the Faye on Grandma’s china

When my wonderful hubby and I began the process of naming my business we spent hours and hours pouring over words and names and concepts and ideas. One concept we loved was the idea somehow naming the business after the dedication page of a book. We ended up going a different direction for the business name. But we loved that idea so much because it really captured the heart of what I am trying to do; create beautiful things inspired by the people in my life, because without them I wouldn’t be so inspired to create. So, I’ve decided to do a series of blogs…dedication pages. I’ll introduce you to the jewelry, to the women they were inspired by, and hopefully you will get to know me and my heart in the process.

Dedication page #1…the Faye

This first dedication page has been a difficult one for me to write, putting this woman and her influence in my life into words has been a struggle. My grandma VanZant was a character! She was always in charge, always telling everyone what to do, always yelling at my grandfather. I know this doesn’t really sound so inspirational yet but just stay with me for a minute. My whole life I’ve been compared to her, both in looks and personality. Most of the time it’s when I’m telling my brothers what to do or stealing food off of my dad’s plate without asking. But underneath the bossiness and the getting on my grandpa’s case, was this incredible thing that drove her. She loved.

First let me tell you a bit about me, I’ve always been a bit weird. I’ve never really fit in anywhere, always a bit difficult as a child. But, to my grandma I was the world. I was the first grandchild, and after raising 3 boys, having a granddaughter was her dream come true. She use to tell me how she was in bed when she received word I was born and she began jumping up and down on the bed she was so happy. I always knew I was loved. Always knew she enjoyed me. Always knew I was the special one, the one she loved the most. And yet, when I asked my brother if he always knew she loved him, even though I was her favorite he responded, “We were all her favorite.”

Grandma V had this way of loving people, of taking care of them, of protecting them…it was fiercely intense. If you were one of her own, you knew she loved you. She was quick to let you know you were loved, to let you know she was proud, to give you the things you needed, and she did her best to give you everything you wanted…and sometimes even the things you didn’t want. This little tomboy had more girly frilly dresses than I EVER wanted. 

This first necklace was inspired by my grandmother, by the woman who loved fiercely…but it’s also inspired by another side of her. By the woman who raced around town in her little MG, who dyed her hair red, who was quick to laugh, who always had the most hilarious stories of the “adventures” her and her siblings got into on their motorhome adventures, who loved to travel, and who screamed out loud that time they brought her shrimp with their heads on in Indonesia.

She’s been gone from this earth a long time now, but I find myself reminded of her daily. My home is full of reminders of her and she has been so woven into my heart and who I am that even though my son and husband never met her they know her very well through me.

She was born Helen Faye Hill, but dropped Faye when she married. I always loved that name Faye, for me it was like my Grandma’s alter ego. The fun, hilarious, exciting, and unique woman who was my beloved grandma. That’s what I tried to capture with this necklace. There is something very comforting and inviting about the colors, the textures, and even the heaviness of this necklace to me. At the same time it’s fun and unique, the accent stone is actually two different minerals that have grown as one stone. It’s inspired by Faye, and by me…it’s the two of us together, the things we share in common. It’s a reminder of the woman she was, and the woman I desire to be.

the Faye is available now!