MeritMade Stories - Tara

We asked past client, Tara, our 5 questions about her custom turquoise necklace!

What is your MeritMade story?
My mom and I want on a trip to Utah and Arizona. The experience was wonderful and she came back with a beautiful piece of turquoise. However, she dropped it and the drilled stone broke near the hole. Knowing Kelly's amazing skills, I asked her for a customized setting for the stone. And I surprised my mom on Christmas day.

Why did you choose to work with MeritMade?
We've known each other since college. Watching Kelly develop as an artist and grow into a professional local maker is the reason I chose to work with her. Her genuine interest in her craft alongside her great communication skills makes the process not only easy, but intimate.

How does working with MeritMade compare to buying jewelry in the past?
Knowing how passionate she is with her craft as well as knowledgeable makes buying jewelry from MeritMade a lifetime experience. You can't get that from just anyone.

If you could get another piece of MeritMade jewelry for free, what would you want?
Probably something wonderful from her new collection.

What is the best movie quote ever, and what movie is it from?
"Just remember what ol' Jack Burton does when the earth quakes, and the poison arrows fall from the sky, and the pillars of Heaven shake. Yeah, Jack Burton just looks that big ol' storm right square in the eye and he says, 'Give me your best shot, pal. I can take it.'" -Big Trouble in Little China

Anything else you would like to add?
Keep on keepin on lady. Cheers. Xo.

MeritMade Commentaries - Art Westport!

Oh my goodness, Kansas City!

You loved on us in a way that only the best city in the Midwest can do! You were kind, encouraging, honest, hilarious, caring, inspired, enthusiastic and so genuine.

One of the hidden perks of this job is getting to hear the stories behind the pieces, both when Kelly is creating them and then again when they find their people. And that is how we think of it, that there is one specific person out there for each piece, and getting to be a part of that moment is a truly touching experience. We could blabber on for days, but here are some of the stories that still have our hearts aching in the best way possible.

To the sweet lady who bought the Unakite necklace for her mom, because our handmade clasps would allow her mother, who has M.S.,  the freedom to put on jewelry herself. Thank you for sharing your story with us.

To the groom-to-be who bought a one-of-a-kind piece for his bride to give to her, thank you for making MeritMade part of your story. We have always strived to make tomorrow's heirlooms and you have made our dreams come true. Thank you for sharing your story with us.

To Sean, a transplant to KC, who came to the show JUST to see MeritMade! Those Sonora Sunrise earrings would have been so sad if they didn't meet their person that day. May they guide you into your bliss! Best of luck with the wood working business, and we look forward to getting a beer soon! Thank you for sharing your story with us.

To the gal who picked up a ring for herself, and one for a gift...Your sister really didn't want a spiralizer, you were so right. But more than that, congratulations on treating yourself to a piece as beautiful and unique as you are. We hope you continue to invest in yourself-you are so worth it! Thank you for sharing your story with us.

To friends from high school and college that we haven't seen in years, to total strangers who shared their time with us, to our fellow artists who made the days fly by, to the stockists who shared interest in helping us share our art, to our lady loves who made sure we had all the finishing touches in place, to our partners and families for being so supportive...

Thank you! Thank you for letting us share our stories with you!

- Terra & Kelly

MeritMade Commentaries - The Kansas City Collection

We love this city.

While I left over five years ago, Kelly stayed and has been a part of KC as it has grown into the thriving city is is today. She pursued her passion and the city supported her, and continues to. When it came time to dream up new work, it had to be Kansas City, but of course in a very MeritMade way.

Let's hear it from Kelly herself:

"Oh Kansas City! I've really come to love this small big town. It's history of gangsters, Art Deco architecture, Midwest charm and growing foodie scene are hard not to fall in love with. This love is becoming apparent wherever you look. The volume of KC gear in the retail market is both awesome and a bit overwhelming. If you played a drinking game where you walked around KC and took a drink every time you saw a person wearing something in support of Kansas City, you would be drunk in less than an hour...maybe even 30 min! 

I can't help but want to be part of the collective consciousness that supports the city we all love so much, but I wanted to do it my way, a less obvious, beautiful, and wearable way. These unique pieces of ceramic, porcelain, china, and pottery allow me to do just that. From the discards of a city, I share with you a small shard of Kansas City history made into a unique and timeless jewelry piece."

The Kansas City collection features old pieces of broken pottery found buried in the West Bottoms. The pieces or pottery were salvaged years ago by a friend, Morgan, who was living in the area. As dirt for road construction was displaced pieces began surfacing and Morgan felt compelled to collect all that she could. When Kelly started making jewelry again, Morgan gave them to her.

Wanting to find out more about these buried pieces of dinnerware, I started looking into the markings and stampings. Here is the breakout of the three marks:

James Edwards & Sons- James Edwards is considered one of the pioneers of ironstone. The Dalehall Pottery on this mark places it in the 1840s and comes from Burslem, Straffodshire.

Mellor, Taylor & Co. - Also from England. This one is placed between 1887-1904.

Owen China Company- This company is from Minerva, OH and shows the move in the early 1900's to American made ironstone. The St. Louis on this mark is part of "Gold Medal St. Louis" which was added as part of the mark after the company won a gold medal in semi-porcelain at the Louisiana Purchase Expo in 1904, making this the "newest" of the three.

Little bit about Ironstone: The making of ironstone began in the early 1800's in Straffordshire, England as an alternative to porcelain when the East India Company stopped importing it in bulk. Throughout the 1800's the majority of this pottery was exported to the U.S.. In the early 1900's, American potters began to work in ironstone as well.

The West Bottoms were founded in the 1860's, and the area was the original downtown for Kansas City. Thanks to the railroads and the rivers, the area was thriving with city life and in 1871 the second biggest stockyard opened in the bottoms. Sadly, all of this came crashing down with the Flood of 1903. We suspect that many of these pieces where possible remnants from the damage done by that flood, buried for over 100 years.

All cleaned up, filed and polished, these pieces of history are ready to fulfill their next roles as a pieces of heirloom jewelry. We can't wait to share the complete collection with you.

xo, Terra