Once in a while I get a really interesting request. I received one such request the other day. It was for a Haiti and a Dominican Republic necklace that fit together like friendship necklaces. The girl who contacted me is moving to Haiti and her best friend is moving to the Dominican Republic.
I was trilled to get the request! What a cool thing that they are moving to an area that such necklaces would actually work. They are relatively the same size and right next to each other so I would be able to cut them apart creating friendship necklaces. Woo!
She decided to go ahead with the idea and I couldn’t wait to share the final product! If you think you’d like something similar for you and a best friend, mom, sister, mentor let me know! I would love to be able to work on more projects like this.
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Yeah! I’m so glad you joined me today! It’s so exciting when I get requests for custom orders and it’s even better when it has such a special meaning to someone. I’ve got a really great story today from Emily so I’ll let her take it away!
My name is Emily, and I have been sitting her trying to come up with the importance of this necklace to me but how do you come up with words, when the feelings attached to this necklace are indescribable? My husband is a Sailor, currently deployed. We met about 6 years ago at work. It took us awhile but we finally got together and got married. Going through a deployment is hard to describe. It’s kind of like having your heart in the middle of the ocean with limited communication (oh wait, he is in the middle of the ocean… ;)).
One day I was on Pinterest, and saw the state necklaces with the hearts in them. I got to thinking, since my heart doesn’t lie in any one state (we’ve lived in 3, in the past 3 years) what if I could get one of his ship with a heart in it?! What a great idea, the only problem was, who makes such a thing? At first I thought, “I could just make it myself!” Haha! Not the case, I don’t have the skills or the equipment to make something so delicate and beautiful. So my search was on.
I turned to Etsy (my favorite handmade website) and did some searching. When I ran across Jessica’s page, I loved her work! She did such a good job and seemed to love what she does. So I took the chance and asked her. To my delight, she was more than excited to help. We talked back and forth for a couple days to get the particulars down, finding pictures and such. She was amazing through the whole process!!
We settled on the design and she got to work. I got my necklace in the mail today, in a cute little box, when I opened it I was SO unbelievably excited and amazed with the final product (the pictures don’t do it justice). It’s such a small thing, a delicate little necklace, but it has such a huge impact. It helps me feel close to my husband when he is thousands of miles away, and this is the last crew that will be on the USS Reuben James, the last wives that will be attached to this ship. I am honored to have a piece of my heart on this great warship, and I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Jessica! Thank you for giving me this small gift, that takes up a huge place in my heart.
I had such a great time getting to know Emily and I’m so glad I could be a tiny part of their story. How cut is their family picture?! If you enjoyed this story and are interested to hear more like it or perhaps even tell your own be sure to subscribe to the list!
Yeah! Today I have been blessed enough to be able to share Maria Elena’s story. I first heard from her when she ordered a Colombia necklace from me a few weeks back. She received the necklace and had some very kinds words to say so I asked if she would be willing to share her story with all of us. She agreed and I’ll let her take it from here:
My family immigrated to the United States from Barranquilla, the largest city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. I lived all over the East Coast and Midwest (my favorite places so far? Massachusetts and Miami).
Jessica recently made a Colombia necklace for me (with a customized heart over Barranquilla, of course) and since I received it I have not taken it off. I wear it layered under a shorter necklace that has three charms on it: a tiny cross, a little paw print for my pup, and a disc with the letter “R” for my beloved partner. Having these two necklaces against my skin reminds me throughout the day of the place, values, and loved ones that are so dear to me…it’s amazing what a small, polished piece of metal can do in that way.
Jessica’s work is precise, but not in a mechanical, mass-produced fashion. In fact, it’s quite the opposite: it’s full of heart and warmth. My Colombia necklace is a symbol of where I come from and all of the tangibles (and intangibles) that I attach to a place that I love deeply. Thanks to Jessica for having the courage to follow her vision and share her talents. I certainly appreciate her work.
Aww! Well I certainly appreciate you Maria Elena! Thank you so much for sharing your story with us today. It has been a pleasure getting to know you.
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