The Fairytale Adornments of CLARA FRANCIS

Once upon a time, in a city far far away (called London), there lived a beautiful enchantress named Clara. Clara spent her time metamorphosing butterfly-like into other people on stage, and conjuring woodland creatures from tiny Japanese glass beads with just her own two fair hands. Welcome to the fairytale world of CLARA FRANCIS and her fantastical adornments.

Hand woven British butterflies, playful stars, delicate flowers and magical birds are exquisitely fashioned into hairpieces, necklaces, rings... From elegantly positioned motifs to overflowing organic arrangements, Clara Francis's ethereal jewellery is a softly sparkling statement, glittering with bewitching femininity. Perfect for the princess bride who wants to feel like a storybook heroine on her big day without the pomp and fluff of a meringue-like ensemble, Clara Francis's work is contemporary with a nod to the ancient.

With a new collection brewing; which will be officially launched at our fair later this month; and a twinkling array of ready-to-buy pieces, Clara also offers a bespoke service starting at £200. If you love her otherworldly vibes, but would like to request a piece to your unique requirements, Clara would love to hear from you. Imagine your own favourite butterfly sitting pretty about your décolletage or your daughter's favourite animal nestled in her hair as she scatters rose petals at your feet as you walk down the aisle...magical!

We are so excited to welcome the wonderful Clara Francis back to our London Most Curious Wedding Fair at the Old Truman Brewey later this month, and she will be showcasing a rather special feathery piece! 

We caught up with her in the run up the the fair to talk Beauty and the Beast, Danish princesses and London Zoo...

Why did you decide to set up your own business?

I decided to set up my business to compliment my career in acting….I was never very good at being an unemployed actress and needed to keep myself busy and pay my rent each month!! Coming from a family of jewellers and being drawn to anything that sparkles, it seemed a natural fit for me to teach myself the traditional art of bead weaving. This was all pre “You Tube Tutorials” so, instead I took any beading book I could find out of my local library and painstakingly taught myself each technique and made up many of my own in the process…I loved the challenge of taking such an ancient craft and infusing it with my own contemporary aesthetic. 

My first collection was bought by Harvey Nichols and the rest is history…I have sold to some of the most beautiful and exclusive boutiques around the World. I was particularly proud when Anthropologie contacted me and put in a huge order which took me months to complete. When I was preparing for my own wedding I couldn’t find the headpiece that I had imagined in my minds eye….i wanted a halo of golden stars… so I sat down and worked out how to make them….that’s when I decided that I wanted to open a bridal wing of my business. Working one to one with each Bride on her own unique headpiece for the most special day of her life is such a special way to work….

What's been the coolest/best moment of your career so far?

There have been many incredible moments for my business so far…..one was being approached by The Crown Princess of Norway, Mette-Marit, to design and create a bespoke tiara for her to wear to a State event last year….an incredible honour for me being a teeny tiny business…I asked where she had seen my work. Apparently she follows me on Instagram!!!! Made me laugh!!

Another great moment was only last week when I found out that one of my pieces had made the final edit of the new Disney “Beauty and the Beast” movie. I was approached by the costume designer Jacqueline Durran to make a giant beaded plume for the character of “Plumette” the Feather Duster (played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) It took me hundreds of hours to design and create and I wasn’t even sure they were going to use it so I’m absolutely over the moon that they actually did…it is worn in her hair and  apparently has its own close up. Joy!! I am recreating the beaded feather in a smaller version in my new  bridal collection which I will be debuting at this years “A Most Curious Wedding Fair” so look out for that.

Another great moment was being asked to exhibit at London Fashion Week by The British Fashion Council I showed for 6 seasons there until I was absolutely burnt out by producing and making two collections a year. Didn’t work for me….i like to do things slower.

Another great moment was when the V&A approached me to create a piece for their “Cherry on the Cake” exhibition…..i had to find one piece within the museum I was drawn to and make a piece of jewellery inspired by that object…such choice…I went for an incredible Huguenots embroidered sampler and the piece I made has been permanently archived, so a huge honour.

