5 minute read
Live Ribble Valley Issue 135 September 2022
PERFECTLY IMPERFECT
Professional photographer Charlotte Boothman also makes fabulous jewellery, working with silver and semi-precious stones from an extensive collection of sparkling jewels
Renowned for her distinctive style of beautiful wedding photography, leading creative Charlotte Boothman is also known for her hand-crafted jewellery featuring delightful, semi-precious stones set in unique silver designs.
Lottie, who has lived and worked in the Ribble Valley for many years, left university with a degree in Textiles and Embroidery and went on to work at a textile company working in design and print – a job that also included marketing and photography.
Photography, Lottie soon discovered, was her calling and she set up Lottie Designs, which has forged a reputation for her relaxed and animated style that captures the magical moments of a wedding day.
Lottie’s creative skills combined with her easy-going nature, contributes tremendously to her success and so it is with her Made With Love in Lancashire jewellery.
Since launching the business she has taken on numerous unique commissions to make some stunning pieces and she also sells online as well as at artisan markets throughout the county.
It was while watching Kirsty’s Handmade Christmas three years ago that Lottie spotted a beautiful festive wreath that was decorated with copper wire.
“I have always made fresh Christmas wreaths,” says Lottie, who helps in the family Christmas tree business during the festive period.
“Some years I will make up to 250 wreaths and it’s something I really love to do. So, when I saw someone decorating a wreath with copper, I thought, ‘I would love to have a go at that’ and I bought myself a soldering iron and some copper sheets and wire.”
The first thing Lottie made was a copper ring: “It was entirely average!” she recalls, but determination and a willingness to learn about the jewellery industry led her to making a silver ring for a friend’s ‘big’ birthday.
“It was a huge success,” she recalls. “I found silver a lot easier than copper to work with – it is so rewarding when you craft a piece of jewellery that someone will cherish.”
Many of Lottie’s pieces feature semi-precious stones, something she is particularly fond of and interested in.
“I am a real magpie and have a massive collection of them! I am obsessed with them and I love that it is often their imperfections that make them perfect and totally unique,” adds Lottie, who recently completed a course on how to set precious stones, including diamonds.
Among her favourite semi-precious stones are sapphires and sea glass – naturally weathered small pieces of glass found on beaches. The tide movement, salt water and sand weathers the glass so it is often frosted and ultra-smooth.
“Sea glass is particularly lovely when people discover it, bring it to me and I craft a piece of jewellery with the sea glass incorporated into a design that acts as a keepsake – a memory of where it was found and when.”
Recounting a recent commission, Lottie was asked to make a ring for a surprise marriage proposal in Croatia: “The couple were going on holiday there – he was going to propose and wanted a ring that was individual – totally unique, but not super expensive as they were on a budget.”
Lottie suggested a salt and pepper diamond – a form of coloured diamond that retains its flaws: “It was rectangular with rounded corners, rose cut and in a simple bezel setting. It was very retro. When I sent the finished ring to him, he was delighted!” recalls Lottie.
She eagerly awaited news of the proposal in Croatia, and eventually received a happy text, which simply stated: ‘She loved it and she said yes!’
“They shared it on social media with a picture of the ring on her finger with the ocean as a backdrop. It was beautiful. Not everyone can afford to spend thousands of pounds on an engagement ring and not everyone wants an expensive ring. It is the thought and the memories that count.”
During her time working with silver and semi-precious stones, Lottie has been asked to create lovely statement pieces, some of which need to be hallmarked at one of the four UK hallmark offices: “Anything over 7.78g needs to be hallmarked,” she explains.
“I like the London hallmark the best – represented by a leopard that sits next to my CB symbol.”
When it comes to design Lottie likes to keep things relatively simple: “I don’t really do fussy, less is more. One thing is for sure, jewellery design is not repetitive as all semi-precious stones are unique. The stone often dictates the style, which I love as I like to create a design that lets the stone sing.” •
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madewithloveinlancashire.co.uk
