Meet Monique Chan of MoonRox Jewellery & Accessories

Monique at her MoonRox Booth

I met Monique in 2006 when we both participated in an accessories wholesale/trade show. Trade Shows are not open the public, they are for buyers that own bricks and mortar retail stores. Buyers come to look at jewellery and accessory lines to see what items are appropriate for their store and clientele. Monique's booth was across the aisle from mine. In the slow times, we would socialize to pass the time until our next buyer came along, and we discovered many similarities between us, including a life-long love of creating things with our hands.

Confetti Bracelets, $24.00
Rubber paillettes strung on elastic, one size
Various colour combinations & options

Monique's jewellery is quite different from mine, but we both make our creations with attention to detail, high-quality craftsmanship, and an absolute love of creating with our hands. Like me, Monique's childhood was filled with many crafts that she loved to do, including knitting.

Crystal Round Bauble Rings, $28.00
Crystal Oval Bauble Rings, $26.00
Tarnish Resistant Brass & Crystal
Ring sizes 5 - 10

Monique's jewellery is fashion forward and she usually creates two collections each year, to coincide with the fashion industry's Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter collection launches. I have never done that, and have always marveled at how fashion designers can produce so many collections over the years, to conform to the fashion industry's standards. Sounds totally exhausting to me!

Feather Hair Pins, $4.00 each or 3 for $10.00
Coated steel & vintage plastic
Available in assorted colours

My jewellery is the absolute opposite. I use precious metal - mostly sterling silver. Monique uses base metals, such as brass and steel. I have used real pearls, semi-precious stones and crystals in my work. Monique uses an interesting mix of vintage plastic, rubber, bakelite and some small semi-precious stones, as well as some crystals. So there is a little bit of crossover of similar materials, but we work and make completely different pieces, at opposite ends of the price point spectrum.

Bask in the Glow Hair Pins, $4.00 each or 3 for $10.00
Coated steel and diamond cut vintage plastic
Comes in either Black, Pewter or Silver

Since COVID descended upon all of us, we've had to change the way we interact with each other. Monique and I started texting more, sharing our love of knitting and flowering indoor tropical plants. She has been doing One of a Kind for longer than I have, but we both have opted out of participating in it for the time being. So I invited Monique to show some of her beautiful jewellery and accessories at my Annual Studio Holiday Show.

Multitude Chain. Can be used 3 ways, $55.00
Shown as an eyeglasses holder
Brass chain with various semi-precious stones

Multitude Chain shown as a necklace, $55.00
Brass chain with imitation Malachite beads

Monique's accessories make great gifts for daughters, sisters, nieces and grand daughters. Personally I'll be snagging some of her hair pins, as I continue to grow my "COVID curls" and need to tame and contain some stray shorter pieces of hair - the trials and tribulations of growing out a pixie cut in a pandemic!

Website:  moonrox.ca
Instagram:  moonrox_ca

This Artisan Profile instalment marks a week prior to my event opening and BIG UPDATE.....thanks to my friend Marcella for pointing me in the right "rabbit hole" direction, you can now book your online appointment for my Holiday Show here!

Lisa's Holiday Studio Artisan Show
Daily from Thursday, November 25 - Thursday, December 23
Weekdays:  Noon - 7:00 pm
Weekends:  Noon - 5:00 pm

The studio is starting to look festive as Artisans show up and display their wares. I am started to get excited for opening day.  Looking forward to seeing you soon.