Archive for December, 2009

As the final days of 2009 draw to a close, we’ve been looking back over the year at the special events and exciting projects worked on.  For me, the highlight has been contributing towards the Emeralds & Ivy Ball 2009 organized by Ronan Keating in support of Cancer Research UK.  This event raised a whopping £655,000!!!  I am proud to say that everyone at Alex Monroe helped to add £8,025 to the grand total.

This opportunity started when Alex was invited (at the last minute!) to design a necklace to match the theme of the evening, emeralds and ivy…

Alex made the necklace from 18ct yellow gold, set with Emeralds, Peridot and Tsavorites! LUSH!!

This years ball was designed around a secret garden theme – suits Alex work perfectly don’t you think?  As well as this stunning necklace we also made some pieces from our Enchanted Collection to be silently auctioned during the Ball.  One of the pieces was this lovely textured wide bark ring with a tiny Tsavorite stone, in gold-plate.  If you want to see more pieces from our Enchanted Collection then click this link.

http://www.alexmonroe.com/Shop-By-Collection-Enchanted/c49_52/index.html

wide bark ring

Denise (Alex’s other half) and I were lucky enough to go to the Ball!

Alex was away enjoying Australia, so I didn’t feel too bad taking his place!  The first act of the evening was the amazing dance troupe DIVERSITY!  I think you can just about see them dancing in this photo -

All in all it was a wonderful evening, so thank you to Cancer Research UK for lettings us get involved.  If you want to read more about the amazing work that Cancer Research UK do for people, whether it’s medical support or raising awareness, then check out http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/

Right at the end of the night, when no one was looking, Denise and I took our own cheeky paparazzi photos!  Denise looks wonderful, of course – but I think you can tell i’ve had a few too many glasses of champagne…

Yikes! It’s Christmas already, where did it creep up from?

We’re still terrible busy here at AMHQ, but I’ve been making the most of the nights getting in the festive spirit. (Actually I’m having trouble remembering what I’ve been doing each evening!). Friday luch was the Goldsmith’s Hall Christmas lunch, I took along some friends and we had a rare old time. Friday night work Christmas do (I’ll leave that for the girls to report on. Suffice to say I got home in one piece by midnight). I took a quick nip back to Suffolk on Saturday night in the snow! Driving down the A12 in a blizzard was brilliant. Some old mates from school met up for some grub and a drink or two at the Old Ipswichian dinner. It was the first time I’d been back since I left all those years ago. A couple of pints in the pub beforehand eased the process!

Old boys!

Here we are from left to right; Joff (friends since we were about 4, clever), Luke (lovely, and useful, a funeral director), Richard (lovely), Simon (a right pain, he’s just grabbed my nuts as the shutter fell), Me (in pain), Rob (a great mate recently rediscovered).

A slow but beautiful drive home...

Then we did the tree, I love doing the tree and can get rather greedy, the wife and kids had to get rid of me so they could have a go. Anyway, the end result was sufficiently gaudy. I say ‘No!’ to minimalist Chrismas’.

Christmas tree

And on Monday we did our Annual do with the Salvation Army. They come and play Carols outside our house and all the neighbourhood come along and we make mulled wine and hot dogs. It’s a great way to get that Christmas feeling (followed by everybody popping indoors and jollying away the night with a wee tipple or two!)

Sallie Army carol singing

Anyway, more fun to come, can’t wait for Christmas itself. But right now it’s back to work for all of us here.

Happy Christmas!

Alex

Hi Everyone
And Happy Christmas! Not long to go now. And I think we’re going to have to put a stop to internet orders in a day or so, we’ve been so busy!
There has been so much to blog, but Emma wanted to keep the blog free for news about the sales we were doing on the run up to Christmas, so this is the first chance I’ve had to catch up. What have we been up to…?
Well, there’s the rest of my trip to Australia, which seems like a distant memory now I’m freezing my butt off in Kennington. Anyway, it was all fab. Where did I leave off? Oh yes, Melbourne.

Me with the girls in Chadstone

We did a great trunk show in Morrison in Chadstone, then I wizzed off to Sydney where I met my friend Mike at the airport. He kindly offered to put me up, so he flew in from London, me from Melbourne and we were met by his wife Lisa and whisked off to a little patch of paradise in the Northern beaches. I had the cabin at the end of the garden and was gently woken each morning by the parrots and kookaburras in the trees.

Mikes Cabin

The beach is a few hundred yards away but the pool was right there so I completely relaxed into it all. And Mike’s kids were lovely (must get them to meet mine and some of it might wear off!) Rachel and Maggie. They devised a dangerous and difficult challenge called ‘The 5 beach challenge’. Our task was to swim, play and relax in all five of the best beaches in the area in a single day. It was hard but we did it. I was presented with a certificate to prove my achievement which now hangs on my kitchen wall. Thanks to the Bullen family, I had a most fantastic time!

5 beach challenge

By the way, I texted this pic to Denise in the UK and she bounced me back a snap of her and Susie surrounded by celebs at the Emeralds and Ivy Ball. We donated a fab necklace for Yvonne Keating to wear, which was auctioned off and raised loads of money for Cancer research.

