Category: jewellery

May 17, 2017

Bling x

If an Indian summer comes in the autumn, what name do you give a summer that arrives in spring…and disappears?

The gardens need the rain..but I was so looking forward to the easy living of summer dresses.

Which has been a brilliant discovery of older years and has resulted in a serious, but sensible shrinking of my wardrobe.

There’s no need to think, a dress is the perfect capsule wardrobe in itself.

All effort can go into beautiful, stand out jewellery, like all of these earrings by Finery London.

(All pics Finery London)

Fun, Sassy and succulent. Now all we need is the sun.

Laters, Kate x

May 15, 2017

It started with a kiss..

Someone very close has proposed to his girlfriend, and she has accepted! And it’s this wonderful, happy, heart warming, life affirming event that his inspired this post.

I was thinking of engagement rings – the token of love with a significance way beyond it’s size.

And I was contemplating how even the word ‘size’ has been hijacked so we now confuse size with love. And pay the price.

How beautiful instead, for a ring to tell a story – a piece of sea glass from a memorable holiday, a stone from a Grandmother’s ring, something from a sister, a mother to communally create and forge in love a unique, individual circle of trust and beauty.

(All pics Pinterest)

Because the most precious things are naturally priceless.

Laters, Kate x

May 12, 2017

Jennifer Fisher x

Like the lights, Jennifer Fisher’s jewellery first caught the eye because of it’s soft detailing and gently rolling inspiration. Simple but substantial.

But it was her charms that really caught the eye: fun, rocking icons of joy.

They’re on the lust list for when my boat comes in.

Laters, Kate x

February 15, 2017

Alice Cicolini x

Alice Cicolini’s jewellery fluidly mixes a rich tapestry of eastern traditions with cool modern sensibilities.

It’s a keen eye, passion and superbly talented craftsmen that bring her jewellery together.

Together with a total love of colour.

Each piece proudly nods to its heritage roots whilst still being totally unique.

Not an easy gulf to cross.

(All pictures Alice Cicolini)

But Cicolini’s work is a third retro 80s, a third Indian, a third British…and totally fabulous.

Laters, Kate x

December 14, 2016

‘Ear ear…

Need that effortlessly cool present that also has to sit happily in the wallet? The answer could be an ear cuff…brilliant in so many ways: They work equally well on unpierced ears, the range of prices is immense (these are £12.46 plus shipping)..and you only actually need to buy one. Winner, winner chicken dinner.

Some of them do resemble those metal puzzles that used to appear in crackers. But don’t let that put you off.

Particularly when you can find them for only £4.90 plus shipping.

These are the most expensive of the bunch at just over forty squids plus shipping from here.

(£12.96 from here)

(£16 plus shipping from here)

(£8 plus shipping from here)

(£7.50 plus shipping from here)

For a flash in the pan trend without the pain, it’s an easy no brainer.

Laters, Kate x

November 3, 2016

Toolally ho ho ho..

Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say and not giving a damn. So says Gore Vidal. And Mags from Toolally jewellery…

Her pieces are handcrafted in her Yorkshire studio and designed to make maximum impact.

They are the perfect partner if you want your clothes to simmer gently and your bling to take all the limelight.

I never thought I’d find perspex to be so attractive again, but these blaze the line between cool retro and hot modern.

I smell a trend.

Laters, Kate x

October 18, 2016

Penny Winter x

Looking through old posts is a bit like looking through an old address book – you see people you must catch up with again. I wonder what Penny Winter is doing now..

It’s rare that I don’t use my own words for a post…but then Penny Winter is a rare beast and an endangered species. I first came across her work when exploring one of my favourite Labels Edun – for their SS14 Collection she designed and produced the horn & crystal neck cuff as worn by Helena Christensen above at her workshop in Nairobi and it piqued my interest. So in her own words – because nothing should be left out – please meet the incredible Penny Winter…

‘I was born in Belfast and grew up there through our ‘troubles’. After studying costume design and corsetry at LCF I landed my first job at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford where I was making period costumes and pattern drafting for the theatre.I moved back to London and took a similar job at the English National Opera, before the big move to Kenya.My boyfriend at the time was a journalist and we together with our backpacks moved out without looking back.I fell in love with Kenya, he didn’t and left after a few months.

(Photo Touko Sipilainen)

My corserty came into play thereafter, I started a small workshop making 18thcentury shaped corsets from vintage Africa cloth, Bacuba cloth from Congo,raffia from Ivory Coast, snakeskin,fishskin, and Maasai inspired beaded corsets.We,(Paul, my now husband and I) travelled all over central and west Africa on the lookout for interesting trims and weaves.People heard about these unusual pieces and I produced a lot of them for cool weddings, big parties, and people also just bought them to hang in their bedrooms as art.During this time I worked on films such as The Constant Gardener, The Last King of Scotland,and local tv productions.Since then the workshop has grown and we make clothes for the Kenya jetters and international clients. Our signature coat, the Audrey coat which in it’s original form was handwoven wool/linen with a beaded cuff, has evolved and can be found this season in dark burgundy velvet.We are also known well for our evening dresses which tend to be of a more bohemian style. Our clients include names such as Uma Thurman,Sylvia Fendi, Helena Christensen, and one of our gowns was at Buckingham palace for William and Kate’s wedding evening party.

