Measure

"If your parents ever measured you as a child, they had you stand against a wall, and made a little pencil mark on the wall to show your growth.
They did not measure you against your brother, or the neighbor’s kids, or kids on tv.

When you measure your growth, make sure to only measure your today self by your past self. If you compare your relationships, your success, or your anything against anyone else, you are not being fair to you.

Everyone has a different path, a different pace, and different challenges to face along the way."

~Doe Zantamata | writer, photographer

...the audience still sleeps

Sunrise on the beach, Rhodes, Greece | 2008

“When you do something noble and beautiful and nobody noticed, do not be sad. For the sun every morning is a beautiful spectacle and yet most of the audience still sleeps.”

~ John Lennon

A necklace 18 years in the making

Back in the summer, I worked on probably one of my favourite custom projects so far...

My clients wanted a necklace for their god-daughter's 18th birthday gift. The brief was that they wanted it to have some connection to her name, India, and for it to make use of a piece of amber that they had actually acquired on a trip to India 36 years ago.

Early ideas revolved around using her name or initial, and then changed into incorporating something to reflect India the country. We decided to use the lotus, India's national flower.

During brainstorming for how to work the amber and a silver lotus charm together, my client suggested having the amber linked above the lotus charm, so that it would look like a flame.

When I received the amber, it came wrapped in its original, 36 year old paper packaging. The amber had a lovely shade of caramel and was beautifully faceted, but in some way I thought the packaging was even more precious.

I was so excited after setting it and joining all the pieces together.

It was wonderful to have helped realise such a special gift which had been in the planning since a little girl was born 18 years ago, and which obviously held so much sentimental value.

And that is what I loved the most about it all: the story behind the necklace and the stories it will hopefully go on to be a part of. I feel it is such privilege for me to have been able to play my part in that.

..to look back on the distance

Nelson Mandela, 2000 via LSE Library on Flickr

“I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”

― Nelson Mandela 1918-2013

Little President Man

Have you met Robby Novak, aka Kid President?


He is adorable and I'm a huge fan. His videos are so funny and uplifting. This incredible little boy living with his own illness inspires a lot of happiness.


You can't help smiling and he has the most infectious laugh.


Only 10 and he's met the President at the White House and been invited to the United Nations!

Visit to a lavender farm

Went to visit some friends who live in Hertfordshire over the weekend. They took us to a lavender field in Hitchin which is part of a working farm. Hitchin used to be one of two major lavender growing areas in the country.

It was really sunny in the morning when we arrived and as we came off the road into their car park we could see this purple hill in the distance. It was so pretty!

My friends had been a couple of months before and were disappointed because the lavender had not yet bloomed. This made up for it I think.

The rows of lavender stretched out over the low hill and even though the sun did then decide to play hide and seek behind huge clouds, it was just wonderful.

There weren't too many people around just yet so it was perfect for photos.

There were so many bees buzzing all around, with butterflies and ladybugs...

The farm harvests the lavender to make essential oil and lavender products for sale in the 17th century barn. There's a cafe and an outside area to sit and enjoy the view. You can also take home plug plants of lots of varieties of lavender. I was very tempted to buy some to join my pink Little Lottie lavender, but seriously, there's no room left on my balcony...

We each picked a bag-full of the lovely purple stuff and the rain didn't start until we were safely indoors again. So now all I have to do is decide what to do with all that lavender once it has dried. There's no such thing as too many lavender sachets, right?