Oaktownwendy, Topeka, KS
Hi! I'm Wendy. Sterling silver and turquoise remind me of my childhood. I come from a cowboy family and my dad and maternal grandfather competed in rodeos around the West. I loved the silver cowgirl jewelry that my mom, grandmothers, and aunts all wore and am darn lucky to have some of those vintage pieces in my personal collection.
As a jewelry designer, those memories infuse my own creations. You'll see a lot of turquoise pieces here at oaktownwendy, but I love working with all the stones that nature provides (and a few man-made ones, too). Sustainability is important to me and I strive to include recycled elements in many of my designs: recycling my own silver scraps into decorative embellishments; using broken china plates as well as surfite and fordite "stones" that are byproducts of other manufacturing processes; and turning well-loved cowboy belts into brand new cowgirl earrings and bracelets. I love spending time in my jewelry studio with my shop cat, Mabel.