The Women Behind FWS

"Behind every successful woman is a tribe of women that have her back". 

These women and young ladies have literally had (and held) my back - they're my blood. I come from a gene pool of lady bosses and I'll tell you a bit about each one below because they're the reason my collections have the names they do.  

Designing jewelry is amazing but to me each piece is so much more than the materials they're made from, they originated from an idea influenced by these women and young ladies. I'm proud to share them all with you through my work and I hope you can relate and appreciate each of their unique stories.  


  

THE EDITH, FLORENCE & DOREEN COLLECTIONS

This is my Gram. She’s actually my husband’s grandmother but I consider her my blood. Her full name was Edith Florence Doreen but she always went by Doreen. She's namesake of three of my collections and SHE was an incredible woman. Always full of spunk, a hard worker, dedicated mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, full of life, love and worldly advice but above all she was a fighter.

The picture on the left was taken shortly after she had surgery for a brain aneurism, on the right, she was days past finding out she had cancer. This is what the Doreen, Edith and Florence collections are all about - strength, beauty, resilience. 

From the day I met her she accepted me as I was, lifted me when I was down, held my hands, my heart and my babies and there's not one day I take that for granted. One hell of a woman walked through my life and she left her mark on me, of that I'm certain.

#generations #family #history #love #ladies #farmwifestyle #strong #resilient #beautiful

 

THE JANE COLLECTION

This is a boss if I've ever met one. She's my mom and she's behind the #Jane collection.

At one time, among many other things, she was the western Canadian sales rep for a very large medical gas supply company and she knew how to do work #likeaboss. She raised me to be independent, forward-thinking, and most importantly, not to take shit from anybody. She taught me about fine things, the value of my money and investments and how to plan for my future. 

She was also raised a farmer and knows the meaning of hard work. It's been incredible to have her behind us with the daily struggles of our farm.

Her given name is Evelynn Jane and she is named after her mom and grandmother, Evelyn Clement and Jane Rankin. Her collection embraces #independence and #power, I owe both of those traits to her. She raised me like the boss I am so I would know how to raise my girls to live in this cutthroat world with me. If your mama is anything like my beautiful mama, praise #strongwomen #bethem #raisethem #farmwifestyle #family #generations #love

 

THE ATHENA COLLECTION

This is my dad's mom, my Grandma, she was born in 1912 as Verna Athena Henry.  She was a teacher by trade but her passion was outdoors. My grandparents were trappers and she took down many wolves, geese, deer, moose, grouse, wild turkey, antelope, and much more wild game and she could gut, skin and fillet them too. She was an incredible shot, both my grandparents passed that to their kids. My Dad (the middle child) was an All-American trap shooting champion before he was 21 and missed making the Olympic trapshooting team by one place on an uncharacteristic "off day". I can't tell that story without tearing up. When I tell you I'm swimming in a loaded gene pool, I mean it. 

I feel like I'm a lot like my Grandma because even though she was a real tomboy, she still enjoyed fine things. She had two sets of fine china and anyone that eats around my dinner table has had the privilege of eating off them. She loved baseball, as a child it's the only thing I ever remember watching on TV with her.  She even played for the Canadian National Softball team with her younger sister Lila in the 1930's.  She was a great artist and cook as well, her bread and cinnamon bun recipes are very well known around here.  

My Grandma was a wild spirit with incredible skill and dedication. Her spirit was outdoors and I feel that in me often.  Cheers to my Grandma, women like this are hard to come by. 

#farmwifestyle #jewelry #wild #outdoors #daughter #Athena #Grandma #love

 

THE NICOLE COLLECTION 

My beautiful eldest daughter is the inspiration behind the Nicole collection. She's strong-willed like all the ladies before her but her collection is about her incredible, selfless heart and how she's always putting others before herself. 

Nicole has always loved caring for everyone. She is constantly taking care of her younger sister, Katharine, and all her friends. She's a teacher, a protector, an empath and she is always portraying kindness, care and selflessness. 

She's also an incredibly hard working girl, she is always ready to help out on the farm in any way she can. Her creativity and imagination astonishes me; when I look into her eyes, I can see her future and it is so bright.

Her collection is about being one-of-a-kind. Here's to you Nicole, I hope I'm making you as proud as you make us.

#farmwifestyle #jewelry #nobaddays #perfect #daughter #love

 

THE EVELYN COLLECTION

FWS history continues with my Grandma Evelyn. She's my Mom's mom and unfortunately, I never got to meet her in person.  She unexpectedly passed away just before I was born, but I have no doubt she was an incredible lady. 

A wonderful mother and farm wife, she was an incredible cook and a lot of her recipes will be popping up on the Life on the Farm blog.  If you love good food, be sure to stop over there, her pie crust and ginger snap recipes are great! She's someone I think about everyday in my farm life; she took pride in all she did everyday and did not shy away from work.  She was fashionable in her time embodying #elegance and #grace and her collection is the same way. 
You'd never know if from this photo but she was scared to death of heights but my Grandpa asked her to go so she put on a brave face. It was July 1964 and they were on the #Banff chairlift, #historic


#Pride #Grace and #Elegance are behind the #Evelyn collection. A toast to you Grandma, you were lovely to so many.  

