Description
INSPIRATION for my Horse Chestnut Leaf Cufflinks
Conkers are evocative of childhood and hold great memories for many of us. In my case, the leaf of the statey Horse Chestnut happens to be the emblem of my children’s junior school – and it is this link which brought about my Horse Chestnut Leaf Cufflinks.
Most children, on leaving their junior schools, might offer their favourite teacher some chocolates, or other treat, when it is their time to move on to “big school”. In my case, my daughter decided that she would make her teacher a pair of sterling silver cufflinks! Lucky teacher! One of the real pleasures of becoming a jewellery designer is the ability to create truly individual and unique gifts – so I was a bit of a push-over. But this was to be her creation – not mine. So I sat her at my bench with a lump of wax, the necessary tools and a bit of of guidance. For a 10 year old, she did a sterling job. I admit to making the conker and doing a bit of secret tidying up of her work – but it is essentially her model. (- so she gets a commission when I sell one!).
Of course, me being me, I couldn’t resist making it into a variety of different pieces and offered as presents. We created a few happy tears that year – especially for a lady who was leaving the school after 17 years when my son gave her the pendant version. It was an honour to be able to evoke such a response from something that myself and my daughter had created. She’s still obsessed with conkers – but now because of their supposed ability to ward off the spiders!
