06/09/2026
This was one of the very first pieces I ever made completely by hand.
Sterling opal, set in sterling silver, then oxidized with Liver of Sulfur (which smells exactly like rotten eggs, by the way... but it's worth it!).
I made it nearly 8 years ago when my daughter was still a baby.
The moment I finished it, I was so proud. I had poured so much of myself into creating it. It felt like a milestone—a glimpse of what might be possible if I kept learning and growing.
So I put it in the display case.
And it never sold.
For a time, I was discouraged by that. Until one day I realized... maybe it wasn't meant to sell.
Maybe it was meant to stay with me.
It still sits in our display case today. I wear it every so often and whenever I do, it gets so many compliments.
Looking back, I can see how much growth happened between then and now.
I wasn't handed a family business. I'm mostly self-taught through years of trial and error, plenty of mistakes, failed ideas, and investments that didn't always pay off.
When I started making keepsakes, information wasn't easy to find. AI didn't build my business model. Preservation methods were often guarded secrets. Over time, suppliers changed & quality declined, which pushed me to learn more of the jewelry-making process myself—from start to finish.
There were seasons when imposter syndrome crept in. Times when I questioned whether I was good enough, successful enough, or making any difference at all.
But those thoughts were lies.
My grandma had a little sign that said, "Don't believe everything you think."
It always offended me. I now know the truth behind it. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says "...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
As we approach 8 years in business, I find myself feeling overwhelmingly grateful. Grateful for this journey, for every lesson & challenge, and for the thousands of people who have trusted us with their memories.
Most of all, I'm grateful for God's faithfulness.
Through every uncertainty, every setback, every success, His hand has never left me or this business.
And that's the real story behind this piece. 🕊✨
