The train ride that changed everything…🚂

My first blog post! I decided to share a little bit about how it all started, how I got here – and most importantly, what started my journey. 

So let me take you back to where it all began. Some of you know that I grew up in Narvik, or mor exactly Ankenes in the Arctic Northern Norway.

…on the road again 🎶

I used to work in marketing and sales within the travel- and hotel industry, and in 2000 I moved to Stockholm – for love. I met my man in Henningsvær, Lofoten, with the common ground of climbing. So I ended up here in Stockholm where I started working for a hotel franchise as a key account manager.  

After about two or three years, my friend Ann invited me to join a silversmith class one weekend as a gift she’d received from friends. In short, this was the start of a new passion. I took more and more classes, and totally fell for this metal forming thing where the whitest metal of them all became an infatuation.

After a while, one of the teachers introduced us to enamelling, and I was fortunate enough to have some hours of private lessons from Anne-Marie Bernhard in my own little workshop here at home. During a class at Folkuniversitetet, I created what would become the Infinity Ring. Anne-Marie suggested that I apply to the jury of DesignTorget to have it sold in their stores. Little did I know where it all would go from there. Ha-ha – isn’t it strange how things happen sometimes?

For 4-5 years I sold the Infinity Ring, Dots, and some other pieces at all of the DesignTorget stores in Sweden.

Then – at one midsummer party here in Stockholm, a good friend, Lutta, suggested that I open my own workshop in Henningsvær, Lofoten. Craziest thing I ever did – and also the best!

So I packed all my tools, said “so long” to DesignTorget as I retrieved all the jewellery from their stores to have something to sell in my own place in Norway. I’ll never forget that train ride with all those heavy bags and butterflies in my stomach. Unpacking at the space I rented, I remember thinking: “What in the actual are you doing, Catrine?!” With so little jewellery ready-made, I remember trying to spread it out as best I could.

But what an incredible summer it became. I sold during the day and made during the evenings. The other businesses in Henningsvær made me feel so welcome, and this is how it’s been year after year now. Just amazing. Thank you to each and every one of you! And not to mention all of you who’ve visited me! I have so many great memories from meeting such special people – I could write a book about you.

Every spring I made as much jewellery as I possibly could, then early summer I packed my heavy bags with tools and all, took the train, the bus, the ferry, and worked away in Henningsvær. Missed my kids and man terribly during those long stretches, but they always came to stay for a while – thank goodness! I’m forever grateful to my family for supporting me through all those years and summer months while I worked up north during days and nights, the midnight sun helping out since it never gets dark.

A New Chapter 📖

As some of you know, the workshop has entered a new chapter. It’s now run by my good friend Malin who lives in the house. She’s established her own shop in the room where I was, but in the workshop itself she’s made a very special room for all of my work. The old radio repair shop still has that special atmosphere with the original workbench and lots of old radio stuff. And Malin’s red little vinyl player! I dare to say you’ve never seen anything like it. It has genuine museum vibes. Check out the Radio collection of jewellery if you’re there. This place is definitely a whole other story.

I’m looking forward to share more with you. Thanks for your support!

I’d be nowhere without You! Sending off jewellery gifts all over the place and couldn’t be happier.  

Hope your today is good!

XOXO Catrine.