C H A R M I N G F R A N.

#PEOPLEWITHPURPOSE A series celebrating wonderful people, doing wonderful things, something the Japanese call 'IKIAGI'.

Hi! Please introduce yourself,let us know a little bit about you!

Hi! I’m Fran Knight from Hertfordshire (living in Essex). I’m a Media Studies Lecturer at a local college and also support students with learning difficulties. In my spare time and as a side hobby I make handmade charms and jewellery and have started a very small business called ‘Oh Charming Designs’.

2./ What is your IKIAGI and how did you come to finding it, why you love it and how it makes you feel?

My IKIAGI is creating little charms and jewellery out of Polymer Clay. It always sounds really strange when I tell people what I do as a hobby, I’m not the biggest arts and crafts person, however when I show people my little designs they are usually surprised! I started just over a year ago after watching an Instagram video of someone making a small cake out of clay. It was mesmorising watching how intricate it was and I was instantly addicted. I whizzed over to Hobbycraft the next day to buy some clay and started experimenting. It is so relaxing. It is the only time I can sit and zone out from a really busy week at college and school and completely switch off. Sometimes it can be frustrating if something you are designing doesn’t go right but when it does it is the best feeling seeing the finished product.

3./ Tell us about what you used to do before your found your 'IKIAGI' , how that made you feel and why you knew it was time to change / If you are working your IKIAGI as a side hustle tell us how you work that around your day job.

Oh Charming is my side hustle. It would be amazing if it was something I could do fulltime but I don’t think I’m quite there yet! I also really enjoy teaching so I think this will always be something I do on the side that I have a true passion for creating charms at weekends or during school holidays. I opened my Etsy shop almost a year ago and had quite a slow start selling my charms and earrings which wasn’t the best feeling, but I knew that would be the case. Now I’m receiving weekly orders and getting them out in and around my full time job. There have been a few late nights finishing up charms, especially right before a craft fair trying to get everything sorted in time.

4./ Tell us about your products/ services and what you offer.

My charms and earrings are a mixture of Kawai designs, miniature food such as donut earrings, dumpling keyrings and little cupcake charms. I create a range of stud and dangle earrings as well as keyrings, charms, and progress keepers for knitting lovers!

I think the cuter the better so most of my charms are bright, cheerful and will hopefully put a smile on your face when you see them.

5./ What sets your soul on fire & what is your dream for your business for the future?

I think sharing my designs and people enjoying them sets my soul of fire. If they can make people as happy as they do me then I have done what I set out to do! I am constantly learning new things with creating my charms and I love learning from others. There are so many amazing creators in the clay community and I hope to one day be as good as them. I don’t know what my dreams for the future are quite yet for my business, however I know that I would love more people to experience my products. I have taken part in a local Etsy Christmas fair so I would love to do more of these.

I think it’s really important to support local business’s so the more of these out there for people the better! Hopefully I will get to a point where my charms are sold in small gift shops and I would love to have my own website (seems small but to me that would be huge!)

6./ What is your website address/ social handles for people to find you?

You can find Oh Charming Designs in these places...

Etsy shop - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OhCharmingDesigns

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oh.charming/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/oh.charmingdesigns

We absolutely loved speaking with Fran and are totally in love with her work. Everything Oh Charming Designs produces is made by Fran's fair hands. If there is a particualr design or special order you have in mind, get in touch with her she would love to hear from you.

How amazing would these be as bridal party gifts, or new baby / special birthday keepsakes?

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