What do you make?
I make handmade jewellery, mostly in sterling silver, with a vintage yet modern feel.
Do you use any recycled or repurposed materials in your designs?
I use some recycled silver in my cast pieces, and sometimes I make custom wedding rings using gold from parents' or grandparents' old rings or jewellery. It's nice to be able to carry along that history in a new piece of jewellery.
Have you ever done custom work?
I do a lot of custom work. I make lots of custom stamped tie clips, but besides that I do lots of wedding rings, engagement rings, or just unique pieces using a stone or an idea a client brings to me. I love brainstorming and working together with a client to really come up with something wonderful that they will cherish forever.
What are the your major inspirations for jewellery in 2012? What's new this year?
In the past year I made a new collection using vintage lace, cast in silver or bronze. So I am continuing to work with that theme but pushing my possibilities and creating stone settings with cast lace, and also creating much larger pieces with the cast lace. Also coming up in 2012, I am excited that my work will be carried at the Anthropologie store opening here in Montreal and online. Besides that, I am working on launching a new collection in collaboration with my jeweller sister, Caitlyn Purcell. It is great to finally be able to design together.
Who is your favorite local designer/ jeweller/ crafter?
Is it ok to have more than one? So hard to choose! I love Les Enfants Sauvages , Norwegian Wood, and for winter, Cavale.
What does an average day of creating look like for you?
It starts with email, Etsy, Facebook. Then I get to work making orders in the afternoon, and running to the post office before its time to start creating a tasty feast to feed my two little boys. I try to avoid working at night unless its really necessary. I tend to make mistakes and injure myself if I try to make jewellery when I'm tired.
Do you ever find it hard to give up your designs for sale after spending so much time with the pieces?
Nope. Maybe I used to when I was still in university, but not anymore. I love to see how happy people are and the connections they make with my work. Plus, I have been running my jewellery business full time for less than a year now, I always had a side job before. So, every sale I make means more and more time that I can actually do this full time as my "real job"!
What was the first piece you ever made?
I remember making a pair of earrings for my mom when I was about five years old. I went to a neighbor's house, who was a jeweller, and she helped me make them. I used pearls and turquoise beads. They were so wonky but my mom wore them for years and she still has them.
