About Ray of Sunshine Jewellery | Australian Handmade Gemstone Jewelry by Lapidary Artist Donna

Handmade Gemstone Jewellery with Heart, Soul & Legacy 🌊💎

Hi, I'm Donna—the heart, hands, and soul behind Ray of Sunshine Jewellery.

I create one-of-a-kind sterling silver and hand-cut gemstone jewellery on the Northern NSW Coast of Australia, inspired by the ocean, my late grandmother's legacy, and the quiet magic held within each stone.

Every piece I make is handmade, intentional, and deeply personal. No mass production. No templates. Just guided by feels. No two pieces are ever the same.

If you're looking for meaningful, heirloom-quality jewellery that feels like a hug in your hand, you're in the right place.

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A Legacy of Love, Stone by Stone 💙✨

My journey as a lapidary artist and silversmith began with my grandmother, Rayleen—affectionately known as Nan.

Nan was a gifted lapidary artist and silversmith who worked with recycled sterling silver, hand-cut gemstones, and natural materials. Growing up, I watched her hands transform raw silver and rough stones into something beautiful and meaningful.  She loved to travel our countryside fossicking and collecting all sorts of treasures, and proudly display them in her glass cabinets for us grandkids to admire.

When she passed, she left me her tools, her creativity, and a quiet spark that eventually grew into Ray of Sunshine Jewellery—named in her honour.

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It Started with a Box of Rocks and a Legacy... 

In 2016, after a family camping trip to Cape York, Queensland, and fossicking in an old abandoned gold mine, my husband said to me:

"You really should do something with that box of rocks and toolkit from your Nan."

So I did.  I contacted her old club and they told me of a local club in Lismore, about an hours drive from home.  I turned up not knowing much about gemstones or lapidary work—just knowing how much Nan loved it.  They have taught me all the basics and my creative journey has grown from there.

I cut my first Tiger Eye stone. It took me 6 hours to hand-shape and polish. I pulled over twice on the drive home just to admire it in the sunlight.

I was hooked then and there.  I truly felt like I had found my calling.

 

Here's a picture of my Nan with uncle Ray having a cuppa on the back deck.  I remember the confidence in her hands, her well-loved tools an extension of her skill as a gifted silversmith and lapidary artist.

 

 

The Process: Slow, Intentional, Guided by Feel 💎🌊

I hand-cut many of my gemstones myself using traditional lapidary techniques—no templates, no guides, just feel and intuition.

Cutting stones is my meditation. My mind release. My escape from the stress of work and life (I'm also a Registered Nurse when I'm not creating jewelry).  I truly get lost in the process.

It's messy work. Wet work. Rewarding work. And yes, I'm constantly trying not to cut my fingers off! 😄

Some stones are a dream to work with - like Chrysoprase, all the Quartz varieties, Rhodochrosite, Chrysocolla just to name a few.  They give me as much as I give them.

Others are temperamental:

• Madagascar Labradorite and Moonstone have color bars that are 180 degrees opposite on the back—get the angles right, and you see shimmer on both sides. Cut at the wrong angle, and there's no flash, just a grey mass.
• Opal is delicate—you find the color bar and have to be so careful not to go too deep, or you lose all the color completely.
• Amazonite has a shimmer bar too, like moonlight dancing across the water, and I coax it to the surface with patience and care.
• Tiger Eye has the same shimmer effect, but it's much easier to find and keep.
• Larimar needs to be cut at a particular angle and that lovely blue hue is only found under the dirty edges of the rock, the centre is a pearly white shimmer that looks like an eye.

The moment I know I've found the magic inside each stone, I get all excited—it's like a rush of joy and deeply rewarding. I just know a stone is finished when I smile, when I just know it's done and I'm truly happy with it.

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Inspired by the Ocean, Shaped by Love 🌊💙

For part of the year, my husband and I are very fortunate to live on our sailing boat, and crusie the Australian coast. The ocean grounds me. When I'm on or near the water, I feel at peace.

