An interview with our newest contributor to Averylee Kids, jewelry artisian, Kacy Ritter, who is specializing in custom order jewelry pieces for Mommy and child.

I grew up in Seattle Washington. I have two young adult children and they are both very gifted artists. My hobbies are photography turned profession, traveling and gardening. I also enjoy spending time with my friends and family.

My inspiration for jewelry design came about from a very challenging time in my life. In May of 2010 I was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer and I started treatment in October 2010 to February 2011.

My husband gave me a bracelet as a graduation from chemotherapy. It is an orange beaded bracelet that represented my cancer color. I loved that bracelet. The more I looked at it I became inspired to recreate it. I took several beads that my daughter had left behind when she left for college, and my sister sent me a shoe box full of seed beads so week 5 of treatment I set up the items on a table and began to create a bracelet that I liked. My favorite mix of beaded bracelets changes with the wind. I love the last one more than the one before. I choose bead styles and colors to fit my mood or the personality of the newest recipient. My mom requests pastels, sisters get purple black and pink, nieces get school colors, a bride received pearl and champagne and a new mommy received pink mommy and me matching ones. I don’t think any two are alike with the exception I created for a team that walked in the Avon Walk. They all had similar bracelets but seven very unique and sentimental statements. I prefer to make each bracelet with someone in mind. I can put the jewelry together as I pray or put happy energy into making them. It just feels right when I have a person in mind when I design jewelry pieces.

I have always taken apart jewelry and recreated another fabulous piece from it. So creating something from scratch is new and something fun for me.

I continue to fight this cancer and want to make bracelets as therapy for my recovery.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy making them.

The colors on the shop website are only guidelines and I am very willing to be as creative as you need.

We are so excited to have the talented Kacy join our shop. To view her newest jewelry pieces, Mommy and Me bracelet sets, visit, www.etsy.com/shop/AveryleeKids . Also, if you want to know Kacy more deeply and hear about her journey with cancer, you can visit her journal, www.caringbridge.org/visit/kacyritter