Story

I love getting to know people and hearing what brought them somewhere. That's why I read other designers' stories when I visit their websites — and why I share mine here.

To be honest, making jewellery was never the plan. I studied cosmetology and dreamt about a career in cosmetic management.

Throughout my studies, I worked in gastronomy and hospitality, and spent weekends travelling around Poland to attend electronic music events and festivals. After graduating, I started working as a beauty consultant, then as a professional makeup artist — working for almost a decade across fashion, film, and photography. I loved the work, but it was exhausting, and I ended that chapter with burnout.

I took a break, but I still wanted to learn something new. By then, cosmetic management felt like a distant dream I no longer wanted. Still working as a consultant, I discovered Service Design — working with people to build new services sounded like a new one. I started a full-time course and immersed myself in UX and design thinking. It gave me a new direction, and I moved to Sweden hoping to build a career as a Service Designer.

That didn't happen. After two years of trying to land a full-time job — taking whatever work I could get, going to tech conferences and meetups — I burned out again, and this time  — started long-needed therapy. I began slowly questioning what I actually want to do.

Then 2020 hit, and everything stopped. Looking for something to restore my creativity, I applied to Hyper Island Stockholm — and got in. It felt like a real fresh start. But what should have been hands-on, in-person collaboration turned into eight hours a day in front of a screen. By that point, I'd been disappointed enough times that I was running low again.

I tried what I could: kept going to therapy, yoga, mindfulness and meditation. They helped. But I needed something physical — something I could do with my hands.

One evening, I was scrolling and came across a photo of a stone necklace. My first thought was: I could make that.. I want to make it!. It surprised me — for the first time in a long time, I felt inspired and excited. A bit random, but it also felt right.

So I bought materials and started experimenting. Then I made more. And more. Then people started asking if I'd sell some.

After graduating from Hyper Island and finishing an internship that led nowhere, 2022 brought more disasters and more uncertainty. That's when I decided: now or never. I registered Stones and Stuff Stockholm.

Looking back, it all makes sense. Jewellery ties together most of what I've done in my life. As a kid, I loved stones and crystals — attending mineral fairs with my parents, captivated by their colours, textures, and the way they caught the light. Later I worked through fashion and jewellery, developing in sales, dabbled in IT, and studied service design and content - I am fully equipped to run this company ;)

Jewellery gave me what a conventional career couldn't: freedom to create, work with my hands, and the satisfaction of building something entirely on my own. It became the thing I care about most.

I want this brand to feel like it's yours as much as mine — shaped by everyone who's part of it. That's reflected in how I run it:

• Every piece is named after the first person who bought it.
• Custom orders are always available, made specifically for you.
• I repair, remake, and upcycle old jewellery — giving forgotten materials a second life. Read about the services I offer.

And your ideas and feedback are always welcome.

Thank you for being here.

Julia

☻