It’s all about costumes this week as Josie heads to New York and is getting a costume together for The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Talking of costume jewellery, their guest this week is Sophie Adler Mckean who tells us the story of her great aunt Mimi, who came to the UK via Greece as a refugee escaping Austria before the war. Mimi’s father set up a factory making the metal parts of bailey bridges, which later became a factory making parts for jewellery called Jewelcraft. When it was taken over by Corocraft, Mimi became the head jewellery designer, relocating the factory to Crawley. Mimi was often in the press and was called ‘One of London’s most glamorous business women.’  Sophie shows us lots of Mimi’s incredible necklaces, earrings and brooches and talks about how her family donated some of the spectacular pieces to the V&A. Do look at the pictures on our Instagram page. Inheriting Mimi’s creative and entrepreneurial streak, Sophie is a performer as well as having a wonderful catering business. Find out more at www.superdoux.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for an inspiring and uplifting chat with our guest, best-selling author Freya North to kick off the new season. After taking her son to University, Freya was reminded of her own experience of leaving home for the first time and wrote her sixteenth novel, ‘The Unfinished Business of Edie Browne’. She describes it as a love letter to youth and also a love letter to a time and a place. Set in Manchester in the late 80’s in the golden age of clubbing, Freya talks candidly about that time and how it inspired her to write her moving tale about friendship. After back surgery in 2016, Freya took up cycling and talks about the joy of discovering a new hobby and the very special community that has come into her life as a result. A country girl at heart, she shows us the little silver horse that her father gave her as a child. Not a jewellery wearer as she now lives on a farm, she shows us her very special tanzanite ring - the rarest gem stone in the world and how she came to design it. She also describes how things have come a full circle and how her vintage watch has recently started working again. As well as her hugely successful Instagram chats with other authors, #wednesdaywriters, Freya is also raising money for the Book Trust with The Book Lovers Journal - which she has created as the perfect gift for anyone who loves books.  freyanorth.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for some seaside fun as Alice and Josie wrap up Season 4 and look back on our inspirational guests and the nuggets of wisdom they’ve shared from ‘being more sloth’ to ‘never listening to the no’s’.  In a series where we’ve been talking bout re-invention, we’ve heard about the ingenious ways in which our guests have used their circumstances to take a different path to success - all of them flying the flag for women. Along the way, we discuss the post exam holiday mayhem, Love Supreme festival, Alice’s jaunt to Bergerac for a wedding as well as her tips for keeping your jewellery shiny.  And at the end of it all, we take a much needed plunge in the sea.  Happy summer! See you for Season 5 soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Jo Tutchener, who founded her amazing company Scamp and Dude after a life-changing brain haemorrhage made her completely reassess her life. She realised that if she were to die, she hadn’t done enough to help people and vowed that if she got better, she’d do something to make a difference. Terrified of leaving her young sons when she went into brain surgery, the idea of the Superhero Sleep Buddies was born. This was quickly followed by a clothing line for kids, all with the superpower button embroidered on the sleeve so kids could press it to feel better when they were scared or had to be away. Scamp and Dude launched into Liberty along with women’s sweatshirts also with the embroidered bolt. They were so popular they sold out instantly. Now Jo’s women’s collection has sky-rocketed and she’s expanded into stores around the country. But more than just a clothing brand, Scamp and Dude has become a community with women flocking to the stores and the Scamp and Dooders Facebook page.  Jo has also launched the superpower-infused printed scarfs and for every one sold, one is gifted to a woman going through chemotherapy. So far Jo has sent out over 45,000.  Thoughtful and passionate about her business and family, Jo shows us her most prized possession - a small pot of solid perfume from her Mum,  as well as a set of lucky charms that she was gifted when she went in for her surgery. Jo says she’s a believer in the power of positivity and that it’s never too late to make a change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, meet journalist and broadcaster, Bibi Lynch. Starting out as a performer and cabaret star, Bibi has never taken a conventional route. Realising she was better at writing than singing, she jostled herself into journalism, working in magazines, then on into TV, followed by a prolific career broadcasting and now podcasting. She’s fearlessly used her platform to shine a light on important subjects as hidden homelessness, grief, dating and being childless with humour and honesty.  