I’m making and selling jewelry (again)! Jennifer Garry Designs is slowly but surely filling up with lots of super simple, hand-stamped pieces that whisper positive, empowering, sometimes sassy messages in your ear (or from your chest) to remind you of what’s really important.

I’ve loved making jewelry since I started dabbling in it before Ellie was born. There’s something about it that I find so calming. I’ve opened two different Etsy shops and made jewelry for a few weddings and sold pieces to people all over the world—but each time, I lost momentum and let the whole thing slip away.

I think part of my problem was that I had no real focus. I was making a lot of one-off pieces that were pretty but couldn’t really be replicated (whether it was because I was using reclaimed supplies or didn’t have a reliable place to get them from). I was more or less walking into Michaels, finding beads I thought were pretty, and making whatever came to mind once I got a chance to sit down and play with them. While fun, that’s a hobby—not a sustainable business model.

This time around, everything is different. The idea to do hand-stamped pieces came to me months ago and I let it swirl around in my brain a little before I decided to act on it and order myself a metal stamping kit. Then, after ruining a bunch of metal blanks trying to figure out how in the hell anyone does this, I finally started to get the hang of it.

“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” —Aesop

In hopes of talking less and doing more when it comes to helping others, I’ve decided to start a series I’m calling Good Samaritan Saturday. On Saturday mornings, I’ll post a little something you can do to start your weekend out with positive vibes by helping to lift someone else up…

31 Bits Whimsy Pine necklace

This week I want to talk about 31 Bits, a company that sells accessories. It sounds simple enough, right? There are plenty of companies out there that sell accessories. The difference? These bracelets and necklaces are made out of recycled paper and are crafted by impoverished women in Uganda who are being given an opportunity to rise above poverty.

Totally inspired by Sophia Amoruso’s book of the same name, Girl Boss is a series focused on fierce, determined women who go with their gut and create their dream businesses in the process.

Have you ever seen photos of a product and immediately known exactly who the maker was? Not because of flashy logos or a familiar face but because the product is branded so fantastically that there’s no room for doubt.

That’s how I feel about Tamar Schechner’s work. Tamar is the creative genius behind Nest Pretty Things, a gorgeous brand of handmade jewelry and accessories for women (and kids!) that’s romantic and bohemian with a bright, modern twist.

The styling and overall aesthetic of Tamar’s work is unmistakable. I heeded to get into her brain and I’m so excited that she agreed to a Girl Boss interview!

Do you guys remember those old MySpace surveys that were all the rage back when MySpace was a site people still went to? They used to ask ridiculous questions like “What color are your underwear?” along side questions about your biggest hopes and dreams. They were absolutely ridiculous—and we loved every second of them.

I thought it would be fun to revive those little guys in all of their silly glory and to use them to learn more about some of my favorite handmade business owners. I’ve decided to call this series Meet Your Maker because, well, it makes me laugh and so do these surveys.

Today I’d like to introduce you to Kirsty of So Little Time Co. Kirsty and her husband make seriously adorable wooden wearables. Her fun, bright, cheery work alone makes me want to know more about her, but the mention of chocolate, coconut oil and Community in her answers makes me think she’s my long-lost soul sister.

Well. I finally did it. I’ve literally been talking about this since before Ellie (who is now TWO AND A HALF) was born. But yesterday afternoon I sucked it up and decided to put myself out there. I listed my first few pieces in my new Etsy shop, Jennifer Garry Designs.

Part of the reason I’ve been putting it off for so long is that I had visions of a grand unveiling. I wanted a shop that was bursting with goodies and enough time to pitch my brand to other bloggers and cross my fingers that they would like a few of my pieces enough to feature them in some way or another.

But you know what? All that led to was a lot of talk. There was always something coming up to distract me or make me put everything off. When I realized that I had seven necklaces made and ready to ship I decided that baby steps are better than no steps.