For those of you that don't know me I am obsessed by all things Mexican after the adventure of a lifetime in Mexico when I was straight out of Uni. I had always wanted to go and was lucky enough to work there for a few years. I found my diary this week and some of the stories in it freak me out.
From arriving with only 60 dollars and sleeping on the beach, to skinny dipping in shark-infested water at night, from having lobster with the Mayor, to dying my hair black as I hated being nicknamed 'Pajaro' (a reference to Big Bird from Sesame Street). From being fired from my diving job for drinking too much tequila, to working as a cowgirl and a chilli pepper whilst keeping a conch crab as a pet!
I still can't quite believe how carefree (and very lucky to be alive) I was and more importantly how carefree my Mum was, in a world with no social media she didn't know about these crazy adventures until I returned home.
Anyway, it is what led me to do what I do now, and without those many stories, fabulous friends and great adventures I wouldn't be the person I am today. My family and my work team still make fun of me when I start a sentence with "when I was in Mexico......"
I was always creative (rather than academic) but seeing the colours of Mexico and the stunning stones and silver jewellery made me want to be a jeweller. I started with glass beads and used to sell them in the main square in Cozumel, then moved onto working with some Mayan silversmiths and like a sponge I tried to absorb everything I could see. I was inspired by the sunsets and the turquoise sea, the giant turtles and the colours of the coral reefs. It was all so amazing and so unlike any other place on Earth; so far from Nottingham where I'd grown up. I knew at that point that I wanted l to be close to the sea (I was born on the Isle of Wight so it's in my blood), so when I came back to the UK I found the most creative and colourful city I could, and I've made it my home for the past 20 years.
I live near the sea and try to look at it and breathe it in every day. It's a little duller in colour and definitely a lot colder than the beaches I remember in Mexico, but I try to swim all year in its waves - well, more of a dip in the winter months! It's incredibly exhilarating and cures a hangover in seconds. My favourite tradition is swimming with family and friends on Christmas morning.
The Tidal Collection is my love affair with the sea and some of the shells were found on the beaches of Brighton (with my kids when they were little) and others travelled with me all the way back from Mexico. I wear (nearly every day) the Worn Shell and the very fragile Urchin that was found in Mexico. It is one of my favourite collections and perfect for summer whether you're in Brighton or Mexico.
The reason I chose Mexico as a topic this week is due to the inspirational music of Los Dedos who I heard for a 2nd time at the weekend in Caravanserai- part of The Brighton Festival.
Los Dedos took me straight back to the cantinas of Mexico with a surf meets rock n roll Tarantino 'From Dusk Til Dawn' vibe. I was getting ready for the big entrance of Salma Hayek with snakes around her neck. The music and showmanship are out of this world and so worth seeing live but if you can't, then get the Margarita ready and listen on Spotify to my favourite ' The March of The Crabs'
Thank you, Mexico for all that you gave me and thanks Nat, Lincoln and James for introducing me to Lod Dedos and for another fabulous festival weekend in the best city ever - Brighton.
