Last year the kids bought me my very favourite item of jewellery, a bookcase necklace. I adore it. It tells people something about me as soon as I meet them, and I don’t mind people knowing that I like books! When I wear it, it always gets comments, and as I’ve a suspicion that it might be popular with my readers here, I got in touch with the designer, Cory, and asked her to feature, and she’s being extra lovely and is offering up a give-away prize, too, for one of my readers. So, let me introduce you to Cory and her work at Coryographies…
My name is Cory, and I’m a Canadian living in Oxford with my English husband. I’m nerdy and love creating things. I’m a PhD student studying archaeology – my jewellery business pays the bills!
I worked in an office and a colleague was making jewellery from dollhouse miniatures and selling them on Etsy. I thought it was a cute idea, and wanted something creative to do in the evenings. I bought a load of Fimo, watched a load of Youtube videos, and began making my own designs. In fact my first designs were miniature sushi platters. I was experimenting was making little bento boxes out of wood, when I got the idea of making a bookshelf. The first bookshelf necklace was born! It sold from my Etsy shop really quickly, got featured on the front page, and a half-dozen people messaged me about ordering one! I was so surprised, but happy people liked it. I love books and being around books, and after that all my designs became book themed!
I think it surprises people how small the bookshelf necklaces are (1.5 inches tall). I try to make them really detailed. They’re also extremely light, since they’re just wood and clay. I varnish them with Fimo’s glossy varnish, which after a lot of trialling different varnishes, is the most durable and long lasting varnish. It doesn’t yellow, and I have customers who have been wearing their necklaces for three years now and they are still going strong! The necklaces get lots of compliments, so it’s fun to wear them out and about. People instantly know you are a book-lover!
The very first bookshelf necklace, from back in 2011! They really have changed over the years… I look back and think they’ve improved a bit…!
This is my desk (at the tidiest point it’s ever going to get – specially posed for the photo, I’m by no means actually tidy with my crafting!!)
Here are some empty bookshelves, ready for their books!
Here are some bookshelves, waiting for their finishing touches. A bit more gold paint, and then the varnish…!
I’ve started making more earrings, and last Christmas these earrings became my new bestsellers, and it has remained this way all year – I’m working as hard as I can to have a big stock of these for this Christmas! They are cute and tiny and lightweight, so I think they are popular because while the bookshelves are a bit more of a statement, these earrings are a bit more subtle and can be worn anywhere.
My best selling bookshelf necklace is actually my Harry Potter Bookshelf Necklace! It’s fun, and I have made the other houses for people as well – Gryffindor is of course the most popular 🙂
And this is my newest bookshelf necklace – my French Lavender Bookshelf Necklace! It has a little sprig of lavender tied with a bow on the middle shelf.
My favourite book of all time is Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M Auel. It is about a modern human who is raised by Neanderthals during the Palaeolithic – I think I owe my interest in Palaeolithic archaeology in part to that book! It just fascinated me that prehistory stretches back so much farther than civilizations and written language and agriculture. I also loved how the heroine in the story was so strong and curious – I really admired her while growing up, and the book remains very important to me because of this.
Being around books has always made me happy, my husband and I have quite a collection. So it makes sense that Coryographies has turned so book-themed. I think one of my favourite things about my job is that I meet a lot of other book-lovers. Academics, librarians, teachers, authors, book-review bloggers… all brought together because we love the smell of paper and the exciting feeling of being lost in a story! I can’t see myself ever ending the business, even with a future career. It’s just too much fun to stop!
Thanks so much, Cory! I so love your products, and it’s great to learn more about you and your business. Cory can be found here – Etsy, Facebook, Twitter, Blog & Pinterest
And I am so delighted to say that you now have a chance to win a pair of those best-selling book earrings there! Yes, to be in with a chance, just answer the question and use the rafflecopter to enter. Give-away’s open to UK residents only and ends at midnight 30th November 2014. Good luck!
