Hi my name is Rachel and I live in Ireland with my family and probably too many animals and I thought I’d tell you a bit about what I do and what I love in life :-
I thought I wanted a career it turned out that the only bit I enjoyed was payday, I decided that I would do something else.  My mother had devoted many, many hours instructing me on all things to do with textile crafts that would be suitable for a little girl.  As the youngest child and the only girl my mother had waited for years for the correct receptacle for all her wisdom, on knitting, sewing, tatting, lace making and embroidery.  She always dressed me in white socks and frills and yet I spent hours with my father covered in grease and oil working on whatever car he was fixing at the time.  I grew up believing that my middle name was only used with my other names when I was working with my dad. But my mother did give me a huge background in craft and working with your hands, my Dad gave me the love of engineering, metal and much to my mother’s horror, motorcycles.
So when I decided on a career change I looked at my options, I loved jewellery but the prospect of going to university and studying for three years was out of the question with two small children.  The internet has just got going and suddenly a whole new world opened up.  Suppliers of materials the like of which I had never seen before.  My new love was square wire!   After some research and lots of practice I started making things that slightly resembled jewellery, but I didn’t know what to do with it all, so I booked to do a very small local craft fair.  I have always believed that pigs can fly given enough thrust to start them off,  so I took on my first fair with loads of enthusiasm and energy, and not a lot else. I covered my costs and even made a little extra.  I was delighted. The fact that I earned more and worked less at my previous ‘real’ job never entered my head, I was having fun.
Friends were soon making requests for Christmas and birthdays and I continued twisting and bending wire creating my beloved wire jewellery.  Time passed and the materials I used increased from things found on a beach, pebbles, sea glass or inexpensive tumble stones to faceted gemstones and one of my greatest loves, opals.
Within time wire jewellery had taken over my world there wasn’t a room in the house that didn’t have at least a bit of wire in it or a box of beads.  I would spread out on the sofa with a tray on my lap and wait for inspiration to hit me and just create jewellery. It is, and I think always will be the most relaxing thing I do!
I started teaching about 6 years ago I was approached by a private jewellery school and asked if I would be interested, Oh yes!  I jumped at the chance so 4 or 5 times a year in a beautiful workshop set in a courtyard garden I teach.  I really enjoy seeing others start the journey I started so many years ago many of my students stay in touch and tell me about the jewellery they make.
Then a new opportunity arose teach via video to an even bigger group people we hope to have all the technical stuff completed soon and then they will be listed here for you to start making your own jewellery .  I do hope you love making jewellery as much as I do and I also hope you decide to keep in touch and let me know about the journey you are about to make with wire jewellery.