Now at 58, she says she’s at a stage where she’s bringing all of the strands of her career together, doing lots of live events, writing a book and working on several more podcasts.  Bibi shows us her special diamond ring from her Dad, her vintage A-Z and a toy monkey that she says she cuddles all night. Find out more at bibilynch.com and @bibilynch on Insta and Twitter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reinventing from a career in the entertainment industry in L.A. to creating the fastest growing underwear brand in the UK, Lemonade Dolls, we’re delighted to meet the inspirational Lemon Fuller.  Lemon is on a mission to create comfortable, fun and stylish underwear with inclusivity and diversity at the heart of her business. She is passionate about representing as many women as possible and explains how important sustainability is to her. With no background in fashion or business, Lemon went to drama school but says that is her superpower, as she does things her own way and refuses to take no for an answer.  Lemon shows us her show-stopping statement YSL ring that her friends clubbed together to buy her for her 30th birthday, a precious chain from her Mum as well as her brand new diamond engagement ring, Fizzing with energy and positivity, Lemon is a force for change and has just launched the ‘Swing It Girls’ campaign, encouraging the twenty percent of women who are undecided to vote. Find her products at www.lemonadedolls.com and on Insta @lemonadedolls Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s all about books this week, as Josie receives the proof copies of her new novel, Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency and presents one to Alice. We have a special guest, author Eve Chase, who has been hailed as the modern Daphne Du Maurier. Her gripping new book, The Midnight Hour is set between Notting Hill in 1998, (when the movie was being filmed) and the present day when a devastating family secret is in danger of being revealed. Eve talks candidly about her route to being an Internationally best-selling, prize-winning author and reveals some wisdom about her writing process and how she makes her books so layered. Happily married, Eve tells us the stories behind the beautiful rings, the filigree gold sun pendant her husband bought her, and the antique art deco diamanté bracelet she wore on her wedding day. Eve says that being a writer isn’t lonely as she has so many characters in her head, but it is insular. Which is why she cherishes her author friends and shows us the gold birdcage necklace, gifted from her friend Sarah Vaughan. The Midnight Hour is out in hardback on June 27th. Find Eve Chase on Instagram and Facebook @evepollychase. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re foodies this week with the co-founder of Bill’s restaurant, Tania Webb. With decades of experience in the restaurant business, she’s lived and worked worldwide, being responsible for creating some amazing restaurant concepts. But back in her home town of Lewes, she spotted the opportunity when her brother-in-law Bill had a veg shop and fate, the big Lewes flood, conspired to make them set up a restaurant together.  The rest is history, with Bill’s becoming a High Street favourite nationwide. In recent years Tania has set up another Brighton institution, Marmalade with which she's carried on her love of nourishing, fresh and healthy home-cooked food. Tania shows us the Rolex she bought for herself when she made it in Hong Kong and the sparkly ring she's never taken off which connects her to her Mum. Down to earth and inspiring, Tania is proof that following your passion and hard work gets results.https://www.cafemarmalade.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re all about wellbeing this week, as Josie returns from a retreat in Spain. We talk to very special guest @nicolaelliottneom founder of @neomwellbeing She talks us through her journey from working in glossy magazines to realising her ambition to be an entrepreneur. When she started suffering from anxiety and realised she wasn’t taking care of herself, she started blending essential oils to help her and her friends.  Starting out with a business selling four candles she’s grown Neom into a multi-national global empire and the biggest wellbeing platform in the UK. As well launching her new book ‘Four Ways To Wellbeing’, Nicola is passionate about getting the right work-life balance, especially for women, and encourages budding entrepreneurs with her Instagram Live interviews. She says her secret is to do less and to be more sloth. She shows us her Cartier love bangles and the ‘biting jewel’ she inherited from her grandmother - still with the bite marks in!  Visit her Neom stores or go online at www.neomwellbeing.