2022

This necklace holds three stones from my grandmother’s ring—one ruby and two diamonds—and tells the story of generations in my family. When I received the stones, I immediately thought of a memory: my grandfather proposed to my grandmother with a stuffed animal skunk that had three baby skunks inside. They later had three children, and that sweet story has always stayed with me.

Seeing the stones—one ruby and two diamonds—I saw those three children: the ruby representing my mom, and the diamonds, my two uncles. I chose to design each stone at the center of a flower, symbolizing where each of them "bloomed." My uncle in Kansas is represented by the sunflower, my uncle in Kentucky by the goldenrod, and my mom by the New Mexico yucca, where my parents were married after getting engaged in Santa Fe.

I drew inspiration from traditional Santa Fe jewelry styles to honor that part of my parents' love story. Every detail was thoughtfully and lovingly designed, in honor of my grandparents and the legacy they began—with symbolism, memory, and family at the heart of it all.