Paula Gonzalez loves all things retro. When the Port Moody–based jewellery designer talks about antiquing, her eyes light up and she becomes more animated. "Everything that is old has very powerful energy for me," says the enthusiastic Gonzalez over lunch at a South Granville café.

Unfortunately, there aren’t a huge number of people on the lookout for that perfect vintage find in her hometown of Medellí­n, Colombia. According to Gonzalez, people there are generally more interested in keeping up with the latest fashion trends than mixing some old in with the new. And the few antique shops there are so over-the-top high-end that most people can’t afford to shop in them. That’s why when Gonzalez and her young family immigrated to B.C. seven years ago, she felt like she had hit the mother lode. She still remembers the first time she went second-hand shopping here.

"I went to Main [Street], and the place was just amazing for me," recalls Gonzalez, who was on the hunt for some new-old furniture at the time. "It was like a fantasy."

So it’s not surprising that the mother of two turned to thrift stores for inspiration and materials. In fact, every piece in her Phaulet line starts with illustrations from old encyclopedias, antique books, or vintage graphic novels—all of which are already damaged before she cuts them up.

She then takes those images and turns them into a two-sided resin medallion. For necklaces, she suspends these large, bold pendants from a selection of vintage and new chains and sterling silver cables.

Among her standouts is a cable choker (US$50) that showcases a large circular cartoon image of a hard-boiled detective scene on one side and a kitschy image of some matronly ’50s legs on the other side. Another highlight from her collection is the oval-shaped tiger medallion ($45) with an image of a 17th-century performance artist on the back. This one is hung on two pimpin’ gold-plated chains.

Her one-of-a-kind, almost kidney-shaped drop earrings ($35) are also reversible. You can pick up a pair with turquoise butterfly images on one side and retro leopard print on the other.

For Gonzalez, starting the line wasn’t just some extra income. It helped her cope with the isolation she felt as a stay-at-home mom in a new country.

"I was very depressed here," admits Gonzalez, who earned a degree in advertising in Colombia but wasn’t able to put her education to work because she had two young children and limited English skills. "It’s not easy, the loneliness. We don’t have Colombian friends here. I felt very frustrated, not just with my career, but with all the activities that I used to do in Colombia. I couldn’t find time for me. I couldn’t find space for me, and that was very hard."

So during one of her rare visits back home, she decided to study jewellery making with a veteran silversmith.

"But when I came [back] here, I realized that wasn’t very practical for me and my life with the kids," she says of gold and silver welding.

That’s when she started working with resin. Locally, she sells her line at Mooncruise Gallery (235 Cambie Street). As well, she’s a regular on the arts-and-crafts circuit, appearing at the Make It! craft show at the Croatian Cultural Centre this Friday to Sunday (November 20 to 22). It’s events like these that offer the kind of social interaction that Gonzalez was missing.

"Yeah, I feel better when I go to a market or a fair and I talk with people," says Gonzalez. "I always want to make things. I’m very creative, and my mind is always working on something.”¦It’s like an illness—I need to do it!"