Why make this page?

I'll be honest with you, I started this to increase traffic to my ETSY website, where I sell my jewelry and rosaries! But this is actually a great way to explain why I make and sell my art. Maybe it will give a little more insight into who I am and the thought that goes into each piece.

I had my twins a little over 2 years ago. So, I am the proud mother of three beautiful children. Zach is 7 and the twins (Kate and Aaron) were 2 in December. They were a scheduled c-section, so I had my choice of a few days. It was Dec 6th (St. Nick's Day), Dec 7th (Pearl Harbor), or Dec. 8th. (Feast of the Immaculate Conception). I chose the 8th (not because they were immaculately conceived, but because in my spiritual beliefs, I have always found it easiest to relate to the Blessed Virgin). Of the 3 choices, this was an easy one.

When I had Zach and was going through some anxieties about dealing with being a new mother, my own Mom gave me a picture of Mary holding baby Jesus. It was a picture of a statue from her high school that she always admired. She told me to pray to Mary because she was a struggling mother also. Since then I have found that when I am troubled with parenting, it is easy for me to think of the difficulties Mary or my mother, or grandmother, or favorite aunt...etc. faced raising each of us. Then I think "I am strong, I can do this because I come from a long line of tough, persistent, beautiful women."

That picture is now framed and hangs in the hallway. And part of finding outlets for the stress of everyday life is my jewelry-making.