Journey.

In 2015, I was living in Austin, Texas and was invited to a birthday party where I met two women who were both self-employed jewelers. I had been oscillating between work and school for a few years, not knowing what my path was, and trying desperately to figure it out. While talking with these women, a light seemed to go off in my head, telling me that I had finally found what I was seeking. I immediately enrolled in a jewelry class and after learning a few basic skills, I set out to teach myself the rest and create my very own home studio. I worked in a deli by day and spent evenings at my bench.

In 2016, my husband and I moved from Texas to Michigan and I was finally able to test my hand at being a full-time artist. After two years we decided the extreme cold wasn’t for us, so we moved further south and settled in southern Indiana. When the pandemic hit, I struggled to keep my business afloat and ended up closing shop for a year. I took a job I loved on a vegetable farm, but before long my craft began calling to me again, and so I set up shop once more.

As of now, I work on the farm four days a week and spend the other three making jewelry, hiking, baking, walking my dogs, reading, and traveling with my husband, Wes. My business has become a side hustle and a way for me to express myself creatively. One day I may choose to go back to being a full-time artist, but for now I am very content with my schedule and grateful for the balance it gives me each week.

Thank you so much for reading! If you’re interested in following along my journey please check out my blog or find me on Instagram @amberpenlandjewelry.