What do you think? Love?
I love the lion the witch and the wardrobe stuck with me throughout childhood and love it even now
These are lovely
James Patterson, Private India
My favourite book Matilda by Roald Dahl
Confessions of A Shopoholic
the guns of navarone
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth.
The invention of wings by Sue monk Kidd
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. Fantastic book.
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Confessions of A Shopoholic
Little Women x
love the original Paddington books
harry potter and the half blood prince 😀
Harry potter, all of them 🙂
i love the game of thrones books 🙂
Jane Eyre- I love it!
Harry Potter and the half blood prince x
Can’t see a question but those earrings are soooooooooo lovely., I’m guessing the question is about favourite books…..I have a couple-The Executioner’s Song by Norman Mailer and The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein 🙂
Hmmm……think I figured it out. These rafflecopter wotsits totally baffle me, Jocelyn !!!
Ha ha – sorry! Just a way for me to run things being nice and fair x
The Magician’s Nephew by C.S.Lewis. It’s a prequel to the Narnia series but I think it’s the best.
All Harry Potter Books
I like the Harry Potter books
Definitely the Gormenghast Trilogy!
I love Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. My mum has just finished reading them, and she loved them too! These earrings would make such a perfect Christmas gift for her…
First Among Equals by Jeffrey Archer
my favourite book is State of Fear by Michael Crichton. He’s an author I love!
Harry potter
I love Georgette Heyer’s books.
this looks cool
The Beach by Alex Garland
pride and predudice
Anything by Martina Cole
Mort a Discworld novel by Terry Pratchet
I LOVE FAULT IN THE STARS
FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC
Harry Potter amazing thank you x
lord of the rings
Anything by Catherine Cookson
harry potter!! i love the hp themed one!!
So adorable! I love the harry potter ones!
Not Without my Daughter by Betty Mahmoody
Slightly obsessed with The Night Stalker by Chris Carter – I’ve read it over 10 timea already this year. 🙂 Love his other ones too but that’s definitely the favourite.
* times even
I have one of that series downloaded that was free and need to read this one as it’s the first. I’ve heard good things about his books.
Villette by Charlotte Bronte
Harry’s potter order of the phoenix
book-worm
lovely x
Probably the Harry Potter books or anything by Peter James.
It’s too hard to choose one book so I’ll say my first ever book – a now very tattered childs copy of Aesops Fables
I can see why these cleverly created bookshelf pendants and earrings are popular; they are so different! I know my daughter and her friend would probably love the Harry Potter themed one.
The Hobbit!
Game of Thrones
atm im reading the hunger games again =)
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernières
Any true life book 🙂
At the moment, Game of Thrones.
But I love reading the gruffalo to the kids 🙂
p.s. I love love LOVE your harry potter necklace <3
Birdsong
ohhh wow what to choose i love reading but if i had to pick one to reread right now i think i would choose the harry potter books
The jolly postman and other peoples letters xx
anything by josephine cox
Look cool
Enders Game….or Rebecca….depends on my mood really
Aldous Huxley – Brave New World
Flowers in the attic
The Faraway Tree
This was favourite as a kid 🙂
I love the Hunger games books
The secret
The Harry Potter series 🙂
The Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
the great gatsby
Imajica by Clive Barker
The wishing Chair
1984
Tuesdays with Morrie
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is my favourite
Charlottes Webb
Gone With The Wind, a wonderful book
My favourite book is Tumtum and Nutmeg by Emily Bearn
I love lots of books. I guess my favorite would have to be the Little House on the Prairie series. I’ve read it multiple times since being a child.
The Good Fairies of New York – Martin Millar
We are a Famous Five Family
The David Eddings complete works
At the moment, Adrian Mole
Love all the Dan Brown books
Horns is my latest read and it was really good x x
An almost impossible question but I’ll go for Matilda by Roald Dahl – it’s universally enjoyable 🙂
Animal Farm
“The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by CS Lewis
The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton
WOW your work is amazing!!
