MEET THE MAKER - THE HEART BEHIND HOLD UPON HEART

Hi, I’m Melanie — the maker behind Hold Upon Heart.  It’s a small, deeply personal jewellery business built around family, love, memory, and all the little details that matter more than we often realise.

(Approach to Maws Craft Centre, Jackfield)

I work from my studio at Maws Craft Centre, tucked away in the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge. If you know Shropshire, you’ll know how special it is here — the kind of place people come to wander on a sunny day, visit the Ironbridge, eat a proper pork pie, or stop for an ice cream. Just down the road in Jackfield, Maws is a former workhouse block that’s now home to a brilliant community of local artists and makers — and I’m lucky to be one of them.

(The beautiful Ironbridge Gorge in Spring)

My work focuses on memorial ashes jewellery, along with fingerprint, handprint, and pawprint pieces — all designed to hold onto the people (and pets) we never want to forget.

I started making this kind of jewellery in 2012, after the birth of my youngest son, Noah. Like a lot of meaningful things, it came from a very personal place. I wanted to create something lasting — something that could hold memory in a way you could see and touch. What began at the kitchen table soon became something much bigger than I ever expected.

I’m completely self-taught. Everything I know has come from years of learning, refining, and caring deeply about getting things right. I like to think I’ve become good at this very specific kind of jewellery — not just in how it’s made, but in understanding what it means to the people who trust me with it.

(my bench at Maws - creative people are always a bit untidy!)

Life now is full — noisy, busy, and very real. Alongside Noah, I’m mum to my (very tall!) twin boys, and last year we welcomed our baby girl, a bit of a surprise and completely wonderful. Being a mum shapes everything I do. It’s where my sense of care comes from — and why I understand just how important these pieces are.

(They say I'm short but the truth is I think they might be giants!)

Every item I make is treated with the respect it deserves. Whether I’m working with ashes, capturing a fingerprint, or preserving a tiny handprint or pawprint, I know I’m being trusted with something irreplaceable. That’s never lost on me.

For me, it’s always about the little details — the softness of a curve, the clarity of a print, the way something feels when it’s worn every day. I take my time because these aren’t just pieces of jewellery — they’re stories, connections, and memories that deserve to be honoured properly.

(Mel on the big polisher - adding that all important shine)

There’s no production line here. No factory, no big team. It’s just me — supported by Jeff and Sarah — making, finishing, and packing every single piece that leaves the studio. It does mean I may not be as fast as larger businesses, but it also means every piece has been in my hands from start to finish.

(Me and Sarah in our studio at Maws Craft Centre)

Over the years, I’ve made tens of thousands of pieces, now worn by people all over the world. When I stop and think about that — how it all started at my kitchen table with three small boys — it feels a bit surreal.

Hold Upon Heart isn’t just a jewellery brand. It’s part of me.

And, more than anything, it’s a way of holding onto love.

Thank you for being here — and for allowing me to be a small part of your story.

(Me and my baby girl)