Oh my god, I can't believe it's been two years
since I've had Megan Cornwall, the heart of Iris
and Marnie on my show. She was episode number
four. So it was time to have her back. How you
doing? I'm good. Thanks, Tracy. Oh, I'm so excited.
This is my go -to person when it comes to jewelry.
I don't know if you guys can see it if you're
watching on camera, but I will take pictures
of it of all of my jewelry, including my bracelet,
my rings and my new earrings that are custom
designed. Thank you. Megan. My pleasure. Now,
just for the people that haven't heard the first
episode, how long have you been making jewelry?
Well, I've been making jewelry, clay jewelry
specifically, for just over four years now, almost
five. But I started making jewelry back in 2012
when I started working for Nancy at the Nancy
Johns Gallery. And it was actually her and Diane
that inspired me to start making it. Yeah, because
you were doing artwork. I was. Yeah, it was mostly
artwork. And I just had a love of fashion. And
it was it was the two of them that said, you
know what? Why not? Why not try jewelry? We need
some, you know, more jewelry artists in the gallery.
So why not go for it? So that's how it started.
What made you try polymer? That's a good question.
I actually saw a really cool set of earrings
on I think it was Pinterest. And I was just kind
of doing that, you know, scroll through and I
saw them and I thought oh my gosh those are so
cool. I know. What are those? And so I started
doing a little bit of you know research and YouTubing
and going through the the internet and then I
found out that it was polymer clay and then I
started to watch tutorials and things like that.
Fell in love with it and rest is history. And
you not only work with polymer clay you put like
the veins in it with the paint and it Honestly,
I'm trying to find one of mine. I know you're
not going to be able to see this. I will take
a picture, but I mean different colors that are
melded together. And then we have metalwork.
Now, did you buy this metalwork or is this one
you tried? So those ones are inset, but then
I have other pieces like these here where the
brass has been stamped out and kneeled, hammered
and polished. So there's been a progression,
actually, where the metalwork has kind of really
started to come into play. And so it's kind of
a combination of the two. Well, let's put it
this way. These are some from mega few years
ago. I mean, one of the first pieces that I got,
same thing with these ones. And these have the
veining in them. And then it would go to... This
now what is is this paper or these are really
fun So these are some of the newer ones that
I've been doing and it's a transfer paper and
It's a design on like a water transfer paper
essentially where you put it onto the clay while
it's still unbaked So there's still clay in there.
Yeah, so it's on top of the clay and then you
run it under water the backing comes off and
then you're left with the transfer. You bake
the clay and then you do what you would with
it, whether it be, you know, make it into certain
shapes, resin it, fit it into the brass like
I did there. And the one thing I did forget...
was my my little pot because Meg does uh tutorials
now and does little workshops and I have a ring
dish that has strawberries and it's upstairs
no worries that was so much fun I appreciate
it and I was so happy that you were there Tracy
that was something that I've started doing uh
the workshops that's been a lot of fun and I
think what I like is kind of coming up with different
things to teach people and that's been really
an interesting journey I should say. How many
tutorials or classes have you done so far? Gosh,
I'd say at least about a dozen so far. So that's
something I just started to introduce last year,
late last year, and then kind of more so into
this year. And I do them generally on my shoulder
seasons. So like anywhere from January to March
and then, you know, October, September, October,
November kind of time for me. During the off
season from the markets. From markets, yeah.
It's harder for me to kind of get to workshops
when I'm... you know, full swing in market season.
But now I know you do jewelry. We have the rings.
We have the bracelets that is a collab with Sage.
Yeah. And then we have the earrings, the necklaces.
Do you sell those ring holders? Not yet, but
they are something that I'm going to be introducing
to the collection. And then I know you also,
I think, did a class on with the sun catchers.
Yes. That was one of my very first ones, actually,
and it was so much fun. I think what I love is...
