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From Barefoot Adventures to Heart Mala: A Life of Creativity, Travel & Sacred Jewellery
THE STORY BEHIND HEART MALA
Adventure and creativity have shaped my life for as long as I can remember.
I grew up in the Northern Beaches of Sydney, where Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park was quite literally my backyard.Â
My days were spent barefoot and wild in nature, exploring the forest, riding horses, climbing trees, building cubby houses and always making things with my hands. The beauty and freedom of the natural world became woven into who I am from a very young age.
I was endlessly creative. If I wasn’t outside exploring the forest, I was making something.
At ten years old, I began creating jewellery and weaving macrame bracelets and necklaces with beads, shells, stones and seeds gathered from the beaches and forests near my home.
I would fill my billy cart with handmade creations and wander the neighbourhood selling them door to door.
Jewellery wasn’t the only thing I made. I spent hours hand-sewing little felt mice and other creations, which were sold through local craft shops. Creating beautiful things and sharing them with others brought me joy from a very young age.
That joy has never left me. I’ve always been happiest when my hands were busy creating, transforming simple natural treasures into something beautiful to wear and cherish.
Adventure has always called to me. My father introduced me to travel from a young age, taking us across Asia and trekking through Nepal along the Tibetan border, awakening a deep curiosity about cultures, traditions and the wider world. Those early journeys sparked a lifelong fascination with exploration, discovery and the extraordinary diversity of human experience.
In my early twenties, that curiosity carried me across the globe. I travelled solo through remote regions of Africa, South America and Asia, living alongside tribal cultures, exploring ancient sites and immersing myself in traditions that honoured the sacredness of life.
I became deeply fascinated by sacred sites and places of spiritual significance around the world. From hidden temples deep in the jungles of Mexico to ancient monuments in Egypt and beyond, I was continually drawn to places rich in history, mystery and meaning.
My own Indiana Jones-style quest took me from living with the Himba people of northern Namibia near the Angolan border, to spending several months in a hut deep in the Bolivian Amazon, a year living in a small thatched village on the shores of Lake Malawi, and countless adventures through some of the world’s most fascinating cultures and landscapes.
These journeys deepened my appreciation for symbolism, ritual, spirituality, craftsmanship and the wisdom traditions that have inspired humanity for thousands of years.
Throughout it all, jewellery remained a constant thread running through my life. What began with handmade bracelets and necklaces as a child grew into decades spent designing, creating and selling my jewellery at craft markets, music festivals and Mind Body Spirit festivals, while also supplying boutiques and stores around Australia.
My travels became treasure hunts. I found myself wandering the ancient souks of Morocco, exploring the old bazaars of Istanbul, visiting colourful markets in Tanzania, mountain villages in Peru where artisans hand-painted ceramic beads, and antique silver traders in Ethiopia.
Some of my most memorable discoveries were found in unexpected places. In Nairobi, I tracked down a community of West African bead traders and spent days admiring extraordinary antique Venetian glass trade beads threaded onto straw and hanging from nails driven into mud walls. Moments like these felt like stepping into a dream, combining my love of adventure, culture, history and craftsmanship all in one place.
These experiences deepened my connection to creativity, community, spirituality and the stories that jewellery can carry across cultures and generations.
Later, as a single mother, I continued exploring the world with my young son, sharing adventures through India and beyond, and watching him discover the same sense of wonder that had guided me throughout my own life.
Heart Mala grew naturally from all these experiences.
It brings together everything I have loved throughout my life: creativity, beauty, gemstones, ancient wisdom, sacred symbolism, travel and spirituality.
Living a life of connection, adventure, gratitude and intention has brought me immense joy, and sharing my creativity with others through Heart Mala has been one of its greatest gifts.
Every piece I create is designed as a modern talisman, infused with intention and inspired by the sacred traditions, symbols and gemstones that have captivated me for decades.
Heart Mala is more than jewellery.
It is the expression of a lifetime spent creating, exploring and following what inspires my heart.
These days, I continue to travel with an ageless adventurous spirit, still following the pull of wild places, sacred sites and full-heart moments wherever they may lead.
Still creating.
Still exploring.
Still saying yes to the adventure.
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