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re being luvvies this week and talking theatrics as Alice embraces a dozen shows in one weekend at the Brighton festival. Our guest is Theatre Director of the iconic Theatre Royal in Brighton.  Sophie talks us through her fascinating job and the huge restoration project the theatre is undergoing, as well as some of the fascinating history including the inside scoop on the resident ghosts. Taking after her eccentric grandmother, Christiana, who worked in the theatre, Sophie started working as an usher selling ice creams at the age of seventeen and has never left the theatre.  She tells us the stories behind her grandmother’s jewellery and how she’s learnt that if you work very hard and are very nice to people, it’s amazing what you can achieve. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alice and Josie are springing into summer with jumpsuits and fake Chanel. They are joined by glamorous guest, Josephine Pembroke who shares her incredible journey from being the naughtiest girl at school to getting chucked out of drama school to setting up her girl band Pussies Galore and taking Soho by storm in the early 90’s. After a stint working in radio, she set up Radio Gorgeous in 2009 which has become the longest running female podcast in Britain. During lockdown, newly single, Josephine re- invented again and says she’s now in the best season of her life. She tells us about her new one-woman show, ‘Dinner Darlings Dinner’ which she’s performing at the Brighton Festival. Along with the most bling diamond costume ring, Josephine show us her granny’s gold wedding ring, which she uses to help her make life decisions. Funny and inspiring, Josephine says if you want anything in life you have to rely on yourself. http://lanterntheatrebrighton.co.uk/dinner-darlings-dinner/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kicking off Season Four, Alice and Josie are delighted to interview former editor-in-Chief of Elle, Sunday Times Style and Cosmopolitan and co-host of the phenomenally successful podcast, Postcards From Midlife, Lorraine Candy. In her latest book, 'What’s Wrong With Me’ from Unravelling to Reinvention, A Midlife Memoir, Lorraine tackles everything from empty nest, career reinvention, sex, marriage, brain fog, burnout, perimenopause and menopause. With advice from experts, celebrities and personal stories, Lorraine is a torch-bearer for this liberating and transformational new stage of life. Funny, inspirational and full of tips, Lorraine shares her own challenges, how she combats stress and has learnt to embrace change. Currently undergoing a process of shedding, Lorraine says she’s not sentimental and isn’t a hoarder of jewellery or keepsakes, but she shares the touching stories behind the three items she’d save in a fire, including an ashtray she had to buy from Tiffany’s for Donatella Versace. So if you need some advice and inspiration about your own reinvention, then do listen in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest, journalist, radio and TV presenter Daisy McAndrew is a Royal Commentator for NBC the big American network, so her work is cut out with their obsession with our royal family. Daisy shares some of her stories from her fascinating career, including what it was like to report on the late Queen’s death. But politics is her first love she shares how, at the age of 13 she wanted to be a spy and that led to her working in the Houses of Parliament at 19, then her career took her to the BBC and ITV. Now, a broadcaster of over 20 years, Daisy has interviewed nearly every prime minister and has her own politics show on Talk TV.  She describes what it’s like to be on screen and the harsh public scrutiny that comes with that, but how she’s got more confident as she’s got older with her fashion choices. A committed shopaholic, Daisy says her wardrobe, jewellery and accessories collection is embarrassingly large, but that she’s a ‘more is more’ kind of girl.  However, she’s very practical and buys and sells everything on eBay and Vinted.  Having been the victim of several burglaries, she buys costume jewellery and, following in the footsteps of her father, believes that antiques are the way forward. She tells us the story of her treasured antique diamond  ring that her friends clubbed together to buy her for her fiftieth. She also shows us the round pendant with pearls and rubies gifted from her mum to her dad. Her every day jewellery includes three rings, she never takes off, including her wedding ring, a ring from her late cousin,Janey, plus a gift from her daughter, a gold and silver ring with an amethyst.  She showed us her many perspex colour-co-ordinated jewellery boxes full of drawers filled with necklaces, rings and earrings in every colour.  With so much choice at her fingertips, Daisy loves a bold statement necklace for her TV show, which she says often raises a few eyebrows and cause a problem with the sound engineer who has to get the microphone just below her chin. Savvy, funny, down-to-earth and full of common-sense advice, Daisy shares her fashion top tips as well as her life hacks to find confidence in what you do, and to stop caring what others think. You can find Daisy on Vinted @DMCA1234 Insta @daisymac1 and on X @daisymcandrew. