In the spring of 2012 I was a newlywed in a strange town. 

We had moved from our hometown for my husband's job, and I was alone, Ben worked a lot, and I felt absolutely uninspired. I'd had zero luck finding a job using my college English degree. (I know, I know!) 

One weekend Mom came to visit and we took a jewelry making class - we created a simple pair of enameled copper earrings. I really loved the process: sawing out the metal. forming the earwires, and using flame to transform the enamel. After the class was over, I had so many more questions and a desire to learn more. Finally, something had fired my imagination (no pun intended!) I grabbed my laptop and read a million articles, scoured YouTube for videos and I taught myself to solder at my kitchen table. 

As time went on, I made a few things that I thought were good enough to share. I opened an Etsy shop and sold a few items that I made with copper, silver and some silver clay. My items and photography were far from perfect and there were giant holes in my skill set. However, in those early days, I had a few wonderful customers that made me feel that I was on the right track. 

One particular couple requested some chunky silver rings with a gold interior. I used what skills I had and learned about the Keum Boo technique in the process. The resulting rings made my lovely customers so happy; they sent me a long thank you note and included some extra money marked "to be used for champagne"! 

This experience really spurred on my newfound love for creating jewelry. 

Today I have been running my business for almost 5 years, selling online and now in my own studio inside the wonderful Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment facility.  I have taken  professional courses to round out my skills, and I can't wait to learn more.  In my vocation and in my life, I want to always keep learning.