This week I have been feeling quite nostalgic! My eldest daughter has just completed her GCSE’s and is looking forward to an exciting future, I on the other hand, have been looking back on my silversmithing journey!
When I first started out, I was in the ‘Office’ with a load of clutter, a computer table and my workbench. I was then evicted (which was a blessing) into the conservatory. A step up really! The light was fantastic, I had more space, but in the winter it was freezing and in the summer it got so hot that it almost melted my block of polish!
Last year, I sidestepped into our small converted barn and since then, it has been renovated and I have made it into my studio. It is perfect, I have just about got it how I want it, room for everything – or just about, light, heat, water and electricity, it is all self-contained. Since March I have been offering jewellery workshops and it was a bit of a squeeze to fit two clients and myself into the ‘business’ part of the studio, so it was clear that I needed to expand into the showroom. I set my husband to work to construct three jewellers workbenches so that I could accomodate up to three people in a workshop session, it’s really handy being married to a carpenter!
Since then I have invested in tools for each bench, it has been slow and steady but now if feels like things are really falling into place after a lot of hard work and stubborn determination! It feels good to look back and appreciate how far I have come, with the backing and support of family, friends and some really good advisors!