Empower Your Story: A Journey from California Dreams to KM Jewelry Design in Central Illinois
“Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like and celebrating it for everything that it is.” – Mandy Hale
A valuable lesson in life is owning your life story, the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between that goes into the beautiful person you are and are becoming.
Often life takes unexpected turns, and we end up in places we never thought we’d be, sometimes good, sometimes hard, sometimes neutral, but unexpected. Our dreams may come true, but often the outcome doesn’t look the way we think it should. I want to challenge and encourage you to not only own your story but tell it, and even, wear it!
Allow me to break the ice by telling my story of how I came to love jewelry and why I founded KM Jewelry Design.
Journey into Jewelry Design:
Jewelry Design is a passion for me that has never run dry. It is more than a career aspiration; it is a calling that I cannot deny. It is my dream and I love using my knowledge, skills, and talents to bring my clients' dreams to life.
How did I find my passion for Jewelry Design? Growing up in Southern California, when I was 11 years old, I thumbed through the pages of American Girl Magazine and came across a beaded jewelry pattern that I knew I had to try. I quickly emptied my desk drawer to collect all the seed beads I could find and made my first "Daisy Chain" bracelet. I was so proud of what I had made. Soon, friends and acquaintances were asking to purchase my creations. A dream was born and still lives inside of me 26 years later.
I spent about 12 years making jewelry with glass and gemstone beads until I determined I was ready for a new challenge. It was time to branch out into the world of fine jewelry, aka, diamonds, precious stones, gold, etc. In my early 20s, I moved to Carlsbad, California, home of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), determined to get a scholarship to the prestigious school. Much to my disappointment, I was not chosen for a scholarship after several applications. At the time, I was not able to afford living expenses on top of tuition, so I found work in fine jewelry stores. I learned how to grade diamonds, authenticate precious gemstones, and design jewelry with precision.
Much life happened between my time in Carlsbad and moving to Central Illinois. As I said, life takes many unexpected turns, but Jewelry Design has been one of the longest common threads of my life.
Life's Unexpected Turns:
How did I end up moving to Central Illinois? I moved to Redding (very northern) California as a leap of faith just after my 30th Birthday. I was burnt out of the rat race of Southern California living, looking for a slower pace of life, and hoping to meet someone special. I continued to work in retail jewelry with a specialty in custom design and was sponsored by my employer to obtain my GIA Applied Jewelry Professional Certificate. Additionally, I joined the San Francisco chapter of the Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA). I continued to practice my skill in fine custom jewelry design, and I met Sam Miller, the love of my life! Mission accomplished!
My leap of faith to move to Northern California yielded the results I was looking for. However, I never anticipated the next leg of my journey, moving to Central Illinois. Sam is homegrown from Morton Illinois and proudly introduced himself in California circles as being from “The Pumpkin Capital of the World.” Raised in the city, I thought Sam’s roots were quite charming and intriguing. Shortly after we were married, we began talking about where we wanted to build our life together. We both felt our time in Redding had run its course, so now what?
Seven months into marriage, in early 2019, Sam and I decided that central Illinois was the best decision for us, so we sold as much as we could and loaded the rest into our two small cars to make the four-day journey across the country.
Building a Home in Central Illinois:
Never had I ever anticipated moving to Central Illinois - I thought I may be giving up my dream of Jewelry Design for the dream of love and family - I wasn’t sure and felt that it was time to lay my career down and just get acclimated to my new surroundings. It has taken some getting used to, but I am happy to say now, despite the cold winters, Central Illinois feels more like home than California.
I have come to appreciate the rich community and relationships in the Greater Peoria Area, as well as all the small business resources and support. After spending my first three years longing to continue my career in Jewelry Design, with the support and encouragement of my husband and the Peoria business community including, Founding Females, NAWBO Central Illinois, Central Illinois Women In Leadership (WIL), Distillery Labs, the Bradley College Small Business Development Center, and the Morton Chamber of Commerce, I launched KM Jewelry Design LLC in June 2021.
KM Jewelry Design LLC Empowers Personal Narratives:
I determined that in launching KM Jewelry Design I did not only want designs that were an expression of me, but of my clients. Every person has a dream and a story. Some dreams are shattered and then brought to life in ways we would never think possible. I decided that KM Jewelry Design should not be only about jewelry, but a reflection of each wearers story, unique to them. The KM Jewelry Design logo is black and white, because YOU add the color, YOU tell your story. Jewelry about YOU. For YOU.
Sometimes life looks different than we hope or dream. Tell your story like it is and uncover the dreams that have been buried in your heart. Your story is worth telling and your dreams are worth unearthing.
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Empower Your Story: A Journey from California Dreams to KM Jewelry Design in Central Illinois
