Feature Friday - White Raven Designs

This week's Feature Friday is Juanita Morgan from White Raven Designs. Nita is very well known for her lavish charm bracelets which are made using a variety of beads, glass crystals and pearls. Each piece is unique and eye catching, thanks to  Nita for sharing what you do with us.

 What is the inspiration behind your business name?

I have always loved Celtic myth and legends and drew the inspiration for my business name from the story of the white raven. The "White Raven" is a figure from Celtic mythology, She is a healer, wise woman and creator. In some stories, She is the sister of King Arthur, Morgan le fay. With my Welsh/Scottish heritage and my surname of Morgan, she is a figure I identify with. The white raven also features in native American Indian spirituality, again as a wise woman and creator and culture that I feel a strong spiritual connection to.

How long have you been in business and how did you get started?

I have been involved in various business for 20 years, starting out with a "Hippy" shop in a small country town, stocking incense and clothing. My jewellery making started when I was looking for jewellery to complement the clothing and couldn't find anything I liked. So I bought about $20 worth of beads and findings and as they say the rest is history! From there I went on to wholesaling as well as markets, I loved the markets vibe but had to give them up because of my health challenges. Now days I create from my studio and sell on-line. I feel I have found my niche now with the extravagant Charm bracelets I love to create today.

  

Is this your full time job? If no, what is your full time job?
 Yes and No, I'm unable to work in a "regular" job due to having Graves Disease  and if you ask my caveman, he says my job is to look after him, LOL! I do view creating my charm bracelets as a business but as the quote says "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."

What is your inspiration behind your art/craft?
After years of making jewellery for my markets stalls, I wanted to excel at a particular style and make it my signature item, as well as move into a new niche market, so I focused on creating lavish, over the top charm bracelets.  I chose to use colour to be my main design inspiration, I love the way colour interacts to create a mood, the play of light and shade that can weave a story and evoke an emotion. I study anything that catches my eye and visually pick apart the colours that combine to make a whole, be it a flower, a painting, photo's. Fractal art is a current favourite, so many amazing colours!

  

Which best applies to you – Indie, Eco, Art, Design, Handmade?
 I'm the sort of personality that has always resisted placing myself in a pigeonhole, I would like to think I am a little bit of everything! I am independent, I love recycling vintage beads, I design my colour schemes, hand make my bracelets and many people describe them as wearable art! do i pass on all counts?

How do you strive to keep your art/craft unique?
I'm always on the look out for new, interesting colour combinations for my charm bracelets, at the moment I'm eyeing off our calico kitty... Copper, old gold, chocolate brown, velvety black, offset with pristine white. I think kitty will make a lovely bracelet LOL!

 Share your favourite item that you currently sell/ stock in your online store.
This is really hard! if I have to choose just one it would have to be the "Berry crush" charm bracelet 

Describe your creative process. Eg. Do you take time planning out exactly what you will make or do you experiment and see what happens?
I usually start by grabbing my watercolour pencils, visual art diary and artists colour wheel and colour in a plan of a charm bracelet, mixing and matching tone and hue, making notes on the various beads and charms I can use to create a story (or two or three) that blends with the chosen colour scheme. Often by changing the intensity or hue of a single colour I can create a totally new bracelet.

  

What are your future plans/dreams for your business?
 To keep my craft evolving and establishing my signature style! A fan made a comment on my Face book page recently, that she loves the look and colours of my Charm bracelets but she isn't a bracelet kinda girl, so I'm currently exploring creating a range of limited edition earrings and necklaces that will complement my charm bracelets. Like all micro-business, a steady income would be nice too!

What advice would you offer other creative people who are just starting their own business?
Take the time to do a business course, write a business plan, file it away and follow your dreams! Seriously, some business studies and a good but flexible business plan is essential, it gives you a path to follow and can save you from making expensive and potentially dream destroying mistakes. I revise my business plan every few months, to check that I'm on track, scrap what's not working for me and set new goals.

   
Can you recommend any favourite blogs, websites or magazines?
I'm a bit of a magazine junkie but the budget doesn't allow me to indulge very often, the one I buy every month with out fail is Notebook. I mostly follow blogs by my friends, all wonderfully creative and inspirational women! Kellie Christie of course, Realisation creations, The contemporary handmade alliance.

You can find White Raven Designs on Facebook, Etsy, Madeit and view Nita's Blog.
 

GIVEAWAY 

Want to win some of Nita's fabulous earrings from her latest limited edition? A chandelier style earring of black leather hoops with a cascade of classic ivory pearls and sparking clear crystal.

 To Enter:

1. Become a fan of White Raven Designs on Facebook.

2. Become a follower of the White Raven Designs Blog.

3. Visit the White Raven Designs store on Madeit and Etsy, leave a comment here telling me what your favourite item is and why.

The giveaway is open to Australian residents and will be drawn on Friday August 13th. One entry per person.