Stand Up 2 Cancer 2023
Hello!! It’s been a while since I did a blog post….. in fact it has been over two years. Seriously, life gets in the way, doesn’t it? Plus, I guess I use my Instagram and Facebook more to let you guys know what I’m up to, it’s more instant!
So, much like my last blog in 2021 I’m writing again as I am using my Jewellery to raise money and awareness for cancer charities. A lot of you will know that I lost my mum to cancer during lockdown in December 2020, at the time (or not long after) I launched the “Forget me Knot” cord bracelets for Macmillan Cancer, and raised lots of money thanks to you all! They are still available in my shop, and they tick over raising money when you guys buy them- which is great by the way.
What some of you won’t know is that I actually lost my Nanny (my mum’s mum) to cancer when I was 16 in 2001, we were very close (we are quite similar) and over the years she’s always stayed in my thoughts, she was the original Olive and the reason my Molly has the middle name Olive and subsequently why Olive Rose exists!
So why am I telling you this?! Well, raising money for charity always gives me a boost and has allowed me to push myself to keep all things creative going here at Olive Rose. I’ve been a bit preoccupied since opening the Galley space in Taunton (yes I did that….. for those of you who don’t do social media! Olive Rose is now a bricks and mortar gallery space in the heart of Taunton’s independent quarter! I probably should have done a blog about that first!! I am not that organised clearly!) It’s keeping me nice and busy but I can sometimes forget about the things I love to make. Then, a few weeks ago, I got tagged in a post on Instagram by a customer and friend who saw a picture of Deborah Meaden on the Stand up to Cancer, Celebrity bake off. The Dragon’s Den star and investor in small businesses was unmistakably wearing one of my chunky tatted silver thread necklaces! The funniest thing of all was I haven’t sold those necklaces since 2015 and I didn’t even know she had one! Immediately I thought, this is an opportunity to bring these necklaces back and raise money for a charity that is so close to my (and my businesses) heart! Working away behind the scenes I started to get them ready to launch when Deborah Meaden is on the channel 4 wearing it. Then last week my mother-in-law popped into my house with a newspaper and a picture of Deborah Meaden wearing my necklace AGAIN! This time you could see it was on TV, so I googled the article and discovered she’d worn it on Loose Women, well that was it I had to tell you all right away on social media and give myself a kick up the bum to get them ready to sell!!
So, here we are. The Stand up 2 Cancer Celebrity Bake Off series started last Sunday (19th March) and I am waiting patiently for Deborah Meaden’s episode to air so that I can sit clapping and giggling excitedly (like an idiot) at the fact that one of my necklaces is on the telly!!
If you’d like to get your hands on one of my sparkly, hand tatted, textile link necklaces, just head to my online shop in the charity section or pop into the Gallery in Riverside Place, Taunton. They are £48 each with £5 from every sale going to Stand up 2 Cancer. The textile links sit on a nickel free brass chain at 18” with a 1.5” extension chain to allow you to wear them at different lengths to suit your outfit. They bring a hint of sparkle, ready for the spring/summer sun, are super lightweight and best of all raise money for charity!
Thanks for reading, and for your continued support!
Emma xx