honey & ollie

Who are Honey and Ollie?

Cats. Yes, we named our business after cats. It happens here in Crazy Cat Lady Land from time to time.

Everyone has a story… and mine is why I do this.

The only child of a single dad in rural, 1970’s Northern California, I was, I am quite sure, the only kid on our block whose nightly bedtime reading included as much Arthur Conan Doyle and Tolkien as it did Nancy Drew. I populated the forests near our home with fairies and magical creatures, skipped the Brady Bunch in favor of blackberry bramble adventures and took my tea with dragons.

While I probably wasn’t the only little girl in our sleepy little fishing town who grew up wishing she could live in Narnia or Oz, this was long before the Internet and I was in my first year of high school before I found, as Anne of Green Gables said, a true kindred spirit or three. It took me a long time to realize that who I am is enough and that there are oh so many women whose hopes, dreams, fears and stories are in sync with my own.

They say that art imitates life. I say that art IS life. It certainly has defined mine

Over the years, I’ve never strayed too far from these roots and my art has always been shaped by a rich inner world. I am particularly drawn to creating things that are story driven, functional and beautiful. Jewelry is particularly appealing to me in that regard. It is an artful way to tell our story without words, to celebrate our life transitions, and to symbolize our deepest aspirations. It is meaning, worn.

So much of the time, we strive for some imagined perfection, forgetting that who we are in this moment is exactly who we are meant to be. My mission is to illuminate the beauty inherent in our own unique stories by creating beautiful pieces that speak to the power of who we have been and of who we are today, not just who we dream of being in the future.

Honey&Ollie the company began in 2010, after I took my first class from a local metal clay artist. One of the greatest joys of this journey for me has been studying with other teachers, both online and in the physical world, learning and honing my skills. It is my intention to always make high quality, affordable, and meaningful jewelry that you can wear day after day, year after year. I believe that every woman should own rubies if she wants them, not go into debt to afford them, and that she shouldn’t be afraid to wear them to wash the dishes once she’s got them!

You don’t have to hide your light in the woods. Everyone has a story. Let me help you illuminate your own, in gemstones and precious metals. I would be so happy to create a special talisman for you, to celebrate your unique journey!