Jennifer

I'm a North Carolina native and have lived all over the state. I grew up in Concord and then moved to Durham when I was in high school. I studied art education UNCG in Greensboro, NC. Afterwards I spent some time living at the beach in Wilmington but then moved back home to Durham. When it was time for a change again, the mountains were calling! I landed in Asheville in 2012 and started working at a nearby vineyard and then at EarthFare, a local grocery and "AVL institution." Like many who move to Asheville, I had lots of side jobs, including nannying. I had always loved children and while caring for other children I knew being a mother was something I wanted. However, I struggled with some ectopic pregnancies and other fertility issues. To take my mind off these challenges, I decided to go back to school to study fiber arts at Haywood Community College. The summer before my last year I got pregnant, and right before graduation I had my baby girl Burdie (short for Burdine), who I wore strapped to my chest walking across the stage to get my diploma. She is my pride and joy!

Burdie is now five years old, so I have bit more time for myself (a bit 😉), so when I'm not working at SoulKu or spending time with her, I'm working hard to reinstate my creative practice back in my life. I'm a dabbler....right now I'm setting up a home studio to do more portrait oil paintings.

In addition to my creative practice, I'm also renewing my focus on my mental health and inner self work. The healing energies of gemstones help me with this, but I know ultimately I have to do the work so I can be the best mom and human possible.

I initially learned about SoulKu in 2018 when I first moved here through a friend who told me they hire moms. As a new mom, I was instantly interested, unfortunately they weren't hiring at the time. So I went back to nannying and working at a preschool, bringing Burdie along with me. During the pandemic the preschool got shutdown, so I reached back out to SoulKu. This time, the timing was right! I started working at SoulKu in the fall of 2021, and now a year and a half later I work at the office as a bench jeweler and production assistant making limited edition styles, repairs, and customizations.

My favorite SoulKu item to make and wear is the Mercury in Retrograde necklace. I've always loved wearing gemstones that truly assist me in my life because I believe in their magic. Black Tourmaline has always been one that speaks to me for its cleansing and protective energy, and I love the black cord instead of tan, which sets off the design well. Also, it seems I'm always impacted by Mercury in Retrograde, so this necklace is a go-to for me during this time throughout the year. I use the Selenite Charging Stone (that's part of the Kit) to help clear and re-energize my necklace and collection of crystals during this time too.