Behind the scenes at Shimmers - My workshop

Many of you may not know but my workshop is a shed in my garden.

Throughout my 10 years of jewellery making, I have been building up my workshop from nothing and it has snowballed every year. A shed combined with firing equipment may be a health and safety nightmare but this has allowed me to add some character, such as the small collection of burn marks in the floor, or my creative fire prevention methods like the fortress of terracotta tiles encasing my kiln.

I could say I spend many hours ‘locked away’ in there but the reality is the opposite. I often have the doors wide open allowing me to connect with nature whilst I’m busy creating. It really is my happy place and I’m very proud of the space I have built.

However, as my skill has progressed so has my collection of materials, tools, and equipment. It turns out the answer to “can you ever have too many hammers?” might be yes after all. Everything is beginning to overflow, and my collection of goods has started to leak its way into my house. It’s not easy to make jewellery in a busy shed, especially when certain processes require an absolutely spotless workplace to ensure quality.

So, whilst I love my current workshop, this blogpost isn’t only to celebrate its growth but also to mark the start of a change for me this year as I will be migrating out of my trusty shed and into a fully equipped workshop. After some COVID delays, it is finally starting to come together. I have my lovely partner, Steve, and my son, Phil, to thank for their massive part in helping to get it up and running.

I am looking forward to organising my 10 year collection and having enough space to store it all…It is safe to say that I will be glad to have my home back from the stacks of boxes.

But fear not, my shed will still be around and I’m sure in time it will become an overflow workshop when I inevitably fill up my new place!