About Me
Hello! I'm April, designer, maker, director at April Dace Jewellery.
Welcome to my little story!
I love looking back at my jewellery journey. Sometimes we forget how far we've come until we actually sit down and reflect. And I'm so unbelievably proud to be able to say I took the leap to do what I love full-time in March this year and I'm beyonddddd excited for this new chapter in my life and where it might take me next!
Starting out just over ten years ago, I was fast approaching my twenties, fresh out of college and didn't really have a clue what life was going to throw my way... I just knew I needed to do something creative. I've always been my happiest when making something. And I've figured out as I look back that I'm especially happy transforming things.
Mum had a "making drawer" in the kitchen for us three kiddies when we were little, filled with empty loo rolls, egg trays, string, plastic bottles... you name it, it was probably in there! And we used to sit at the kitchen table and make things. Me and my twin, Ash, used to make things and try and sell them. I remember making those paper finger puzzles at school and selling them to the other kids in class, and making pom-pom animals and cards to sell to Mum and Dad for pocket money. So I guess I always wanted to make and sell...
That happy feeling you get inside when someone loves what you've made is one-of-a-kind.
After leaving college, I found something I really loved - Art Jewellery. It was a whole new concept to me but it allowed me to be experimental (tick), explore all kinds of materials (tick) and let my ideas run wild without any limitations (tick, tick, tick). So I enrolled onto the BA Jewellery & Accessories at Middlesex University, and the rest is history! Hands-down the best four years of education I've ever had and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. It laid the foundations of where I am today and where I was to go next...
At 25 and having just left my secure little uni bubble, I was wondering again, "What will life throw my way this time?". (If you haven't caught on already, I'm a big believer in letting things pan out and enjoying life for what it is. That doesn't mean to say I don't work hard, but I often think to myself that everything happens for a reason and life is what you make of it. I have soft goals in my head of where I want to be in life, but the rest is pretty laid back and happy to go with the flow!)
So anyway, life threw me my first job working in a jewellery workshop. I have some of my most fond memories here and it taught me a lot. For five years I worked under a Master Goldsmith and learnt more there is to know about fine jewellery, diamonds and gemstones than I ever realised existed! And a new branch appeared on my tree of life; a new passion to delve into and join forces with my love of experimentation and design.
Skip forward to present day and I now have my beautiful workshop and design studio I call my "happy place", and I really couldn't be happier. Making beautiful and meaningful jewellery for people is what I love, and I'm so grateful to be able to do this for you all - without your support none of this could happen.
So, thank you. And here's to the next chapter!
April x
