Interval House

I had the absolute pleasure of working with a wonderful team from Interval House and Union Creative to bring new meaning through jewellery for these inspirational ladies.

This was honestly one of the most wonderful experiences of my jewellery career. We all know how much symbolic meaning can be infused in our jewellery pieces. They are more than a combination of precious metals and gemstones. They are symbols of life’s milestones, they trigger memories, they tell stories. But sometimes they can symbolize painful memories too.

One of my specialties is reusing jewellery. I love bringing new energy to pieces that perhaps need a modern update or incorporating heirloom metal in new wedding bands. But this was the first time I was so cognizant of how truly transformational this process could be.

It was an honour to be a part of this project and meet these inspirational women. I treasure the lessons I learned from them and this project.

Click here if you would like to donate to Interval House.

Great Jewellery Heist

Each fall Sinai Health presents a one of a kind fundraiser called the Great Jewellery Heist.

My partners at flux + form and I have been participating in the event from the first year. We thought it was such a cool concept for a fundraiser and obviously a great cause.

I like how this event sort of turns the concept of jewellery as a luxury item on its head . I mean, jewellery is luxurious and that is kind of why we like it. But luxury for luxury sake is meaningless and empty.

An event like this allows us to indulge our love of beautiful, sparkly things while learning about the transformative work of Bridgepoint Active Healthcare. As the designer takes materials and transforms them into jewellery, the team at Bridgepoint help to transform the lives of their patients and allow them to remain active members of their communities.

Toronto’s First Post Office

Every year I and the ladies of flux + form each contribute sparkly goodies for Toronto’s First Post Office event celebrating Toronto’s birthday. It’s a tradition we all look forward to as well as our visits to our local post office.

The post office is operated by Town of York’s Historical Society and in addition to being a functional Canada Post outlet it’s also a museum and a shop. They have lots of interesting hand made items created by local designers and artisans.

I love that this is our local post office, it’s so nice to go in and be transported back in time. Guys, this is the post office that was featured in Anne of Green Gables (with Megan Follows). How cool is that?!

George Brown College

Can I just say this, I love George Brown College so much.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my University of Toronto too, but my experience at George Brown was more intimate and the connections I formed there much deeper.

I’m a very proud graduate of the George Brown College Jewellery Program. I have a lot of wonderful memories of the years I spent there. I’ve said this many times, and it’s true, George Brown was my Hogwarts.

Since graduating I’ve had the opportunity to go back and teach in the jewellery department as well as participate on panels and in a mentorship capacity.

Every year my shop flux + form also takes on an intern from the jewellery program. I love having the opportunity to meet and work with these soon-to-be graduates, hopefully helping them avoid a few of the mistakes I’ve made over the years.

I’ve had so many fantastic experiences and met so many wonderful people through George Brown I can’t list them all. I’m so grateful for the close relationship I’ve had with the college. And hey, if you’re thinking about becoming a goldsmith – check out their program!

Canadian Youth Business Foundation

I had the opportunity to sit on a CYBF board for a few years with fellow entrepreneurs and business professionals from a variety of industries.

The goal of the board was to assess the viability of business plans provided by young people aged 18-34 applying for loans and grants from the Canadian Youth Business Foundation.

It was an absolute pleasure to meet so many ambitious, creative young people. I was supposed to be the mentor but I can honestly say they inspired me in so many ways. I’m sure I learned as much from the experience as they did.

Today the CYBF has been rebranded as Futurpreneur Canada and is still nuturing the seeds of Canadian entrpreneurship and creativity.

I’ve also had the opportunity to provide many donations to important causes over the years. I often feel like I’m not able to do enough. I know it might seem so glamorous to work with diamonds and gold all day long but very little of it’s mine.

One way I can help is with my trade, designing and creating interesting pieces that can serve as donations at silent auctions. I’ll admit I’ve never kept a list but here are a few:

• The Serge Ibaka Foundation
• Trails Youth Initiatives
• Wonders of Ability Gala
• The Red Door Family Shelter
• The Hospital for Sick Children
• The Nesting Place

We’d love to get to know you.

My goal with my newsletter is to keep you up to date on what’s going on, provide interesting educational articles and some stories of inspiration to keep us all motivated.

Of course there will be a few goodies too!

Let me know if there’s something you think I could do help you or our community.