This unusual brooch is by Belgian designer An Alleweireldt who is now based in London.  An takes her inspiration from working with the possibilities and restrictions of daily materials.  She finds new ways to combine these everyday materials with precious metals and gem stones. She has used rubber flooring tiles, vinyl records and string.  But for this brooch it was lollipop sticks.  When we met she told me how the lollipop sticks jewellery series came about.  Wooden spoons and ice cream sticks had always been objects of conversation and controversy in the Alleweireldt family. They were banned at home because even just thinking about them gave her mother and brother goose bumps.  Neither are able to eat ice-cream or lollies on a stick, wood and food are a complete ‘no-no’. Naturally, An was fascinated by this – result, imaginative jewellery.  My brooch has a small diamond set right in the middle, I also have a pair of matching earrings to complete the lollipop theme.

An is a member of the Designers Jewellers Group who exhibit at the Barbican centre in London, other members of the group whose brooches I own are Ulli Kaiser ‘Four Circles’, Jo McAllister ‘Three Cubes’ and Tom McDowell ‘Lemur’ there will be another of Tom’s brooches coming in 2017.