I am a classically trained musician with a degree in music performance. But when I married my loving husband of 6 years I gave up studying music abroad. For a while I was lost. I wandered from job to job even starting up a few businesses, a wedding floral business and a web design business. I didn't find the happiness I was looking for, the joy that music had brought me, its transcending beauty and lasting value. Then I found jewelry.
I started as a hobby jewelry designer. After a shopping trip in one of the more trendy neighborhoods in Portland I thought to myself, I could make jewelry out of better materials for less than half the price of the pieces the shops are selling. So I headed to my local Craft Warehouse and hit the clearance racks. I came home with are fulls of beads, findings and a few tools. I became bored with the simple copies I was making fast. I started spending hours scrolling through Google images of hand made jewelry. I was in awe at the designs, colors, and intricacy of the pieces. I bought craft wire and a wire wrapping book and went at it. Buying high end gems and eventually investing in sterling silver wire was a huge step for me as I paid cash for everything.
Soon I was making my own pieces and friends and family were buy the jewelry off me, sometimes literally buying the jewelry I was wearing. My husband said I should start selling my jewelry, but I didn't was to haul my stuff around to craft fairs. A Google search later I had found Etsy. I spend the first 3 months as a buyer only, afraid to list my modest jewelry. I finally built up the courage to list a few things and 3 years later I still love designing jewelry.
My baby daughters makes designing difficult so most of my time is spent running my Gemstones supply shop but I still dream up designs and take custom orders. Sometimes I am just to in love with a gem I get that I sent it aside for a design I have in mind.
I am a relentless perfectionist and I will remade a design until it is exactly what I want it to be. I love easy to wear pieces that make a statement with the quality of the gemstones and wire work. But I also love custom bridal pieces and big or small pieces that challenge me.
I like push boundaries but I also love a good pair of briolettes wire wrapped and hung from leverbacks.