I have always loved silver jewellery and I started making it for myself (just a wee hobby!) following a series of evening classes. In no time, I was hooked and the 'hobby' soon became so much more, and in 2018 I became Unique Keepers! I’ve since attended a number of courses and classes, with a lot of learning from my mistakes along the way!
I've recently changed my lifestyle to become fully mobile, and now travel, live and work in a van. Everything is handmade from my (now considerably smaller!) workbench, so my jewellery is proudly made in Scotland .... but not necessarily always in the same place!
Size isn't everything when it comes to a jewellery bench!
My designs are all things that I personally would ( and indeed do!) wear. I find it very hard to design things I don't like.... for example if you like skulls or darker motifs, I'm sorry, I just can't! I often take my inspirations from the forms and shapes in nature, particularly the Scottish coastlines where I am most at home.
Much of my jewellery is formed from recycled sterling and fine silver. Some pieces have been produced though the process of lost wax casting. This is an ancient method of jewellery making and some of my pieces (e.g. seagull, oysters) were carved in wax then cast in silver. This is a long but enjoyable and rewarding process and allows me to construct more varied pieces.
I enjoy making jewellery you can wear every day - simple designs and classic shapes. I particularly like jewellery to be meaningful and something that can evoke a memory or mean something to the wearer. It all means something to me, and so comes with a 'story card' to share some of the inspirations and thoughts around the design. I believe jewellery should be easy to wear and if it is tactile or has some movement or even sound, all the better!
Jewellery is made to be worn and last a be a keeper – something you return to again and again. Because everything is handcrafted, nothing I make will ever be identical and although there are similar designs, there will always be something to make each piece unique.
A bit more about my jewellery making story....
Pewter is a much newer metal for me and one which has allowed me to explore a different kind of creativity and its been fantastic! More information on why I made this choice and it's development here in a blog.
I also occasionally use gemstones to enhance or personalise pieces. These are used mainly to add more meaning rather than impact. Sometimes other stones catch my eye and I have also enjoyed sourcing local stones to Scotland. I love pearls and primarily use these in the oysters but they sometimes appear in other designs too. More recently I have been making use of the years (or decades!) of beach treasures I have collected to create unique glass or pottery pendants. I love that a walk on the beach is now part of my job!
A bench with an everchanging view is the best part of working in the van!