Hand-cut Lake Pebble Dangly Earrings

Sterling silver. Copper. Lake pebble.

Dura Mater, translated from Latin, means “tough mother” or “strong mother”. When I was living in the Chicago and Rockford areas of Illinois, I was painfully homesick. Following the death of my dad and living with a partner who just couldn’t understand that kind of pain, I was drowning in grief and struggling to find a way to cope. The rocks, stones, and lake pebbles I had collected from the lake back home in Pennsylvania became my lifeline. They kept me tethered to my home, to my roots, and comforted me in a way little else could. Turning them into jewelry was my way of comforting myself, of soothing that hollow ache that had been sitting in my chest since leaving my family behind in PA. In doing so, these pebbles reminded me why I love water so much. It is perspective. Observations. Reverence. Wonder. Awe. It is a reminder that we are all insignificant, tiny specks in the grand scheme of existence. It is a reminder of how connected everything is. It is a reminder that the earth is tough, WE are tough. I chose to engrave these pebbles with things I often see when I visit the lake: maple trees, pine trees, Great Blue Heron prints, deer prints, raccoon prints. I set them in sterling silver with copper accents and hung them from leather cords, copper bangles, and dangly earrings. I hope they always remind you that you are a Tough Mother. You are capable of withstanding anything. And, just like these lake pebbles, you are also worth saving. I promise. You are worth saving.