If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it...

1. Disa Allsopp 2. Liz Oppenheim 3. Hattie Rickards 4. Annina Vogel

So T did the safe thing and didn't choose a ring for me. As I'm not a massive 'ring person' I knew this was going to be a tricky one, knowing more the things I DON'T like than the things I do.

I set about looking around and the rings above really caught my eye, I particularly love the Victorian studded fox ring from Annina Vogel, but a niggling feeling made me think that on this occasion I should probably sit on the more conventional side of taste (boooo - but in theory I will be wearing this for the rest of my life!).

I decided it would be nice to try and find a local designer/maker, and after several disappointing web searches, I finally came across Kate Bajic via the Made in Leicestershire website.

This is the one my engagement ring will be based on...eak!

We met with Kate (a very lovely lady, fyi) and talked about how she could work the design I liked into an engagement ring with a small stone setting. I decided I wanted either an aquamarine or a sapphire.

In the meantime, I've been wearing a Disney-Princess-esque costume ring, which I have to say I've grown quite attached to. However, and super excitingly, we are heading over to Kate's in the morning to 'View The Stones', which sounds very grand despite the fact they will be only around 2mm in diameter!

Very exciting anyway, I can't wait to see the finished article, and I'll post it here too when it's finished!

Em xxx

EDIT: We picked the stone!!! Kate's house is a-ma-zing...but if you were interested, I chose a cabochon sapphire. Aqua marine was lovely but would just fade away in it's setting, and the cut sapphire just didn't look....real, if that makes sense. The cabochon was just right, and almost matches the colour of my eyes. Not long to wait for it now!