I began making jewelry over 15 years ago, and there aren’t many people who would remember those early years. These early years included sitting on the floor in my parent’s house with my beads. My early designs weren’t intricate; they often included simple stringing techniques but they were always wearable. I’m proud to say these early designs received wear from many of my family members and some close friends.
One of the family members who was an early supporter of my art was my grandmother. I remember how she would always ask me about my designs. On several occasions, she would even buy items from me. This was long before I had an Etsy store and my website. It was a time when I’d pack my jewelry and bring it to family reunions to show off.
My business took shape when I worked with my cousin Tracy on her custom made wedding jewelry. Everyone who saw my jewelry asked me when I would create an official business and make my designs available for sale. This kind of support blew me away.
And while I remember they’re kind words and how much they loved the designs, I also remember that one of the things I did was create jewelry for special family members as well. This included a necklace for my grandmother. I had so much fun pouring love into her design. I even crafted one for myself too.
As I look back at the memories I made with my grandma over the last 30 years, several included my love of jewelry. It’s special that we have this conneciton of wearing matching jewelry at my cousin’s wedding. It’s special that my high school graduation gift was a unique piece of jewelry because she knew how much I enjoyed making it. It’s wonderful that she had a few of the items I made in her personal collection. I’ll always appreciate her love and support and it’s these memories I’ll look back on fondly.
