Sketchbook Reveal - Nature as my Muse
My sketchbook is the tool I use to develop my designs. As I'm out walking Rolo, making something in my studio or even popping to the post office to post an order I'm often thinking of shapes and concepts in my head too. Often my inspiration comes from nature. I sometimes share pages from my sketchbooks on social media and people seem to enjoy seeing the creative process so I thought I'd also share some pages from my sketchbook here. Caveat - my desk doesn't normally look this neat and well styled!
Ladybird, ladybird
It will come as no surprise to those who know me that I'm fascinated by ladybirds. This sketchbook was from when I designed my Ladybird necklace to sit alongside my popular Bee pendants with articulated wings. When I creating a design I like to zoom out and think about how it will look worn from a distance but also zoom in and consider all of the intricate details - which for my Ladybird necklace included tiny legs on the reverse! Discover my Ladybird necklaces here.
Catkin 
There is something elegant yet playful about Catkins - one of the first signs of spring. Hazel catkins always catch my eye. I love the way they turn yellow with pollen and dance in the breeze, catching the eye and playing with the light. It reminds me of the feeling when you first put on a pair of dangly earrings and you instantly stand up straighter and feel more confident. Here's my finished Catkin Drop earrings.
Bee
I created a series of pieces for the Much Wenlock Poetry Festival, which Carol Ann Duffy is the patron of. Carol Ann wrote the poem ‘Bees’ especially for the occasion which inspired this piece. The wings of this design fall apart when inverted – they represent the lotus flower featured in the poem. I love the fact that bees communicate with each other through dancing. You can discover my Bee jewellery collection here.
Mimosa
In the Victorian conservatory of the house I grew up in there was the most beautiful Acacia Dealbata also know as Silver Wattle, or Yellow Mimosa.
It was planted in 1921 by the lady who owned the property before my parents when she moved from a hill town in India. She brought it with her, so she must have had the same affection for it as me.
The divine smell of the yellow pom pom blossoms filled the conservatory and in February - March it was a sight to behold. The silvery green leaves and the delicate scented yellow flowers were a feast for the eye.
Strangely when I started to refurbish my shop in 2013 I noticed the tree outside was the same variety of Mimosa. Sadly, the Pantiles Mimosa is no more but it its joyful pom pom blooms inspired my Mimosa earrings and charm which you can see here.
Sunflower
Sunflowers or the Helianthus are part of the Aster family they are such happy flowers and never fail to make me smile. I wanted to create a design that represented the sunflower that could be used on many items from earrings, bracelets, necklace and even cufflinks.
You can discover my Sunflower collection here.
Radish 
I had to teach myself French beading to make some radish earrings for Luna Lovegood to wear in the Harry Potter films. I always love a challenge so I tracked down a book and set to work! It was fiddly but I was thrilled with the end result. You can see the jewellery I created for the Harry Potter film's including the Slytherin rings and Luna Lovegood's radish earrings here.
My Textured Pod Drop earrings were also work in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 by Mafalda Hopkirk (played by Sophie Thompson) and by Hermione Granger (played by Emma Watson) when she ambushed Mafalda in the Ministry of Magic.
Petal Hoop Earrings
I wanted to design some hoop earrings that looked elegant rather than trashy. The right hoop earrings can be incredibly flattering. I took my inspiration from the delicate form of petals. Click here to see my finished Petal Hoop earrings.
Song Thrush 
There's something so uplifting about the joyful chorus of a songbird. My Song Thrush earrings were inspired by this line of verse by Carol Ann Duffy:
That's the wise thrush: he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!
You can see my finished Song Thrush earrings here.
Petal
There's something really special about my petal necklace when it's worn against the skin. It took me a while to perfect but I love seeing people's faces light up when they stop by my Tunbridge Wells jewellery shop and try it on. I think of it a bit like a modern, minimal daisy chain. I have now created a matching Petal bracelet and earrings. You can discover my Petal collection here.
Olive
This was a real dream commission - to make a pair of Olive earrings. I love olive trees and they always bring back memories of holidays in Greece. I particularly like the old gnarly ones – a friend has an especially fine one in her front garden and I get tree envy every time is see it. You can see the finished Olive Leaf earrings here.
Seed Pod
The idea of taking inspiration from seed pods featured in some of my earliest designs and is something I continue to return to many years later. I really like the idea that it is symbol of renewal and of the bounties of nature. You can see my Seed Pod jewellery collection here.
Pollen 
I took my family tradition of charm bracelets and the anatomy of flowers as a starting point for the new design I’m working on. The sketchbook was my first sneak peak. You can read more about my Pollen Pod charm collection here.