Who Is Kelly?

I am a self-employed artisan jewellery designer and maker, currently living in the south of England with my husband, our three young daughters, and a loyal old grey cat.

I am a retired Royal Navy Officer, having left the military after almost fifteen years of service in order to have children and raise my family.

How Did You Get into Making Jewellery?

I have always been a creative person and enjoy any pastime that allows me to be imaginative and indulge my love for art and design, including gardening, graphic design, sewing and photography.

I began making jewellery many years ago, originally starting with bead stringing and wirework and more recently expanding my techniques and skills to incorporate metalsmithing into my work. This gives me much greater flexibility in my designs and has opened up a whole new world of creative possibility. In particular it allows me to combine my love of creating jewellery with another of my hobbies – collecting sea glass!

I have always loved the sea and for the last few years I’ve been lucky enough to live right on the coast where I regularly enjoy walks along the beach, combing for treasure and picking up sea glass and random bits of driftwood that I hope one day to find a use for!

I also draw inspiration from trees, plants and flowers. Having grown up in the countryside I maintain an affiliation with and a great fondness for nature and natural materials, which is often reflected in my work.

How did you come up with Willow & Twigg?

As my children are approaching school age, I created Willow & Twigg to help sustain and fund my passion for crafting jewellery, to provide me with a regular and steady occupation once again, and to enable me to share my designs. It also gives me the freedom to work from home, allowing me to always be available for my daughters and spend as much time as possible with them.

Why Did You Partner with Give Us Time?

When ‘Give Us Time’ contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in designing a collection for a Christmas fundraising campaign I didn’t hesitate to say yes. As a veteran myself and current military spouse theirs is a cause very close to my heart. I know all too well the hardships of separation and the impact that it can have on families, from both sides of the divide.

I thoroughly enjoy making jewellery and I’m hopeful that my contribution to this campaign will help to raise some funds for what I believe is a truly deserving cause, at a very family-focused time of year. 

To View the necklace made by Kelly click on the link here – https://buff.ly/38kIE9C