The Pear Tree

When Laura Goldstein was a little girl, she was more interested in the pretty stones at the bottom of her fish tank than the fish they were there for.

That was the first sign that there might be a jewellery designer lurking below the surface. Another was, when she was a little bit older, taking apart her jewellery and putting it back together her own way.

“I hope people don’t do that to mine, now,” she laughs.

First pursuing a career as a performing arts publicist and writer for Canadian House & Home Magazine, Laura only started her own jewellery line, Mashu Mashu, about six years ago.

“I get pleasure in creating something myself,” she told The Pear Tree.

Mashu Mashu, which means, “wow, that’s something!” in Hebrew, features fanciful takes on some of Mother Nature’s offerings: flowers, shells and whimsical insects (think bumble bees, lady bugs and butterflies versus spiders and flies).

To make them, she uses silver, gold, fresh water pearls, mother of pearl and Swarovski crystals, as well as a variety of gemstones.

A city girl all her life, Laura said she’s always felt inexplicably connected to the sea, which is why she lets it influence her work. From 24 karat gold seashells to sea horses and fish there is a bounty of inspiration from the sea.

Her newest collection, “Castaway,” showcases beautified versions of pieces that might be caught in a net by someone on a deserted island.

The collection pictured above is called “Gone Fishing.”

A believer in finding beauty in the details, Laura fills her collections with lots to look at and discover – from beautiful inlays to layers of charms.

And while she makes coordinating sets of earrings, necklace and bracelet, she doesn’t like them to be too “matchy matchy.”

“I like there to be some surprise, for people to look and think about what went into making it.”

In addition to nature itself, Laura finds inspiration in textiles and fabric, drawings and colour combinations.

“I always have a million ideas – if anything, there are too many,” she said.

While she contracts outside companies to cast some of her designs in gold, Laura has cast a few charms herself, including these bumble bees.

Her work has been featured in Elle Canada/U.S., LouLou, Fashion, More, Chatelaine, InStyle, Coastal Living and the Globe and Mail.

Laura and her husband moved to Kelowna from her native Toronto three years ago, drawn by the natural beauty of the Okanagan, the lake and the wine trail.

Mashu Mashu jewellery is available online at mashumashu.com, and at her Gallagher’s studio (by appointment). She recently started a partnership with Glima Contemporary Women’s Tops, from Hollywood, California, and also has their collection available in studio and online.

She’s currently offering 15 per cent off of her jewellry until Mother’s Day.

- Words and photos by Lori-Anne Poirier