Do I wear my own jewellery? Yes, I do.

Today I thought I would introduce you to two of my personal rings - ones that I wear every day.

The vintage Bunnykins ring is a real favourite. I quite simply love it.

The family from ‘Little Twitching’ began as a range of china nurseryware from Royal Doulton in 1934. The idea for the range was spawned when Royal Doulton Burslem General Manager, Cuthbert Bailey, approached his daughter, Barbara Vernon, with the suggestion that she design some illustrations for a range of nurseryware. Drawing on inspiration from her childhood and her love of watching the wild rabbits around her childhood home, Barbara created a family of (initially 8) rabbits, performing everyday human-like activities in the fictional village of Little Twitching. ‘Bunnykins’ china was used by the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, and thus became a popular present for christening and birthday gifts.

This ring of mine is made from the ‘Storytime with Dad’ Bunnykins pattern, c1950s, featuring numerous bunnies sitting around Dad Bunny, comfortable in his big green armchair, wearing red slippers and telling a story. My Bunny is wearing a smart red jacket and listening intently.

My second ring shows the thistle, national flower of Scotland. Legend has it that a sleeping party of Scots warriors were saved from being ambushed by an invading Norse army when one of the enemies trod on the spiky plant. His anguished cries roused the slumbering warriors, who duly vanquished the invader and adopted the thistle as their national symbol. Absolutely no idea if that is true, but it does make a great story!

My Scottish family is Clan Irvine, originally from Bonshaw by the Kirtlewater in Dumfriesshire, (now held by the Irving branch of the family), and Drum Castle, the seat of the Irvines near Drumoak, Aberdeenshire. I wear my Scottish thistle ring because I love that it connects me to a heritage and a history that feels important to me.

One of things I truly love about the vintage china jewellery I make…. Not only is it beautiful. Not only is it timeless. Not only am I rescuing designs and patterns that might have been forever lost. But I genuinely feel I am saving, and/or creating, inter-generational connections. I wear my Gran’s earrings, and think of her every time I do. I wear my Scottish thistle ring and think about those Clan connections with my ancestors. Those connections we make around our kitchen tables. The food we share. The laughter we make. The conversations. The family we live with. All those connections continue in the dinnerware we eat from around that table. And when I wear my own jewellery, I feel those connections.

Hopefully my work brings those connections to others as well.