“What are you going to do with this broken chain your mom sent you?”, I asked a member of the Homestead household.

“That’s a weird thing to send, isn’t it?”, was the response.  ”My mom loves this chain and I know someone who can fix it for her.”

Not only did the jewelry artist fix the broken strand, but she reinforced the other strands too.

This Tree of Life is made from the November birthstone.

I didn’t think much about it at the time, but about a year later I met a very talented jewelry artist, Evelina Stoyanova.  Here is one of my favorite pieces from her collection, Evaline Jewelry…

This is Evelina’s Three Row Bracelet.  Can you believe she only asks $19.95 for it?

** Note:  Evelina kindly gave me permission to repost pictures from her Etsy shop for this story.  Click on the link if you’re interested in purchasing the piece.  It will bring you right to the store.

I interviewed Evelina and learned her interesting story.  She comes from Bulgaria.  She and her husband met when they were both studying physics.  She laughs when telling me the story of how they emigrated to the United States.

“We got married on August 1 and I had an interview for a visa to come to America on August 7.  I got the visa, so we landed in Phoenix on August 13!”

Talk about a whirlwind romance!

Oh dear.  It’s Valentine’s day, isn’t it?  Here we have Swarovski crystal heart earrings for a mere $17.50!

I wondered aloud how a physicist becomes a jewelry artist.  She told me how she loves gems and minerals.  She even collected rocks and it was a natural transition from stones to beads.

“The beads are the inspiration for each piece.”

Today, she devotes much of her time to raising their two children.  She began making jewelry as a hobby and discovered she could bring in some money for her family while being available to her children.

“Do your children like to help you?”, I asked.

“My daughter loves to help!”, she replied.

“What about your son?”

“Oh, he is very interested in hammering!”

These hammered copper earrings are an example of what a boy might do with jewelry.

I asked Evelina if she misses Bulgaria.  She misses her family, but she loves living in America.  She told me a little about conditions in Bulgaria and how different it is here.

Check out these Vintage Tulip Earrings! $17.00!

Evelina makes copper bracelets, adjustable rings, earrings and a variety of other things.  She can ship anywhere, including to military bases.  You might see her jewelry in shops around town and she even has pieces in boutiques on the east coast!

Tree of Life pendants are popular. This one goes for $25.00.

Today is Valentine’s day, an appropriate day to tell a tale of a woman’s love for her children, her adopted country and the minerals of the earth that inspire her art.  If you still need a gift, head over to her Etsy Shop.

It’s never too late to start a whirlwind romance.