As wartime shortages affected the supply of metals and other traditional materials for jewellery, designers turned to other materials including plastic, wood and textiles. Women made their own ‘make do and mend’ brooches using plastic thread and buttons. These colourful brooches are becoming increasingly sought-after and pricey, so I decided to make my own.
Today is “Blue Monday” - so called because of a pseudoscientific calculation that it is the most depressing day of the year: Christmas is a fading memory, the days are short and grey, everyone’s still broke and payday is still a week away. Along with many others, I experience Seasonal affective disorder, so to combat the instinct to hibernate the month away, I like to focus on planning and action, looking forward to the year ahead. I know that resolutions aren’t for everyone, but I find setting out plans and goals to be a really positive exercise for me.
I love the novelty 'dangler' brooch styles of the 1940s and 50s - you often see them in Bakelite, celluloid and other old plastics, and in any and all kitschy themes you can think of. I decided to go with love letters as it seemed appropriate for February, but as far as I'm concerned hearts and love letters are year-round motifs.
