Hootie Toot Handmade Jewellery By Lesley Powell

Self-taught art-work jewellery designer, Ethically mined gemstones, upcycled & recycled materials. Check out my gallery hootietootjewellery. co. uk

With a background in Human Geography and a passion for drawing and sketching, it was inevitable that I would be drawn to making simple, beautiful jewellery that doesn't' cost the earth!

My designs are often inspired by nature and my love of the patterns and shapes I see around me, and by the ways in which people interact with the natural world - giving value to crystals, shapes, symbols and designs. I am, however, conscious of the harm caused to the environment by mining for gemstones and how communities local to the mines where the gems are extracted often suffer. With this in mind I make an extra effort to avoid waste when I work - often using one or two crystals rather than going for gem-heavy, overworked pieces. I seek out pre-loved materials whenever I can, such as the eco-silver (recycled) I use for some of my silver pieces and the recycled glass shapes and crystals I work with - even the gift boxes I use are made mostly from post or pre consumer waste!

When I buy gemstones, I use suppliers who share my ethical stance and I only buy fossils and minerals from reputable suppliers who have a clear supply chain.

When working on pieces, I like to find ways of creating jewellery that highlights the natural beauty of the crystals so am careful not to overwhelm them with clever wire work, rather my aim is to bring the wire and the crystal together as one.

I hope you enjoy my pieces as much as I enjoyed creating them!

Lesley Powell