Last month I spent some time away from the bench to do work for Dundee UNESCO City of Design, in the run-up to Dundee's first Design Parade.  The parade was organised in collaboration with Scotland’s Year Of Young People and celebrated Dundee's place in UNESCO's global City of Design Network. In preparation for the Dundee's Design Parade, I traded my workbench for a high school classroom, community centre and church hall where I met and worked with three wonderful youth groups in Dundee: Allsorts, Police Scotland Youth Volunteers and pupils from St Paul's Academy.  Each ..read more

   Summer is here (although the sun seems to be hiding in Dundee) and many if you will be jetting off to warmer climates over the next few weeks. Calendars filling up with pool days, beach trips and outdoor activities. To help you get holiday ready, I've put together a short guide on how to take care of your jewellery over the summer months and keep your pieces sparkling all summer! When Packing As with anything valuable take care when packing your jewellery. It's best to leave anything especially sentimental or of high value at home and only pack pieces you are likely to wear. &nb ..read more

  FESTIVE PARTY OUTFIT IDEAS As much as I love lazing about in my PJs and comfies over the festive period, this year I’m looking forward to getting dressed up for a few Christmas outings. If you’ve got festive invites coming in thick and fast and are looking for some inspiration for what to wear, I’ve put together some ideas for ways you can wear your Kirsten Manzi Jewellery throughout the party season, whether you like to keep it casual or get glammed up. MINIMAL LUXE 'Hayley' Oversized Linen Dress - LAW Design Studio Silver Tatha Disc Ring Large Silver Tatha Disc Earrings SMART CA ..read more

  CHRISTMAS ORDER DATES If you’re planning on gifting Kirsten Manzi Jewellery this Christmas here are the dates you need to keep in mind! Monday 22nd November - Last Order Date for Personalised Jewellery Sunday 12th December - Last Date for UK Orders Kirsten Manzi Jewellery is a one-woman show and almost every piece of jewellery is handmade to order especially for you, so I have limited stock. If you’ve had your eye on something then get your order in sooner rather than later to make sure it arrives in time for Christmas and if you have any questions about any of my pieces get in t ..read more

   Earlier this year, I was one of many businesses to take the Fair Luxury Pledge: “Within the next six months, Kirsten Manzi Jewellery will give back by supporting initiatives that benefit artisanal small scale miners or the environment.” — Kirsten Manzi Jewellery Fair Luxury Pledge Over the past few months, I've been researching charities and organisations that can help me do this and I'm pleased to say that I've started to implement changes within my business that align with my pledge. The main one so far is to offset the business carbon footprint by planting trees: “For every ord ..read more

   My Dad has been there cheering me on since I can remember. He's always encouraged me to chase my dreams, not take life too seriously and taught me the importance of having a great group of friends. (My parents have a better social life than me!) I wouldn't be where I am now without him. If your Dad is anything like mine, you might be struggling to find the perfect gift. My go-to is a gift voucher or an experience you can do together or, of course, to make something special. If you're looking for an extra special gift, I've put together a selection of ideas for fathers day that yo ..read more

   “Fair Luxury is a collaboration of jewellery industry changemakers with a vision for a responsible and sustainable future for people and the planet. We believe that together we can create a more equitable industry.” — www.fairluxury.co.uk In April, I attended the Fair Luxury Open House to talk about all things ethical jewellery and learn more about the Fair Luxury Pledge. The pledge encourages those in the jewellery industry to make positive changes, big or small, towards a more responsible business. Since the beginning of Kirsten Manzi Jewellery, I have been interested in ethica ..read more

   The right necklace can pull an outfit together, but it can be tricky to decide which chain length to choose. Getting the right chain length can make a big difference when you want to make a statement or need a piece of jewellery for a specific outfit or occasion. Kirsten Manzi Jewellery necklaces are available in four different chain lengths depending on the style. I've put together a guide to give you an idea of where each chain length is likely to sit and help you chose the necklace length that's best for you. 16” Chain / Approx 40cm A 16" chain will sit close against the base o ..read more

   When I'm working away making your jewellery and designing new pieces I go through phases of working in absolute silence, listening to playlists or the radio, binging Netflix or listening to podcasts. At the moment I'm in a podcast phase and have found a few fantastic jewellery related podcasts I thought I'd share. Dealing Alex Alfieri and Monty Cutteridge talk about the trials and tribulations of setting up and running Butterlane Antiques. They give a fantastic insight into an antique jewellery business through fascinating, unexpected and captivating anecdotes that tell of both th ..read more

   When I'm working away making your jewellery and designing new pieces I go through phases of working in absolute silence, listening to playlists or the radio, binging Netflix or listening to podcasts. At the moment I'm in a podcast phase and have found a few fantastic jewellery related podcasts I thought I'd share. Dealing Alex Alfieri and Monty Cutteridge talk about the trials and tribulations of setting up and running Butterlane Antiques. They give a fantastic insight into an antique jewellery business through fascinating, unexpected and captivating anecdotes that tell of both th ..read more