"Believe in yourself. Believe in your capacity to do good and great things. Believe that no mountain is so high that you cannot climb it. Believe that no storm is so great that you cannot weather it. Believe in yourself."
Gordon B. Hinckley
When we were little, my mom's dad lived with us. This grandpa was not a man of many words, but when he spoke, you listened. He had a quiet demeanor, knew which battles to pick, and loved my siblings and me with every cell of his being. Unfortunately, we lost him in May 2005. I struggled immensely with his death--something that took around ten years for me to heal from. Part of this healing has been to hold onto the bits and pieces of him that I can. One of them was a phrase he often said, or asked, rather, our Border Collie, Tori. "Want to go to the moon?" he'd ask her. Granted, this really was asking if she wanted to go outside at the surface, but I have held this saying in my heart as a guiding post for my future.
Throughout my childhood, I always loved to do anything creative. Art was my favorite class because no matter what medium we used or tried, I didn't have to directly present myself. My creations were able to speak for me, and show who I was. I was, and still am, the quiet, introverted kid who always listened empathetically, observed as much as possible, and only spoke when I felt what I had to say would contribute in a positive manner.
Now, approaching thirty years old in a few months, I have once again returned to creating to convey myself. Creating, both in design and action, is my self-care time. It brings joy, excitement, a sense of calm, and a confidence boost each time I make something new. I've tried numerous hobbies, but I have found myself back to jewelry. This time, however, I'm ecstatic to share my work with the world.
As I mentioned throughout the site, my love of the Great Lakes region stems from having been born and raised in Wisconsin, to traveling throughout the region on our family trips. As I've gotten older, I've truly recognized how at peace my soul is on Lake Superior, and I plan to call Duluth, MN home in the future.
Thus, combining my passions into one was a no-brainer.
I'm not sure how often I will post to the blog portion of the site, but I have so much more I want to share. A natural writer, I definitely will always have something to write about. Soon, I'll share about my other grandpa -- where my entrepreneurial spirit comes from, and later in September, I hope to have new photos and adventures to share.
I am so excited to be at this point with my small shop, and I cannot wait for what the future holds.
xoxo
jennifer