But I absolutely feel that my favourite moments in my business are ALWAYS when one of my brides sends me images through of her on her wedding day…looking so happy and resplendent in her beaded creation. I love seeing those images.  It is an absolute honour to make each of my Brides unique headpieces. To know that that special piece of jewellery will be treasured and loved forever, physically, in images and above all, in memories is a beautiful thing. I find very humbling and I never take it for granted.

Who or what inspires you?

I’m predominantly inspired by fairytales, childhood secret memories relived in a special and different way. I find the illustrations of Cicely Mary Barker, Arthur Rackham and contemporary illustrator David Lupton hugely inspiring. I love to go to the British Museum and the V&A and  just wander around with a sketch pad but also LOVE fashion…love the work of the fashion house Chloë particularly in the 70’s. I am also obsessing over what Valentino are doing currently, their beadwork is sublime, my dream would be to create some jewellery for them. 

I can't write about my inspirations without mentioning Butterflies…I’m a butterfly obsessive.I have them all over my home, have London Zoo membership so I can regularly visit the butterfly house and recently bred my own Hawk Moths from caterpillar to Moth they were dancing round my kitchen!!

We girls here at Most Curious HQ cannot wait to see Clara Francis' feathered headpiece and her new collection for ourselves! If you want to come visit her at our fair we still have a few TICKETS left. Quick quick before they get snapped up!

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Bridesmaid Dress Rules REWRITTEN With This Cool Young Brand

I have a confession. I hated my bridesmaid dress. Hated it. I was very honoured when a childhood friend asked me to accompany her down the aisle on such a meaningful day in her life narrative, and had a lovely day celebrating with her. But damnit did I feel uncomfortable in my bulky chiffon number. It was sleeveless (my literal worst nightmare), bunched unattractively around the bust, had an oddly placed waistline and fell just above my knees, frumpily. It did nothing for my figure. What's worst was the colour - a rancid, radioactive Parma Violet purple, with a matching thick satin sash.

I resolved the moment I could finally put that horrific sack in a black bin bag and drop it at the charity shop, that if I ever get married, I want my crew of femmes to feel beautiful in their bridesmaid ensembles - and once more, be able to recycle their ensembles after the big day is over. And this is why I, and the rest of the gals at Most Curious HQ, have fallen so head over heels by young bridesmaid dress brand, REWRITTEN.

A collaborative effort between bad ass babes Fran, designer, and Katie, the business brains; Rewritten puts the focus back on the bridesmaid as actual people. People with tastes and preferences. Did you hear that almost-newly-weds? It's very difficult for brides and grooms to plan their day whilst pleasing everyone, and that's why Rewritten's Collection is so simply designed. Currently featuring only four dress styles, two top styles and one skirt style, in a selection of four colour ways, there is plenty of scope to mix and match without overwhelming panic. Maybe one of your merry troupe feels her most confident with her pilates toned arms on display? - Try the Vienna dress. Whereas another can't think of anything worse than having her arms on show? Try the flutter sleeves of the Florence and Tokyo dresses, but in the same shade.

All Fran and Katie's pieces are designed with comfort and movement, as well as elegance in mind. Swishing skirts are perfect for a spin at the reception party, and the maxi and knee length skirts look lovely with both flat and high shoes - pleasing both heel-haters and lovers alike. Their minimal and flattering cuts are designed to make an array of shapes and sizes feel and look divine. Due to their versitility, Reworked bridemaids pieces can be dressed up to the nines with accessories, or worn as is, creating a variety of unique looks. And best of all, these classically stylish numbers work in other evening contexts. Imagine rewearing your Mykonos to a dinner at a resteraunt or to shimmy on a dancefloor on the weekend? We can too babes.

We caught up with Rewritten's very own Fran to talk about their blossoming brand.

Why did you decide to set up your own business?

