February's Featured Artist: Amy of Northern Roots Jewelry

When Rooted was first created in November of 2014, Amy of Northern Roots Jewelry, was one of our very first, if not THE first artist to partner with us. If you shop Rooted in store or online, you have definitely seen her pieces! Her jewelry is thoughtful, unique and always gorgeous! Some of our favorite new Northern Roots' items are her Birthstone Collection (they make excellent birthday, wedding/anniversary gifts) and her One of A Kind collection (featuring one of a kind stones in pieces of jewelry that can never truly be recreated). We are so grateful for Amy, and are excited to help you get to know the lovely woman behind Northern Roots Jewelry!

Where are you currently located? 

I currently work out of my home studio, nestled in the woods of Landenberg, PA.

How did you get started making jewelry?

Ten years ago, my husband Ryan and I were living in Fort Worth, Texas and I was teaching 4^th grade at a sweet little small town elementary school when we found out we were having a little girl.  I had no idea how hard it would be to leave her when my maternity leave was over and in my heart I knew that I wanted to find a way to work from home.  I was always drawn to all things related to art and design and decided to give jewelry making a whirl.  I started with these tiny, intricate, hand molded clay flower studs that took me forever to make and I charged $12 a pair.  It wasn’t two months before I was picked up by my very first store and it was the confirmation I needed to know that I was right where God wanted me to be.  Suddenly this “fun craft” seemed like it could actually turn into a career.  In 2013, after our son was born, we moved from Texas to Pennsylvania and Rooted became my very first local store to work with.  What a blessing that has been to grow our businesses together! 

What is your favorite type of jewelry to make?

 I especially love making pieces that include one of a kind stones.  I love the thought that no other stone in the world looks exactly like the ones I am using for these special pieces.  I am literally a kid at Christmas on the days when stones arrive. It has become an entire family event with everyone helping me unwrap each stone and oohing and ahhing over them together.

Do you have a favorite stone & why?

Oh gosh, this is a really hard one to answer!  I don’t know if I can pick just one…sometimes I am drawn to a stone because it reminds me of a snow covered lake (like dendritic opal), or I imagine an entire tiny universe exists inside (like in an Australian opal), or I just love that when the light hits it, it reveals hidden flashes of color (like in rainbow moonstone and labradorite).  Can you guys tell that I struggle choosing just one when the choices are just too good?!  (Confession…I also take an annoyingly long time choosing anything scented; candles, shampoo, laundry detergent).

Where is your favorite place to visit locally (can be a store, restaurant, museum,  outdoor space, etc)? 

You mean besides Rooted?!  I literally can’t walk in there without finding something!  Besides Rooted, my family and I absolutely love going to White Clay Creek.  We usually take our two dogs and hike around, always finding new paths.  One of the kids inevitably get completely soaked “accidentally”, no matter what the weather is. White Clay is absolutely gorgeous, calming, and it’s completely free.  You can find us there most weekends once the weather warms up!

What has been your favorite thing to do in quarantine?  

One of my favorite things that we did during quarantine was building a new chicken coop for our 13 little ladies.  It was a huge undertaking, but we worked on it as a family and it was such a welcomed distraction from what was going on around us.  Vivian, Dexter, Evie, Master Shifu, Snickers, Cleo, Chickira, Yoshi, Olivia, Sasha, Judy, Wasabi and Ginger are all pretty happy with the quarantine project too.  For our first attempt at building a large structure, I have to say, it’s not too shabby!  (And now I will be bugging my husband to build me a little she-shed studio!)  

What's the first thing you're going to do once the world is safely re-opened?  

As soon as the world is safely re-opened, I am looking forward to a big family gathering.  We have a large, amazing extended family here (most within a 30 min radius), and usually get together for every holiday or for any reason we can come up with.  We are all big huggers too, so this pandemic has been especially torturous for us.  Just looking forward to a little “friendly” game of family volleyball, which will inevitably get a little too competitive.

What's the greatest benefit of being a small artisan?  

The best part of being a small artisan is that I can create whatever I am feeling inspired to create, because it’s just me over here.  I suppose you could say that I have a bit of creative ADHD, I get extremely bored creating the same thing over and over.  This is the main reason that I focus on one of a kind and small batch items, which keeps everything interesting on my end and provides fresh pieces for customers.  Also, working from home is an incredible blessing!

What's one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to start their own small business?

The best advice I have for anyone considering starting their own business is to find something you are truly passionate about.  Owning and running  your own business is not for the faint of heart, but when you’re passionate about what you are doing, it will never feel like “work”.  Go easy on yourself, know that everything will not happen overnight, you’ll need to be dedicated and patient. 

To see more of Amy's work, check out the "Featured Artist" category on our website, or stop by the store to see her pieces in person!

You can also find her on Instagram @northernrootsjewelry, or her website, northernrootsjewelry.com!