Local Designer Series: Jewelry Designer Helps and Empowers Abused Women With Her Nonprofit

Joanne Ewald created Mend on the Move to help women who have been abused by employing them and giving them more opportunities. She's been making jewelry for 10 years but decided to combine that with her love of helping out to launch this nonprofit. Find out more about the company and Joanne in our interview!

Photo c/o Mend on the Move Facebook

DGG: Tell us about yourself, Joanne.

Joanne: I have been making jewelry for 10 years, always with a mindset to combine my two passions of creating for a cause.  I’ve always donated a portion of my proceeds to nonprofits, but it became clear that it was the social enterprise aspect that really appealed to me and that a nonprofit was the route to take.   Its more than just jewelry making it’s helping transform lives through the creative process.

DGG: Tell us about Mend on the Move.

J: We employ women who are survivors of abuse to create jewelry to provide them with an income while they are in recovery programs.  Many of our Makers are also recovering addicts and on probation from jail or prison as a result of their abusive pasts. We are not social workers, but are one component in the recovery process.  Our hope is to help our Makers become self-confident, learn accountability, become comfortable working in a group setting and earn a fair income (our Makers start at $9 hr.)  We are passionate about nurturing their individual skills and treating them with the respect and kindness they deserve.

DGG: What inspired you to create Mend on the Move?

J: I was sexually abused as a child and it has taken most of my adult life to heal from this. I have learned that most women who are abused through sex trafficking, domestic violence or other forms of abuse were first abused as children.  The trauma of untreated child abuse leaves victims vulnerable to further abuse later in life.  Fortunately that was not my story, which is rare.  At the age of 40 I embarked on a journey of faith and healing  that finally enabled me to forgive and move forward with my life.  Mend on the Move is where this journey led me so  that I can share my story and find a way to help others heal and find their voice too. 

DGG: What brought you into making jewelry?

J: This is going to sound a bit hokey, but I literally had a dream of breaking open a watch face with a hammer and in the dream I thought “wow, I could put something inside here.”  The dream stayed with me and the next day I started tinkering around with old watches.  Before long, I was filling the inside of watch faces with original collages and found objects and sealing them with resin.  I experimented with an art show and it amazed me when people actually started buying my creations!  My business was born.  

Photo c/o Mend on the Move Facebook

DGG: What do you hope to achieve with the company?

J:  The most immediate goal is to find sponsors for the 30 foot RV that was donated to us recently.  From the start, I envisioned Mend to be on the move with our makers creating from a mobile studio.  It is more efficient then packing and unpacking supplies and tools each time we go to our locations.  We want to also sell from the vehicle at shows and markets.   Long term, I want to just continue to listen to the women I employ and let them direct  me in how I can best serve them as we evolve.

DGG: Where do you see the company in the next 5 years?

J:  I honestly don’t have a 5 year business plan.   I let God take care of that.   But I’m very interested in adding up cycled clothing and inspirational T’s to our product line that our women can create.  We’ll see!

DGG: If you could have anyone wear the jewelry and support the company, who it would be?

J: I hugely admire Becca Stevens, founder of Thistle Farms in Nashville, a recovery/social enterprise program  where survivors of abuse make bath and body care products.  Three years ago I attended a workshop there and became fully committed to starting my own social enterprise upon seeing first hand the success stories.  Becca is my hero!

DGG: What is your favorite piece in the collection?

J: I guess I would pick the Safe Place necklace because I grew up longing for just that … and I’m grateful today to be a part of a support system that can provide this for our Makers.  I’m also loving the Mending necklace right now.  It’s  just so simple and effortless and I keep it on most of the time because it seems to work with everything. 

DGG: What is the most meaningful piece of jewelry you own?

J: My silver wedding band.  It’s the only piece of jewelry I wear consistently because the terrific guy I married actually had it custom made for me after I lost my diamond.  And really diamonds are not my thing.   I’m an unconventional jewelry kind of gal. Just adorn me with car parts and I’m happy!