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are 27 armed conflicts in the world going on right now and this week we’re talking to Sara Bowcutt, the Managing Director of Women For Women UK, an incredible charity that invests in the power and potential of women affected by war. The charity enrols women into a twelve month programme and helps them by supporting their health and well-being, teaching them about their rights, gives them practical skills and business training so that they can start to earn and save money. Sara describes how these women, often in the most war-torn, poverty-stricken places in the world, find hope and strength in the sisterhood the programme helps create. Sara’s awe-inspiring life involves travelling to far off countries to meet and support these displaced women and their families, then a few days later organise and attend glamorous events and meet high-end brands and individuals in order to raise much needed funds to support the charity. This is how I became involved and was invited to Kosovo to pass on my skills and meet these incredible women affected by war, whose stories inspired me to make the @W4WI 'share a hug' collection. The proceeds of which help support the charity.Sara talked very movingly about her work and then shared the stories behind her dainty and chunky pieces that mean the most to her, including some of the 'She Dares' beaded bracelets each made by a woman in one of the programmes, as well as the beautiful vintage diamond ring which she bought for herself, when she achieved her dream. Someone who firmly believes in the sisterhood, Sara says that all of her most meaningful jewellery pieces were gifted to her by the special women in her life. This is an enlightening episode and well worth a visit.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A podcast full of sunshine with photographer, director and videographer Jerome Maas, who talks to us from Cape Town. He’s living his dream life, shooting campaigns for International travel and lifestyle brands. Born in the US, but growing up in the UK, Jerome describes how his childhood was inspired by his parents’ monthly subscription to National Geographic magazine and says he was always the kid with a camera. A business entrepreneur, Jerome found his future path was shattered when Covid hit and he had to fold his agency and lay off all his staff. But always seeing a silver lining, in 2022 he took the brave decision to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a photographer, getting his first gig in Brazil. And he’s never looked back.  He believes in a flow state and that the trick to life is to find that thing that comes most naturally to you and that when you’re in it, time just disappears. Always on the move, Jerome describes how he’s cut down on having lots of stuff, but jewellery is his non-essential item that he wears everywhere, and he describes the stories behind his treasured silver rings.  Find out more at www.jeromemaas.com Insta: @jeromemaas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Alice and Josie as they debrief about Mother's Day and the Oscars. They're also talking about puppy training with Pickle, and Alice learning to interpret tail signals in the park. Plus, Josie gives her verdict on her cultural weekend which included Dune II and The Duchess Of Malfi. And, with a sixteenth birthday on the horizon Alice and Josie discuss the etiquette of shooting people in Laser Zone.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alice and Josie are looking back at the inspirational women they’ve interviewed in this series so far, and are talking about International Women’s Day.  With it being awards season and the Oscars coming up, they’re discussing their love of movies and Alice’s continued love affair with the Barbie movie and her Oscar favourite, Poor Things. Our guest, Denise Parkinson is no stranger to the red carpet and, in fact, often gets to watch a movie a day. A marketing guru in the Film Industry, Denise is a Bafta voter and regularly rubs shoulders with the likes of Christopher Nolan and Julianne Moore. She shares her Oscars gossip, plus her red carpet routine, from shopping for her glamorous dresses in charity shops and TK Max, to her daily yoga classes. Denise who is often too busy to think about jewellery is never without her precious old-school Omega watch and her diamond studs. Her special keepsakes include her lanyards from the Apollo 11 anniversary at Nasa and the gorgeous brooches she wears with her handbags on the red carpet. One of life’s survivors, Denise is living life to the fullest and doing some extreme travelling whilst her knees are good, from Machu Pichu to Everest basecamp to trecking in Bhutan. She says her life hack is to adopt an ‘I Tonya’ like mentality and to stay hungry.  