Meet The Designer

Hi I'm Jennifer Shaw, founder and lead designer at Cornucopia Jewellery.  I am a designer, business woman and partner. At 50+ I have eventually come to value and celebrate all the experiences that have enabled me to reach this point in life. With this in mind I am going to talk to you just as I would if we met at Cornucopia Jewellery’s stall in St George's Market, Belfast. So let me tell you about my little business and how it came into existence.

We specialise in designing and making Handcrafted Jewellery and Gifts using some of the Earth's greatest and most amazing Crystals and Semi-precious Stones.  Our collections are for those who love to wear and own, original jewellery and gifts, and for those who want to give a special gift to someone in their life.

Our business is named Cornucopia Jewellery because of the American Indian Cornucopia Basket of Abundance and the Cornucopia Horn.  Cornucopia symbolises our belief that life is full of an abundance of ideas, talents, opportunities, food, clothing, experiences, feelings, companions, support and love in its many forms. All the things we truly need in life are there for us to make our lives sustainable and pleasurable.

Cornucopia Handcrafted Jewellery started as a hobby during a time in my life when I was trying to balance working as an Art and Design Lecturer and being a carer.  It provided me with a creative outlet and the opportunity to meet some amazing supportive people, who have since become friends and allies. 

Anyway, my Cornucopia baby has now grown up - or at least she is a teenager.  Cornucopia Jewellery allows me to enjoy many of my passions in life:

  • Working as a designer using the colours, patterns, shapes and tactile qualities of the Earth’s amazing semi-precious stones and gemstones.
  • Travelling to different countries to personally select the crystals, semi-precious beads and stones we use in our collections. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it!
  • Continuing to develop new design skills and learn about complementary therapies.
  • Selling directly to our customers and getting the opportunity, to talk to and learn about, lots of different people who share their ideas, opinions and lives with us while they are at our stall or exhibition stand or when they contact us via email or social media.

 Well no “Meet the Designer” blurb is complete without the credentials so this is Jennifer Shaw: 

  • I have been making jewellery since I was old enough to raid Granny's jewellery box and recycle all the broken or forgotten jewellery she owned.
  • Studied Fashion/Textile Design at De Montfort University and left with a First Class BA Honours Degree and 35 large boxes of belongings!
  • Worked for Marks and Spencer as a Buyer in London
  • Returned home – with even more boxes of belongings!! Then completed a business course with The Northern Ireland Small Business Institute.
  • Started first jewellery business in 1987
  • Art and Design Lecturer for Belfast Metropolitan College of Further and Higher Education from 1993 to 2015
  • Completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Education and a Post Graduate Diploma specializing in teaching students who are visually impaired and/or have special needs
  • Trained in complementary therapies including:Reiki, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage and became particularly interested in Crystal and Colour therapy.
  • Started Cornucopia Jewellery in 2005 - which has been one of my best life decisions.

 The credentials are not that important, but the experiences and opportunities they have provided are. They have brought me to where I am now. 

 

Have a look at our handcrafted jewellery and gift collections. They are continuously evolving and changing just as we evolve and change. New stones and crystals are being added, new ranges developed - often because of the feedback and requests we receive from you our customers and friends.

 

So please join us on the journey and take care of yourself.

 

Jennifer

 

Special Thanks:

For Information about Gem stone properties from sources including: The Crystal Bible by Judy Hall, Crystal Power, Crystal Healing: The Complete Handbook by Michael Gienger, Love is in the Earth: A Kaleidoscope Of Crystals by Melody and all the Complementary Therapy Practitioners who have kindly shared their knowledge with me.

( When using Gemstones/Crystals please remember that healing is not the same as curing.  Healing is helping the body, or mind, to become stronger and consequently better. If you are feeling unwell, or have nagging health problems or serious injuries you should always visit your Doctor. Healing with gemstones, complements, but is not meant as a substitute for medical, or psychological, diagnosis and treatment when needed.)

 

For the beautiful, free stock photos, gifted by the generous photographers on unsplash.compexels.com and pixabay.com, including: Marsjo on Pixabay, Rioreason on Pixabay, Jonny Lew on Pexels, Dieter444 on Pixabay, Bibitinsley on Pixabay, Eminens on Pixabay, Alusruvi on Pixabay, Enric on Pixabay, Tmhabeer on Pixabay, Ondrej Synek on Pixabay, Rikkerst on Pixabay, Zorro4 on Pixabay

 

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