DGG: How do you take your coffee?

J: With cream for that perfect caramel coloring.  It’s just as important as the coffee :)

DGG: Describe your style.

J: Evolving.  My daughter has recently opened my eyes to the perils of fast fashion.  As a result, I’m trying to be a more conscious and smart buyer, choosing simple more timeless pieces.  But this is most definitely a process because the latest trends always catch my eye!

DGG: Independent jewelry makers or larger companies?

J: Independent of course!  I love jewelry with a story.

Photo c/o Mend on the Move Facebook

By Alex Donlin

Do It: This Weekend’s Fashion, Beauty and Style Events that Are Not To Be Missed

This weekend is chock-full of fun and fashionable things to do, so if you’re itching to hit the town, these events will keep you busy!

The Toyota Lecture Series on Design | Thursday, April 30

Toyota Motor Company and the College for Creative Studies have partnered to create a series of lectures to bring prominent designers and scholars to speak at CCS, and this Thursday’s lecture is focused on fashion and accessories design. World renowned fashion and accessories designer Aki Choklat will share inspiring design stories from his travels across the world and discuss his perspective on craft, luxury and design. The lecture is from 6 to 7 p.m., free to attend, and will be given in the Wendell W. Anderson Jr. Auditorium. For more information, and to RSVP, visit CCS. 

The auditorium is located in the Walter B. Ford II Building at the Walter and Josephine Ford Campus at 201 E. Kirby, in Detroit.

Dining Out For Life - Detroit 2015 | Thursday, April 30

Another easy fundraiser is happening Thursday. All you have to do is go out to dinner at one of Dining Out For Life – Detroit 2015’s participating restaurants, and have a couple of drinks, eat a great meal, and enjoy a night out with loved ones. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Michigan AIDS Coalition. Participating restaurants include Priya Restaurant, The Bird & The Bread, Local Kitchen and Bar, Seva – Detroit and Mudgie’s Deli. Visit the website for a list of the other restaurants participating in your area. 

Scott Shuptrine Interiors Presents: Models of Influence | Thursday, April 30

Nigel Barker, former judge of American’s Next Top model, is in town to promote is brand new, New York Times best selling book Models of Influence from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Scott Shuptrine Interiors. This will be a night of design, art, fashion and luxury while Nigel signs his books and Scott Shuptrine Interiors will unveil the latest furniture models of the season. Scott Shuptrine Interiors will donate 15% of sales from the evening, and 100% of the donations collected at the door to the Suite Dreams Project. Tickets are available on Eventbrite. 

Scott Shuptrine Interiors is located at 32301 Woodward Ave., in Royal Oak.

Ort in The City | Thursday, April 30

ORT America invites you to its spring fundraiser from 7 to 10 p.m. at Eastern Market, Shed 3, for an evening of cocktails, strolling dinner and a Detroit-themed auction. Students from CCS’s Bag Design class are having bags specifically structured for the ORT fundraiser auctioned, along with a variety of other art Detroit inspired pieces. Nicole Eisenberg, Susan Gordon and Lisa Nederlander chair ORT in the City. To purchase tickets for the evening, call the ORT Offices at 248.723.8860.

Eastern Market is located at 2934 Russell St., in Detroit.

Haven’s Annual Gala | Friday, May 1

Haven will celebrate its 40^th Anniversary of serving victims of domestic and sexual violence, as well as the construction of their new facility at 6:30 p.m. at the Detroit Marriott Troy. Come out for an evening filled with a live/silent auction, a seated dinner, entertainment and an exciting afterglow party. For more information and to purchase tickets, please contact Carrie Copeland at ccopeland@haven-oakland.org.

The Detroit Troy Marriott is located at 200 W. Big Beaver Rd., in Troy.

Hues and Style of India at the Michigan International Women’s Show | Saturday, May 2

Come out to the Suburban Collection Showplace as Taj Cottage presents its new collection, Hues and Style of India at 7 p.m. The Michigan International Women’s Show opens at 10 a.m. on Thursday, and closes Sunday at 6 p.m. More information about the Hues and Style of India and the Michigan International Women’s Show can be found on the website.

