Checkmybox: Update

For those of you unaware, checkmybox is a start up me and Hannah have been building slowly to focus on once we leave the bead shop at the end of the month. Boy, that has crept up on us quickly. We still have a mountain of work to do, and I guess these posts are quite cathartic so I can document what we've done and need to do, but hopefully you'll take something away from this as well.

This week we have finalised our jewellery kit product list, sourced supplies, worked out costings and started designing the artwork. Each of these aspects have their challenges and difficulties, but I've actually enjoyed the learning process much more than anything else. I think that's the most fulfilling part of starting a business that I've encountered so far (although we're really not very far in).

I've been discussing checkmybox with our customers at the bead shop quite a lot recently. Listening to their thoughts and experiences it is clear that people want to learn jewellery making techniques but apply them to modern jewellery in fashionable ways. This is really what Checkmybox is all about. Finding ways to learn using traditional materials and techniques without making outdated pieces, so you can take more than just a skill away from a workshop is much more appealing.

We are planning to launch our workshop calender very soon. These will reinforce our ethos, and be a welcome break from the online side of things to actually see and speak to real people! Teaching and passing on our skills in one of my favourite components of jewellery making, so I'm looking forward to developing an interesting range of sessions to get your teeth into.

Here is an exclusive preview of one of our planned jewellery kits. (It fit so well with geometric week I couldn't help myself!)