Then Sydney for our massive press party in the Ivy Sunrooms. A great success thanks to all. Then more trunk shows, shop visiting etc (but we still had to lunch didn’t we?)

The Ivy Sunroom Press reception, all ready...

For the last bit I rented a little apartment in Bondi. My morning run was round the point to Tamarama and back, a swim, a coffee and off to work. That’s me almost Native!

Bondi to Tamarama run

Anyway, it does me no good to dwell on the beautiful sunshine and great food and sand and… enough already. Back to England it is.
The first thing I did when I got back was to rush to the ceremony at Goldsmith’s Hall where they made me a Freeman of the City! Make the most of this, you won’t see me in a suit too often!

I am a free man! The Freeman ceremony at Goldsmith

Then we were into Trunk show/ Christmas sales territory proper. Actually, while I was away Susie and Emma already got things going. A mad busy sale by Susie L. for the girls at Vogue House, they nearly bought everything we had! Thanks girls. Then a super trunk show at Liberty where we also previewed A/W 2010 ‘The peacock and the crow’ collection, (all sold out on day one I’m afraid!) and a great collection of one off exclusive pieces. Silverado in Brighton by Suzy A. Cerise with Emma. Studio sale here at AMHQ, my brother’s church fundraiser and I think that’s it! I’ll be glad to get a week-end off.
Oh yes, while I was gone a film crew was shooting in our yard, they made it look so cute! Helena BC, Colin Firth and the gang were out in force.

Our lovely yard in the movies!

And Emma has done a facebook page for us, (I’m not really a facebook sort of chap but trying to keep up I promise) Check it out here

Just to give you an idea of how mental it’s been here at Alex Monroe HQ I took this snap of the daily post run. I think our daily record is about 7 sacks full!

Piles of Post! A dash to catch the postman!

Here’s a nice e-mail from Jamila who I met at our studio sale. Aw. Lovely.

Dear Alex
I came by the studio today and bought two beautiful rings – I’m not sure if you remember me – i bought the buttercup ring for my sister as a wedding present. I just wanted to say it was very nice to meet you and see the face behind the name. Your designs are truly original and are just beautiful – i keep admiring my bird ring whilst i type this email!
Keep up the good work, thanks again
Jamila

That’s it for now, back to work for me.

Alex

The last of our Christmas sales is this week-end. (actually, I’m rather pleased it’s the last. Got to have some time off to do my Christmas shopping!)

We’ll be in Primrose Hill this Saturday 12th December. It’s one of my favourite. Held in my brother’s church (well, not his but you know what I mean) it’s a real family affair. My mum makes the soup for the lunches, daughter Verity will run the stand, brother Roddy organises it all, Sister-in-law Jo does the vintage clothing etc. etc. I’ll be there with the family, there’s lots to see and super tea rooms if you just want to come for a cuppa!

St Mary the Virgin Church, Elsworthy road, Primrose Hill. London NW3, 10 ’till 6. Saturday 12th December.

It’s the start of Christmas for us!

Primrose Hill designer sale

Thanks to everyone who made it to our studio over the weekend – I hope you all found some nice things!

We’ve been so incredibly busy recently, trying to get as many orders sent and as quickly as possible – plus all of our events of course…..Our next Trunk Show stop is at Cerise, this Wednesday from 5-9pm.

Cerise is run by the lovely Maria, and is situated at number 94 Columbia Road.

We will be there with our exclusive Trunk Show pieces, for a really Christmassy evening of shopping.  Even if you’ve been to any of our other recent Trunk Shows, be sure to pop along as we made have brand new pieces especially for Cerise. Maria will also have lots of Alex Monroe classics in stock, so it’s the perfect opportunity to start / finish your Christmas shopping!

The whole of Columbia Road will actually be open for late night shopping, and there are some really special little shops along there……Click here for more details.

Invite from Cerise.

Also – we now have a Facebook fan page!

If you’ve got an account, why not become a fan of Alex Monroe?  We’d love to hear about your favourite pieces and purchases and you can receive all of our up to the minute news!

Emma x

It’s about time I let you all know about our Open Studio Event.  This weekend we will be opening our workshop and studio space to the public.  There will be loads of gorgeous Alex Monroe jewellery at reduced prices!!  This is part of a larger event, where all of the studios in the yard open and sell beautiful works of art and craft.  Perfect for getting your Christmas shopping done in the idyllic setting of Iliffe Yard.

FRIDAY 4TH DEC,  6-8.30pm

SAT 5TH DEC,  11-6pm

SUN 6TH DEC,  11-5pm

Check out these links for more information on the other studios also opening this weekend -

http://www.iliffeyard.org.uk/

http://www.pullensyards.co.uk/

Our address is -

Alex Monroe

9a Iliffe Yard

London

SE17 3QA

I hope to see some of you on Friday night for drinks and nibbles… as well as lots of lovely jewellery!

Susie x

…Oh, and it’s cash or cheques only!