Showing people what they're capable of and letting
them experience something that maybe they didn't
think they could do or that they've never experienced
before. I find that really interesting. And also
helping people with their fine motor skills because
we don't use our hands enough to manipulate things,
especially small things. So it's really good
for us. It's good for our brains, good for our
hearts, good for our hands. I never would have
thought I could have done something like that.
even the strawberries they were so good and then
we brought home we kind of scooped all of the
extra polymer clay for our friend Jill and she
brought it home for her daughter Violet which
um Jill can you please send us a picture because
her daughter did it so I think it's time for
some children's classic that'd be perfect for
Christmas presents for their family I love the
idea yeah I've had a couple requests for it and
I think that it's something that you know what
until you start doing them you don't know what
people want or what there might be needs for
and I think there really is a need for workshops
geared towards kids and then maybe kids and guardians
or kids and parents as well too something they
can do together. Oh for sure. How many markets
do you think you do in a year? I know you've
tuned it down a little this year. Have a break.
I would say anywhere between like 25 to 30 markets.
in a season. Okay, then this year is it less?
We're probably at like, I would say about 22,
23 markets booked so far. And that's not just
in the Windsor -Essex County area? No, I've been
really fortunate, so I've done markets. You know,
in London and Toronto, the Muskokas. URIO. URIO,
that's right. One of my favorite ones. It's such
a great show. I went last year and I just followed
her. I had nothing else to do for the day. So
there was a few friends of mine that were in
there and oh my God, I had so much fun. I wanted
to stay there all day. It was so hot though.
It was. That's the one thing about the market
season is that you just never know what kind
of weather you're going to get. So it is a gamble.
But you kind of hit upon these shows that you
know, have your heart. And whether it be just
the way it's set up or the way it's organized
or, you know, the setting itself, it's just,
I don't know. Well, that area, what is that one
called? Art on the Boulevard. Art on the Boulevard.
And it's just surrounded by water and some little
cottages and a few little tiny stores. And it's
just... I love it. It was a really nice setting.
You know, it's such a vibe. And I always tell
other makers about it. Like, you want to consider
Aereo because it's so easy. You show up. I mean,
you have to get up. ridiculously early coming
from Windsor, but you know what? It's one day
you set up, you get to park your car behind your
tent. I know. Like that never happens. My husband
was so happy he had his little lawn chair behind
the tent. It's just too bad you guys couldn't
get the fish and chips. This year I promised
him like we are going to the fish fry. Have somebody.
I said I promise you we'll be first in line for
the fish fry this year. The one place you weren't
allowed to do takeout, you had to eat in. Yeah,
I know. I know. That was such a bummer. We were
actually heading back up there tomorrow. So I
promised Chris fish. So do you go just for fun
as well? We do. Last summer we did and then tomorrow
we're actually heading up. I have a wholesaler,
a new wholesaler up there. And it's going to
be Bayside Brewing Company. Oh, yes. So I'm going
to be heading up there and delivering an order
to them. So I said, if you want to hang out and
come with me, I'll buy you fish and chips. I'm
coming, too. I like fish and chips. That'd be
good. I know the bediva. Oh, gosh, what's her
name? Heidi. Heidi, yes. She goes there all the
time with her son. He loves fishing. It's awesome.
If you can get to Irio, they have fabulous places
to stay. I'm not sure if it's a hotel or a motel,
but the kid fishes off the dock and he caught
some big fish this year. You did such a good
job. They're there all the time and it's pet
friendly as well. It's a nice little area. Oh,
for sure. And then the beach on the other side
of the boulevard. It's a perfect little spot.
It is it's such a great community So it's kind
of this little hidden gem that I think more people
need to know about I know and I'd never heard
of it until I actually I think John and I went
to Port Stanley and I got a shirt that said Irio
and that is when I found out and they have the
They have the store there too. Oh my goodness.
I had no idea about it until they told me. Oh,
okay. Yeah, super cute. I used to go to Rondo
all the time, had no idea this was on the other,
just down the street. Same. So how many stores
do you have your jewelry in? Good question. I'm
in Three Stores in Windsor and then I'm also
doing a collaboration with Sage Wellness at the
Devonshire Mall so they have a specialized line
of diffuser jewelry of mine. Each little piece
on the side of the polymer clay is a diffuser
which is nice instead of the black. I wanted
to make it a little different. Yeah and then
this goes to whatever side you want. Makes it
easy to put on, easy to take off kind of thing.