We both got married in the last couple of years and frustrated by the limited choice of bridesmaids dresses available in the UK decided to create our own. As a fashion graduate from Edinburgh College of Art I was excited at the prospect of designing again and Katie; having spent over ten years working in sales and branding; really welcomed the opportunity to work for herself. Following our initial idea (which we came up with on a night out) things took off and we were excited to launch Rewritten at the end of 2016. It’s been a crazy whirlwind since then as we have opened our studio in North London and are working with a number of awesome retail partners. As anyone who has started a business will tell you, there are ups and downs. It is both ridiculously exciting and utterly terrifying in equal measure, but that is what drives you.

What's been the coolest/best moment of your career so far?

Our first wedding when we first saw our gorgeous customers walking down the aisle wearing Rewritten. It made everything worthwhile seeing beautiful girls happy in our dresses.

Who or what inspires you?

The idea behind our launch collection was that we wanted to create cool dresses that are beautifully made, have great movement, chic design and you might even want to wear again. It was important to us that there was a style suited to every size bridesmaid, and that you could have all of your girls in different dresses but the same colour way. One inspiration for the collection came from a beautiful floaty chiffon caplet that my mother-in-law wore on her wedding day in the 70’s. There is something so bohemian and yet so contemporary about this silhouette and I think that is true of the entire Rewritten collection. The fabric we use is a crepe polyester which drapes really beautifully and is fantastic for swishing around the dance floor in (this was key!) The dresses are also fully lined throughout in the same fabric, and feature concealed zips and covered buttons. We call it sustainable bridesmaids shopping ie. pieces that you will actually want to wear again. No more wardrobes full of dresses you will never wear again!!

What words would you use to describe the trends for 2017?

We are thinking sage and forest green, floral embellishment (watch this space guys!) and even black for upcoming bridesmaid dress trends.

So if you value your bridesmaid's self esteem, wink wink, we strongly advise you pay the girls at Rewritten a visit later this month at our London fair at the Old Truman brewery. We still have a handful of TICKETS left up for grabs, so don't delay little lovebirds!

Jugglist massive continued.: Blossom and Crumb making cake and magic

Today our exhibitor-, wedding-, inspiration- and mamma-extraordinare - and, crucially, our next Jugglist Massive member! - is Megan, from Blossom & Crumb. If you’ve been with us for a while now, you’ll recognise Blossom & Crumb as our bridalNEXT! winner last year, chosen by the wonderful Kat from Rock ’n’ Roll Bride. The eagle-eyed amongst you will also have spotted a sumptuous Blossom & Crumb design in our campaign shoot for 2017’s Most Curious Wedding Fair! We adore Megan and all she does - and that includes motherhood, as she has two gorgeous sons - Bertie, 5, and Arthur, 3. We talk to Megan about blossoming, crumbs, and everything in between...

When did you set up the Business? 2015

When did you have your babies? 2012 and 2014

What do you feel the challenges are of running your own wedding business alongside motherhood? The biggest challenge for me is mental. I find that everything seems to come with a side order of guilt! Guilt that I am not spending enough quality time with my children, that I am spending too much time on my business' social media, that my other half is doing the lion’s share of wake-ups and bedtimes because I am working or exhausted from working, guilt when my husband and boys all sit outside in the car while I set up a wedding cake, that family weekends without cakes are very rare. Also, on the flip side, guilt for not replying to clients because I am trying to spend quality time with family!

But also what are the positives? There are huge positives. I get to do a creative job that I enjoy doing and still be at home for the children while they are so young. I get to see all their development milestones and be there at the school gates in the morning and the evening whilst still having a career that I find rewarding. Also, financially, I would have basically broken even in my old job if I had stayed and paid for two lots of childcare. I may not make as much from business (yet!) as I did from my previous job but with the bare minimum of childcare costs I can keep what I make.

How on earth do you make it work? It’s really how do we make it work rather than how I make it work. My husband comes home, I hand over the baton and it’s on with the baking. He helps with the business in so many ways and he is an amazing co-parent. I also have a wonderful local network of local mums who have jumped in and looked after one or both boys when when I have been asked to take cakes to photo shoots mid-week or when I need my husband’s muscles for a wedding cake delivery. I may run the business solo but it is only possible because of the support of family and friends.