And also 'to keep on keeping on'. Check out Denise on Insta @denparkinson @deniseparkinson on FB. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet the delightful Adele Parks, author of 24 internationally bestselling novels, from family dramas, historical sagas to psychological thrillers.  Her latest, Just Between Us, out in paperback at the end of March is an unputdownable page-turner about a missing female bigamist and the two devastated families she has left behind.Having always had a vivid imagination as a child and being fascinated by people, Adele is a born writer. She shares her creative process, from her discipline of daily word count to her tips for character development.  Plus, she shares her secret hack for getting young people to read.  In 2022, she thought it was a prank at first when she was offered an MBE and deleted the email. When she realised it was real, she went to the palace and met the King, receiving her medal for her services to literacy through her charitable work.Very close to her grandparents and great grandparents, Adele tells us the touching story of collecting charms for the precious bracelet they gave her. They also inspired her love of crockery and her hobby of taking vintage plates and adorning them with feminist pictures and slogans. Inspiring, funny and down to earth, Adele says life is not about being happy so much as finding your purpose. Find her on instagram @adele_parks and on X and Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After artist Mary Jane Ansell was a guest last week, Alice has been collecting some of her favourite things - ones that might possibly appear in a portrait. She shows Josie her grandmother's religious relic - a fancy glass case apparently containing saints ashes. Unlike the rest of her family who find the whole concept rather spooky, Alice says 'Saint Carlos' brings her luck. We discuss getting to the end of February, mother's day on the horizon, daughters returning from far flung climbs and, of course, Princess Pickle, the podcast puppy.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we meet celebrated portrait artist Mary Jane Ansell whose incredible life-like paintings are in the National Portrait Gallery (newly revamped and well worth a visit if you haven't been). She also exhibits in New York and LA, taking commissions from some of the world’s richest art collectors. She’s a very old friend of Alice’s from the earliest days of Posh Totty Designs when Alice was exhibiting in the Open Houses here in Brighton. Talking to us from her farm house in Wales, Mary Jane describes how she persevered with her passion for portraiture at college in an era when it was very out of fashion. She describes the process of how her portraits develop, from choosing her models, to the first sitting, how she discovers the background story of each of her subjects, to the big reveal. Fascinating and wise, Mary Jane says that if she were to sit for her own portrait, she’d wear her Abby Mosseri tourmaline ring and necklace that she bought for herself when she became successful. Please do check out her work on @maryjaneansell or www.maryjaneansell.com  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the new year well under way, we're talking about the new trend of habit stacking (Alice is weaning herself off sugar in her tea) plus Alice's first ever viral Tik-Tok post. Puppy excitement is building with the imminent arrival of Pickle, the podcast puppy and Josie dispenses some advice on how to prepare. So grab yourself a cuppa and join us for a natter. And please do get in touch @showusyourbitspodcast on Insta and Facebook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Fashion Episode - with Claire Ginzler.Alice and Josie have dressed up to record this week’s episode with fashion guru Claire Ginzler, stylist to the stars.  As a teen, Claire loved The Clothes Show and went to the London College of Fashion before falling into fashion buying, which is how she got into bra fitting. She now makes videos called Tips For Tits which empowers women to get the right fitting bra. Amongst others, Claire styles Bake-off star, Prue Leith and says as we get older, like Prue, we all need colour for our skin tone and need to experiment with print. Working with the movement Ageism Is Never In Style, Claire aims to give older women body confidence and says how important it is to love your body as it is right now, not as it might be or how it was.  