African Jewellery, Tribal Jewellery, Kenyan Jewellery, Raw Amethest Labradite Ruby Rubies Black Turmaline Afican Sapphire White topaz Light horn, Dark Horn, gold, faceted Stone, Labradorite, Bone, Moonstone Agate, Rutilated Quartz,Labradorite ring

In 2007 we were approached by SUNO to start their brand here which we got up and running, we produced the first six collections for them. In addition to the fashion label I co-design and produce the Ashley Pittman collection sold in Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, a feat against odds as we are constantly struggling with power outages,water shortages etc, and the day to day chaos of running a large scale, hand crafted business in central Nairobi. I employ around 200 people who take great pride in selling their work I design in top stores around the world.I work closely with our various teams whether it be a horn workshop in rural Kenya, to downtown chaos, busy and noisy, but always fun. I take most pride in the fact I have through relentless efforts, managed to instill the discipline and work ethic it takes, to our teams to work in the real world, providing top notch products which they can take pride in, on time, without any form of charity.We are competing with world known brands, except without any of the advantages, in Africa.

This is my first solo jewellery collection, outside of my Ngong House boutique, which is my husband’s small hotel, on the outskirts of Nairobi, just under the Ngong Hills.

My husband Paul and I have three children.(Charlie, Leyla and Amber). Apart from our work, we have built a clinic and a primary school, thanks to charitable donations in the Kibwezi area of rural Kenya, where we also have a defunct farm and tree plantation.We found the place around ten years ago on a trip back from Kilimanjairo, camped there and now have large safari tents which we use instead of a house.The clinic now has a catchment area of about 70mile radius, there are absolutely no other medical facilities in this area, and we are currently developing a maternity wing. Holidays are mainly at Amber House Lamu, which we restored from a 300year old Swahili villa, in the Old Town Lamu. My passion is sailing so that’s what I do when I go there.’

She is one of those truly remarkable people that inspires just by breathing. I can’t help but wonder when a film of her life will be made…

In awe, Kate x

October 17, 2016

Who is Kate Bentley?

It’s half term this week and we’ve gone away to the sea side town of Hastings to breathe the country air and walk by the sea. As a result this is an eco-friendly week of posts, re-cycled from the past..starting with this one. Enjoy x

Ever Googled yourself? I could be Kathryn Bentley..a Texas Native designing handmade jewellery and running the rather wonderful Dream Collective in Los Angeles..love her dress..

And her style.

Or maybe I’m Kate Bentley the award-winning professional painter based in the Lake District in the beautiful Lyth Valley.

Pretty idyllic..

Or collecting pins on Pintrest..’cept it isn’t me..but I like her taste. I think she might be a nurse..

Or maybe I’m just Kate in a Bentley..

(Photo by Kelvin Bruce)

The truth is, out here in the cyber-world, we can be who we want to be….and sometimes it’s pretty awe-inspiring to look around..

But after the burst of imaginary gasoline…I rather like coming home to my little reality again..after all, home is where the heart is.

Laters, Kate x

August 8, 2016

Maria Black x

There’s something special about wearing simple jewellery in the summer months when everything becomes a little less pressured and a little more precious.

Maria Black Jewellery combines beautiful lines with artistry – she wants you to wear her pieces with individuality and freedom like a single cloud on a hot day.

Ideas to embrace.

Laters, Kate x

January 20, 2016

Raw Talent x

Jessica Kramer is my new arthouse-slash-fully-fledged-rockstar (of the jewellery kind) and the maker/owner of Hawkhouse. She’s been a wanderer and traveller, soaking up the sights and sounds of six of the seven continents of the world before love made her drop anchor or as she says ‘Wild woman falls in love with island boy and signs up for Etsy’. Her story and all it’s wonder is ingrained in her pieces.

Her works are frank and forthright without the slightest glint of superficiality, just pure natural beauty shining through.

There’s a visceral feeling of groundedness (is that a word??) straight talking and sincerity.

(All pictures Hawkhouse and Pinterest)

Designer prices? No – everything, even the uncut emeralds above are around the £40 plus shipping; This is outside the brain boil of mainstream madness, brand and oneupmanship, here it’s honesty and integrity that take centre stage and run straight through the middle of every single piece.

Just simply inherently cool.

Laters, Kate x