New Steps in New Seasons

One of the greatest blessings of my life was my parents. Of my fondest memories were my mom and dad’s love for fashion, jewelry, and travel. After my dad died, and mom and I began re-imagining our lives she began to fill my life with a greater love for jewelry. She began recreating pieces that belonged to my dad, and privately cultivating beautiful collections of her own. After hurricane Katrina wiped away some of her collections, she got busy working on new ones. She began building beautiful collections piece by piece as a legacy for me.

When I returned home to partner in her care, life had overwhelmed me so drastically that over the years I forgot about all she had been doing. One night praying I remembered sketches the two of us had worked with the dream of having our own collection one day, but I couldn’t even remember where the folder was. Fear it was lost in my move home I began to pray about it. One day I was in her closet, something told me to look to the left, and sitting on her shelf, buried under pictures and papers was a folder. Low and behold it was the folder with all her sketches. I couldn’t believe it.

In a flash God reignited our passion. I took a few of those sketches to Aucoin Hart Jewelers in New Orleans and pitched my idea. Out of that bold move and beautiful story my partnership on my mom and I’s first jewelry collection was born – The Ampelos True Vine Jewelry Collection.

Mom loved it and we celebrated it together. When she died, we were in the middle of finalizing our 2nd collection. Mom even helped in creating what will be the signature piece. Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring myself to go back to Aucoin Hart to finish what we started.

It took me almost 5 months and many attempts driving around in circles, crying in the parking lot, coming close to the door but not ready to go in - finally, God gave me a gentle wind at my back to push me in the door as my friend and jewelry connoisseur Wendy Laurent was waiting for me with open arms, love, encouragement, to keep the vision alive making beautiful magic. Now instead of me and my mom together, I get to carry and give birth to it all with my mom’s gifts inside of me.