I am a single mother to three young children, and live in a 100-year-old house in East Vancouver, Canada. I am a full-time high school art teacher. Specimental is my custom jewelry business, where I make unique and one-of-a-kind pieces for clients from around the globe. You can see my jewelry here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Specimental?ref=si_shop This is the only place to buy my pieces, as I sell nowhere but on Etsy.

Etsy featured an article I wrote here: https://www.etsy.com/blog/news/2013/supporting-her-family-with-her-own-two-hands/#comments

I was a featured seller here on Etsy- you can see my interview here: http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/featured-seller-specimental/?ref=fp_featured

Recently, my work has been published in the Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/26/unique-engagement-rings-_n_2026179.html

Also, I was in the June 2012 issue of Canada's most popular fashion magazine, Flare. As well, you can see my work in Etsy's 'Finding The Ring' promotional video: http://www.etsy.com/blog/weddings/finding-the-ring/

My background is in sculpture, which I studied at the Emily Carr Institute (now University) of Art and Design in Vancouver. I began exploring the sculptural realm of metalsmithing in 2009, and started to collect mineral specimens around the same time . Specimental occurred when those interests inevitably melded. I am fascinated by minutiae, and treat each of my pieces as a little sculpture in the round.

The core of my business is custom work, and each piece is made with obsessively close attention to detail here in my home studio. I work in all colours and karats of gold, as well as sterling silver.

I have a mineral and rough gemstone collection that includes hundreds upon hundreds of pieces. Please feel free to get in touch with your wildest custom jewelry idea- I probably have a specimen in my studio that we can design and build you something one-of-a-kind with. If I don`t have the perfect specimen on hand, I work with rock and mineral suppliers from just about everywhere, and am always eager to procure more unique pieces from them.

I also create new pieces using clients` stones. If you have an old piece of jewelry that you no longer wear, or a favourite specimen that you would love to be able to wear, get in touch.

I have a defunct art shop here on Etsy under the username elseetee, which is a remnant from when I used to make tiny paintings and prints.