My journey in life began on the Isle of Wight, I then moved to the North East, and then to Scotland. Being close to the coast, the water continually called to me, the sound of the waves and the vastness of the sea. I seemed to find myself sitting listening and watching making time and my worries just wash away. Always a bit of a magpie, I started collecting sea glass, driftwood, pottery shards… basically anything that wasn’t natural to the shore. From these coastlines, I moved again and found my home in Manchester. In 1999 I became a mother and now have two beautiful, kind, and thoughtful daughters. I love animals and have two fantastic dogs and a 16-year-old cat.
I studied and worked in I.T. for many many years. My last job, of 16 years, was increasing in pressure and company politics, and with the onset of early menopause, my mental health was suffering.
Then COVID hit!
Going into lockdown was my last straw, the homeschooling, working, and feelings of isolation hit me hard. I found my mental health to deteriorate to the lowest I’d ever felt. Having lived with Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune disease, meaning I could no longer go outside. I had to watch my health due to the unknown effects of COVID.
I had to find another way to relax and find my happy place.
I began sifting through my collection of finds and treasures and this inspired me to try making something. At first, my creativity was a bit crude but as time went on it got better and became welcome gifts for my friends and family. The ideas just kept washing over me like the waves on a shore, so I just carried on creating.
The increasing pressures and menopause brought me to the conclusion that I.T. was no longer what I wanted, I had lost my passion. Things had to change. Even though financially I couldn’t afford to quit, my mental health was more important, so I left my job just after the last lockdown.
I then started running out of treasures and my head was filling with ideas. But I found myself landlocked and stuck with no coastal access.
What could I do?
I started exploring victorian dump sites eroded by rivers and plowed fields… everywhere I walked with my dogs I started to find lost and salvageable treasures to build back up my collections. We visit coastal locations for holidays and as a family spend many wonderful hours walking, talking, collecting, and soaking up nature’s beauty.
All my creations are inspired by love, happiness, and memories that help with my mental health.