My name is Jen and I’m a Jewish psychologist, crafter, nerd, parent and all around magpie for shiny things. I also share my property with a rose bush that defies all rules of horticulture. Leave it exposed during Buffalo, NY winters? It’s fine. Feed it every other year? It’s fine. Trim it down to 8 inches high? It grows like a weed. And blooms? I think we still have the last blossom or two well into November. The rose bush is more than a little bit feral and so am I.

I’ve always been a rock hound. I love shiny stones. I had a rock collection as a kid. Making jewelry was a way to play with shiny rocks as a grownup. Then I ordered more supplies, and I made more jewelry. I gave jewelry as gifts to my family and friends. I made more jewelry. I started losing my dresser under piles of jewelry and spot on the couch to supplies.

It became apparent I needed to open a store in self defense before the jewelry horde took over the house. And thus Feral Rose Jewels was born.

I love finding unique stones, especially from mines in North America and cabochons cut by small independent lapidaries. I also love vintage and antique glass beads, and use a lot of Venetian, French and Czech beads in my designs. I’ll mix glass and stone in my designs frequently, especially my necklaces.

The rose bush and I live on Onöndowa’ga (Seneca) land, and everything I know about beading I learned from my heart sister and fellow artist Kristina Tome.