Friday Friends - DUSTy Divas - Vendetta Designs

Welcome readers to another edition of Friday Friends. This week, Australians and New Zealanders celebrated ANZAC Day, my wonderful hubby celebrated a milestone birthday and Maddabling has been super busy getting goodies ready to take to the mothers day market next weekend.

This week is it my great pleasure to introduce the a brand new DUSTy Diva and Friday Friend - meet the simply fantabulous Jax of Vendetta Designs !

Jax creates an amazing array of jewellery - some are whimsical, some are simply cool and some are not for the faint of heart ;) I want to share some of my favourites with you now !

This piece is so unusual and very very cool, the Sterling silver extinct skull cuff  

For horror movie lovers, there is the I Heart Zombies Necklace. Personally, I do love the zombie flick Shaun of the Dead. 

Then for the urban warrior woman, embrace the bold Warrior Necklace ! I heart everything about this necklace, it is stunning !

Dear readers, I invite you to now settle in, take some YOU time and read all about the Vixen of Vendetta Designs, it is a truly inspiring tale that Jax has shared. Have a wonderful weekend everyone xo

The Vixen of Vendetta Designs

Vendetta Designs is me: Jacqueline Kinred, a Sydney based alternative metal smith and designer. I love music, fire twirling, accessories and dancing. I also play drums and think, perhaps wrongly, that I have amazing rhythm and this gives me the confidence to power my day. I’m excited by the fact I’ve turned a hobby into a business and love what I do.

Much of my range is inspired by and reflects a penchant for gothic glamour, twisted princess and rock and roll sass but also includes classic and timeless designs for those who prefer subtle intrigue. I like to think that my metalwork is feisty and cutting edge but still feminine, coy and fun.

My skull and skeleton jewellery has a playful edge as well as a macabre one and I love bringing this juxtaposition into my designs.

I hope that people take my jewellery seriously but notice my tongue’s firmly planted in my cheek! I love it when my jewellery engages the wearer and the observer and starts a conversation.

Most of my collection is made using metal smithing techniques, handmade, shaped and finished but I sprinkle throughout the range rare, one-off vintage designs that incorporate bits and pieces I reappropriate, alter or smith, collected from garage sales, auctions and second hand shops.

Personally, I love large metal plates and warrior like jewellery, cuffs, torques and chest pieces and drive everyone mad in films waiting to see who designed and made the outfits. It’s a pet peeve of mine that sometimes the jewellery, costume makers and designers are overlooked in credits and I go to great lengths trying to track this information down.

I started making jewellery at kindergarten out of coloured macaroni and have been making, remaking and de and re-constructing my own jewellery, accessories and outfits ever since. I was always fixing and mending cherished jewellery for my grandmother and her friends but what really got my business started was this ‘re-adornment’ of clothes and jewellery bought and given.

It really escalated in my teens as I’d 'fix' my jewellery and clothing with studs, chain, kilt and safety pins, adding them to jackets, jeans, skirts, handbags and boots. I'd have friends ask me to make them things and I've quite often sold items off my person when out and about. I’ve been gathering an eclectic tool collection ever since and am forever expanding my tool and skill base by learning new techniques wherever possible.

I adore the fact that everyone has treasured jewellery items that they just love , regardless of the material, whether expensive or inexpensive, that we imbibe them with memories, love and confidence and make them precious.

I like to work with all varieties of metal, glass, perspex, acrylic, resin and wood to incorporate vibrant colour and depth into my work.

Lovely readers, want to see more ? Check out these links:

connect through Facebook here : http://www.facebook.com/VendettaDesigns

buy uber cool things on Etsy here : http://www.etsy.com/shop/VendettaDesigns

and on madeit here : www.madeit.com.au/VendettaDesigns

view more of Vendetta Designs on flickr here : http://www.flickr.com/photos/vendettadesigns/