The Suburban Collection Showplace is located at 46100 Grand River Ave, in Novi.

Mother’s Day Trunk Show at Karen Egren Jewelry | Saturday, May 2

If you haven't found the perfect Mother's Day gift yet, stop by the Mother's Day Trunk Show from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Karen Egren Jewelry. View a presentation of Mother’s Day gifts and spring arrivals, and receive a complimentary gift with all purchases over $75.

The Studio of Karen Egren at 550 W Merril, Suite 230, in Birmingham.

Ladies Spring Tea | Sunday, May 3

Morning Glory Coffee & Pastries is having its first annual Ladies Spring Tea from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Enjoy all the tea flavors imaginable, and a 3-tier pastry tower along with tea sandwiches. Tickets are $35 a person, and to reserve your table for one of the seating times, call 313.647.0298.

Morning Glory Coffee & Pastries is located at 85 Kercheval Ave., in Grosse Pointe Farms.

Build Next: How to Tell Your Story to the Media | Monday, May 4 & Sunday, May 16

Get a better idea of how the media works and how to pitch stories to the media with Build Institute and Crain’s Detroit Business. Amy Haimerl will host not one, but two workshops from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday and then an advanced class from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 16. You will learn about the media, how to frame your story, what not to do and so much more. The two classes are located  at Build Institute, and tickets can be found on Eventbrite. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/build-next-how-to-tell-your-story-to-the-media-beginner-advanced-workshops-tickets-16386733160

Build Institute is located at 2701 Bagley Ave., in Detroit.

Oh, (Don’t) Shop It: C. Wonder to Close Its Doors

C. Wonder is a shop full of kitschy knick-knacks, glittery pieces of flare and a limited but fun line of clothing. It was reported about a couple of months ago that Chris Burch’s retail chain (or “revenge retail” chain as some people have called it – sorry Tory!) was slated to close some of its locations across the U.S., but now it looks like the company is closing for good. In a meeting with the 100 or so remaining employees, they were told that the 11 retail locations that are still open are shutting their doors for good and that includes the C. Wonder at the Somerset Collection in Troy.

"Due to the highly competitive nature of the current retail environment, C. Wonder will be closing its remaining stores,” a company spokesperson says. “The Company continues to evaluate its best alternative to maintain the C. Wonder experience for its customers."

C. Wonder has deleted a few social media accounts and the website will close down in a few weeks. So, farewell C. Wonder; you were a great go-to for girlfriends’ birthday and holiday gifts.

Local Designer Series: The Ladies of the VK Collection Share How They Got Into Willys Detroit (and More about Their Line)

Valentina and Krista of the VK Collection met as interns in the corporate world with many similarities – they both immigrated to the United States when they were younger and they had a serious passion for jewelry, for starters – and their friendship blossomed from there into a business partnership. Their jewelry has landed at Willys Detroit only months after launching their very first collection, and we got a chance to talk to them about their line and get their story.

DG3: What’s the VK Collection’s story?

Valentina + Krista: We both have loved jewelry since childhood, made jewelry as a hobby growing up, and at the time were guilty of spending our savings on the finer pieces our intern salaries really could not afford. Every woman has that one thing she doesn’t leave the house without, whether it’s mascara, lipstick, watch – you name it. For us, it’s jewelry – it’s our channel for self-expression, a way to complete a look and tell a story. With our collection we aim to have pieces you can put on while wearing jeans and a t-shirt, or complete an evening look. 

We officially launched VK in December 2012, and at the time we wanted to be a destination boutique for women looking for unique, chic jewelry. We carried different brands of jewelry, as well as pieces we found at jewelry shows, etc. Several months into it, we realized that what we wouldn’t be fulfilled until we designed and made our own jewelry, so we started focusing on our next collection. We designed the collection combining Swarovski crystals and different brass chains, as we wanted our pieces to be unique and versatile, timeless yet edgy.