Blossom & Crumb's amazing cake for our #JugglistMassive photoshoot

I am also starting to use a journal for goal setting and time management which so far is a great tool. It also forces me to think about what I am grateful for at the start and end of the day which is good way to lift your spirits when everything seems a bit too hard. Time management is definitely an area I need to work on. My youngest is now at preschool for one and a half days a week so that is my dedicated, uninterrupted work time but it is so rare I get time alone it is very easy to luxuriate in it a bit. I need to start putting my phone in a box!

The other important thing is developing the ability to say no! I could so easily book out every evening and weekend with the business but you can’t live like that. I tried last year and nearly made myself very ill through sheer exhaustion! This year I have got better at carving out time for myself and for the family but again this is a work in progress.

Describe a day in the life of you and your business: Mon-Weds I start work when my husband comes home. As well as my special occasion work, I bake cakes for two fantastic local cafes and that takes up all of Monday evening and Tuesday morning before school drop off. The rest of the week varies so much depending on what cakes I have booked. Fondant cakes take a lot more time than buttercream so if I have a fondant wedding cake I’ll be busy with that Tues and Weds evenings. Thursdays I have the luxury of a whole day of work (well, a whole school day which is actually more like half a day!) and I also have Friday morning. My husband works from home on a Friday so we sometimes do a bit of juggling but officially I am back on Arthur duty in the afternoon. The weekends are usually taken up with deliveries and/or consultations. Couples come to see me in my home to taste cake and chat about design which is a lovely part of the job but also means we need to remove all the lego and Thunderbirds from the living room to transform it into a pleasant consultation space! Emails and admin have to fit in amongst all of the above which is a challenge. I also have so many dreams and plans for the business which I just don’t have the time for at the moment but hopefully I will be able to work on those things as the boys get older.

What have you learnt the hard way since having your children and running a business simultaneously? I gave myself horrible and constant heart palpitations at the end of last year which I now realise I get when completely exhausted. At that point I had no childcare at all, my eldest was only at nursery in the afternoons and I was making cakes for cafes three nights a week and delivering them in the days with the boys as well as working on wedding and special occasion cakes. It was all completely crazy and unsustainable. So I cut right back on cafe work as it is not the main focus of my business and learned to manage my diary better. Sometimes It means saying no to weddings that I would absolutely love to work on in order to have a little bit of down time now and then. I find it so hard to disappoint couples who have done me the honour of choosing my cakes but I remind myself that you really can’t pour from an empty cup and it’s to no one’s advantage if I work myself into the ground. I am also keeping August clear this year which is so tough as it is peak wedding season but I really struggled with keeping all the plates spinning during the summer holidays so this year we will be mostly taking our newly acquired tent on a tour of the UK! 

Let us know your most stressed out/most jugglist/most frustrating/most challenging moment so far? When I managed to book a wedding cake a long way out of London on Bertie’s third day of settling in at school. I learnt to drive relatively recently so I usually rely on my husband's superior motoring skills for long distance deliveries but the only way I wasn’t going to be riddled with guilt about not being at the school gates myself was if my husband could be there. I didn’t fancy the thought of doing not only my first motorway drive but also my longest drive with a wedding cake solo so it ended up as an 8 hour round road trip with my Mum! I had many a sleepless night worrying about it beforehand but the cake got there, Mum, the car and I all got home safely and Bertie had a great first week at school.

Do you think there is enough support for mothers running their own business? I definitely think there could be more flexible childcare options. I am lucky to have wonderful friends who step into the breech but there have been so many occasions when I would have given my right arm for just a couple of hours of childcare somewhere I trusted. 

