Chic-yCow Designs is a local crafty maker, who makes bags and accessories from leather. Here we have interviewed owner Jo all about her inspirations and designing process. We also interviewed Chic-yCow before, you can read it on Chic-yCow by Jo Noble and we did a Chic-yCow Product Review: The Leather Choker.

Where do you start with your initial research for your designs?
'Most of my ideas pop into my brain at daft times of the night and day, I then try and get them out of my head by sketching and scribbling my thoughts onto paper. I use Pinterest to create a secret mood board and spend many hours researching and gathering colour schemes, patterns and shapes that help to develop my design. Once I've decided on a colour scheme, I go through my supplies and find all sorts of mixed media that compliment the colours I've chosen and pile them together. That helps me to decide what
blends and fits.'



What inspires me the most and why?
'I am a big fan of Mother Nature's palette of colours and shapes, so I think I'm most inspired by flowers and leaf shapes and the textures and patterns found all around us. I also like Architecture so I am fascinated by lines and geometric shapes and how it all fits together.'

What making/sewing techniques inspire you most?
'I'm very interested in painting and printing techniques and fabric manipulation. At the moment I'm researching textiles, embroidery and altering metal. I'm working on a collection of jewellery using mixed media, so combining my leather with textiles, metalwork, beadwork and paint.'

How do you decide which ideas to move forward with and which to scrap?
'I've discovered over the past few years that the ideas you have in your head don't always translate into a physical piece of work! I often find myself going off on a tangent and what I started out making somehow turns into something completely different! It's only when you begin to make a 'mock up' of a design, you find out what works and what doesn't.
You also discover whether the costings and amount of labour that goes into the piece makes it a viable product to sell. I often make one - of -a -kind pieces that cost more, but then take a portion of the design and re work it to produce something feasible to sell on a regular basis that is more profitable.'

How do you continue to evolve and push your ideas to the next level?
'When I look back at some of the work I made when I first started Chic-yCow in 2011, I can see just how much my work and the business have evolved.

I have gained many more skills along the way, all self taught, learnt lots about business in general from my fellow Artists and Makers and adapted to different ways of working - I think when you're self employed you are learning all the time, mostly by trial and error!
I am now going back in time a little and revisiting my costume jewellery skills and incorporating them into my work for the future.'

The retail industry is a funny thing but we all know that after Christmas, many businesses have boxing day sales and end of year lines to move on. There's a lot of local businesses here in Barnsley that have some amazing offers and discounts currently on. Here's our list:



 

The Oh Sew Sweet Shop in Mapplewell & Wombwell is having a big sale on lots of fabrics starting on the 28th to the 30th December of up to 70% off. In both their stores, they have a massive range of fabrics and other sewing and craft supplies. See their website here ohsewsweetshop.co.uk

 



 

 

Chic-yCow are having a discount sale on their Etsy Shop for leather accessories, just input the code NEWYEARSALE at the checkout to receive 20% off for the next 2 weeks only. Here's the Etsy shop  www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ChicyCowDesigns



 

Elegance Bridal Studio based on Eastgate in the town centre are having a sample sale starting January 3rd to the 7th, appointments  must be made. Visit their website here www.elegancebridalstudio.co.uk

 



Moo Designs based inside the Lucorum Building in the town centre is having a big Christmas sale both in-store and online. Visit the website www.moo-designs.com

 



 

Pura Cosmetics, a local handmade natural lip care business is having some end of line reductions on their website here puracosmetics.co.uk

 

 


Many shops down the Victorian Arcade have started their sales as well, in the town centre!

 

 

Have I missed any? Let us know and we'll add them!

All pictures belong to each business.

Last week I purchased a beautiful choker necklace from Chic-yCow and did a product review of it just in case you were on the fence of buying from her. I was attending a wedding and needed a necklace to complete my outfit and knew I had to have a leather one in my life, so I approached them with my idea and it went from there. Check out their facebook page here www.facebook.com/chicycowdesigns/

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I asked about having a choker made but I wasn't sure what kind of style I wanted, so I searched through their Facebook photos for different styles they had done before to see what inspired me. I came across a bracelet that had a row of circles on it and that struck out to me as to what I could have on mine. We chatted back and forth about the technicalities, the sizes of these circles and also the colour as I was needing a turquoise colour but metallic and more a green-turquoise, so was a little tricky to get all the details straightened out. Once we were sorted, Jo of Chic-yCow began making it and sent me a photo the next day and it was perfect! Exactly how I'd imagined it.

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The necklace came in this sweet little box with some soft wadding and the Chic-yCow branding, packaged up simply to show off the necklace. I know that if I saw this necklace in the shop, presented this same way, I'd still buy it! Beautiful items like this don't need to be overly packaged and presented, just straight forward simplicity.

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Wearing the choker was super comfortable, I sometimes get aggravated when I have things around my neck and feels itchy, but not this! The circles were on a soft black leather strap with the suede side touching my neck so it was nice and soft, not once during the night I felt itchy or overly aware that I had something round my neck.

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The cost for this necklace was £20, which for a customised commissioned piece I expected it to be more so I was pleasantly surprised at the cost. I really cannot wait to wear this again as I think it would definitely suit plenty more outfits. I highly recommend Chic-yCow, from the customer service, packaging the item, quality of it and the cost all come round to the conclusion that I'll be back ordering more!

All photos belong to Barnsley Fashion Creatives.

Chic-yCow are a local handmade accessories business all based on leather. These almost artistic pieces can finish off any outfit and with being such high quality, will be finishing your outfits for years to come. Through the seasons Jo likes to switch things round and try new designs and ranges from natural floral forms to geometric shapes. You can find her Etsy shop here and follow her Facebook page here.

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Jo: These are some of my favourite 'Geometrix' designs, combining leather that has been hand painted in metallic colours and combined with stainless steel hardware like studs. I've always had a passion for all things crafty and over a number of years, I've learnt how to sew, knit, crochet, paint watercolours and make costume jewellery, many techniques I now use in my work.

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Jo: These are items from my best selling 'Autumn Leaves' designs and are again hand painted in metalics and then embroidered over the top, with added beads. Chic-yCow was set up in 2011 when I started to incorporate my love of Art, Colour, Textiles and Painting to produce individually handmade Leather Jewellery, Handbags and Accessories.

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Jo: From the 'Daisies' range, these are also my favourites and some of my best sellers. My products are made using leather that has been embellished with intricately printed and painted designs before being cut, layered and combined to create softly textural pieces of jewellery and accessories.



Jo: Here are a mixture of bracelets, necklaces and brooches. Whilst I am occasionally distracted by geometric shapes and repeating patterns, my main love is working with natural forms.



Jo: These are the updated version of the 'Flower Bracelet', which I've been making now for over 5 years. During the summer, my work features hand painted and printed flowers, combined with glass and ceramic beads and in the winter you can see pieces that are covered with embroidered metallic leaves and bold hand painted leather, combined with metal hardware.