And yeah now I'm in Bayside Brewing in the area
as well and then I sell online also. So there's
three in Windsor's Head including the one in
Essex H. Yeah, so it's HV &Co, the Urban Art
Market, Nancy Johns Gallery, Sage, and Bayside.
Nice! Yeah, so slowly but surely we're just kind
of starting to make our way up the 401. And if
you notice her one necklace, the pounded one,
the gold one is really nice. Thank you! Now what
material is that? This is actually brass. Wow!
So I've been working with brass for the last
year and that's been kind of incorporated into
the collection. The thing that I absolutely love
about brass is that it's an incredibly durable
material. It's cost effective, so I can do something
like this and then not have to charge an arm
and a leg to my clients. But it's a natural metal,
so if it dulls, you just take a polishing cloth,
polish it up, it goes right back to its luster.
So that's something new that I've added in. And
then we have... the rings said I have these and
well this is just this was a practice before
you started rings and I wanted a butter you had
a butterfly for something I'm like oh a butterfly
ring and it's just I was surprised I had it and
then she just made me these I mean I'm just oh
my god Anybody that knows me knows friends. That's
it for me. Yeah, me too. Yeah, me too. Now, are
the moms coming out with you for Art in the Park?
They are. Actually, it's funny because we just
had that conversation. So my mom was helping
me. She comes over and my mom -in -law comes
over and they are amazing. I'm really fortunate.
They helped me package and price because it is
a huge undertaking. and let me tell you, I don't
know what I would do without them. So we were
just talking about it this afternoon. My mom
was saying, you know, okay, I'll do the morning
shift on Saturday and then my mother -in -law
is gonna come Saturday afternoon and be there
Sunday as well. So, you know, I'm really fortunate
to have them there to help out, but also to have
that time with them. And people have gotten to
know them as well. And I think they love that
too because they're having, you know, makers
and other clients go, mom! Mom, it's good to
see you. I think for them, it fills their cup.
Yeah, because your mom was sitting with me at
that workshop. She's so cute. You look a lot
like her. Oh my gosh, so much so. You give yourself
a little white hair. Oh, it's getting there.
Sparkles are coming. Same Z. Unfortunately, I
don't have the sparkles. Mine's just salt and
pepper. So you've started a new line of studs.
I have. So actually the pieces I have in right
now are brand new. They're going to be launched
at Art in the Park, as is my necklace. But the
studs in particular, what I've started doing
is mixing the clay with semi -precious stones
and crystals. So these actually have lapis lazuli
embedded into the clay and then they're fitted
into the brass and then resin in place. In the
pictures that I saw, was there a clear crystal?
There is. So moonstone's the other one that I
started using. But I have a whole line of new
pieces that are coming out in that same vein.
So I have rings and necklaces that have basically
these amethyst stones or moonstone, citrine,
rose quartz, all embedded into the clay. You're
just always doing different things. The brain,
the creative brain, just that's one of my things
I just can't stop but also I'm really fortunate
to have people around me, creative people around
me such as yourself that are always giving me
ideas and so I always you know I hear it and
process it and if it's something that I think
will kind of work or if I want to try it I'll
try it you know and I'm really fortunate because
actually my retailer Ash from HV &Co she was
the one that gave me the idea about embedding
the crystals into the clay. Nice. Yeah, because
she has a lot of crystals there. She does. And
she says, you know, they're really popular, but,
you know, there's so many things that you could
do. Have you ever thought about embedding them
into the Palmer clay? And I thought, well, no,
I haven't. But now that you mention it, it would
be really cool. It would. You have the brass
stamped necklace. And the other one, it's the
beads. And are you going to be selling fun little
pieces like that too? I am, yeah. So these, this
fun piece, I have actually a selection of them.
