This year for my daughter’s 23rd birthday, we had to get creative. By “we” I mean her boyfriend made an appointment to get her a birthday present made. This would be the first time I’ve designed something for her, that didn’t come from me. And quite honestly I wish there was a term for a significant other for the time in between boyfriend and fiancé, because I know we’re headed there, on their own timeline💕 Anyway, the real story behind this piece has nothing to do with boyfriends, fiancés, or anything in between. It has to do with Acceptance. You see this piece exists because two women fell in love. Stay with me here as I take you back a few years, when I received a message from a customer, that asked if I’d be willing to meet with a same sex couple for their wedding rings. This message has bothered me deeply to this day. Not because of the reason you may think, but for the exact opposite. I was completely oblivious to the fact that anyone in this day and age would have to feel ANY shame for who they love. And more so, to know that we are living in a world where some acts of love are shamed. I am a romantic at heart, and I love acts of kindness and love in any capacity. Because I genuinely believe the greatest thing we can possibly learn is to love, and to be loved in return. I get asked often my stand on same sex marriage, and my stand is simply this, I ask myself, if one of my daughters came to me and said she were gay..... would I love her anyway? And that answer is yes. So here it is friends... attack away, that’s what this page is for, the non PC, the place where I get to be unapologetically me, the place for Acceptance. This piece was given to my daughter on her birthday from her boyfriend, and the fact that I know my daughter knows the story behind it, and she still wanted a piece just like it, makes me proud, because that means I have taught her Acceptance. The sad part of this story, is that beautiful couple that we made the original piece for, from her grandmother’s pearls..... half of that couple, her parents refuse to accept her now. They did not attend her wedding, and they do not support her choices. Ladies, I keep your photo posted by my desk at work, because I’m proud to know you both, and wish you nothing but happiness, grace, and acceptance in your lives💕
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This beautiful ring, has been in the works since August of 2019, and this is the part where I divulge one of my greatest weaknesses, Leadership Skills. We are definitely an eclectic bunch of personalities at work, and I'm still working on learning just how everyone ticks there, or explodes, whichever happens first. Enter Will and his first assignment from me. I pick a design for him to tackle, and send him on his way. Months go by, (literally) and it's because this kid is either just too polite to tell me what I've asked for just isn't going to work, or, he doesn't have to proper tools to do the job, or the lead bench jeweler isn't playing fair, or all of the above. Long story short, this ring looks absolutely nothing like what I originally asked for, it looks better. And Will Henry and I are slowly learning how to communicate with each other to get what's in my brain out into his hands... we have a long road to get to that point, but I'm so grateful to have him on board and very much look forward to that journey. When this piece was finished, we were just being presented with the fact that we would have to close our doors indefinitely to the public. Will and I agree the best name for this ring is "Social Distancing" as it is an open concept ring with space between the bezel set diamond and the diamond bar on the other side. This ring will be featured on www.paige-2.com coming very soon. In the mean time, stay home, stay healthy, stay 6' away and wash your hands.
]]>I am Bobbi French, and I am at best mediocre at just about everything I do, but that doesn't stop me from trying. I've lived an interesting life to some people, (but not many) and I've made tons of cliche mistakes in my 40+ years.
But today I really just wanted to focus on this new page, and why I felt the need to launch it before it's ready~! I've always wanted to venture into an online store that was solely custom creations, limited editions, and not mass produced.Pieces with meaning, and stories only a true empath could appreciate. Enter COVID-19 (asshole, jerk head virus that might literally be the end of my existence, as both a small business owner, and a dreamer) but anyway today is not about me~!
It's about my beautiful 23 year old baby girl. Who came into this world to a broke, uninsured, unemployed single mom who suffered with abandonment and low self esteem issues... (how the hell did I never receive Mom of the Year~!) Anyway this beautiful young woman changed my entire world~! I could go on and on about how well rounded, smart, beautiful, funny, and brave she is, but I legit need to get to the point of this page and it's first post~!
Welcome to my new page "Paige 2" A page with meaning, a page with amazing stories, and heart. All inspired by my beautiful baby girl Alexis Paige McCormick (see what I did there?) Ya'll just thought I couldn't spell. First Custom Piece coming at ya in just a few minutes.
]]>These hand made custom pearl ear rings are the direct result of COVID-19. All week we have been trouble shooting daily about how to stay in business. By Wednesday every supplier we have had stopped shipping and we knew we'd have to get creative. The first photo is a strand of beautiful pearls circa 2000. To me these were "fancy pearls" I paid $575.00 for that strand. (I think I wore them 3 times) when I first saw them I thought, "these will make me look important" so I paid on them for well over 8 paychecks (Rent-A-Center style all the way) Looking back, I feel a little sad that I really thought I wasn't important. 20 years later, they still don't make me feel important, but having the vision to pull this strand apart, and sit and create with the best bench jeweler on the planet( Glen Somsen) and to be able to design a simple, yet intriguing new line called Perspective, that are limited editions.... (and to be able to cut him a paycheck for his talent) well... then maybe those pearls just did finally end up making me feel a little bit important. I decided to call them Perspective, because when I designed them, I intended them to be worn with the pearls in the back (kind of like the starfish that whisper positive words in your ears in the movie Aquamarine) but every time I've had a customer try them on, they put them on the "wrong" way. When really there is no wrong way it's just a matter of perspective. We have these for sale in store G. Thomas Jewelers (if we ever get to open to the public again) In store they will be $199.00 online (when we can get up and running our Shopify store in a few days) they will be $139.00 Because I'd love to build up a following on that page:) Paige 2
In the mean time stay well everyone, and Stay Home.
~Bobbi