Interview with Peggy Seymour from The Mymble’s Daughter

Around the time of my birthday this year, I received a bubble-wrap envelope in the mail. What made this bubble-wrap envelope more than ordinary was the lovely postmark that read “United Kingdom”. I knew it was from a very good friend of mine who knows me better than most anyone and who always sends me the best of birthday presents. Excited and curious to see what piece of England would be hidden inside the envelope, I opened it to discover a beautiful necklace depicting one of my favorite characters from Alice in Wonderland: The Gryphon. I loved the necklace so much, I had to look up where it came from.

the Gryphon necklace ~ photo by Rose West

Let me introduce you to Peggy Seymour from The Mymble’s Daughter, known on Etsy as adorapop. Peggy, master jeweler and artist extraordinaire, is based in Wales, though she’s actually from London. Her profile on Etsy talks of dragons and castles, leading me to believe that I’ve found something of a kindred spirit across the pond. A brief glance at her Etsy shop reveals that Peggy puts her heart into her work, creating beautiful and unique necklaces, pendants, sketches, and more. A little Victorian, a little steampunk, and a little fairytale, The Mymble’s Daughter has it all! There is a wide selection of jewelry, with themes from Alice in Wonderland to Charles Dickens to the Royal Wedding. The Signature Collection features jewelry depicting the birds that Peggy is so inspired by. She also sells a collection of beautiful bird sketches. You won’t want to miss checking out The Mymble’s Daughter – there’s sure to be something to catch your eye, either for yourself or for a gift for a friend.

Peggy graciously agreed to an interview, and I am pleased to be able to share with you.

The Interview

Rose West: Where do you find your inspiration when creating new jewelry?

Peggy Seymour: Anywhere and everywhere. Most often I’ll just be reading, or watching a film and inspiration just pops into my head. I am most inspired by birds and Victoriana so I try to surround myself with as much of these things as possible.

Red Riding Hood necklace ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

RW: Is there a story behind your name, Mymble’s Daughter?

PS: It’s a mistranslation of a character’s name from one of the Moomin books written by Tove Jansson. Her name is Mymlan in the original Swedish but somehow she ended up as the Mymble’s Daughter in one of the English translations and I’ve always loved the name.

gold-plated Thaumatrope Steampunk necklace ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

RW: What is your most popular item or collection on Etsy?

PS: I think it’s got to be either the Thaumatrope necklace or the Decision Maker necklaces. I guess it’s because they go with just about any outfit and they’re fun to play with. My most popular pendants are the ones with cats on them. Who doesn’t love cats?

sterling silver Decision Maker necklace ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

RW: I love your charming sketches of British birds. How has art affected your life?

PS: I’m so glad you like them! I had a bad art college experience which wrecked art for me for many years but I am just now starting to draw and paint again. I find it very soothing. Birds are my favourite subjects at the moment as they have such personality. Art is incredibly important to me and I’m so glad to have it back. I missed it!

Dunnock and Goldcrest print from Field Notes on British Birds ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

RW: Do you do much business with Americans?

PS: Oh, so much! I’d say at least three quarters of my etsy customers are American and I would be lost without them.

Royal Wedding Special Edition Necklaces ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

RW: I see from your profile on Etsy that you are originally from London but now live in Wales. Which is your favorite place to be?

PS: That’s quite a tricky question. I love Wales very much and have been coming here ever since I was a tiny child. It’s beautiful here and I have a quality of life I just wouldn’t be able to find in London at the moment. However, I think London will always be my favourite place to be and I don’t feel quite myself except when I am there. It’s home.

The Bird and the Empty Cage Bobby Pins ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

RW: What are your favorite places to visit in London?

PS: I realise this may make me sound a little strange but I love the old Victorian cemeteries like Highgate Cemetery and Brompton cemetery (where they filmed some of the ‘Sherlock Holmes’ film). There is also the most wonderful little toy museum called ‘Pollocks Toy Museum’ which I insist everyone must go to if they visit London. Oh, and ‘Liberty of London’ is a must.

Pirate Princess Locket ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

RW: So does everyone in Wales really live in castles?

PS: Of course! Well, I do anyway :)

Marie Antoinette Masquerade Brooch ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

RW: I confess, one of my goals in life is to learn how to ride a dragon. Do you think you could hook me up?

PS: If you’re ever in the area I’m sure we could work something out.

Steampunk Necklace Number VI ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

RW: This might seem like a strange question, but I need to know: What does Marmite really taste like?

