Sally Thake Jewellery at the British Craft House

It’s always great to put a face to a name, isn’t it? I’m not that keen on having my photograph taken … but here’s a selfie snapped this summer having just climbed/staggered to the top of The Old Man of Coniston in the Lake District, hence I look a bit worse for wear, plus it was a bit blowy at the summit … we’ll call it a “summit” although its not that high really!

Well, here I am writing my first ever blog and reflecting on where my jewellery-making started and which direction it will take in 2020 … where to start?

I live in the Cambridgeshire fens, just outside the beautiful cathedral city of Ely.  I am a “local” having grown up in the area.  I trained as a medical secretary (all that shorthand!) at a local FE college way back in the mid-1980s. A varied administrative career followed, including two spells at University of Cambridge colleges working in admissions, PA to an equine veterinary scientist and, most recently, working at a school for boys with special educational needs.

Having worked continuously for nearly 20 years, I came to motherhood later than some and had my first son in my very late 30s and my second son when I was in my early 40s – there are definitely pros and cons to being an “older mother”! The boys are now 13 and 11, and enjoying life at secondary school – where does the time go?

With just 22 months between the boys and feeling particularly frazzled one day, I decided I needed to get out of the house, leave my husband in charge of two small children and have some “me” time! I enrolled in a one-day introductory course on jewellery-making at my local bead store.  I came home refreshed and with a matching necklace and earrings set … needless to say, I was hooked and have not looked back since!

That’s all for now, thanks for reading this far. Next time, I think I’ll talk about what sort of jewellery I make and what I love about it.