So I've got little watermelon pieces. I've got
the lobster with the lemon. And then I've got
another piece as well too. And I've introduced
them to the collection as kind of stacking pieces.
So the idea is like it could be worn on its own.
or you can layer it with like the brass to kind
of elevate it a bit. Or if you had say a longer
chain too, you could use that as well. Well that's
like this one I got from you when you were at
the Lavender Festival. And for the last couple
podcasts, John's gonna kill me, but I wear it
and it's got a little piece of lavender in it
and I wear it with with my gram. Oh it looks
so good. Yeah I wear them all the time. This
one I love it because of the longer. Yeah that
one you know and it's funny because every once
in a while I'll see pieces that I created maybe
like six months ago or a year ago and it's kind
of reminds me like oh that design I love that
design you know. And I like this this chain as
well it's just a nice simple Sturdy chain. It's
key, right? And a lot of my chains I use stainless
steel because that I find it holds up. It's a
great price point. But again, you don't have
to worry about things tarnishing it, whether
it be water or sunscreen or perfume or anything
like that. I always hate that. I always take
off all my jewellery when I'm doing the sunscreen
or whatever. It's a process. It is, it's just
pain in the butt. So other than Art in the Park,
what will be your next one after that? So after
Art in the Park, I'm actually going to be at
the Walkerville Night Market. Oh, Night Market.
So I'm so excited. This is my first one. I've
never done a night market with Walkerville Brewery.
Have you done the LaSalle night market? I have,
yeah. I used to do them, gosh, that was a couple
years ago. Those were awesome as well, too. They're
a different feel, different vibe. So I like to
kind of change up the schedule and I kind of
change up where I'm going to be and the times
I'm going to be. Yeah, I'm not even going to
worry about it. But yeah, no the the night markets
gonna be the brewery night market is gonna be
the next one after fun. Yeah Well, it's urban
art market gonna be there as well. I believe
so. Yeah, so I believe urban art markets gonna
be there I'm not sure the full lineup, but yeah,
it's the first one of the season. So it's always
so much fun. I'm so excited I love the Walkerville
night markets. Yeah, I've always loved attending
them. So I mean, one day you'll be able to attend.
I know. Without working on it. So is there anything
else new that we can expect? There's a couple
new products that are, you know, a couple new
pieces that I'm going to be launching at Art
in the Park, a couple new kind of product styles,
one being hair clips. So that is going to be
kind of the newest product edition. So I'm really
excited about them. I think they're going to
be kind of a nice little, nice price point, but
a nice like kind of accessory to add. That will
be nice, because with the fun jewelry and that,
kids can now have some fancy stuff. Definitely,
definitely. It's for every age, you know? It
is. That's what I love. I love it. Well, thank
you so much. I appreciate you being here. Oh,
Tracy. She also made me cheesecake earrings.
Oh my god, I'm so excited. I can't thank you
enough, Tracy, truly. You've been such a huge
supporter, and it means the world. It's wonderful
jewelry. I mean, come on. Where can you get an
earring that hangs this low for under $100, under
$50? It's always been the important aspect of...
this business and and I know Iris and I know
Marnie would have appreciated that because um
Marnie oh gosh she used to always say that's
grandma yes grandma um she always used to say
darling it's not about cost it's about the effect
that's right and so I thought okay that is going
to be my mantra of this business leading into
it it's about the effect not the cost but I want
to make it accessible so And it is. And as you
can tell, I love every piece you make. And it's
usually really tough when I see her booth and
I can't figure out which one I'm going to get
this. Oh, gosh. I mean, that's kind of where
my my artist brain goes to half the time, where
it's just like all these different designs. And
my the hardest thing for me is just raining myself
in going, OK, no, you need to focus on XYZ. So.
No, just keep going. Never. I love it. So thank
you again. Thanks, Tracy. I so appreciate it.
I appreciate you. And again, my name is Tracy
Martins. I want to thank you so much for joining
me for another episode of YQG In Blue and a revisit
with Meg from Iris and Marnie. And see you soon.