My favourite book is The Strand
Karen Rose books are my favourite, currently reading “watch your back” 🙂 🙂
the secret garden
Charlie and the chocolate factory
It has been since I was a child: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I would just love those earrings but I’m really hoping I can order a necklace before Christmas for my best friend because it’s perfect for her but Cory’s (happily, because her work is great) too busy to take orders before 1 Dec.
Captain Corellis mandolin
My favourite book BFG by Roald Dahl
The Hobbit
Pride and prejudice
The Hobbit
i love the hunger games
the hunger games atm
The World According to Garp, John Irving.
Cross Cut by Meg Gardner & anything by Patricia Cornwall x
the time travellers wife
At the moment, it’s The Fault in Our Stars
Catch 22 by Joseph heller
Hunger Games 😀
Shopaholic series by sophie kinsella
The Accidental Tourist – Anne Tyler
Wuthering heights
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett
I love the true blood series by charlene harris 🙂
The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
Any of Josephine Cox
I love The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. I’m a tiny bit obsessed with both, in fact!
Every book by David Walliams 😀
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Its very hard to pick one book! My favourite series of books is The Discworld books by Terry Pratchett – I guess one of my favourite ones is going postal but it is very hard to choose – I do prefer the later books in the series tho (and I also like his non discworld books too – highly recommend nation and dodger:) )
Taming the beast x
FIELD OF DREAMS
spartacus lewis by grassic gibbon
Eragon
Rose Madder by Stephen King. Kept me hooked all the way through and was incredibly powerful and emotional!
Love The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Oliver’s Travels by Alan Plater
Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M Auel but i love all the books i have read them all about five times each. I was a bit disapointed with the last one beacause i wanted to find out where ayla came from. But they are still my favourite books ever. My daughter has a book blog and i would love to get her these earings do you sell them thank you
Nineteen Eighty Four
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
The Thirty Nine Steps
The Mallen Streak
Mira Grant FEED trilogy & The Strain trilogy!
My favourite book is Jane Eyre, I make sure to re-read it at least once a year.
The Hunger Games
George’s marvellous medicine
Glue by Irvine Welsh
To Kill a Mockingbird
I love “100 Suns”, a book of military photos of nuclear bomb tests.
Beautiful, but strangely so.
1984
loved Heidi when i was a child- have still got the book
eat pray love by elizabeth gilbert is a great read makes you feel good
Black Beauty and Little Women both from my childhood
Gone With The Wind xxx
The Lord Of The Rings
all Stephen King’s books
The Time Travellers wife
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harry Potter
Terry Pratchett – Equal rites
My favourite is Anna Karenina 🙂
Harry Potter
So hard to decide that I need a short list! Currently either “Cross-Stitch” (aka “Outlander”) by Diana Gabaldon, or “Memory” by Lois McMaster Bujold.
Matilda
These are so lovely. My favourite book is Gobbolino the Witches cat. I read when I was little and have read it to my two sons
The Green Mile by Stephen King
Belinda Jones – The Paradise Room
Sams letter to Jennifer
Carrie’s War
Harry potter (all of them )
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
Your work is amazing. My fav book is Gobolino the Witch’s Cat
i have all the Harry Potter series, all the Earths Children series i think they are my favorite i have read them about 4 times , like you i find Ayla so strong and as you read the stories you are there with her through every adventure. Your earings are fantastic my family would say they were made for me
The Tiger who came to tea
all the Harry Potter books
The Lord of the Rings!
Favourite is lord of the rings – but also all of the austen book and many others.
da vinci code – dan brown
Flowers in the attic
bridget jones
The Ship that Flew
Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman
I love the Millenium Trilogy
I always remember “Me before you”
Under the paw
I love the Harry Potter books
The Shining
The True Blood collection
The hobbit