Today I am delighted to introduce  the marvellous Trifle Rabbit, home of wonderful upcycled vintage jewellery, and based in the village of Sherfield on Loddon, Hampshire.

The company was born from a love of vintage jewellery and of upcycling and the idea of combining the two to create beautiful things.

I chatted to the lovely Valerie to find out all about her brand new and exciting Business,

Who are you, and what do you do ?

“I’m Valerie, and I make headwear using upcycled vintage jewellery and vintage lace so TrifleRabbit is about creating unique pieces for special people.”

“I also work part time with small children, go to festivals of the Glastonbury type, watch rugby and I’m learning to play the drums having got a full drum kit for Christmas!!!”

When and why did you start your business:

“I’ve always made things but never commercially.  When my daughter, Georgia, got married in October 2012 I decided I wanted to make her a unique piece of headwear, using vintage jewellery. (upcycling is something I’m passionate about).”

“I tracked down pieces of vintage jewellery and bought far more than I needed (or so I thought!!!) ”

“The headpiece was made and approved by Georgia but she thought it might be quite heavy to wear for the evening/on the dancefloor as it was a very large and elaborate piece. (well, they did end their romantic first dance Gangnam style!)”

“I set about making a second, lighter piece of headwear for her for the evening ….. then came the three bridesmaids and the flowergirl.”

“By this time I was hooked and couldn’t stop searching for pieces of vintage jewellery and making headwear!” 

“TrifleRabbit was born and I launched the website on 1st January 2013.”

“I absolutely love reworking pieces of jewellery that people no longer want to wear and giving them a new lease of life by crafting them into something unique and hopefully beautiful. 

“I also offer a bespoke service in which a piece of costume jewellery which has special meaning to a customer can be worked into a piece of headwear.”

“I have recently been asked to make a bespoke piece and the bride to be asked if she could name it after her late grandmother – delighted to oblige, such a lovely idea.”

What inspires you

“I can be inspired by just about anything.  I get lots of random ideas in the middle of the night, so maybe my dreams inspire me!  (It will be interesting to see what happens if I have any nightmares).”

Do trends have any impact on your designs?

“I’m definitely not trend driven.  I guess I’ve always liked to be a bit different.  I make what I like making, which always works best … if you like what you are doing the end result will definitely be better.”

“What I make will evolve but not through trend, just through what’s going on in my head.”

What has been your greatest achievement?

“Oh dear!  Well, when (if) I master the drum kit it will be that but for now …..”

“Personally, it has been supporting my daughter through treatment for thyroid cancer was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but I wouldn’t call that an achievement ….. just doing what a mum does!” 

What’s the future of your business?

“I would never want to sell mass produced items ….. I will continue hand making unique upcycled vintage jewellery and headwear that will hopefully be liked by people and make them feel special when they wear them.

Valerie shares a few key pieces,

Amelie

Bella

 Combs

 Florence

Genevieve

 Georgia

 Grace

 Ivy

Lottie

 Matilda

Pearl

 Ruby

 Sylvia

   Verity

Thanks very much to Valerie for sharing her beautiful work. Particularly in love with the emerald green headpiece, so striking, and very in vogue as pantone colour of the year 2013.

Wondering too as a nearly 40 year old if Valerie can rework me and my Vintageness into something new and more sparkly.

To Contact TrifleRabbit

Website: http://www.triflerabbit.co.uk/

Email: valerie@triflerabbit.co.uk

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/triflerabbit/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TriflerabbitVintageHeadwear

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TrifleRabbit