Hey Lola was started in 2003, with help from some of my dearest friends. I spent the first three years making wire wrapped jewelry, participating in craft fairs and markets and selling jewelry, incense and tapestries out of my brick and mortar store. Life took an unexpected turn and I ended up closing up shop. Within two years, missing my jewelry business, I opened an Etsy store (2008). I also ended up going back to school. I also ended up getting married. And buying a house. It was a busy time. I received my associates degree in biology and went to work for a national tissue bank as a technician. While working at the tissue bank and working on my bachelors degree, life took another unexpected turn and my husband and I found ourselves as partners in a tavern/restaurant (Blue). In order to grow our business, I took a hiatus from school. One more turn and though we still had Blue, I also found myself running a large banquet company, coordinating all manner of events - but mostly weddings. After a couple of years running myself ragged running someone else's company, I decided to re-open Hey Lola as a brick and mortar store and work solely for myself. Eventually, running two businesses caught up with me and I burnt out…spectacularly. Today, I run Hey Lola out of my home studio, sell online and participate in regional markets and fairs. On the weekends, I manage events. I make dinner a lot. I hang out with my family and our dogs. I write about burning out spectacularly, about falling down and getting back up, about people and life and love. Life is low key and for the first time ever, life feels very real. I think my jewelry reflects my life’s journey, my hope for the future, and everything in between.