Effortlessly stylish herself, Claire’s jewellery is all spiritually connected to her - from her serpents snake ring which she never takes off, her Hackney Chain Ring from Louise Wade and her big G’ ring. She’s also starting her own trend by dressing up her every day jeans and T-shirt look with her late mother’s layered pearls. With all the noise and social media we’re all bombarded with, Claire’s top tip is to trust your instinct and your inner voice. And always dress up. Even if it’s just to go to the shops.Find Claire’s #TipsForTits on Instagram and follow her @claireginzler Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following Miley Cyrus's performance of Flowers at The Grammy's, Alice and Josie are talking about female empowerment this Valentine's day, and all things self-love. Ahead of the guest on Friday's podcast, fashion stylist Claire Ginzler, they discuss their own fashion faux pas - including Alice's pink pvc trousers and Josie's inappropriate funeral dress with a thigh-length slit. Join them for a natter and if you have any stories you'd like to share, please do get in contact on Instagram or Facebook @showusyourbits podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Alice and Josie discuss the social embarrassment of unexpected visitors popping in and finding crumbs on the surfaces, plates in the sink and pants on the floor.Our special guest is podcast royalty and veteran journalist, Marianne Jones. She candidly talks about moving ‘kicking and screaming’ from London to Sevenoaks which she describes as a ‘Gilet, with a fun lining kind of a place'. She found herself bonding over a designer coatigan with mid-fluencer Kat Farmer. When Marianne interviewed Kat about her book, ‘Get Changed’ their chemistry was instant, and the number one podcast ‘Been There, Done That, Got The Podcast’ was born.Before the podcast Marianne says she was busy having a burnout, having been an journalist since the age of seventeen, moving from local papers, to features editor at Marie Claire, then editor at More magazine, (which Alice fondly remembers for position of the fortnight). Eventually she was an editor at the Daily Mirror and then went on to launched Grazia in the UK and Stella Magazine for the Telegraph. But over the years, Marianne has seen huge changes in journalism and was brave enough to pivot into an exciting new career. She is a champion of the midlife demographic and how women shouldn’t just be defined by their hormones and the menopause. ‘We’re the very desirable filling in the sandwich,' she says and brands need to wake up.Marianne adores jewellery and she describes her love of Tiffany. She touchingly tells us how her husband surprised her on her wedding day with a Tiffany heart ring and necklace.  She talks bout Joe, her eldest son and how he discovered jewellery design through YouTube and has pursued a career, working in the oldest jewellery quarter in Birmingham. He designed what will undoubtedly be a precious family heirloom - a beautiful gold maltese cross for Marianne’s Maltese mother, for her eightieth birthday, sourcing gold and a ruby from Malta.  Warm, funny and wise, Marianne says that your love affair has to be with your work. She talks about how important it is to find your thing, and to not be afraid of getting there by unconventional routes. She's proof that unexpected joys come when you carry on being curious and learn something new, even if it’s scary. @mariannejonesuk @ gotthepodcast, @doesmybumlook40 @tiffanyandco @sevenoaks_literary_festival @graziauk @elsaperetti.officialHashtags #femalepodcasters #midlifeinfluencers #midlifewomen #midlife #midlifecareerchange #engagementring #neurodiversity #jewellerydesign #tiffanyheartnecklace Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alice and Josie catch up on the week and natter about falling off the wagon, getting bitten by a dog and being glad to see the back of January. Along the way, they discuss the pressure put on their kids around knowing what they want to do in life, and their own personal joy when it comes to winging it and learning on the job. They also get excited about their upcoming interview with podcast royalty, Marianne Jones, from Been There, Done That, Got The Podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re getting into women’s empowerment this week. Alice discusses her second viewing of the Barbie film (involved a party, obvs!) and we talk to our guest, Jess Rad founder of @thewomen_hood which was born out of a desire to connect women through the unspoken challenges of womanhood. Jess describes how she accidentally set up a WhatsApp group to connect women in her local area which, from humble beginnings, has become a huge business resource in Brighton with women finding each other jobs, getting business and connecting in the most positive of ways.  Her mission is to bring women together to share their stories about everything from miscarriage to menopause to mental health, to confidence, sex and money. She built a business of live events called Unspoken Women which she took online during Covid and is now a Podcast. Jess shows us her lovely jewellery that reminds her of her family including the David Morris ring her Dad gave her for her twenty-first which he gave so that she could sell it for a plane ticket home when she went travelling. A keen Otillo Swim Run enthusiast, Jess is intrepid, brave and totally inspiring, Jess made us feel like we can all rule the world. @davidmorrisjeweller @thewomen_hood @msjessrad#unspokenwomen #barbiemovie #whoruntheworldgirls #womanhood  #earlymenopause  #Brighton #connectingwomen #navigatingwomanhood #supportingwomen #adhdwomen #womenempowerment #seaswimming #swimrun #unspokenwomenlive #miscarriagesupport #davidmorris Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we bring you the magic of poetry, with our inspirational guest David Attree who is a spoken word performer, as well as a broadcaster, charity fundraiser, long distance cyclist and a paralympi-parent supporting his daughter, Fabs, a GB wheelchair racer On the show, he describes his transformation following serious heart surgery and a stroke and brings along his special keepsake - a Fisher Space Pen. Carrying it everywhere he goes, David tells the touching story of how he came to own it in 2010 and how, since then, he’s been inspired to write and perform poetry. He tells us about the poetry takeaway - a takeaway snack van with three poets inside who cook up poems on the spot. Becoming a poetry chef has given him some extraordinary insights into people's deepest feelings. We were lucky enough to put him on the spot and he kindly recited his poem, 'Appetite' which was on BBC Upload. Giving himself the challenge of writing a poem inspired by the first word he heard on the radio, this thoughtful mediation on creativity will particularly appeal to anyone who has ever experienced writer’s block. David can be heard on The week in words on Allison Fern's BBC Radio show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scandal, duplicity and secrets with our special guest New Yorker, Donna Freed who is a journalist and writer living in London and the founder of Radio Gorgeous, the longest running all-female podcast. On today’s episode, she tells us the story of discovering she was adopted when she was six years old, but was never able to discuss it with her family. When her adoptive mother died in 2009 Donna set out to track down her birth mother. What she discovered was truly shocking - that she was the daughter of a pair of infamous con artists, at the heart of one of the biggest true crime stories to grip the USA in the 1960s. Donna has recently written a memoir, 'Duplicity' which the New York Times described as reading like a thriller. Donna says her jewellery is like tattoos for her, each piece having an origin story and a special place in her heart. She opens her bold and fabulous jewellery box to show us her bits - each ring bearing a special memory of her fascinating family. Funny, irreverent and wise, Donna’s attitude of 'just going for it' is truly inspiring. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alice and Josie are back with a January catch up after Christmas and New Year. Alice shares her 'show us your bits' moment after a skiing mishap, whilst Josie discusses losing her grasp on tech and feeling exposed, having accidentally wiped her entire laptop. But excited to be back in their podcasting seats, they are excited about the season ahead which is full of fascinating guests ready to open their jewellery boxes and share the stories behind their precious keepsakes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Alice is over-exuberant at an auction and comes home with a giant giraffe. Josie discusses the art of hanging pictures and the perilous Poundland frames on her stairs. Our guest is our friend and phenomenal artist, Natasha Kissell, who tells us about her journey from being an unpopular student at the Royal Academy to earning her place as a YBA, when Charles Saatchi bought her entire final show. She now exhibits her unique landscape paintings in galleries all over Europe. And, as if that wasn’t enough, along with her teaching and musical life, she also paints spectacular murals. Natasha has a fabulously unconventional and bold sense of style and in her jewellery box, she shows us the huge Alexander McQueen skull ring she received to celebrate the birth of her daughter, Lux. She also shows us her late mother’s jewellery from South Africa and how these statement pieces, with big painted beads and beaten metals, give her a precious link to her past and her mother’s glamorous swimming pool parties in the 1970s.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Alice and Josie are entranced by exotic places and having been marvelling at David Attenborough's Planet Earth III. Alice shares her amazing holiday-of-a-lifetime story about swimming with Whales in Tonga, and they both have a laugh at their misadventures when getting out of the water... never a good look! Someone who has travelling to exotic places down to a fine art, is lifestyle writer Sara Darling, who shares her globetrotting tales and her tips on rotating bikinis. She show us her 'guardian angel' constellation necklace by Chupi and how a cheeky smile has helped her be bold in almost every situation. @wordsbydarling@1stclassdarling Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're getting loved up this week, as Josie and Alice share their wedding proposal stories - the first and second times! We have Dream Transition Mentor, Laura Cruise as our special guest. Josie and Laura met at the Postcards From Midlife Live event and hit it off straight away. She tells us about her mentoring business helping women to pursue and realise their dreams. She talks about what holds people back, our fears and how to make things happen when life gets in the way. She's written a brilliant book, packed with advice called 'Dream It and Do It: Six Steps Into Your Own Dream Life and Business'. Forthright and funny, Laura also shares her own inspiring proposal story.https://lauracruise.com/academyhttps://amzn.eu/d/a6MusBlhttps://yourdreamormine.buzzsprout.