A Jeweler's Journey

It’s a going-down-memory-lane type of day today. If you are new here, this isn’t my first blog. I guess I have a habit of taking down old blogs. I realize as I write this I am still healing from the hurt experienced as a child when I used to journal my feelings only to be punished severely by prying eyes. As of today, I will change that habit. To introduce myself, my name is Christina Grace. I am the Designer Founder of TIN HAUS. Every piece of jewelry you see on this site has been designed and handcrafted by me using recycled precious metals and responsibly sourced precious gemstones. And, when it gets really busy, I bring in a set of trusted and highly skilled jewelers to help me. This is to ensure you get the highest quality piece of jewelry you will love forever.

When I filed the paperwork for this company during the summer of 2015, we didn’t start operating as a business and selling jewelry until the beginning of 2016. We didn’t have a plan nor even know you had to have one. I didn’t have any tools except for two pliers and a cardboard box that were used to practice crystal beadwork and wire-wrapping; to make jewelry as gifts to family and friends. The set of pliers were gifted to me by a dear friend, a metalsmith I met by chance in 2011 who taught me some jewelry-making basics. Jewelry became a sanctuary of healing and meditation for me and - being an innate fashionista - it was a time I explored various techniques with the fine arts in mind. (I was an actor and an abstract expressionist painter prior to jewelry.) I chuckle every time I look back at how simple times were, not realizing the divine synchronicities that were at play, which was what helped make this brand what it is today. As soon as I realized that this was my purpose, without thinking I jumped in. All I knew was that I was following a calling and to make a difference doing what I love – step by step and growing one day at a time. Come to think of it, I probably did everything backwards in the book of business protocols.

It wasn’t until winning a life-changing scholarship to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) within 5-6 months after filing for business, that altered the trajectory of my life and gave me the tools to understand how to elevate my grassroots company as a budding entrepreneur, aside from becoming badass on the bench. It was a time I was lucky enough to win scholarship grants which gave me the initial funding to invest in tools, equipment, and materials to finally start operations as a business by early spring of 2016. I had to space everything out in increments since I started this company from nothing. To date, I am proud to say that the company is fully self-funded. On the blog's cover, I wanted to share one of my first pieces of jewelry that I made during a summer jewelry-making course that helped me get my first scholarship from GIA. If you’ve been with us from the beginning, I thank you all for the unending support and being a part of our journey. We hope to reconnect with you all after the pandemic. If you are new here, you’ve got good taste! We look forward to getting to know you and to play a small part of your life experience by creating your future heirlooms. Feel good, too, knowing that a portion of sales goes towards charitable causes. So much gratitude and love. Thank you for walking with us on this incredible existence we call life!