My love for the sea flows into every piece I create:

• Hammered ring bands that ripple like water and small waves dancing across the ocean
• Hand-forged ear wires inspired by the natural swirl of Shiva shells found on our local beaches
• Ocean motifs like sea turtles, whale tails, and waves—each one hand-shaped from a single strand of silver wire or leftover scraps.

My sea turtle designs support the Keppel Turtle Fund on Great Keppel Island in the Barrier Reef, where my jewellery helps fund their incredible conservation work.

My whale tail designs were born from a beautiful mistake—I was trying to create a friendship piece (two halves of a moon), and when it fell apart, it landed like a whale tail. I kept it. Now, they remind me of the miracle of sailing alongside whales, hearing them sing underwater, feeling them swim beneath us in just 6 meters of water. It's scary and beautiful at the same time, just like life.  We only get one life, so we need to do what we love.

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One-of-a-Kind, Always ✨💎

Every piece I create is truly one-of-a-kind because:

✅ Some gemstones are hand-cut by me using traditional lapidary techniques—shaped by feel, not templates, so no two are ever identical.

✅ Some stones are raw and left as nature intended—unpolished, organic, and beautifully imperfect.

✅ Some gemstones are sourced from other talented lapidary artists—carefully selected for their unique character, color, and energy.

✅ Some are tumbled stones—smooth, polished, and ready to be wrapped in sterling silver.

Every stone gets its own design. I let the stone guide me, and the silver flows snugly around it with intention and care.

I only work with recycled sterling silver, and every piece is stamped with my little dash of sunshine ☀️ and hallmarked 925 for authenticity.

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What Makes Ray of Sunshine Jewellery Different? 🌞💙

If you're wondering what sets my jewellery apart, here's the truth:

✅ Handmade in Australia by an awesome lapidary artist and silversmith (me!)
✅ One-of-a-kind designs—no mass production, no templates, no duplicates
✅ Hand-cut gemstones no rush, shaped only by feels and intuition
✅ Recycled sterling silver—eco-friendly and sustainable
✅ Ocean-inspired motifs—sea turtles, whale tails, waves, and swirls
✅ Signature hand-forged ear wires—inspired by Shiva shells, lightweight, hardened sterling silver wire and so comfortable, your ears will thank you.
✅ Made with love, legacy, and intention—every piece carries the energy of my Nan's tools and my own hands

My jewellery isn't just beautiful—it's meaningful. It's wearable art that connects you to the ocean, to nature, and to something deeply real.

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A Little Ray of Sunshine... 🌞💙

Ray of Sunshine Jewellery is named in honor of my Nan, Rayleen, and my slogan—"a little Ray of Sunshine will brighten up your day"—is my promise to every person who wears my work:

You're not just wearing jewellery. You're carrying light, legacy, and love.

When you wear one of my pieces, I want you to feel:

• Grounded when you're feeling scattered
• Radiant when you need a boost
• Safe when you're overwhelmed
• Seen when you feel invisible
• Not alone—like you're carrying a little guardian angel with you

My jewellery is a toolbox for the soul. You don't wear the same piece every day because you're not the same person every day. You choose the stone that matches your mood, your energy, what you need in that moment.

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Thank You for Being Here 🌊💎✨

Thank you for taking the time to read my story, to learn about my Nan, and to understand what makes Ray of Sunshine Jewellery so special.  To dive a little deeper, follow the links below...

If you're ready to find a piece that feels like it was made just for you, I'd love to help.

Shop Hand-Cut Creations →
Shop Latest Collection →
How I hand-cut gemstones →
Reviews Testimonials & Heartfelt Comments →

 

Cheers,

Donna 🌞💙
Lapidary Artist, Silversmith & Ocean Lover
Ray of Sunshine Jewellery
Northern NSW Coast, Australia