The Dazzlers of England.

2008/2009, I worked for just over 2 months for Dazzle- London. The hub of jewelley talent from the UK. Whilst working there, I had the pleasure of meeting some talented and beautiful jewellers.
They included Becky Crow, Clara Breen, Jenny LlewelLyn, Anna Wales, Beth Gilmour, Natalie Ryde and Annabet Wyndham.

The Art of Adventure Photography

The Art of Adventure Photography - Without sounding like a total gushing groupie, I have to spread the word of this outstandingly talented photographer I have recently come across through itunes (of all places!).

I have lost myself fumbling through Bruce Percy's Photography and watching his Podcasts.

This scottish photographer has taken me back on some of my adventures by looking at his work as has travelled to many of the places I have been and to exact locations i have stood. These included Patagonia, Norway, Morocco, Scotland, and New Zealand. Other destinations he has captured are places I have longed wished to visit - these include Iceland, Easter Island, Cambodia and Portugal.

I can say nothing else about his work other than - he just gets it!

I highly recommend downloading his podcasts and submerge into these destinations through his lens and his words.

The Real Price of Gold

Today I spent my afternoon clicking through the National Geographic Website and came across this article 'The Real Price of Gold' by Brook Larmer. We are entering this ethically aware trend to know how and where our everyday objects are made. Thus, we are given the opportunity to make that choice to purchase eco-friendly and ethically responisbly.

In my small bubble world of jewellery, I was made graphically aware with 'Blood Diamond' of how important it is to ethically purchase stones and beads. This article, i read today brings to light how gold is sourced.

In the past 8 years gold prices have soared 235%. (Makes me wish i had invested all my hard earned money in gold bars). Today, the big gold mines are reaching far ends of the earth in search of what is left in the earth to mine - including 3 miles above sea level to La Rinconada in Peru. These workers are not paid to risk their lives mining for gold. They have to battle with the high altitude of the andes and of course the terrible working conditions forced upon them. These workers are not even paid for the time they work. Instead, they are allocated 1 day to mine for as much as they can carry with the hope they find a little gold flicker in their sack.