“Imitation is the sincerest [form] of flattery”. – Charles Caleb Colton

Imitation may be flattering, but stealing is not!

I am often inspired by the beautiful work of other people, but one should NEVER steal someone else’s ideas and recreate them exactly – one must always take inspiring ideas and use them as a jumping off point. Change them enough to make them your own.

If you have ever sold things at a craft sale, you would probably be very wealthy if you had a dime for every person who visited your booth and admired your work before walking away and telling their friends, “What a great idea – I think I’ll go home and make one!”

I have always found that the more things you make, the more new and ORIGINAL ideas come your way…for instance:

This necklace features hand-crafted floral cluster made with white beans, pumpkin seeds and crystals and is strung on multi-strands of crystal, glass and candy jade with 18K gold plated embellishments. I have admired various necklaces I have seen with floral focal points, but never have I seen another made with seeds and beans!

I created a line of jewellery 20 years ago which I named Seeduction, and I am pleased to say I have never seen anyone else work with these natural materials in quite the same way. Will that change now that my work has gone online? Only time will tell…

Fred – a store – handmade gifts & costume jewellery design

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