I started my jewelry business because my friends and acquaintances kept asking to purchase the colorful, gemmy necklaces I wore. I was living in San Francisco, was deep into self exploration, doing lots of yoga and getting jazzed up about the transformative properties of gemstones. I created necklaces with boldly contrasting colors and I researched the healing properties of each stone. My own neck often went bare because I had more interested customers than I had necklaces to sell… But I quickly rose the the occasion, stepping up my production game.
Soon I was brave enough to pay for a spot at a craft show and then a local street festival. I’d create little pop-up shops anywhere I could open up my tent and drag out a table full of jewels! This is how I met my first customers in the Bay Area, many of whom are still customers today.
When my daughter was born, my family moved East, back to the island where my husband and I met and where he grew up. Since then we have called Martha’s Vineyard home. Luckily the island welcomed us with open arms and now I can’t imagine living anywhere else (except maybe Hawai’i, but that’s a story for a different day).
My first customers on the island were Cheryl, Margie and Sarah from CB Stark Jewelers. I am grateful that they were willing to give me and my jewelry a chance even though I wasn’t established yet locally. As my first island sales outlet, this relationship helped me build a strong business foundation here on the island. I since have formed relationships with a handful of other beloved island businesses including Rainy Day, Island Outfitters, Tending Joy, and recently Aquila on the magical cliffs of Aquinnah. These partnerships have helped pave the way for my growth as a local brand. Thank you!
Once on Island, I hired a gal to help me keep up with production, and today we have expanded to a team of phenomenal women who help with everything from making jewelry, assisting customers, maintaining the website, shipping orders and purchasing our supplies.
All the while I continued selling my jewelry under my pop-up tent at the Vineyard Artisan Festivals, the Featherstone Flea, all the island street fairs and even for a few summers at the Chilmark Flea.
My production studio has been busy over the years and it is the center of the action. It’s where we store our beads, make the jewelry, and interact with our staff and customers. What began as a display shelf for extra jewelry storage (pieces that weren’t currently in my car or at a show), slowly turned into a little shop of its own. Customers that stopped in to pick up a custom order often found another piece that they liked on this shelf, and I gradually curated a little boutique of other fun products to compliment my own.
Our “hidden gem” of a store was off the beaten path for 11 years as I quietly built up that little shelf. This evolved into an inspirational collection of jewelry, gifts, accessories, and locally made treasures that just about everybody missed when they walked down the street. First in The “Arts District” on Dukes County Ave in Oak Bluffs, and later upstairs on North Water St in Edgartown. “I had no idea you were here!” was the most common exclamation from a visitor as they walked through my door.
Fast forward to 2021 when I decided to take a GIANT LEAP and open a flagship store in the center of downtown Oak Bluffs. My gem is no longer hidden, and there is nothing “little” about my shop now. Here we are, proudly situated in the center of Oak Bluffs and now you can’t miss us when you stroll down Circuit Avenue. The new store is a dream come true, yet a monumental undertaking filled with daily challenges that will take my team and I years to master. I thank my lucky stars for this group of ladies that helps me pull it off daily.
I still design just about all of the jewelry in the shop as we evolve into a lifestyle boutique for the inspired, ageless woman. I help women express their true personality through jewelry and accessories. My fundamental belief is that you are never too old to express yourself with a fun statement piece or a bold accessory. My store offers the opportunity for you to find just the right piece to help you shine just as brightly on the outside as you do on the inside.
My journey is far from complete but I wanted to share how I’ve gotten here, note a few milestones and celebrate how far my business has come. I'm looking forward to all that is still to come!
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