Our designs were near being final, and we were faced with our biggest obstacle yet – we couldn’t find a way to bring our pieces to life: no one to manufacture them, and in addition, we were continuously told that what we wanted to do wasn’t feasible. This was a hard reality for us to swallow, so we did what we do best – refused to take "no" for an answer and started our research on doing it ourselves! We had some experience in metalsmithing, but once we embarked on this, we realized there was a lot more to learn. We sought advice, looked for professional help, researched online information – really did anything and everything we could to make our collection a reality. We ended up purchasing all the tools and equipment we needed and learned the techniques of our entire process: making molds, soldering, oxidizing and stone setting. In March of 2014, we realized our biggest dream yet  – we launched our new collection that we designed and made ourselves. 

DG3: Congratulations on getting your collection into Willys Detroit! How did that come about and where else do you sell your products?

V+K: Thank you! We couldn't be more excited about having our collection at Willys Detroit! We were actually at Willys the other weekend, and it was surreal to see our jewelry on display. The way that this came about was as close to a dream as you can get. We went to an event at Willys, and the first person we spoke to compliment us on our jewelry. We proudly proceeded to tell her that it was our brand, to which she replied, "I’m a buyer for Willys, and we should talk." The rest was history. It has been a great pleasure working with the team there. In addition to Willys, you can also find our jewelry at Complex in Birmingham. In terms of advice that we would give - take chances and don't be afraid of being told "no."  You will get many of those and that’s ok; it is just a part of the process! 

DG3: What has been the most important business lesson you have learned during the process of creating your business and establishing your brand?

V+K: Great question, one that we could probably dedicate an entire blog post to, as we learn something new every day. Most importantly, you can't give up or lose hope when things get tough (and they do periodically), believing in yourself is very important and that THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY. We have learned that everything takes time; things don’t just happen overnight so you have to be patient and continue to work hard.  

DG3: What materials and techniques do you favor?

V+K: In terms of materials, there is nothing like Swarovski crystals - they are perfect in every way, from the sparkle, to variety of decadent colors and shapes. Currently, we weld our jewelry so by default it's our most favored technique. 

DG3: Do you wear other jewelry or strictly the VK Collection?

V+K: Always at least one VK piece - we both own quite a few pieces of jewelry and refer to them as our "archives," so if we are not covered in VK from head to toe, we mix VK with our archives. It very much benefits our company – it shows that our pieces are versatile and can be mixed and layered with other jewelry brands, and if asked, it gives us a chance to share the story behind our brand. 

DG3: Right now, what does your workspace look like?

V+K: Definitely scattered, scattered all over the place (insert embarrassed faces). We try to keep things neat when we can, but during high production times - everything is everywhere. 

DG3: If you could have any movie character's jewelry collection, whose would it be and why?

V+K: Hmmm… Daisy from The Great Gatsby comes to mind - the decadence from that era is incredible!

DG3: How do you take your coffee? 

V+K: With milk (and sugar for V) and often. (We don't sleep)

DG3: Cartier or Harry Winston?

V+K: Cartier, although we would never say “no” to a Harry Winston piece.

DG3: Brigitte Bardot or Jane Birkin?

V+K: Brigitte Bardot.

Model: Francina Juncaj, Photo: Mioara Dragan photography

Oh, Shop It: Jewelry for a Cause

Jewelry for a Cause was started in 2008 by Jessica Mindich as a way to design and create affordable and fashionable pieces of jewelry to be sold at a profit to raise money for various schools and charity organizations. Now, the company has expanded its mission to work with artisans from all over the world, helping them to create sustainable lives for their families through their craft. Jewelry for a Cause is responsible for more than $400,000 of philanthropy dollars to worthy causes and JFAC has thrown Detroit into the mix.