Do you find the industry supportive? I do on the whole. There are a lot of us in the same boat because I think that motherhood can actually be the the very thing that prompts you to finally turn a hobby or passion into a creative business so the overwhelming majority of wedding industry people I have worked with have been very supportive and understanding. I am also extremely lucky to have lovely fellow exhibitor and cake-maker Claire Owen just down the road who understands the specific challenges of what we are both doing and has proved a wonderful sounding board in moments of stress! The cake making community is lovely and very supportive rather than competitive which is fab - I totally believe in small businesses supporting each other rather than competing. We are all happiest and strongest that way!

You are all inspirational and we salute and celebrate you all! What do you want to say to all the jugglist massive out there? I feel privileged to be amongst so many amazing parents turning their talents into amazing and unique businesses. When times feel tough I think we should remember the fabulous example we are setting our kids. They see us working hard, they see us doing what we love and they see the joy we can bring to other people on their big days. This isn’t always an easy gig but it is endlessly rewarding.

Images by Most Curious Wedding Fair Sponsor Matilda Delves Wedding Photography | Balloons and Paper decos by Pop Pop Papier | Calligraphy by The Golden Letter | Flowers by Rebel Rebel | Jugglist Massive Cake  Claire Owen Cakes | Geometric pink cake Blossom & Crumb | Peach and red cake Frenchmade London

The Jugglist Massive Storey So Far: Helaina Storey Wedding Design

The next of our incredible Jugglist Massive is the amazing Helaina, from Helaina Storey Wedding Design. She’s a finance lady by day, wedding designer by other days, and a supermamma to Heath, 8, Poppy, 5, and Imogen, 2. The usual struggles! She was part of our awesome Jugglist Massive photoshoot, and we'd like to attract your attention to her incredible eye for a slogan t-shirt. We stole her away for a bit to discuss all things weddings, woes, and wonder woman-ness...

Imogen, Helaina, Poppy and Heath

When did you set up the business? September 2016

When did you have your babies? 2009, 2011 & 2014 

What do you feel the challenges are of running your own wedding business alongside motherhood? Time is my biggest challenge! I need more time! That and looking like a slob more frequently than I would like. Finding the energy (and time again) to look sleek and professional and wipe snot off my favourite jacket and de-clutter my handbag/filing cabinet of nappies, half empty Fruit Shoot bottles and Barbie Doll accessories before I head out to a meeting with a client or venue is tricky to say the least!

There are definitely two versions of me. The version that does the school run in slippers and the one that I spend around 3 hours trying to create before I leave the house to do anything related to the wedding business.

I also have a 'day job' in the finance industry which I do 4 days per week and that means that most of my wedding-related hours are juggled with screaming, squabbling, hungry, tired and ratty offspring during the evenings and weekends. I have Mondays off, when there are no children in the house for 5 whole blissfully peaceful hours! But by the time I have spent half of those procrastinating on Instagram and Pinterest, dreaming about beautiful, clean velvet sofas and adult only resorts with infinity pools in the Bahamas, there is very little I can achieve in the time remaining! 

But also what are the positives? The key positive of juggling the business and the sprogs is that they are my main motivation. I do everything to make them happy in the long run and give them a nice place to live and amazing holidays, so they spur me on to be a success. It's mostly very hectic, but when we make a conscious effort to put everything else aside and focus on family,  the time we spend together is truly wonderful, quality time. It's a work hard, play hard kinda set-up. I am also very blessed to have the flexibility that I do, allowing me to drop and collect from school most days and work the business around the kids and vice versa. I feel very privileged to be both a Mum and an entrepreneur. 

Helaina Storey and Heath, Imogen and Poppy

How on earth do you make it work? I am very blessed to have an incredibly supportive husband who helps me every step of the way. The industry is obviously fairly unsociable hours and he will always drop everything to help look after the kids, drive me to random locations and lend a hand with my weird and wonderful creations, despite having his own business to run as well! My Mum also helps a lot by having the kids for one weekend every month which is the only time we manage to get some 'couple time' and I cannot tell you how grateful and lucky I feel to have that.

Luckily, I am a very naturally organised person and actually get a bit of a thrill out of multi-tasking and taking on the seemingly impossible, in every aspect of life. I would probably find myself very bored if I didn't have so much to juggle!!

