BendTheFish

Modern Engagement Rings, Pendants & Gemstone Jewelry

Kalamazoo, Michigan | 364 Sales

5 out of 5 stars (170)

BendTheFish

Modern Engagement Rings, Pendants & Gemstone Jewelry

Kalamazoo, Michigan 364 Sales On Etsy since 2009

5 out of 5 stars (170)

Shop owner

Contact

Jennifer Surine

Contact shop owner

Jennifer Surine

Announcement    After a long sabbatical I’m back with new designs and jewelry. I will slowly keep adding more items over the next few weeks! Yay!

Modern, fun and funky jewelry styles. All handmade jewelry is designed out of re-purposed argentium and sterling silver as well as genuine gemstones. I love custom orders, so if you have an idea for something you don't see here, please let me know.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, I'm more than happy to help!

Announcement

Last updated on Nov 5, 2018

After a long sabbatical I’m back with new designs and jewelry. I will slowly keep adding more items over the next few weeks! Yay!

Modern, fun and funky jewelry styles. All handmade jewelry is designed out of re-purposed argentium and sterling silver as well as genuine gemstones. I love custom orders, so if you have an idea for something you don't see here, please let me know.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, I'm more than happy to help!

Reviews

Average item review
5 out of 5 stars
(170)
See reviews that mention:
quality 15 shipping 24 customer service 37
View all 170 reviews

About

  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

A little insight behind Bend The Fish

As far back as I can remember, wherever I went I would keep my eyes on the ground. I suppose I was a little shy but the truth of the matter was I didn't want to walk past a wondrous discovery. I was a collector. Rocks, shells, leaves, anything that was special and beautiful was fair game. I remember when my parents gave me a little corner in the back yard for my rock garden. With pride I'd come home from school with my new treasures I collected and place them in their new home among all my favorites.

Not only did I collect rocks, I tried to sell them. When I was about 7 I would line up stones in rows and try to sell them to anyone who happened to walk past our house. Unfortunately, I lived on a dead end street, so there was little traffic to admire my beautiful selection.

Along with my interest in stones at that time, I loved making jewelry. I would make yarn rings by tying knots on top of knots to create a 'woven' pattern that I could slip over my finger. I now understand why none of the neighbors bought these, either, they were somewhat odd looking...

Flash forward nearly 20 years and I'm still collecting beautiful stones and making jewelry. I suppose it's really not much of a surprise that I decided to become a metalsmith! After peaking my interest by taking classes in high school for jewelry making, I decided to go to college for it. I graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2008 with my degree in Art & Design with an emphasis in Metalsmithing and Jewelry Making. Not long later Bend The Fish came along.

Bend The Fish? Curious where the name came from? Well, you're not alone. I get asked this quite a bit, so here's the story...

When my husband and I were first married, we were living in a small apartment in Grand Rapids, Michigan. One evening we were cooking dinner in the kitchen. We had a nice toaster oven that had an amazing broiler on it, so we decided to broil up some salmon. I took the large piece of salmon and started to place it on the small toaster oven pan. It didn't take a rocket scientist to discover the pan was about half the length of the fish. So I took the piece of fish in my hands and curved it in half to fit on the pan nicely, stating with certainty, "Well, sometimes in life you just have to bend the fish." Sometimes in life we just have to make things work, we just do what we have to do. I liked the sound of it, telling my hubby "Hmm, "Bend The Fish", I might have to use that for something someday...

Shop members

  • Jen Surine

    Owner, Designer, Fabricator

Shop policies

Last updated on August 29, 2012
Welcome to Bend The Fish!

Accepted payment methods

Accepts Etsy Gift Cards and Etsy Credits
Returns and exchanges
Exchanges are allowed for items that are damaged upon arrival within one week of arrival, as long as it's not due to abuse.

Sorry, no refunds. If you are not happy with your purchase for any reason, let me know and I will work to make it right!
Payment
I accept payment through Paypal. It's quick and easy to use and allows you to make purchases with any major credit card, even if you don't have a Paypal account.

All custom work begins once payment goes through. Sorry, no returns or refunds on custom orders.
Shipping
Everything is shipped USPS, usually within one week of purchase. Please understand that some orders may take a little longer, if you need something by a specific date I'll do everything I can to accommodate! Please leave your time frame you need the item by in the 'message to seller' section during checkout. Custom orders take approximately a week to complete, but exact terms will be discussed with the customer individually depending on time required to complete the item.

I ship internationally, sometimes shipments arrive in a flash and sometimes they are slow. Unfortunately, I have no control over how long it takes to arrive, sorry.
Additional policies and FAQs
I do quite a bit of custom work, so don't be shy about asking! Whether it's a ring you need in a different size, or that piece of jewelry you have always dreamed of... all you have to do is ask.

Every order arrives in a gift box, making it that perfect treat for yourself, or that special someone!