One of Jewelry for a Cause’s collections is The Caliber Collection, which includes bangles and cuffs created with serial numbers and metal from the bullet casings of illegal guns that were taken off the street. Each piece is marked with the serial number from a gun seized at a crime scene by the Detroit Police Department. According to the company, “The result is a series of pieces that embody the gun’s transformation from a destructive weapon to a powerful symbol of renewal. Jewelry for a Cause proudly donates a portion of the proceeds from each sale to gun buyback programs in American cities. The name Caliber was chosen for its two meanings; the caliber of a gun and how the caliber of a city is raised when illegal guns are taken off its streets.”

For more information or to shop Jewelry for a Cause, visit www.jewelryforacause.net or call 888.997.JFAC.

Local Designer Series: Wendy Nelson of Calendar Girl

Wendy Nelson has an adoration of vintage and history, and it all started when she was a little girl. She received a special gift of vintage treasures from her great-grandmother and she has been smitten with the past since that moment.

Fast forward to 1990: Wendy, who at that point had an extensive interior design background, just had a baby and was looking for a way to keep busy while at home with the newborn. She looked to her past, started Calendar Girl and hasn’t looked back since.

Each of her pieces are created in-house using authentic vintage jewels and other components, and she doesn’t just stick to designing jewelry: unique picture frames, elegant jewelry boxes, interesting belt buckles and exquisite handbags are other components of her collection. Wendy can create custom pieces for anyone looking for their broken vintage jewelry or old family heirlooms to become new again.

DG3 had a chance to speak to Wendy about her designs, plus we wanted to get in her head a bit to see what it’s really like to design for Calendar Girl.

DG3: How do you describe Calendar Girl to people who don’t know about your brand?

Wendy Nelson: Calendar Girl jewelry designs are an eclectic mix of vintage jewelry and components inspired by the grandeur and elegance of the past recreated into wearable art with a modern flair. Each piece is handmade and designed in my studio – using vintage pieces makes each piece one of a kind. I try to remain true to the unique representation of the pieces that go into each design.

DG3: Can you set the scene for your typical workday for us?

WN: My days are never structured. I work when I feel relaxed and inspired, never rushed. I love to work early in the morning with a cup of Starbuck’s coffee or late in the evening with a glass of Cabernet. My favorite place to work (when I am able) is the lake. There’s something about the color of the water, the sky and the fresh air that inspires me. Off-season, my studio is a quiet retreat filled with vintage handbags, photos, favorite quotes and my own collection of vintage jewelry.

DG3: Who or what inspires you?

WN: I have an assortment of vintage and antique pieces I’ve collected over the years that inspire my work. One is an extremely old sterling silver handbag (circa 1900s) that belonged to a young lady on her way to see her fiancé who was killed in a train accident. Another is a collection of old lockets that contain the pictures of their previous owners’ loved ones. I don’t know how I became the trustee of these very special treasures, but I feel they came to me for a reason. I look at them for inspiration. It reminds me of how each piece I create is composed of someone specials history and were once loved and cherished by them. 

DG3: Where can people buy pieces of the Calendar Girl collection?

WN: You can find Calendar Girl at select local art shows, online at calendargirlvintage.com, at The Village Fine Art Gallery in the Village of Rochester Hills, or you can commission work by calling 248.719.1392.

DG3: What is your favorite article of clothing in your closet, where did you get it and why is it your favorite?

WN: My great-aunt’s fabulous 1940s raccoon coat. She showed it to me for the first time when I was 14 years old. I tried it on and I fell in love. Not only did I fall in love with the coat, I fell in love with the glamorous women, the lifestyle and the fashion. It’s when I became obsessed with everything old. I am honored to have it in my collection and will cherish it forever.

DG3: What is the best advice you have ever received?

WN: “You can’t be everything to everybody so stay true to your vision.”  Love it. Live by it.

DG3: What would people be surprised to know about you?

WN: I have a unique collection of chickens.

DG3: Cats or Dogs?

WN: Dogs. Boxers in particular.

DG3: Smoothies or Milkshakes?

WN: Smoothies

DG3: Chanel or Versace?

WN: Chanel.