Describe a day in the life of you and your business: I work all night, every night on the laptop once the kids are in bed. I work in the bath from my phone (which is my trick for escaping the carnage downstairs for a good hour or two, once Daddy gets home!) and I fit emails and phone calls in whenever I possibly can the rest of the time. I am a bit of a night owl, but that's more of a necessity than a choice. I am VERY tired most of the time but I think the adrenaline, fuelled by my immense passion for the industry and the amazing couples I work with keep me going. 

How do you work best? I can focus best when I'm locked in a quiet room away from the mayhem! I also find working with industry colleagues and getting the opportunity to collaborate with other creative talent really motivating.

What time does it all kick off for you? There are no set hours for me really. I tend to respond almost immediately to most enquiries as I have a have pretty impatient, reactive personality. But it gets the job done! I just keep going until I have finished what I set out to do and then make up for it when I take time out for myself and the family, making certain we are all rewarded for the hard work that's put in the rest of the time.

What time do you usually throw in the towel? I usually close the lid on my laptop at about midnight when I feel my eyes starting to close!

What have you learnt the hard way since having your children and running a business simultaneously? I ran my first business in Recruitment (which I ended up loathing) when I had only one baby. After the second one came along, I was determined to make it work but as it was such a cut-throat industry I just couldn't compete and have a healthy life with my family as well. I used to think I could be Superwoman, but have now realised that getting the balance right is so important; and that's the beauty of this business. I have learned that to follow your passions and dreams is the most important thing but that no job should be at the expense of your family. It all needs to work together and I am so happy I have now managed to achieve this, although it will never be easy. But easy is no fun anyway! 

You can do ANYTHING but not EVERYTHING. Although I work extremely hard, I always try to live by these words now. You have to know when to take a few steps back and look after Number 1. Otherwise everything else will fall apart. I have also learned about what I am truly good at and have finally discovered my identity again after feeling like I gave that up when I chose motherhood! It really feels like I have the best of both worlds now.

Let us know your most stressed out/most jugglist/most frustrating/most challenging moment so far? I have to literally lock myself in the garden to make any important phone calls so that the person on the receiving end doesn't think I work at a crèche or a ZOO! The dread of where I imagine I will find felt tip or cornflakes or poo when I return is always a nerve wracking experience. If I stay in the house, a child usually falls down the stairs on purpose just to give them an excuse to scream at me for cuddles during a very important Skype! Or they decide that that very moment is the moment they 'NEEEEEEEEEEEEEED a cheesestring NOOOOOOWWWW Mummyyyyyyyyy!!!!'

Never fall in line, but always want a cheesestring

Do you think there is enough support for mothers running their own business? I'm not even sure what other support there could be other than financial incentives I suppose, as childcare is obviously stupidly expensive and when my third and final one is old enough for school (trust me, there will be no more babies), I think I will celebrate the freedom of a £1600 per month nursery bill by renting a Ferrari for a year or something equally extravagant! There should definitely be an after school club at every school! (A live-in Butler, Chef and Nanny would be awesome - maybe I'll opt for that in lieu of the Ferrari?) :)

Do you find the industry supportive? I am lucky enough to have a support network close to me, although my Mum also works full time, so day-to-day can still be tough. But I also know some working parent's don't get any help whatsoever and it can be easy for some of us that do to take it for granted! I think offloading to someone who understands your situation and just having a good old vent can help with general sanity and emotional well-being. Not all of us are lucky enough to have that either. Most of us are probably just winging it and that's what makes us Mumtrepeneurs so powerful! 

You are all inspirational and we salute and celebrate you all! What do you want to say to all the jugglist massive out there? Keep winging it you fabulous fellow Jugglists! There are no right answers and you are all amazing. Being a parent is a full time job on its own. So anyone taking on extra work on top (and smashing it) deserves huge 'Jugglist Massive' respect.

