Last time I was downloading work photos from a flash card that I don't normally use, I found all these pictures of baby Leify when he was about 2 months old. I can't believe how round his face was!

His sister was besotted with him, and still is actually! He will be 3 years old next month, his sister is 6 and a half.

I was alone whilst in labour (my choice) and just had two midwives rush in when I was about to push...I remember being so shocked when he came out that he didn't have dark hair and his legs were long and skinny and didn't look anything like P...I almost handed him back saying 'um, no you gave me the wrong one', they said 'it's a boy!', and I said 'no way!!!' as if I hadn't thought it was a possibility. Strange to think I grew a male, but there you go.

These are all the crazy toys I made for them, having a party on the sofa...

I made that Lion for him when I took these photos, it has a squeaker in it which made him go nuts!

If you'd like to know more about our diamonds and our ethical policy for our production, then visit HERE

Thank you!

www.rustjewellery.com

Working as a self employed or freelance person can become a little isolating if you always work from home (I have noticed) so it is nice to get out of the house from time to time and feel a little more focused on work or just to feel like there is a world going on out there whilst you are glued to your laptop.

I usually work from home or from our shop, or from our London workshop, but I am an inherently lazy person, and get easily distracted by kettles and children, or things I just 'forgot' to do, to avoid the boring things I have to do on the computer.

Lately I have been getting more work done when I take my laptop somewhere else, and you have the luxury of having someone bringing over your tea and then taking the cup away again to wash it up. I can't think of anything more perfect to be honest.

Obviously, please don't assume any cafe or wherever will be happy with you making a makeshift office in their establishments. London commercial rents and business rates will make your jaw drop to the floor, so making sure you are constantly consuming something is essential and a drop in the ocean if you had to actually pay for desk space in a capital city.

Here are a few places suggested by my friends over on Instagram (thank you!), I haven't tried them all personally, so don't take my word for it, but I trust their judgement. They have been recommended as nice places to work all day without feeling awkward.

I put some links below...

Southbank Centre

Royal Festival Hall

BFI Southbank

Tate Modern (members area)

British Library

RIBA

The Barbican Library

Martello Hall (E8 upstairs) £20 membership with free coffee

E5 Bakehouse

Toynbee Studios E1

Forge & co, Shorditch Highstreet

Ace Hotel Lobby, E1

Hoxton Hotel (Shoreditch, Holborn)

TY Seven Dials (Covent Garden)

 

 

 

I have just been working on these new photos for our website, including some new little claw set rose-cut diamond rings which will be available online soon. Hope you like!

These are all rose-cut diamonds set in 18ct gold or platinum. More info about our jewellery here>

www.rustjewellery.com

Happy New Year everyone!

I'm entering into this year in a positive mind set as I have had quite a few conversations with myself last year which have resulted in some pretty massive decisions. I know when things have got to change because it takes a lot for me to give up on something that I have worked hard for.

I handed over the majority of my workload for the business to Nao last year as he wanted more involvement in the UK side of our business. He (and our amazing full-time colleague in London) now do all the post sales and production work that I used to worry about on a daily basis, and I have to admit that maybe I was shouldering a little too much work and deadlines.

Now I am only responsible for obtaining sales via designing and marketing. It is not work to me as it is fun and there is not really any deadline. I have to impose deadlines on myself, which I have discovered, doesn't really work! (at least it doesn't work with me).

We have reshuffled the childcare a little, so that I have the children for one extra day per week (4 days) and then three days in a row without them (whilst their dad takes them) we will therefore be spending our time apart, giving each other freedom to do our own things from now on. So far it has been working okay.

I am working on my own projects for RU.ST and have found that spending more time in London each week helps me focus on my work and not get too distracted. 

London is fantastic because there are free offices everywhere, and people bring you tea, beer or food. There are certain cafes that have become my new rent free business premises.

My objective this year is to work really hard, I need more income because, although money does not buy you happiness, it can buy you choices.

So the reason I'm telling you all this is because I think sometimes you have got to do what makes YOU happy, you only get one life and it slips past in the blink of an eye.

Life is like a sort of juggling act, between making an income, making sure the children are living their best life, providing a secure home, being emotionally happy and keeping physically healthy, there is not a lot of time to stop and reflect. 

However I have learnt that time to look deeply inwards and change the path slightly is really important to maintain the right direction in your life. Otherwise I will reach sixty and will have arrived at the wrong destination, and it may be too late to reverse and go a different way.

Where children are involved my own personal experience is that they will adapt to any situation if they feel loved and that they feel that they are important, so this is my first priority always.

My second priority is me, and I'm not going to feel guilty about it because when the kids are grown up, they will have been taught to value their own happiness and happiness creates happiness in others like a virus. 

So that's what I'm up to this year, at least I started all this last year and I will just mean to keep doing it, but harder, faster and stronger, and I will let you know how it goes!

P.s Thank you all so much for the great music recommendations via my Instagram stories today. I can't wait to go through them all x

P.p.s these photos are from our local woods and from our last dinner of 2018 : )

I hope you are all having a very relaxing xmas (or insert other festive celebration) wherever you are out there! I struggled a bit this year I must admit but I'm more than looking forward to the new year.

The kids have been having a good time of it and were thoroughly spoilt of course.

We had a big dinner with my family in Ventnor so this was our second family do at our house which is a tad more peaceful as it was just us, in fact Leif fell asleep just before it was ready so he missed out for the most part!

I will be back here for the New Year, crikey they flash past so quickly now!