After 20 years working in IT, Diana Lambert decided to seek a fresh and exciting new career.

She went to night school for three years to learn the art of creating jewellery. The hobby enabled Diana to escape the pressures of working in her managerial role and she ended up making a career out of it.

She was looking for a new challenge and was keen on a career using her hands.

“I thought about doing something different and thought about various creative things,” she says.

Stained glass was one interest she pursued before embarking on a three-year jewellery course at Bradford College. After learning the basics, she bought her own equipment and began making jewellery for friends and family, with the intention of setting up in business.

She has since launched Silver And Sparkle, creating handmade contemporary and unique pieces of jewellery which she sells at craft fairs and through galleries across the UK.

Diana gets her inspiration from natural forms. One of her popular pieces is the silver leaf.

These are actual leaves which she collected while walking in the Yorkshire Dales and which she coats with a precious metal clay. This is then fired at a high temperature to retain the leaf’s characteristics.

“I really enjoy working in silver and copper and have some new designs buzzing round my head that I just really want to get on and make now that I know people like what I make,” she says. “It’s given me a real boost.”

Keeping up with the latest fashions is imperative in her profession. Among her current popular sellers are silver chains in various link sizes.

Working with jewellery, it is inevitable Diana wears it too to showcase her work. “I keep changing my stock,” she laughs.

Diana, from Baildon, is keen to maintain a varied range so there is always something new, and affordable, for customers.

“I think it is important to come up with new ideas every year to give your customers something new. I also like to keep changing what I make and trying out new designs.”

Diana says she enjoys creating things and also finds it calming.

“I started learning to make jewellery while I was still working full-time. I was getting quite stressed about the job and I found this a good outlet because it is something completely different and it is quite therapeutic.”

According to Diana, jewellers need to have a keen eye for detail to ensure a quality finished product, along with imagination to come up with their own designs.

For more information about jewellery courses, contact Bradford College on (01274) 436300.