How it all came to pass

In December of 2008, I decided to indulge my passion of creating art but in jewellery. I already paint with words through poetry and short stories but jewellery making is a new art form for me.

It requires a great deal of patience, fortitude not to give up, and expenditure of cash in order to start a business, buy the tools and materials needed to do the designs and a good imagination to dream up designs.

Although it is not a full time job for me, I do spend many hours doing it each week.

Happily, I am now retired after working for 43 years and this art form has become one of my favourite ways to express myself. Some of my work is displayed at ARTS HAMILTON, in the International Village.

I would like to publically thank Donna at Avitar here in Hamilton for her practical help in teaching me some of the tricks of the trade.

I have also learned from the internet where there is a wealth of information with videos on how to do basic jewellery techniques.

I make a prototype first and wear it to see if anybody notices it and makes a comment. If they do, I make one for sale.

I have had one very successful jewellery party where my poetic friends have read their work, my photographer friend Kevin has taken a video, and my friend Carmen has danced two Mexican dances for an appreciative audience. The first party was well attended in spite of the fact that the Tiger Cats had a home game at Ivor Wynne Stadium on the day of the party.

I am thinking of having a smaller event before Mother's Day and just serving tea, coffee and sweets. The first party was my big event where I had both first and second courses, plus punch, tea and coffee.

As I believe in sharing, I gave a 10% donation to an organization who helps developmentally challenged people. On that line of thought also, I made a donation of a beautiful design I did to help a youth shelter, and out of that, came an order for a design of a Swarovski crystals pendant.

That is how things have started and when I saw how people appreciated my work and how happy it made me to do it, I decided to apply for my vendor's permit and start a small business.

I ship only to Canada at this time, but perhaps in time I will expand it to the United States and beyond.

Thanks for reading this little blurb. Come back when you can and see the different designs I have for sale.


Wilma