art
16 year old Aideen McLoughlin sells her designs Pingin Jewellery in Lucky Lane
At 16 years old, Aideen McLoughlin became one of Limerick’s youngest entrepreneurs when she started selling her homemade jewellery “Pingin Jewellery” in Lucky Lane, The Red Hen Market and many other markets this year.
Using copper wire she found in the attic, Aideen became creative when she was in need of money but finding a job was almost impossible, she said: “I had been looking for a summer job but people don’t want to hire someone who is sixteen and has no experience. I ended up earning much more than I would have in a minimum wage job and I have really enjoyed it”.
Aideen started making jewellery at a young age: “I started making jewellery when I was younger as I had very sensitive ears and couldn’t wear normal earrings but I couldn’t find clip on earrings that I liked so I began modifying shop bought earrings and from that I began making all types of jewellery out of copper”.
“Last year in school we were doing a competition called the Young Enterprise Award where we got to start our own company. I decided to develop my jewellery business for this competition and found I really enjoyed it, we also had a market day in school and I got a chance to sell my jewellery to other people in school”
“The first copper I used was actually electrical wire I found in the attic but it is perfect because it is treated not to tarnish or turn your skin green. I get my stones online; I have a big batch coming from India now. I get ideas online but I can start ideas from online and they turn out completely different and sometimes I just start with a piece of wire and see what happens.”
Aideen’s jewellery is currently stocked in the Lucky Lane at 9 Catherine Street Limerick. Aideen has travelled to markets all over the country to sell her jewellery including Galway and Cork.
Follow Pingin Jewellery on Facebook here.
Keep up to date with Pingin Jewellery on Twitter here.
Read more about craft in Limerick here.