Images by Most Curious Wedding Fair Sponsor Matilda Delves Wedding Photography | Other than Penny Baldry’s images by Darina Stouda | Balloons and Paper decos by Pop Pop Papier | Calligraphy by The Golden Letter | Flowers by Rebel Rebel | Jugglist Massive Cake  Claire Owen Cakes | Geometric pink cake Blossom & Crumb | Peach and red cake Frenchmade London

It's in your DNA - Fingerprint wedding rings by ANDREW ENGLISH JEWELLERY

Last year, when wandering around the diverse Aladdin's Cave of all things wedding related that is A Most Curious Wedding Fair, I found myself attracted to a little jewellery stall showcasing perfect minimal wedding bands, the interior side of which was painstakingly etched with couple's finger prints. I was instantly enchanted with the idea. This was Andrew English Jewellery's stall.

Like all creative souls I like nothing more than truly personal touches, and find it especially poetic when science meets art, even more so in the context of anything romantic. I have always been fascinated by the basic theory of forensics, that of substance transferral. When you come into contact with an object, or person - when skins touches, when you brush your hand across a surface, when any surface touches another - there is an exchange of substances. You leave a little of yourself on whatever you touch, and whatever you touch leaves a little of itself on you. I have always found this notion particularly romantic, and so I found Andrew English's elegant expression of love, of exchange of something so personal and bodily as your finger prints, so deliciously appealing and romantic.

Andrew English also offers bespoke pieces, previous designs of which can be viewed on the commissions page of his website. From wedding bands and eternity rings which fit perfectly around an antique family engagement ring, to personalised stacking bands, English's style is mutable yet still retains an element of his signature simplicity.

With a sculptural background and a fascination for all things tiny as a child, Andrew English seems destined to become a jewellery designer. "...a childhood spent drawing, painting, and playing with my father and grandfathers huge collection of tools may have been an influence…" he says. "As a child there was nothing I loved more than making models, It didn't really matter what it was but the smaller and more intricate the better!" He spent time as an apprentice for David McLoughlin; after having a particular affection for working with metals as a student; and he developed and refined his skills in traditional jewellery making. Now, Andrew English's style takes reference from his fine jewelling background, with his own elegant and refined style.

We are excited to have Andrew English with us again this year at the Old Truman Brewery for our London leg of this year's fairs. If you've yet to find the perfect rings I strongly recommend you get your TICKET and pay his stall a visit.

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Introducing Jugglist Massive member, Claire Owen Cakes

Today’s Jugglist shoutout goes to the wonderful Claire Owen, from the aptly-titled Claire Owen Cakes, who is mum to Flo, 7, and Rory, 5. Trained as a sculptor, she now makes stunning wedding cakes - and you can definitely see this influence in her incredible designs. In between being a supermum and a very talented lady she also found the time to make us a cake for the Jugglist Massive photoshoot…just LOOK at that intricate embellishment! Heart eyes everywhere. Let’s see what pearls (hehe, get it) of wisdom she has about being a Jugglist girl boss and momma to boot...

Claire Owen Cakes' amazing creation for the Jugglist Massive photoshoot
Photography by MATILDA DELVES

When did you set up the Business? Four years ago

When did you have your babies? 2009 and 2011

What do you feel the challenges are of running your own wedding business alongside motherhood? I can never switch off. I have to force myself to move my phone to another room and be disciplined about not answering every email or call instantly (not always successfully). And if you have a deadline that means work overruns into kid time; entertaining two small children whilst adding the finishing touches to a four tier wedding cake can be a huge challenge!  Plus my work is in my home, in our family kitchen so it can be very hard to draw the line.  It’s also hard to have weekends taken up with delivering wedding cakes, but on the plus side, my seven year old has now become my ‘assistant’ and often comes with me, which she LOVES - she has her own apron and gets to dust down the cakes with a little brush when they’re set up. (editor's note: I would ADORE this to be my job. If you need another assistant ever, just holler at ya gal...)

