I remember I loved to make handicrafts and mend jewellery when I was younger, but I lost touch with this once I got into the crazy world of working in The City.  It wasn’t until I was on my career break at the end of 2012 and volunteering at a children’s foundation in Thailand that my creative interest and excitement came flooding back to me.  I was making some friendship-type bracelets with the children to help generate more income for the upkeep of their home and the determination for us to work out how to make them and the satisfaction of the finished results re-sparked that uplifting feeling and energy. 

Coincidentally, when I returned to the UK after my career break, I received a leaflet from a local jewellery designer who was running workshops to teach people how to make jewellery.  So I went along, loved them and didn’t look back. 

Since then, I have worked hard to develop my jewellery making skills and continually push myself to improve on them and try out new techniques.  I’ve tended to pay close attention to the detail of my work in whatever job I’ve done during my career and this has naturally flowed into my jewellery making.  I love to take pride in the pieces I make and I gain so much pleasure knowing that they will be enjoyed by whoever is wearing them.

I made an early decision to use semi-precious gemstones in my designs (and sometimes a precious gemstone like emerald, sapphire or tanzanite creeps in here and there).  I’ve grown to love learning how Mother Nature has created them, how they are extracted from the Earth and being amazed how the stones are cut, shaped, faceted and polished by skilled lapidarists.  Knowing that no two stones will ever be the same adds to the uniqueness of my pieces.

I’ve also taken great interest in learning about the healing properties gemstones are commonly acknowledged to have and although they are not scientifically proven, I like to bring an element of these beliefs into some of the pieces I make particularly if they are a gift for someone I know or someone has asked for a piece to comprise specific gemstones to help assist them.

I feel an emotional and energetic connection with the origin and creation of gemstones.  For me it is important that the stones I use in my pieces are rid of any negative vibrations and energies which they may have absorbed along their journey in coming to me and before I work with them.  All of my gemstones are therefore energetically cleansed by a close and trusted holistic professional who I’ve known for many years.