FAQs

How much is P&P?
Orders over £50.00 qualify for free delivery, please select this option during checkout. For orders under £50.00 P&P is £3.70 – £4.70*. For Inkless wipe kits bought separately P&P is £1.70, kits sent for jewellery pieces and gifts are sent out at no extra charge.
*subject to change with Royal Mail pricing.

How long does it take?
Print kits are sent out within 1-2 working days and sent first class. Once prints/artwork is received we will start work on your order which will be sent to you usually within 1-2 weeks, this may increase to 3-4 weeks during busier times. If you need your order by a specific date please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate where we can.

What s the difference between fine silver and sterling silver?
Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver where as sterling silver is a minimum of 92.5% silver with 7.5% copper.

I’m not local, can I still have keepsake jewellery made?
Of course! We send out print taking kits through the post and are very easy to use so you can take the prints in the comfort of your own home at a time that suits you and your child or pet. For artwork jewellery we would ask you to send us a copy (we do not ask for the original unless that is the only option for you).

How do I return the prints or artwork to you?
The quickest way to return is by email by scanning the prints or taking a clear flat-lay photo in a well lit area. They can be posted back to us if needed but please note this will add extra processing time on your order.

I already have prints, can you use those?
Usually yes but this will depend on how they were taken, prints using paint tend to be smudged and not have as much detail to them. Please feel free to send them to us to look at before you order if you are unsure, email – hello@silverelephantstudio.co.uk

How do I get a good print?
Try to do it when your child or pet and you are both relaxed. For small babies try when they are asleep or feeding, for toddlers after eating and still in their highchairs are get good results – just make sure their hands are clean first! For babies, smaller children and pets it tends to be easier to bring the paper to the hand etc than the other way around. Using a tray or hardbacked book with the corners taped down works really well. For older children, explain to them what they need to do first and look at the kit together to get them involved in the process. The kits include step by step instructions or check out the video guide.

My prints are smudged or messy, is that ok?
As long as they are not completely smudged we can work with them, we can edit most smudges out so they don’t appear in the final result.  Don’t worry if you have got your own prints on the paper either. If you are not sure whether they are usable send over a copy are we can see if they are salvageable 9 times out of 10 they are! As a last result we will send you out another kit. Less is more, use the wipe lightly, be aware that the print will develop gradually and darken, lighter prints show more detail then the darker prints are more dense. Ideally take a print multiple times to fill up the paper, there is no need to reapply wipe between each print.

Can you make more than one piece with out prints?
Yes we can use it for as many pieces as you require, please make us aware if you would like multiple pieces from the same print.

How do I use my Gift Certificate?
Browse the online shop to decide what you would like to spend the voucher on, once decided add to your basket and proceed to checkout. On the checkout page add the unique voucher number on your gift certificate in the ‘Coupon Code’ field and apply coupon, this will apply the value of the gift certificate off your order.

JEWELLERY CARE

How do I look after my Jewellery?
Our Silver jewellery is made from .999 fine silver or .925 sterling silver, we recommend keeping your jewellery dry and removing bathing to avoid damage or loss of detail to you piece. When not wearing store in a dry place (not a bathroom or kitchen!), if not planning to wear for a while try to store in something airtight like a ziplock bag as this will prevent oxidisation which leads to tarnishing, always keep chains done up when storing to avoid tangles. To keep jewellery clean and to restore shine we recommend using a silver jewellery cloth which you can buy here.

Help! My silver is turning black! My Copper is turning green!
This is tarnishing, a completely natural chemical reaction it can’t be avoided, so don’t worry, you’re not doing anything wrong!  Tarnishing is an unfortunate process that everyone will encounter when handling assorts of metals, silver and copper included.  It will affect your silver in varying degrees, starting with a dullness or a slight golden colour, eventually resulting in a black coating on the metal. There are ways to help prevent the process or to revitalise your metals if they become affected. For copper the reaction of tarnishing is green, think of the Statue of Liberty!

What is Tarnishing?
A chemical reaction with sulphur is found naturally in the air, but can also be transferred by direct contact, as it’s produced by our bodies to fight bacteria. Depending on the environment your silver or copper is stored, it will become tarnished at varying speeds, so be careful where you choose to keep your jewellery, and how often you handle it. If the air in the room could be subjected to chemicals or gases, such as a hair salon or near a natural spring, silver will react much faster than if it is kept sealed away, untouched in a cabinet in an unused room. There are many chemicals you may not have even thought about that your silver or copper could react with: Something as simple as eggs contain sulphur, and hairspray or perfume could make your bedroom sideboard a bad choice, your own body can also produce varying degrees of sulphur, and wearing jewellery whilst doing the washing means that bleach will tarnish your jewellery very fast. Over time, these seemingly tiny things will eventually add up and tarnish your favourite silver items.
Different peoples skin and body oils can promote tarnishing, as well as the weather or even where you live! If you live by the sea, chances are your jewellery will discolour faster. Don’t worry this isn’t permanent and isn’t damaging your jewellery, ironically the damage happens when people try to remove the tarnish incorrectly. Tarnish is simply a layer of sulphur that sits on top of your precious metal, coating the outer layer, and not affecting the underlying metal at all.

How to clean tarnished pieces.
If your piece is only showing the first signs of tarnish – slightly yellowing of silver or spots of grey/green for copper use a polishing cloth. If tarnishing is more established you can bring back the clean finish of your piece with a few simple steps and household items.
You will need:
Tinfoil (shinyside up)
A heatproof bowl or cup
1tbsp bicarbonate of soda
1tbsp of salt
Boiling water.

  1. Line your heatproof bowl with tin foil – shiny side up.
  2. Put your tarnished jewellery or keyring in the bowl.
  3. Add the bicarbonate of soda and salt
  4. Add freshly boiled water, making sure the jewellery is covered but that the bowl is not completely full.
  5. Soak your jewellery until the tarnish is removed, you can repeat the process depending on how tarnished the piece is or leave overnight for heavily tarnished pieces.
  6. Rinse with warm water and allow to dry, bring back shine with a silver polishing cloth.

    Copper –
    For some people the natural oxidisation of copper is a desired look and gives a vintage, antiqued feel. There is no need to remove the oxidisation if this is the case, it is the metals way of providing a protective layer so is causing no damage to the metal. However if this is not to your taste we can help: Copper Keyrings might not be so easy to clean using the method above as they are often attached to a bunch of keys, there is a hack to get around this by using tomato ketchup! Add a little tomato sauce to a cloth or kitchen towel and wipe over the piece, allow to sit there for a few minutes the acid in the ketchup reacts to the oxidisation. Use a damp cloth to remover the ketchup and dry.