What are the positives? I feel like I have the perfect family-friendly job.  My time truly is my own. I can choose when I work. My family definitely comes first, but I am my own (girl)boss – and the structure of my work makes it easy to be there for all the kids activities, go on school trips, run them to clubs, host playdates and other stuff that I know can be really hard for Mums to manage work around.  Plus my children actually do think I have a cool job!  And for me it’s so important to be a role model for both my daughter and my son – that women can do fulfilling work and be a good (I hope) parent.

How on earth do you make it work? My main coping strategy is to have cakey bribes on hand at all times! I have also learnt that I need to plan out my week in advance, section up when I need to bake, when I do my admin, when I decorate, when I need to stop and take 5minutes to breathe.  And lists.  Lots and lots of lists.

My main tip is don’t rush. I started out the first two years making one or two cakes a month.  Now with more time, I make up to five a week.  I have had the luxury of being at home with my children and letting my business evolve at a pace that has suited our lives, I realised early on that a bursting bank balance isn’t the only measure of a successful business. 

Claire and the gorgeous Flo, 7

Describe a day in the life of you and your business. On a busy week I’ve been known to have cakes baked before breakfast, but usually it’s a typical school-rush morning – once they have been cajoled into eating and dressing - I walk my kids to school for 9am and then come straight home to bake for the day.  I know that I have a full six hours a day to work before I pick them up at 3.15 which feels like a lifetime compared to when they were tiny and I had to snatch the odd hour here and there.  We try and keep life after school simple. We go swimming, play at home, see friends and eat together. My husband is amazing and I couldn’t manage to fit as much work in without his support, he makes breakfast for us all every day before he goes to work and walks through the door in the evening to put the children to bed whilst I get back to work for a few hours.

What time do you usually throw in the towel? Mornings are my best time – I can see the whole length of the day stretching before me and feel as though anything is possible.  But before my kids were school age, nap times and evenings were the only times I could work so it felt much more piecemeal.  I can often be found in my kitchen beyond midnight…

What have you learnt the hard way since having your children and running a business simultaneously I’ve learnt that it is easy to be mentally absent – preoccupied with work whilst physically sitting next to your children. And that they really do notice if you’re not actually ‘with’ them. I have to work hard to switch off, take off my apron, put my phone away and properly spend time with them. I am not very good at saying no (either to prospective customers or my own children!) – but it’s essential if you want to stay on top of your workload and manage the juggle.

Let us know your most stressed out/most jugglist/most frustrating/most challenging moment so far? Well the cake / small child combo is pretty primed for a few predictable scenarios!  I came down one morning after a late night to find a huge hole in a finished cake.  My then-three year old daughter had decided to ‘test’ it for me…the whole cake had to be re-made. I have also had a major wedding cake topple / crush in transportation which someone else kindly delivered for me whilst I had to be at home with my children, they did an amazing repair job, but it was a very stressful few hours for us both – and frustratingly out of my control.

We assume these weren't the same faces that they held the morning of Flo's taste test

Do you think there is enough support for mothers running their own business? For mothers running their own businesses… personally I have always felt hugely supported - but the support has come from the encouragement and belief of family, wonderful friends providing ad-hoc childcare and an amazing local community who loyally bought my cakes when I started out – and continue to do so.  They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it has pretty much also taken one to start a cake business.

I also think a lot of employers miss a trick in not being more encouraging to women returning to work after having children. I felt like my productivity quadrupled after I had a baby because I understood for the first time the meaning of multi-tasking and could achieve more in two days than I had in a week pre-children. 

Do you find the industry supportive? The industry is amazingly supportive.  Weddings are joyous events so attract joyful people with a great positive attitude.  There are so many parents in the industry that you never feel like it would be inappropriate to bring your child with you if you needed to and there is an implicit understanding of the demands of motherhood on your work life.

Ohhhh Claire. Your words have warmed our cockles and your gorgeous cakes have filled our bellies - thank you! We can't wait for Claire to exhibit at our London fair - TICKETS are still available but are going fast - in the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for some more Jugglist mamma exhibitors!

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