Jewelry, heritage & the stories we carry

Made by Hand. Carried Through Generations.

This is where I get to talk about where I come from — my family, my heritage, and the traditions I try to honor in everything I make.

I want to say this part carefully, because it matters.

My heritage is personal and it's family-held. I speak about my own family history and my personal connection to Cherokee heritage, including my family's connection to the region of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, in my own words and from my own life. I don't speak for any tribe, I don't claim to represent any nation or organization, and I don't use protected tribal imagery or seals.

What I can offer you is the truth of my family, the traditions I was raised near, the craftsmanship I was taught, and the respect I try to carry into every piece I make and every story I tell.

This page is mine to fill in, piece by piece, as I tell it properly.

The threads

What I Carry With Me

Family History

Names, places and the stories that came down through my family — the ones I was told, and the ones I had to go looking for.

Traditions

The small, everyday practices that got passed hand to hand. Not performance. Just how we do things.

Craftsmanship

Working with my hands is how I keep all of it close. Beads, wire, stone, leather, time and patience.

Symbolism

Why certain shapes, materials and colors show up in my work again and again, and what each one means to me.

Connection to Place

Mountains, rivers, roads and the particular quality of light in the places my family comes from.

Lessons Passed Down

Respect the story. Don't claim what isn't yours. Take care of the people in front of you.

Handmade beaded jewelry with turquoise stones and copper feather charms on aged paper

Every Piece Has a Story Sitting Behind It.

When I make something, I'm usually thinking about a person or a place the whole time. That's why nothing here feels mass-produced — because it isn't.

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