Commissions

I take a small number of commissions at a time, so that each one gets the same attention as the pieces in the shop.

If you have something in mind — a stone you love, a colour, a piece you saw here that sold before you could reach it — tell me about it. There is no obligation in asking.

How it works

1. You tell me what you're after.

   It doesn't need to be worked out. "Something with green in it, long enough to wear over a jumper" is plenty to start from. If you have a photograph of something you like, send it.

2. I tell you what it would cost, and how long.

   I'll come back with a price and a realistic timeframe before you commit to anything. If what you want isn't something I can make well, I'll say so rather than take the work.

3. A deposit of half starts it.

   Once we've agreed on the piece, half the price gets it into the queue and pays for the materials. Those are usually bought specifically for your piece, which is why the deposit stops being refundable once I've ordered them — I'll always tell you when that's about to happen.

4. I make it. You see it before you pay the rest.

   When it's finished I'll send you photographs. If something isn't right, tell me — small adjustments are part of the process, and I'd rather fix it than have you receive something you don't love.

5. The balance, then it ships.

   Once you're happy and the balance is paid, it goes out tracked, wrapped the same way everything else here is.

The honest bits

Timeframe.

Most commissions take four to six weeks from deposit to posting. Some stones take time to find. If something is going to run long I'll tell you as soon as I know, rather than letting the date pass quietly.

Made by hand means made by hand.

Your piece will match what we agreed, but it won't be identical to a photograph of another one. Stones vary. That's the point of them.

If I can't finish it.

If something happens and I can't complete your piece, you get your deposit back in full, including any part I've spent on materials. That's on me, not you.

If you change your mind.

Before I've bought materials, the deposit comes back in full, no hard feelings. After that, it covers what I've already spent.

Sizing and fit.

Tell me before I start — length, how you like it to sit, any clasp you find difficult. Adjustments afterwards are usually possible, but they're easier before.

Can you make it?

Ask. I'd rather look at an idea and tell you honestly whether I can do it well than rule things out in advance.

Ready to ask?

Send me a note at holli@summernightsart.com with whatever you've got — a description, a photograph, a stone you can't stop thinking about. I answer everything, usually within a couple of days.