PS: Hehe. It tastes a bit like thick soy sauce, I guess. Very savoury. I love it but I never know what to put it on. The Danish actually banned in a few weeks ago! Something about it being too salty. Weird.

image courtesy Peggy Seymour

Thank you ever so much for taking time to talk with us, Peggy! It’s been such a pleasure!

Be sure to check out The Mymble’s Daughter on Etsy!

Charles Dickens Quote Pendant ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

Edgar Allan Poe Cufflinks ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

Alice in Wonderland bracelet ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

Old House by the Thames bookplates ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

gold-plated lapel pin ~ image courtesy Peggy Seymour

Highlights from the Royal Wedding

Well, it’s over now. Prince William is married to Kate Middleton. The Royal Wedding went off without a hitch in full Cinderella style, and the happy couple left for a short vacation somewhere in the UK, since their honeymoon trip to the Middle East was delayed. I had to stay up until after one in the morning to watch the wedding live here in Hawaii, but it was worth it. The whole ceremony was stunningly gorgeous, and although I wondered if it would be all that wonderful to have your wedding broadcast to the world, I was glad I was able to see it. Here are some of my favorite highlights from the Royal Wedding:

The Trees in the Abbey

Kate wanted to have lots of foliage in Westminster Abbey for the wedding, in accordance with her theme of the Language of Flowers. The aisle was lined with maple and hornbeam trees that created a natural avenue for the bride to walk down. When the trees are taken out of the Abbey, they will be planted in Highgrove Gardens as a memorial.

The Hats

Dress code require all female guests to arrive wearing hats, and while some of the women tried to get away with only flowers in their hair, others took their hat choices quite seriously. Rumor has it that Victoria Beckham’s hat was stuck to her forehead with superglue…

The Choir

One thing that really struck me about the wedding was the amount of music. There were some incredible pieces, and I can only imagine how they must have sounded in the vaulted cathedral of the abbey.

The Flower Girls

Technically very young bridesmaids, the flower girls were just adorable in their white dresses, but a couple of them were quite skilled at facial expressions…

The Queen

What’s a Royal Wedding without a queen?

The Dress

Kate’s dress was simply stunning. I was impressed that she went with long sleeves, as I have been rather annoyed by the amount of strapless wedding dresses in fashion of late. Sarah Burton from Alexander McQueen designed this one-of-a-kind dress made from satin gazar. I’ve never been much of a fan of lace (I think this has to do with seeing too many instances of lace-abuse in wedding dresses from the ’80s and ’90s), but now I think I’ve changed my mind. Kate’s lace is made from Chantilly and Cluny lace, in a pattern called Irish Carrickmacross. The craftsmen working with the lace for the dress had to wash their hands every thirty minutes!

The Tiara

In her new role as Duchess, Kate wore a dazzling tiara with her elegant veil. The Cartier tiara, made of platinum and diamonds, was borrowed from Queen Elizabeth, who received the tiara on her eighteenth birthday. Something old…

The Uniforms

The men of the Royal Family were dressed at their best for the wedding. Prince William wore quite the bold red uniform of the Irish Guards, while Prince Harry wore the uniform of his new rank as Captain in the Household Calvary’s Blues and Royals.

The Carriage Ride

It wouldn’t have been a fairy tale without the closing horse-drawn carriage ride. This carriage is the 1902 State Landau which was built for the coronation of Edward VII, who was the son of Queen Victoria.

The Second Kiss

Personally, I thought the first kiss was a bit forced…

Getting Ready for the Royal Wedding

Everyone loves a fairy-tale romance… and even though it is Prince William, I think most of us will try to forgive him for actually getting married. The fact that Kate Middleton wasn’t a princess to begin with… well, it could have been any of us. Since their engagement was announced last November, the details of the Royal Wedding have been leaking all over the place. From the fruit cake to the London Chamber Orchestra to the RAF flypasts – it will undoubtedly be a lavish affair. For a schedule of the events of the day, click here.

For some reason, I haven’t received my invitation to the wedding yet, but there are ways to celebrate from home, I suppose, as I watch from the telly. For instance, I could make my own Royal Wedding Cake – you can find the official cake recipe here.

Another option would be to buy my own Princess Diana engagement ring, but that might be a little extravagant…

Since I won’t be travelling to London for the wedding, I must submit to the indignity of watching the celebration on television. The wedding is scheduled for this Friday (April 29, 2011), but because I’m in Hawaii, live coverage may start at 11:30 the night before (if we even get live coverage). I hope to catch it on BBC America at some point.

William and Kate will be married in the gorgeous Westminster Abbey:

…with a reception following at Buckingham Palace…

courtesy Christian Horcel via Wikimedia Commons