Fiona Murgatroyd Ceramic Beads and Components

-Fiona is one of my customers, who puts my findings, stringing materials and ribbon necklaces to use showcasing her handcrafted ceramic beads and focal components.

She prides herself in the uniqueness of her ceramic items - no two are ever the same!

I got her to put together this piece to introduce herself:

"Well, a bit about me....I am an ex social worker!
I lived in the South East and worked with the NSPCC as a therapeutic worker for ten years. Then, before I retired, I worked for Social Services with children with disabilities and their families. All my working life I have worked with children and loved every job I did! It kept me young and brought out my creativity!

About seven years ago whilst still working, I went back to college part time to study art, that's where the ceramics came in! I loved it. It's a creative, tactile, time consuming, messy, exciting medium...You never know what you are going to find when you open the kiln after you do a glaze firing!

Since retiring to Lancashire I've taken up ceramics as a hobby, and through exploring the medium, decided it would make interesting jewellery. I'm very new to jewellery making, and have learned as I went along.

People like Pennie at Pretty Creative have been very kind and generous with advice, helping me a lot, explaining what all the different 'findings' were and their uses. I hadn't a clue!! and am still learning...

It gives me great pleasure when someone enjoys wearing my jewellery. At the moment, my ceramics are selling in my local village gift shop and in an art gallery in Skipton. I also sell to friends and family, and on ebay I sell some bisque for people who love painting ceramics."

Anyone interested in buying her handcrafted ceramic beads should email Fiona directly at: fionamurgatroyd@hotmail.com