Topbroidery – unique jewellery and gift ideas
Kirsty runs Topbroidery, a small business based in Glasgow, Scotland, specialising in Polymer Clay Earrings. Unique Jewellery, Keepsakes and Embroidery. Topbroidery also provide personalised gifts too. Learn more about the range of clothing, jewellery and keepsakes Toproidery offers; how it all began with ‘groatie-buckies’ and why she thinks it’s so crucial to shop small when you can.
Check out Topbroidery on Instagram.
Tell us about Topbroidery? How did it all begin?
I started my Etsy business back in 2018 when I was living up the top of Scotland. I was walking along John O’Groats beach one day and found these shells called ‘groatie-buckies’ that were said to bring good luck to anyone who had them. So, I decided to start making keepsakes from them including ‘groatie-buckie’ bracelets and ‘beach-in-a-bottle’ wedding favours. This was all I sold on my Etsy site until 2020 when we went into the COVID-19 lockdown.
To give me something to do, I really started to focus on making things and found that it was something I really enjoyed doing. I first started with embroidery and then, polymer clay earrings and jewellery. I’ve recently started working with air-dry clay which I’m finding quite difficult to work with, but you might start seeing clay products popping up on my Etsy page in the future when I’ve mastered the technique!
Why do you think it’s important to support small businesses?
I believe it’s important to support small businesses because you’re supporting individual people who have incredible talent, rather than funding one company who dominates the market and stunts healthy competition for unique and new ideas to be developed. I believe small businesses are the future.
There are so many benefits to buying from small businesses. You can find a more personalised gift and the small businesses tend to take greater care to ensure the product is up to a high standard. The wrapping of the gift and the hand-written notes you can receive are lovely and add more of a personal touch to your order and also. They also tend to be more sustainable and eco-friendly than big conglomerates.
What do you think makes a great gift?
A great gift is one that has been picked out with a specific person in mind, something that is thoughtful, unique and useful. I personally love when a gift evokes an emotion in the receiver!
What are your top tips for finding the right gift for someone?
- Make sure it’s personalised for them by tailoring it to their interests/hobbies.
- Make sure it’s something they could put to good use.
- Make sure you spend some time researching and don’t leave it to the last minute!
What are your recommendations for favourite places to buy gifts?
If you are in Scotland, Maia gifts and Papyrus Gifts in Glasgow are both fantastic small gift shops which offer really unique products. They also have websites so you can shop online.
Etsy and Not On The High Street are also great places to find personalised gifts.
What is the best gift you have ever received?
I’m really passionate about travelling. So, the best gift(s) I ever received was a beautiful journal to document my adventures and the cutest travel inspired savings pot (from Maia gifts) to save for my next trip!
I loved reading about how Topbroidery began and I imagine that will resonate with a lot of small businesses across the country; a spark of inspiration that takes a hobby or interest into something very special.
Browsing through Toproidery on Etsy it’s obvious the thoughtfulness and talent that Kirsty brings to her products. I am a bit of a magpie when it comes to jewellery, so my eye immediately went to the earrings. Such original designs.
It’s lovely to see the groatie-buckie items still available too. Cowrie shells have such significance all across the world, used as currency and symbols of good luck and it was interesting to hear this story about it’s tradition in Scotland which I didn’t know before.
Looking for more gift inspiration? Join our mailing list for gift ideas and small business recommendations, so you’re never stumped for ideas again.
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