All great businesses start with a good idea, a whole lot of passion, and a great deal of hard work. This is certainly the case for Stephanie, a Lake Country local who has started her own jewelry business. Soulful Spoon jewelry is one of the area’s newest small businesses, an online site that features up-cycled, eco-friendly handmade rings.
Stephanie has always been a lover of the 1960s. She has a passion for the retro, boho, and hippie styles of eras gone by. She loves thrifting her clothes and finding vintage pieces unlike any others. As she spent time going through local antique stores and browsing through neighborhood rummage sales, she soon discovered that many places had a difficult time selling their silverware. “I would go to stores and the workers would tell me that they had so much old silverware that they couldn’t get rid of,” says Stephanie.
As a stay at home mom to her fifteen month old son with a bit of free time on her hands, this got Stephanie thinking. In a stroke of artistic genius, she was reminded of the midcentury jewelry that was often made out of spoons. She decided to teach herself how to make this up-cycled jewelry herself. Although she had experimented with handmade jewelry a bit in high school, this newfound passion was an entirely new way for her to express her creativity.
Largely inspired by her favorite band, the Grateful Dead, she set to work creating one of a kind, gorgeous rings out of the old silverware that had otherwise been overlooked. “Many of my rings names are inspired by the Grateful Dead,” she stated.
The jewelry creation started out as a hobby. She made pieces for herself, family, and friends. However, as she began to wear her own artwork more often, people took notice of the bold, beautiful designs. Shortly afterwards, she decided to start selling them. Soulful Spoon was created about six months ago, and since then, Stephanie has poured her heart into it. She has worked hard to make fabulous new pieces, expand her inventory, and spread the word about her creations. Just last week, her new website launched, which she created by herself. “I had to learn how to do all that myself,” she says, “So I’ve invested a lot of time into this.”
Soulful Spoon is still brand new, but Stephanie has bright plans for the future. She hopes to eventually make some in person appearances at local crafts fairs and some farmers markets. Until then, all of her pieces are available on her website, where you can see her massive inventory and various unique styles. She also hopes to experiment with different kinds of jewelry in the future as she masters her craft. Soulful Spoon is a fantastic expression of its owner, as the love for old things continues to inspire Stephanie’s artistic endeavors.
