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| In the spring of 2006, I started to work with my aunt, Sandy Berkowitz, who had been creating beautiful handmade jewelry for many years. My aunt Sandy’s creations and her patient tutoring of me inspired me to begin to create beautiful jewelry on my own. She guided me through The Bead Monkey store on Grand Avenue in St. Paul, where she helped me to select beads that compliment each other in size, shape, texture and weight. Sandy also taught me the intricate method by which earrings are made and helped me to think through creative visions of what I wanted to create all the while keeping in mind the tools and process that are required to produce individual and unique works of art that can dangle from your ears. I have been making jewelry for a while, but I am now presenting an interactive website to showcase my products.
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| My motivation to do this and most everything else is my daughter, Regan Angeline O’Leary. She is incredibly sweet, smart, funny, and brings a smile to the faces of those around her. My family is closer now than ever before and Regan is to thank for it. She has helped me become more patient and kind. Regan has forever changed me. |
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I must also acknowledge the two strongest women I know, Dr. Lilly Goren, and my mother, Susan Kohls. Lilly was my professor at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota and believed in me when I didn’t know how. My mother has shown and continues to show me the meaning of love and sacrifice. |
Another two influential people in the creation of NareiK Boutique are my old friend, Kelsey Riley, and my web designer, Ross Lund. Kelsey visited Mankato in May of 2009 and told me about the business she started, . She encouraged me to start selling my earrings, let me know that the process would be easier than I thought, she gave me several great ideas about getting started, and introduced me to her web designer, Ross Lund of . After Kelsey headed back to San Francisco she continued to send me info about getting started and pushed me to do it. I got in touch with Ross and the rest is history. |
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