20/01/2026
oh go on then… 2016 was a biggie for me, as it was the year I decided to leave my home of 16 years & run away to the seaside…
1. I took a lot more picture of my whole face then, in jewels of course!These were mostly big statement leather pieces. but you can see my little ingot hoops in my second earrings hole in every picture.
2. At this point the Ingots were one year old (and yes I’m still wearing them now, and still making them for you!). I had a very crappy old iphone, so the pics were very grainy!
3. I also made this one-off ring for a friend, out of a vintage locket, charm & a tiny ruby. This was my first ever claw setting. I have only just made my second! (I also used to still bother to paint my nails once in a while)
4. I began the year in my old studio, in my friend boutique on Hackney Road, in East London. I had a tiny little cubby hole in a corner, squirrelled away behind cabinets & mannequins, where I made all my orders for 3 years. It was also home to other independent designers, including .hand.made , who has also now moved to the seaside, in nearby Folksestone. I loved sharing a studio, and being open to the public, but don’t know how I managed to get so much done in such a tiny space! We had some fun shop parties, and did some great shoots with our favourite customer/friend/model Lydia. Had a lovely intern for a spell that Spring. (where are you now, Sybill?). Look how sad my little empty corner looked when I packed up!
5. had a lovely little trip to Tuscany with loosely based around a fake wedding photoshoot, where we both took full advantage of the lovely backdrop to take photos of our wares. I had just made all my soft, sculpted floral leather pieces, as well as the big, shiny Exotica Jewels. I then went to visit my old buddy who was studying painting in Florence, and frollicked around in more of my Exotica jewels.
(The rest in comments…)
