.

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The importance of shopping small has become more and more apparent over the last couple of years. Small businesses have been hit hard meaning it's so important to give back to our communities and prioritise shopping small. This need is elevated even more so at this time of year with festivities just around the corner. With that in mind I'd like to introduce you to Hearts of Brass, a North East based silversmith selling handmade sterling silver jewellery.

Who are Hearts of Brass?

Lorna Heron, the face behind Hearts of Brass is a silversmith based in Middlesbrough in the North East of England. Her jewellery making journey started way back in 2007 when she attended weekly night classes at her local college. Studying for two years, she gained a wealth of knowledge however sadly didn't dip her toes any further into jewellery making for quite some time. Six years to be exact.

Like myself Lorna decided to go rogue quitting her job in retail to pursue her passion and start her small business - In 2013 Hearts of Brass was born.

Since then Lorna's handmade sterling silver jewellery pieces have evolved tenfold. She's always learning and bettering her small bizz. She even spent lockdown teaching herself how to enamel meaning that not only has her skillset widened, her product availability has also.

Handmade sterling silver jewellery collection.

Earrings.

There are a wide array of handmade sterling silver earrings available from Hearts of Brass. There's a huge selection of studs available, all of which are really affordable starting from just £5. They're perfect for stocking fillers, secret Santa gifts or even treating yourself 'just because you can'. We don't need an excuse do we?

If you're looking for something a little more decorative there are plenty of hoops, loops and drop earrings available. One of my favourite pairs are the sterling silver and copper droplet earrings below. I specifically like the hammered detail to the copper droplets

Pendents.

There are numerous handmade, highly detailed pendents available from Hearts of Brass. One of their hero pendents and longest standing designs is the guardian angel necklace below. A lot of Lorna's original jewellery pieces featured a little brass heart which is how her brand name evolved.

Hearts of Brass pendents are really intricately decorated. Copper designs have been expertly etched with leaf and floral patterns. There are also hammered designs which give the pendents a more dimensional appearance. Lorna also makes chokers which feature stunning large scale gemstones. The majority of Hearts of Brass pendents come in a standard 18 inch length however there are also longer available such as the hammered disc pendent below. There are so many different pendent designs available, there really is something for everyone.

Rings.

Lorna handmakes a wide variety of sterling silver rings. There's everything from simple stacker rings, right through to more ornate labradorite saddle rings. Introducing pops of colour, she works with a lot of different gemstones within her ring collection. These include lapis lazuli, turquentine and garnets just to name a few.

Enamel jewellery.

A recent addition to the Hearts of Brass handmade sterling silver jewellery collection is Lorna's enamel pieces. Enamel studs are available with five different colours to choose from. At only £5 I think these are a complete steal and would make amazing gifts for your loved ones. The enamel disc earrings below are available in seven different colour ways. The red & blue mix pictured below are stunning, however I think it's the orange variant which just pips it for me!

A new product just in time for Christmas is the enamel jewellery gift sets. There are various different colour variations available in the gift sets and a couple of different earring choices. I'm sure these are going to go down a storm for the festive season.

One of a kind jewellery.

One of the best things about shopping small is that you can have something truly bespoke. Because Lorna handmakes all of her jewellery pieces, a lot of them can be customisable. For example if you wanted chains shortening, or pendent designs making smaller, its definitely something Lorna can accommodate for.

She also offers ready to buy one of a kind jewellery. A lot of these feature the most stunning gemstones, my favourite being carnelians in the sterling silver cuff, which at just £30 I think is a complete bargain for something totally unique!

Where you can find Hearts of Brass.

If you live in the North East of England you can find Lorna at local craft fairs. If you're able to, you can find Hearts of Brass at the following craft fairs.

• 14th November 2021: Luxury Christmas fair at Gisborough Hall. 10am - 4pm
• 18th November 2021: Christmas shopping night at The Spa Hotel in Saltburn. 5pm - 8pm
• 26th November 2021: Stokesley Christmas light switch on at Stokesley Town Hall. 3.30pm-8.00pm
• 4th December 2021: Stokesley craft & gin fair at Stokesley Town Hall. 10am - 3pm

My Hearts of Brass jewellery pieces.

I have a couple of different pieces now from Hearts of Brass which I've collected over the years. My favourite pieces are those which holds the biggest sentimental value. For me this is a ring which is engraved with my daughters date of birth as well as a necklace with her initial on. I love both of these one of a kind jewellery pieces.

I really need to get the matching pieces for my second daughter. Second child problems and all that!

Hearts of Brass review.

We all know the importance of shopping small. It brings so many different benefits for all parties. Lorna is a one woman show, making everything herself even down to the boxes you will receive your handmade sterling silver jewellery in. With Hearts of Brass you get the full handmade experience with the reassurance that the pieces are made to the highest quality... And they're ridiculously affordable too!

What do you think to Hearts of Brass jewellery? Will you be topping up your Christmas lists with any of the pieces? Do let me know if you purchase & make sure to let Lorna know you found her from this blog post.