#farmwifestyle #family #history#generations #women #love

 

THE KATHARINE COLLECTION 

Katharine Audrey is our younger daughter and she reminds me of me. I'm sure my parents are in the twilight zone whenever she's around, they constantly call her Kimberly so even though we are years apart, I know we are very alike,

Named after my dad’s side of the family, she is an amazing artist and loves to draw just like her Grandma Verna and she loves horses like her Great Aunt Audrey.

She is the inspiration behind the Farm Wife Style signature hexagon shape because she's a little queen and she knows what she wants. She loves to make us laugh and smile, she's creative and giving. Her collection is about freedom, heart, and never forgetting to dance, even if it looks like it might rain.

Our little girl deserves the world and I have no doubt it'll be in the palm of her hand one day. You make us so proud Katharine, we love you very much babe.

#farmwifestyle #history #generations #love #freedom #heart #dance #create #smile #give #queenbee #Katharine

 

THE AUDREY COLLECTION

This is my Great Aunt (Vera) Audrey, my Grandma Verna's little sister. She never married or had any children but dedicated her life to her horses and her passions instead.

She was raised in eastern Alberta in Paradise Valley and for years she showed horses in Lloydminster in all western disciplines. In 1969 she won first place in Goat Tying and Cutting at the Calgary Stampede earning her these trophies, a buckle and a new saddle. 

When I was growing up, my Dad and I rebuilt a 1953 Mercury M350 together and on weekends when my mom and my sister were away at horse shows, we would drive down to Sundre to visit her in it. She lived in the most iconic and beautiful log cabin with a red roof on the edge of town. Her favourite colour was red and she always had cookies for me in an old tin above her stove. Grandma loved hunting, Aunt Audrey loved horses. They were both very dedicated.

She's my reminder that if I can dream it, I can do it. The Audrey collection is about my #westernheritage, #commitment, #reward and living my #truth.

#farmwifestyle #family #history #collections #Audrey #horn #pendant #bullet #earrings #calgarystampede #alberta #heritage

 

THE JENNIFER COLLECTION

This is my only sibling, my older sister Jenn (Jennifer).

She's always been an influence in my life, I've looked up to her for as long as I can remember. She excels at everything and her competitive nature has pushed me far in my life.

She's built an incredible life with a lot of amazing adventures, I look at how far she's gone from the small town we grew up in and I am always in awe. Like our mom, she embodies this independence and confidence that I am so lucky to raise my daughters around.

Her collection looks simple, but the meaning is not. She has a tattoo of the four elements, Earth, Fire, Water and Air, on her wrist that has inspired a lot in her life and I used that as inspiration to design her pieces too.  

#Adventure #Independence and #Freedom are behind the #Jennifer collection. Cheers sister, the pleasure is mine.


THE KINLEY COLLECTION

The Kinley collection is named after my niece, my one-and-only Kinley Lorrie. Kinley is also named after her Auntie Lorrie, an amazing woman I also knew who was taken from this world far too soon. You may recognize her name from the Life on the Farm blog, where I’ve posted Lorrie’s Famous Apple Bundt Cake.

Kinley’s mom and I grew up together and we just happened to marry two brothers. It’s a connection I will be forever grateful for because I’ll never make another new old friend like Jill. Kinley loves the spotlight just like her mom, watching her grow up is a joy, it reminds me a lot of our childhood.

Kinley is a sweet and spicy ball of energy, she's bright, she's kind, she loves make-up and dress up and she glitters like the horns of one hundred unicorns! She’s a beauty and I love her.

Being #Expressive #Wild and #Unapologetic are what this collection are all about. Life is short so take a lesson from Kinley and always show your true colours.

 

THE KIMBERLY COLLECTION

It’s so hard to write about myself, Kimberly Nicole, so I’ll keep this short.

I love food (eating it and cooking it), flowers, baking, dressing up, and I really love to be with my friends and family. I love the water, my favourite place is the lake where I spent my summers growing up and now I take my kids to spend theirs. One day I'd love to live with the waters edge out my window so I can wake up to the sound of it calling my name. 

I'm really comfortable in vehicles. I have a class 1 license which is really handy on the farm. I grew up building cars with my dad and I love driving my '71 El Camino Harriet around in the summer. Whether it's a weekend to a car show or a trip to town for an ice cream, I am most peaceful when I'm exploring anywhere in her. 

My collection is about simplicity but it’s also deep like the ocean. I love and appreciate the freedoms I have to express myself through this business, I truly hope it brings you as much joy as it brings me.

Be #Happy, Be #Free#Burnout and live your life with #Kindness in your heart. 

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