Before I begin the tale of my custom jewelry design journey – I feel the need to address some of the issues facing us all right now. So here we go…
In this time of turmoil and uncertainty, there are two important thoughts that are occupying my mind. Many small business’ have been closed, some never to reopen again. People are reeling from unemployment, sickness and injustice. Joy is very hard to find and is now a new purpose for me. I pledge to bring more of it into your life. Smiling as you hold a lovely work of art in your hand, wearing it proudly, shining in your beauty, is no insignificant matter. We must all work to smile more, heal our souls and bring joy to others. I hope that my collectible jewelry helps to bring joy and happiness, however small, into your life once again.
In addition, the realization that an artist needs to feel and be secure in order to bring their best work to life pushed me to action. This is my reality, but it is the same for many people, no matter what they do or who they are. During the instability we are experiencing now, I have set another goal – aggressive to be sure – to pay off my home. Anxiety over mortgage payments as retail has fallen sharply, highlighted the need to take care of basic necessities. The threat of losing my home, as many of you are also enduring, has had negative effects on my creativity and ability to design extraordinary pieces – until I formulated this recent resolve. It has given me renewed drive, a plan that puts me in control of my future, and a sense of accomplishment and security as I move towards achieving full ownership of my beloved home.
In understanding of the heartbreak, suffering and panic of thousands of people confronted with losing their homes, I am donating 10% of net sales to help others facing eviction or foreclosure.
We are all in this together and we must help those who are in need. While I too am struggling – I must reach out and support others. To let them know that they are not alone. We can and will get through this, and having passed through the crucible, should strive to be better for the journey.
Please stay safe and healthy, honor all people and be the change you want in this world.
And now – my personal journey and love affair with beautiful, handmade jewelry began many years ago. There were no dreams of jewels in my early days in the old south. But, many of the land of swaying palm trees and fresh ocean breezes, crowded my thoughts! Little did I know what my future would be in this sunshine state of opportunity.
Having moved to California as a young woman, I unexpectedly visited my first garage sale and discovered costume jewelry. Then, at every chance, you would find me trolling antique stores, garage sales and street markets, gobbling up all the gorgeous old pieces, even those that were broken. I was hooked – no turning back now.
Initially experimenting with repairing these wonderful broken gems, my creativity blossomed as I started combining them with modern elements. Imagination took flight, and a whole new world opened up. The results – innovative, fresh, unexpected designs that people loved.
Retailing my creations in many of the popular department stores was the next natural step. With no business or sales experience (thank goodness!), but lots of passion and enthusiasm, I marched straight into Bullock’s and announced that they needed to purchase my new line of artisan jewelry. Undoubtedly thinking this was quite brash – they instructed me to present at one of their vendor days – established specifically for artists just like me.
I carefully packed my precious jewels and on the next vendor day, presented them to the head buyer at Bullock’s. She was immediately enamored with my work, instantly ordering 100 pieces – all for delivery in one week!
With only 7 days to produce 100 pieces, the week flew by. I was in creative heaven. It was a tremendous amount of work – but I met the deadline – and produced exceptional designs during that hectic time.
We sold out of those works of art – all 100 pieces – in ONE week. And what a week it was. During that time, I met John Ritter, Tawny Little, Finola Hughes, Anna Marie Horsford and several other celebrities who invited me to the sets of their shows. These stars all started wearing my jewelry while filming. Many of my early designs made their debut appearances on General Hospital, Wonder Woman, Designing Women and Star Search, just to name a few.
Meanwhile, I was still designing for Bullock’s and had been introduced to Dillard’s, Caché and Nordstrom’s. Nordstrom’s first order was larger than my initial order from Bullock’s. I was off to the races.
In addition to working with traditional retailers, I displayed my offerings at trade shows, trunk shows, the LA Gift show and at the invitation of my famous clients - at many TV shows.
As my business grew, it was time to begin travelling around the world in search of superior supplies and creative inspiration. My first trip to the orient included Hong Kong, Bali, China and Indonesia. What a whirlwind!
Travel became more important and more frequent as new destinations were added to my itinerary. Soon realizing that I no longer had to be just a buyer – I started working with my international suppliers to imagine everything needed to set me apart from the crowd with stunning, one-of-a-kind showpieces.
Malaysian stones were custom cut to my exact specifications, original beads and filigree from Bali were painstakingly crafted and master carvers from China worked overtime to meet my artistic and quality needs. Elaborate bejeweled designs were imagined that jumped off the paper and burst forth in gold, silver, copper and brass. Clasps, charms, findings, pendants and jewels all came alive through my unique vision. A lifetime of hard work became a new reality. I had dreamed (and worked) to become a different level jewelry designer – one who not only designed jewelry, but also every component used in my masterpieces. All my designs were now completely original – available nowhere else. I had begun to achieve my long-term ambitions.
After many twists and turns in the road, it became time to enter the age of e-commerce and continue to fully realize my many desires from so long ago.
The mission is to provide an on-line environment, created and supported with my hard-earned knowledge, highly developed skills and aesthetic gift. The end results? A trustworthy, comfortable and exciting place to browse, dream and purchase with confidence – a place filled with many innovative and breathtaking designs. Dazzling pins and brooches, eye catching bracelets, delicate and alluring necklaces, jaw-dropping earrings – the list goes on – individually handmade by me.
You’ll find fascinating collections designed with the finest materials – precious and semi-precious gemstones, luminous silky pearls, sparkling Swarovski crystals, handcrafted one-of-a-kind artisan beads, organic natural elements, rich leathers, gleaming vermeil, sterling silver, gold and other rare materials. If you don’t see what you are looking for, please ask – I’ll personally make every effort to custom design that perfect prize just for you.
I believe that jewelry tells a story. I tell stories with my creations and you can imagine your own stories as you wear each piece to help express your personality. We each have an inspirational gift for this world. I hope mine helps you discover yours. I believe in women and our powerful place in this world. I offer myself to remind you of your strength and to encourage you to celebrate yourselves.
We will learn from each other as we take this journey together. I pledge to do my best to provide you with high quality works of art at reasonable prices – helping you to express your creativity and individualism.
Meeting the needs of my customers is one of my greatest pleasures and I am only a phone call or email away should you require a special order or additional information. Clients inspire me every day to push my limits and fashion spectacular pieces to help them “own” their unique expression of who they are. Thank goodness my ability and desire to learn continues and I am still inspired to dream big.
I hope you enjoy your stay – and find your next treasure. And, don’t forget to come back. New collectables are added daily – one may be just right for you.
From my ❤ to yours ... Reese