For those of you who've been customers of mine for many years and have recently had trouble 'finding' my website on searches, you'll have noticed that it doesn't appear in the usual searches very much at all. Part of ensuring a website remains in Google's search system relies on regular updates - so apologies to those of you who had to track me down in other ways!
It has, as the Queen once said, been an annus horribilis for me and as such, my jewellery had to take a back seat. I will send a newsletter in due course - as these too have not been sent out for well over a year.
Very sadly in May 2014 my Mum (despite being seen at the hospital following a small cut on her toe, then finally being admitted and released with her toe amputated) had to be readmitted to hospital and was diagnosed with septicemia in the spine. This was treated with opiate based painkillers over a period of a month. She suffered a major reaction to the large doses of these painkillers in June and finally on the 19th June her life support was switched off. A devastating time, made even more so as she was the main carer for my Dad who needs 24/7 aid, following a major stroke in 2009 and being confined to a wheelchair and has vascular dementia. I became power of attorney for my Dad's health & welfare and finances and thus Executor of my Mum's estate (by clearing and selling their house in which I'd grown up) as well as needing to look after him. Finally a year later, I'm beginning to 'get on top of things' and am looking to get back to my jewellery in some way.
The first thing I wanted to make was a design for my Mum. The death of my sister in law in November, my 13 year old nephew in May 2015 and my Mum's only brother in June 2015 finished off the last year with my Uncle's funeral taking place a year to the day that the Doctors in Intensive Care had sat with me to advise me that there was nothing more they could do for my Mum. I managed to finish the 'Cross to Remember' the day before my Uncle's funeral and wore it as a tribute to Mum and those recently lost, on the day.
My nephew is buried near his Grandma and this design has been a cathartic way of dealing with so much grief. It's taken from the gates of the cemetery where they are laid to rest.
I have designed it with 14ct at the outer edges of the cross, 9ct gold circle and a 3mm square solid silver cross - it brings me comfort every time I put it on.
My biggest 'fan' and my product tester - deeply, deeply missed. My Mum x
