People often ask me how I ended up making jewelry, if I make a living of it and why I chose this profession. So here is my story!

The truth is that jewelry making has always been a part of my life. (No, my mother didn't give me a blowtorch to melt sterling silver when I was a little girl!) Little did I know that this would be my adult job!

Mini Lidia

I remember making (lots of) Brazilian bracelets on the roof of my tree house at my parents' house. (Thanks to my dad who built the tree house!) Brazilian bracelets were really trending when I was 7-8 years old! For the curious, it looks like this. I found my book recently when I did a major clean up.

Around 10, I discovered alibaba's cave: a craft store that sold beads for threading. And the friendly shop owner offered to give me a little 101 class. Wow, it was love at first sight and the beginning of a new passion!

In high school, I had to face the fact that I had accumulated too much jewellery to wear it all! And my classmates complimented me on my creations... 1 + 1 = 2, so I started selling them! I guess I already had a little unsuspected entrepreneurial spirit...

I always knew that I would do an artistic and manual job, but strangely enough, I had never considered being a jeweller. In fact, I had no idea it was an option!

So I opted for a DEC in theatre production, which means making sets and costumes. Four great years of CEGEP where I discovered life as an (almost) adult and met some wonderful people. I still have several friends from that time. I'm even the godmother of my former roommate's amazing boy. (Hi Etienne!) It's partly thanks to him that I developed my first collection, the family necklaces. But that's another story, I'll come back to that another day!

To see the famous collection, it's here.

Anyway, I was 21 years old, I had a theatre production diploma in hand, but I'm more or less motivated to work in this field. What to do?!!!!

Travel, travel!

I decide to go on a trip to Paris with a friend for the summer, a memorable experience... When I came back, I have one thing in mind: travel!

Why not go for a longer period of time and choose a destination where I could improve my English? So I bought myself a work visa.... I choose Ireland because I don't know anyone who has been there yet and I like to get off the beaten track.

Definitely one of the best years of my life!

Welcome back to Quebec

But as all good things must come to an end, I came back in Quebec with an important question in my head. What am I doing with my life? That's when I discovered that there was a jewellery study program. Wow, it's for me!

Montreal Jewellery School

September 2007, I am back to school for 3 years. Very quickly, I know that I have found my way. I am very invested and I know that this is what I want to do in the future. I am willing to make the sacrifices necessary to make it work. I don't have a plan B AND my motivation is really high!

The Jewellery School has become my second home. I taught there for 5 years after my studies. What a pleasure to pass on my passion to neophytes! It was a very enriching experience. I will definitely come back to teaching one of these days. I love sharing my knowledge, helping people develop their talents, and most of all, seeing the pride in my students' eyes.

Ever since I started learning the basics of jewellery making, I have fallen in love with the craft. And I haven't touched my stock of stringing beads. I accumulated a lot of material (I mean a loooooooooot!) that I still have. One day, I hope I will be able to use them with my children.

Lidia R jeweller

In 2011, I founded my small business, which is now called Lidia. Looking back, I'm glad I discovered the jewellery business later than high school. I probably wouldn't be running my own business right now if I had studied jewelry earlier. I clearly didn't have the maturity to run a business back then!

Aaaah the timing and importance of seizing opportunities, it's crazy! I sometimes wonder what I would be doing today if I hadn't discovered the jewelry program when I got back from my trip... But I live very well with the uncertainty since I am totally happy in my business!

So there you have it, that's my little story...

I am Lidia. I love creating minimalist, meaningful and delicate jewelry in sterling silver. It's my way of helping women feel radiant and invincible every day and reward themselves because they deserve it (and tend to forget it!).

What about you, have you followed your passion?