The New Normal?

I’d just got the hang of fairs and organised a whole load of them for this year, when UK anti C-19 measures were imposed. Now I don’t know how many (if any) will be available for me to attend with my shinies this year.

I’ve always welcomed clients to our home by appointment (which, as you know is where I have my workshop / studio) for jewellery consultations or fittings and ‘try ons’ but that too had to pause for a while.

However, as we are now permitted visitors back into the workplace, I have devised a protocol that should comply with the anti-infection requirements, with the minimum of inconvenience to visitors and the maximum comfort I can manage!

Hello Visor!! 

It’s only me that needs to wear it, if we sit in this room, I can have the patio doors at one end open, and the front room window at the other – because this part of Exeter is reasonably high, there’s a generous blow through, which combined with staying on opposite sides of the table, means we’ll be well over 1m apart, enabling you to look through and try any of my jewellery at your leisure.

Current guidance is that the virus lasts no longer than 72 hours on metals and hard surfaces (such as gemstones) so I will simply keep visitors to no more than one appointment every 3 days. If you want to come with a friend or family member who’s not in your household or bubble this is permitted within the guidance, but we will need to apply extra care over trying on the jewellery, to reduce the risk of you contaminating each other as one of you picks it up, and the other tries it on for size

I had my first visitor formally try out my ‘new normal’ procedures yesterday – it was such a joy to have her in my home, and have a proper chat.

The process, if you’d like to visit to discuss an order, or a purchase is:

Contact me (email, social media message) to tell me the days you’d like to come / are available for appointment, along with how many people of how many households you’d like to bring with you

We will then make an appointment, and I’ll send you details of what I’m doing to comply with the necessary protections

The morning of the appointment / the afternoon before, I’ll message you again, reiterating the standard questions** and confirming that I’m still safe. You will need to reply so that I have a record of the check list. This will also double as my ‘track and trace’ should it be necessary for us to use it

*Before you arrive I will have cleaned down any and all surfaces you might come into contact with, placed a hand sanitiser by the front door, set up liquid soap and freshly laundered towels in the kitchen (you can choose between the hand sanitiser or soap and water) and also have cleaned the bathroom thoroughly – again there will be liquid soap and a freshly laundered towel for your use should you need it. I’ll also have thoroughly washed my hands, and I’ll have my glamorous visor on rather than a mask so you can see what I’m saying.

During your visit I’ll give you a car parking permit if you drove (this is essential – don’t let me forget it!!) , I’ll wash my hands again after showing you to your chair, and after your visit I’ll re-clean everywhere, and put the towels through the wash.

If you choose to make a purchase, we’ll be able to do so using my contact-less payment device to avoid you having to touch any cash, which I’ll have cleaned since it was last used

After you leave I’ll put all the jewellery back in it’s isolation cupboard, clean down all the surfaces and ring / bangle sizers / tape measures and payment device

I’ll be retaining your contact details for 21 days, in line with the England track and trace requirements.

** Have you had C-19? If so when? Do you currently have any symptoms of C-19? Does anyone that you’ve been in (unprotected) contact with? Have you attended any mass gatherings? If the answer to any of these is ‘yes’ we may have to reschedule.

Email me using DawnGillDesigns@virginmedia.com, pm me using my social media @DawnGillDesigns, or through the contact options in my Etsy shop or website