What were your favorite pieces you made this year?

I made a lot of really fun one of a kind pieces this year! Here are my top 3:

Coming in at #3 is my Sacred Heart Necklace. A stunning rare astrophyllite paired with a carved rosarita rose. Silver embellishments. A chunky silver chain... what more could you ask for? I loved this necklace because it allowed me to combine a few different jewelry techniques. It was a fun challenge!

Coming at #2 is this fabulous Rare Gem Silica & CZ Necklace. I mean this necklace truly speaks for itself. I bought this stone sort of by accident as it was a lot more than I usually spend on a stone... but my regrets soon melted away as soon as this beauty came to be.

My favorite piece I made this year was this Southwest inspired statement turquoise cuff bracelet! This was a labor of love. A large piece of American turquoise set in a hand stamped silver split cuff. This is what dreams are made of...

What was your favorite collection from 2025?

My favorite collection from 2025 was definitely my Duo Collection. This one will always hold a special place in my heart as all of the stones were designed and cut by my husband! He came up with these fun combinations and I got to bring them to life! Each person that received one of these pieces got something that's truly worth cherishing! 

What are your proudest accomplishments of 2025?

The most obvious answer is my big move to Golden, CO.  The new location has been a huge success!  I love how it turned out. I love the beautiful shelving my husband built. The antique check out counter that we converted from an old church building.  It feels like a happy, safe space, full of handmade treasures to be discovered and cherished.  We have grown from a team of 3 to a team of 8.  I have loved being in a tourist town, meeting people from all over the world and being part of their happiest memories.  It feels like home.  A very, very busy home with lots of friends constantly stopping by.  I am proud of myself for trusting my gut.  For waiting for the right space, even though it took years.  For trusting in myself enough to put in all on the line.  For jumping into the unknown and learning as I went.  For facing my fears, insecurities and inequities.

I am proud of the exhausted, stronger, wiser version of myself that has emerged.

What was your biggest challenge of 2025?

The same thing that was my proudest accomplishment was also my biggest challenge.  Isn’t that the way it works? The entire process was one of the hardest, most personally challenging things I have ever done.  Success has a cost. Balancing life and work has always been a struggle for me.  I am a perfectionist.  I am driven. I feel like I have something to prove.  My ADHD manifests as obsession.  This serves me well in may ways.  I believe it is a large part of my success.  But the flip side is I will work until I burn out. My family suffers my absence. I have no social life. I moved through most of last year with blinders on, missing precious time with family, and neglecting myself. I would like to say I learned my lesson, but truthfully, I did not. I would do it again.  My drive is that overpowering.  That is the dark side of my success. I am learning to accept that part of myself. To give myself grace. To keep working toward a healthier balance. I thank God everyday for my very patient and supportive husband!  I couldn’t do this without him.

Another big challenge was the Sundance Catalog suddenly going bankrupt.  I was so excited to have 3 more designs in the catalog, only to have those dreams crushed.  I was never paid for all that work. They accepted my order, knowing they would not be paying me.  Then sold my pieces on clearance to pay off the investors. It was a huge betrayal and financial loss.  I have no recourse.  The company just dissolved.  The only silver lining was my post about it on Instagram went viral.  I gained a ton of new followers, who have become friends and customers.

What is something new from this year?

Due to the all consuming big move, I wasn’t able to spend much time creating.  I was making a lot, but there was little head space to really be creative, experiment or push boundaries.  What’s new happened more behind the scenes. I really honied in on what my business stands for.  Hiring and training 6 new people forced me to define my standards, goals and vision.  And to be very purposeful about how to achieve it. I want every person that comes through my doors, or interacts with us online, to feel like a friend.  Every piece needs to maintain the high quality and craftsmanship that I have worked so hard for. This is more than a product.  It is a relationship.  It is a connection between the maker and the receiver.  It is more than an object to purchase, it is an experience, a treasure to be discovered. I love creating.  I see how necessary it is to bring beauty into this world.  I never want this to become “just business”.  It is community. It is celebrating beauty together.  I am honored to get to do this. I never want to lose that.

***Not shown: Abby, Dayna, Jake, Eden, & Ameila***

What is in store for 2026?

The biggest shift in my business is that we are no longer offering wholesale to other stores.  The new shop has been so successful that it has allowed me to step back and evaluate where my time is most valuable.  Doing wholesale for the last 6 years has been great for my business.  It taught me how to create collections, how to work in production, and how to correctly price my work (one of the hardest lessons for an artist to learn!).  I now have the opportunity to slow down a bit.  Wholesale is a lot of work for tiny profit margins.  I just don’t want to work that hard anymore.  I want to slow down and have more creative freedom. My work will now only be available in my store and on my website. I am so excited to see what happens as I have more creative time at the bench!

What else is new for 2026?

Metal prices.  The elephant in the room.  If your haven’t heard, metals, especially silver, is experiencing a skyrocketing price surge.  In the last 6 months silver has gone from $30/oz. to $90/oz.  In my 28 years, I have never seen anything like this.  Economists are predicting it will continue to rise for quite some time.  This is going to change the way I do business, and the jewelry industry as a whole. One of my values is to keep my jewelry affordable.  Everyone deserves to have quality jewelry, that feels unique, and lasts a lifetime.  Unfortunately, I cannot weather this price storm without raising my prices. 

But here is the good news.  Silver lasts.  It is an investment.  It is a beautiful metal, that deserves to be treated like the precious metal that it is. I can’t predict the future.  I really hope it comes back down.  I will continue working with it because I refuse to spend my precious time making jewelry that will turn you green or lose its color. Your jewelry is meant to be worn and loved, and passed down. My promise to you is that if the price comes back down, my prices will follow.  I hope you will also see the beauty in investing in silver and in supporting an artisan with no control over the powers that be.

Final Thoughts

2025 has been the best and the hardest year of my life.  I am actually glad it’s over. It feels like I get a fresh start.  Another year to create. To make new friends. To love on my family. I don’t know what is ahead. But I know I can handle it. I love this beautiful, messy life. Thank you for being a part of it!