Hello

I have been creating art for as long as I can remember and have always taken pride in my creative abilities. I have always enjoyed any creative endeavour, including painting, drawing, sculpture, pottery, photography and most recently jewellery making. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, while living in Melbourne (in what is now considered one of the worst lockdowns in the world!), I, like many of us, experimented with different hobbies during lockdown before discovering polymer clay. In the beginning, I was just experimenting, getting used to the texture and methods of creating. I found this process therapeutic, the feel of the polymer clay in my fingers, creating different textures, patterns, shapes and using different techniques to achieve certain aesthetics. The end product didn’t always turn out the way I planned, but through many failed attempts (and some happy accidents!) I slowly built confidence and an individual style in creating polymer clay jewellery.

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 In 2020, I fell sick, developing a chronic illness that impacted my whole life. After a year of trying to support and care for myself, with my illness only getting worse, I made the decision to move back to Newcastle, Melbourne having been my home for 9 years, to live with my amazing family, who could provide the much-needed physical and emotional support I required to learn to live with this illness. I won't go into detail about my illness, but I'll just say that there were days when I could not move, my energy levels so low and pain so great that I could not even get out of bed or do basic self-care. Over the past two years, with the help of medications, medical experts and lifestyle changes I have slowly built my energy levels and physical abilities back up. I have been told I will never get back to what I viewed as normal, and am slowly building a new normal for myself, my body and my health. During this time I found it difficult to create, not having much energy and limited physical abilities due to my illness. That’s when I started knitting and crocheting, as it was something I could do lying down in bed and I fell in love with it. Over the last few years, I began to design crochet jewellery, as well as taking up polymer clay creations again once I had some energy and physical abilities again.

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I began my jewellery business as Laura Elizabeth Designs in 2023 and began selling on Etsy.  After having some time of to focus on my health, I began selling at Newcastle markets in 2025. I have decided to rebrand my business as Lorikeet Designs and focus primarily on designs influenced by Australian nature and culture. I am influenced by the ocean and the beach (obviously having grown up in Newcastle!) as well as Australian native animals and plants. I also love finding patterns in nature, whether it be the motion of the water or the veins on a leaf. I find the beauty of the natural world intriguing, and often use these patterns as inspiration for my jewellery creations.

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 Thank you for reading about my journey, and I hope you enjoy my designs and stick with me while I, and my business, continue to develop and grow.