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alice and Josie have a rummage through Alice's jewellery box for inspiration for Alice's new collection focussed on lucky charms. Special guest - the brilliantly named Henny Swan - talks about her accessibility consultancy and the work she does to ensure websites and apps work for disabled people. She reveals how her decision to be bold resulted in her fabulously romantic marriage to a lost love. Plus, how an eccentric uncle, whose famous catchphrase 'Consider Yourself Kissed', became a CYK inscription on pieces of jewellery for her whole family during lockdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alice and Josie chat about the joy of community and singing in their local choir together. They discuss why they’re definitely dog people (after mates of Alice’s came to stay for the weekend with their cat) and how walking the dog is a good way to meet people. Special guest, Lindsey Clay talks candidly about finding herself single in Brighton in her forties and why she set up Connected Brighton, www.connectedbrighton.com, a peer-to-peer social network which empowers people to live a better life. In an age where we’re more digitally connected than ever, but more physically disconnected, she’s passionate about helping to stop people feeling lonely. She hosts safe, inclusive dinners and boujie bespoke events in Brighton and her business is going from strength to strength. All about authenticity, Lindsay shares her lovely home-made motivational cards and jewellery with hidden personal messages. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josie and Alice talk about going from shabby to shiny, decorating and colour conundrums. They are joined by fashionista, ex-agent,TV publicist and serial manuscript writer, Melanie Cantor who chats about her life as an author and her latest book 'The Fuck It List'. Irreverent, chatty and with a uniquely flamboyant style, Melanie talks about her love of dressing up and her Punk Pensioner instagram feed. She shows us her Fuck It earrings and the candlesticks her Grandfather stuffed with stones to up their weight. Melanie firmly believes in being bold and saying 'fuck it' to age and other people's expectations. Truly an inspiration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What would happen if you found a bit of history in your attic. In this episode of Show Us Your Bits, Josie and Alice talk to Joanna Osbourne and her link to Lady Di. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maximalists Alice and Josie discuss their love of charity shops and talk to wonder-woman, photo-journalist and story teller Hazel Thompson. As well as tales from her hair-raising twelve-year passion-project to uncover sex trafficking in India, Hazel and Alice talk about their charity mission to help the women in war-torn Kosovo with the incredible charity Women for Women International which led to the ‘Share A Hug’ necklace.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jangly bangles with messages, including Richard Curtis’s love tokens for his wife and Josie’s ‘Mumma bear’ message from her kids (not that they like being called kids anymore). Brighton jeweller and gold specialist Rebekah Ann tells the story behind her self-engagement ring, plus the joy of sea-swimming, finding beauty in imperfection, and the Japanese art of Wabi Sabi and Kintsugi.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Magpies Josie and Alice discuss being superstitious, lucky knickers and their adventures in Vegas. Elder Goth Jane Wilkes talks about taking up running aged 49 and being the inspiration for a character in Josie’s novel. She discusses her life-long attraction to the macabre and spooky and her fame as a YouTuber for her makeup tutorials. She talks Alice and Josie through her impressive rings, tattoos and unique style, her belief in never being too old to try something new and her love of wild flowers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 What not to do when you lose a diamond in a swimming pool, the mistaken symbol on Alice’s signet ring (turns out she’s not posh after all) and a glimpse behind the scenes at the museum, with Met Gala queen Rory Kotin, society calligrapher to the stars. Rory who has spent nearly forty years perfecting the art of writing name cards, place holders and the fancy menus for royalty and A-listers alike, brings the bling with her rings. She also tells the moving story of the friendship behind some of the keepsakes in her jewellery box. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.