Tom is married to Loz, and the Nelson couple found nationwide fame in 2013 after featuring on the Block NZ.
Loz has been a regular visitor to the Jens Hansen workshop for many years, bringing with her various media when she was International Marketing Manager for the Nelson region.
The couple were also finalists in the 2013 Jens Hansen Love Stories competition, run in conjunction with the Nelson Wedding Show.
Her favourite Jens Hansen piece are her diamond earrings, featuring a beautiful round diamond.
Read their story as submitted by Loz for the Jens Hansen Love Story competition:
“There’s nothing truly romantic about a 15-year-old schoolgirl falling in love with a national running champion. Tom was 2 years my senior and a total babe. It was your classic teenage crush, in which said schoolgirl cut pictures of her heartthrob out of the newspaper and pasted them into her deep and meaningful daily journal. "Dear Diary, one day I’m going to marry Tom Heaphy," the young ingénue wrote. "He’s the hottest guy in town".
There’s nothing really romantic either about that 15-year-old growing up into a party girl strutting her stuff down Wellington’s Cuba Street, celebrating her first paycheck since graduating university. Twenty two and bulletproof, she didn’t need a man!
Except that guy on the street corner looked pretty good, and slightly familiar…
"Oh my god!" she whispered to her friends (and we all know that such whispers sound like someone yelling through a megaphone) "It’s Tom Heaphy!"
Here was the moment her 15 year old self had dreamed of – meeting that dreamboat, Tom Heaphy. Thinking cool thoughts, she took a deep breath and minced over.
"Hi, sorry, look you don’t actually know me… I went to school with you, I mean, that is, I went to Girl’s College, haha and actually we’re not the same age, I think you were older than me. Oh, I did athletics so actually that’s right I know you from running." (Which was a blatant lie as our favourite party girl had never run a race in her life). An awkward silence ensued. Finally she finished with: "I’m Loren."
There must have been something about that moment, because suddenly a smile appeared on his face and his hand met hers in a firm handshake. "Nice to meet you."
But there was no time for professions of love as Loren’s friends were off to the Kebab cafe. So they departed with a quick "Have a good night."
But Loren remembered those prophetic words: "Dear diary…" and like the grown up girl she now was, she decided to storm back up Cuba St. Which seemed like a good idea until she realised she was cold, alone and really did want a kebab. As footsteps came crashing towards her, she thought she was about to die.
But like a knight in shining leather jacket, there appeared the very man she had been stalking. "Oh hi!" she said brightly but suddenly feeling like quite an idiot. Now how was she going to explain herself?
"Hi" he said and smiled "Umm, I didn’t get your number and I thought we could catch up for a drink sometime?"
Five years on and a newlywed couple sits basking in the happy glow of their wedding day (and a bottle of champagne). But as the Maid of Honour walks up to the podium to begin her speech, the bride notices a very familiar looking diary and the blood rushes from her face. Uh oh. "Honey" she leans over and mumbles to her groom." There’s something I haven’t told you. When I was 15…I used to stalk you."