about

You always cry at weddings.

And graduations.

(And the occasional insurance commercial on TV)

You’re familiar with this sentence:

“Stop being so sensitive”

(You’ve heard it more than once.)

“You’re so emotional”

(Is that such a bad thing?)

“Argh, why are you so touchy?”

 Because. You are passionate and compassionate. You FEEL, with your whole mind, heart and body.  You feel so much and so deeply that at times, it physically hurts.

You are:  Perceptive.  Receptive. Emotional. Sensitive. Nostalgic.

That's what I like about you.

I am:   Perceptive.  Receptive. Emotional. Sensitive. Nostalgic.

(See what I did there?)

We are kindred spirits.

I know that you have a huge heart and tend to put others first. As a result, you bear a lot of weight on your shoulders.

Easily overwhelmed by emotion, even the smallest decisions (what to make for dinner!) can seem impossible.

Your head is filled with a million different things: to do lists, appointments, paperwork, “shoulds” and “have tos”

You want to live life with intention. You want to stay connected to the people and memories that matter most to you. But with so much distraction it’s easy to lose track of what’s truly important: The memories that make you feel warm and loved. The mantras that help you stay present, and the intentions you have for the future.

Here’s where I can help. Hi, I’m erin, and I’m a sentimental metalsmith. I’m all about the meaning and sentiment of jewelry. I make everything by hand and heart and with YOU in mind. I can help you stay connected to those intangible things that are SO important, because they are the very things that make us who we are. 

 

 

 

I started making memorial jewelry after losing an awesome dog-

The day came when I couldn't quite remember the texture of his fur, or the way he smelled, or exactly what his bark sounded like.

The ache of his absence was already nearly unbearable:  This forgetting of all his "dogness" shattered me. 

Creating a piece of jewelry- something tangible- helped me feel a physical connection to him.

It gave me a container:  A way to hold those memories.  A way to touch them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I realized:  Jewelry is powerful. 

 

Jewelry reminds you of who you are.  Who you love.  And who loves you.

I have a Masters Degree in Social Work, and my first job out of graduate school was as a Children's Crisis Clinician.  It was emotionally draining and stressful.  I lost weight, I didn't sleep and I was experiencing vicarious trauma.  About 9 months into it, I quit.

I felt like my education had been a waste.  I couldn't imagine going back into social work, but I had a deep desire to help others.

I took some time to  regroup and figure out what to do next.  I'd been making jewelry as a stress relief, and had had some success selling my work to friends and at small craft shows.  An opportunity presented itself to buy a bead store, and with no retail background, and no real knowledge even of beads or beading- I bought the shop!  It was a crazy leap, 215 miles away from where i was living with my dogs, my friends, my boyfriend, but I went for it, because sometimes you just gotta, when opportunity presents.

The first memorial piece I made for someone else was for a customer who came into the store. He saw the reliquary I’d made, and asked me to make one for his wife.

The front had a picture of their dog. It contained his ashes and was sealed with an enameled disc in a deep burgundy- the same color as his collar.

After he’d presented it to his wife, he emailed me to say that when she opened it, she told him it was “the most thoughtful gift he’d given her in their 20 plus years of marriage”

That’s the moment I felt my worlds collide: I became a social worker because I wanted to help people. I became a metalsmith because I needed to help myself. But I'd discovered the catharsis that comes through creation- both in making and receiving meaningful jewelry- and I realized that through metal forged by hand and heart, I could help people in an incredibly meaningful way.

Jewelry that feels like a hug, and invites you to wear your love. 

If you're nodding your head, going "yes yes YASS!" then I think you're gonna like my jewelry.  You can shop by collection right HERE! 

And if you'd like to experience the catharsis that comes through creating a piece of meaningful jewelry, imbued with your own love and emotion, and made by your hands and heart, then I'd love to invite you to the Wear Your Love Experience. 

(P.S. if you want to have a good cry here's that insurance commercial )