Friends are the key to happiness and Eilisain Jewelry
Earlier this month I celebrated ten years in business and I truly felt like a queen and honored as if it was my birthday. All my closest and dearest friends in Eastern North Carolina came out and I felt so BLESSED!
How did I end up with such a supportive group of friends? I’m not sure but I count myself lucky because I’ve worked with these beautiful people since I started Eilisain at Art Avenue back in 2012 in Uptown Greenville.
Let me tell you that a small business growing does not happen in a vacuum, it happens with connections, relationships and care for these relationships.
From left to right: Aileen Devlin (my favorite photographer), Nikki Lee Dixon (sexy model and friend), me, Khristi Dixon (I mean, what a HOT couple - both models might I add), Janie Askew (talented artist & stylist) and Claire Edwards (my bestie and biggest supporter).
My dear friend Sim Asher (and also photographer for the Momentary Myth collection) snapped these photos and I’m so grateful he was able to capture the joy and celebration.
Here’s a little throwback story, it’s early 2012 and I had wanted to get professional lifestyle photos of my jewelry and I didn’t know that many people yet in Greenville, so I reached out to Sim and he connected me with all the beautiful people you see above. You see Sim, well he’s practically an honorary mayor of Uptown Greenville. Sim knows EVERYONE. And he’s alot of fun so it did help to connect with Sim Asher.
Claire Edwards and I cheesin’
Claire Edwards is special to me in that she was the gateway to having a studio space to create my jewelry at Art Avenue.. Art Avenue was the brainchild of Claire and our friend Sarah Setzco. They wanted a space to nurture artists from East Carolina University art school. Myself and a group of other artists which included Aileen Devlin, Jeremy Fineman, Andy Denton, Autumn Brown and Sim Asher organized and rallied with Claire and Sarah to support the space for live music, art and more. It was a big dream that I believed in and it was critical to the success of my business.
Thus my relationship with Claire was friendly in 2012 but we’ve grown closer and I count her as one of my closest friends whom was there with me from the beginning of Eilisain Jewelry.
Kristie King, one of my mentors and dear friend
Sid and Aileen (another hot couple)
My amazing husband, Bobby Pittman and my friend Jett Harrell.
Celebrating ten years gave me perspective and incredible gratitude for my friends and community. Building relationships with my friends and customers has created lasting bonds and memories that I cherish.
When I sell a piece of jewelry it is created with incredible intention, love and care. When I sell to you I am not a factory but a person that has made jewelry from a part of our world, part of our history and story.
If you love the feeling you get reading this OR you want to keep up to date with Eilisain, join my email list.