I Love Peckham

Peckham often appears on the News and in the Newspapers as a town were gun crime is high and 'Gangsters' roam the streets, so I wanted to highlight some of the positive elements of Peckham that hardly get shown in the media and deserve to be recognised.

Peckham has one of the most colourful and busiest libraries in Southwark, designed by Will Alsop from Alsop & Stormer and it received the 2000 Stirling Award for architectural innovation.  It was in this same library that I sourced my first books on jewellery making in August 2003 and taught myself the basic techniques that sparked the beginning of my career.

Peckham is also home to the organisation BBI (Black Business Initiative), who offer a range of support to young people aged between 16-30.  They can help turn your dreams of helping your own business into a reality with the help of a test grant of up to £1000.  I went to BBI when I started my business and they awarded me with a test grant of £750, which was a great stepping stone for my jewellery business.

Gisella Boutique set-up business in Peckham in 1991 designing and making couture womenswear and bridal wear and are also stockist of Elisha Francis Jewellery.  They have won many awards for their amazing designs and are a great examples that hard work and determination pays off.

Celebrities from Peckham include actress Linda Henry (Shirley in Eastenders), footballer Rio Ferdinand and Andy McNab former SAS soldier and best-selling author.  

Every cloud has a silver lining but sometimes you have to search for it amongst the mist, I would like to be a good role model for my community and show that against all odds you can strive for success.  No matter where you come from or where you live you can make a positive difference in your community by looking for inspiration, you can become an inspiration.

www.elishafrancis.com

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http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/437/libraries_and_locations/909/peckham_library/2
http://www.bbinitiative.com/
http://www.gisellaboutique.net/

The Blackwater Court Christmas Market

ELISHA FRANCIS JEWELLERY will be trading at The Blackwater Court Christmas Market TODAY

Saturday 4th December 10-3pm

ADDRESS:

BLACKWATER COURT

BLACKWATER STREET (OFF LORDSHIP LANE behind William Rose Butchers )

DULWICH SE22

HIGHLIGHTS:

Pop-up Cafe including coffee and teas

Homemade Cakes
Santa's Grotto (with a gift) £3
Gift Stalls
Gift Wrapping - paper generously donated by Greetings
Child Friendly!
Market Stalls
Mulled wine & cider

Music on the Day
11am: Christmas Carols
During the event: a Vintage Christmas with singer Alex Carter and accordionist Serge Pachnine

All proceeds to be donated to the Push Foundation ... bringing movement to the young at heart.

Organised by SE Magazines Limited and Push Studios.

http://www.blackwatercourtmarket.co.uk/index.html

A festive boutique & exhibition 56-58 Leather Lane, London, EC1N 7TP 

Opens 1st December 12 – 3pm 

For three days only, come and explore our festive boutique in the busy thoroughfare of Leather Lane. Show your support to young designer makers of the future, by purchasing a unique ‘one off’ Christmas gift or treat!

Launch Party - 1st December 5.30pm - 8pm, FREE ENTRY
Meet the young designers and volunteers at our launch celebration and community exhibition. 

Enjoy light refreshments, performances, children's animation screenings and interactive arts workshops. 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?client=safari&q=56-58+Leather+Lane%2C+London%2C+EC1N+7TP&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&hq&hn

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=169387693084791

Christmas Extravaganza at Fairfield Halls

Elisha Francis Jewellery will be at Fairfields Halls this weekend

A Christmas Extravaganza! at Fairfield Halls & Ashcroft Theatre

Fairfield Halls will be expanding the 2010 Christmas Fair to two days on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th November. 

Venue:

Fairfield Halls

Park Lane

Croydon

CR9 1DG

The craft fair will open at 10am and close at 6pm each day .

In addition to the craft fair itself there will be outside attractions including a Skating Rink and Ferris Wheel and inside Santa’s Grotto, Carol Singers, Dancers, Musicians and much, much more. The event as usual is free entry for customers.

http://www.visitlondon.com/events/detail/10287158

ELISHA FRANCIS JEWELLERY will be at Beats and Buttons 3 tomorrow at:

The Macbeth, 70 Hoxton Street Shoreditch London N1 6LP

Sunday, 21 November 2010

From 1:00pm- 7pm

I will have lots of beautiful Christmas Gifts and Stunning Party Accessories on sale!

PRINT OFF THIS PAGE AND RECEIVE 20% DISCOUNT OFF

ANY PURCHASE YOU MAKE ON THE DAY.

After my visit to the Horniman's visit yesterday I was left wanting more... so I googled African Art in London and found out that the British museum has an African Gallery. So I got up early and made my way down to Russell Square and luckily I bumped into my dear friend Lorraine Dublin from the Adee Phelan salon in Covent Garden and we hopped on the 188 bus together.

We are planning on doing a shoot together very soon and I am hoping that I can design and make this African collection in time. I was telling her about the elaborate hair designs seen in the masks and sculptures and she said that it would be a very good idea to base the shoot on an African theme.

She left me in Holborn and I got off a couple of stops later and walked up Great Russel Street to the museum. The grand entrance with the marvelous pillars got me so excited, I loved the lines and got my camera out and started snapping away- line project for uni sorted!

The African gallery was so amazing it had twice as much pieces on display then the Horniman's museum and so many interesting things caught my eye. One in particular was the Throne of Weapons which is made from decommissioned weapons collected since the end of Mozambique's civil war in 1992. I thought it was such a powerful symbol of progress and hope for the future of Africa as well as being a wonderful example of contemporary artwork.

I found so many patterns and textures that I know will be the great beginning of my African jewellery collection.

HORNIMAN'S MUSEUM VISIT

Today I went to the Horniman's Museum in Forest Hill London to have a look at the African Gallery. I took some time to do a few sketches and photos of the pieces on exhibit. I was totally inspired by the bold and dramatic masks, I love all the detail and also watch a video of an African sculptor making a piece out of bronze, I watched him make his own oven out in the open to heat the metal. It made me realize that talent cannot be limited by resources. The talented ones use the available resources wisely.